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Double Bass EUB + Roland V-Bass

H

horstenj

Jan 23, 2011
33
1
Netherlands
#1
Does anyone know if one can use a EUB with a Roland V-bass.? The V-bass element is straight and a EUB bridge has a radius, so I could imagine issues to pick up the A- and D-strings. Furthermore I read somewhere that possibly the V-bass can't cope with typical 3/4 EUB string lengths.

Any experience of insight?

Joost
 
#2
If you already have access to a roland pickup, I would experiment.

If I was starting with a blank slate, I might build my own pickup system with an individual mag pickup (or maybe even a piezo) for each string, something like the pickups on NS basses. Then all you need is some buffer circuitry maybe with some filtering. What you want is a stable mounting and adjustment for each string's individual pickup and adjustable gain for each string's buffer. There used to be schematics and specs on the web but I have not looked lately.

As far as working with the long EUB scale length, that is something I don't have experience with so I can't guarantee it would work. I have only used the roland style pickups on guitar style instruments. The thing I will note is that the stock roland pickups need to be really close to the bridge and also very close to the string for best results with the roland synths and midi converters. This may be the case for any pickup used for these purposes.

My experience is with the various GR series units and not with the VBass and VGuitar units. I have heard that the V* units are a bit less picky but I don't have the personal experience to verify that.

YMMV

Peace,
S
 
#3
Thanks for your response

TheSuzie said:
If you already have access to a roland pickup, I would experiment.
Click to expand...

I'm afraid I have not at this point of time.

TheSuzie said:
If I was starting with a blank slate, I might build my own pickup system with an individual mag pickup (or maybe even a piezo) for each string, something like the pickups on NS basses. Then all you need is some buffer circuitry maybe with some filtering. What you want is a stable mounting and adjustment for each string's individual pickup and adjustable gain for each string's buffer. There used to be schematics and specs on the web but I have not looked lately.
S
Click to expand...

The V-Bass pickup sends out separate signals for each string. So I think a normal circuitry will not work. But are you saying that apart from that a normal (magnetic) pickup works? Then the question is if one can copy the Roland circuitry.
 
#4
Yes I was talking about using individual pickups for each string, either cheap piezos under each string or individual magnetic pickups. The trouble with piezos would likely be cross talk. A DB style bridge does not isolate the strings from each other very well. A bridge designed/built for this use may help.

EMG makes single string mag pickups for Steinberger. Also windworld.com sell some generic single string mag pickups and a bunch of piezo stuff. The circuitry is just op-amps and a handful of passive components. Many people have built workable buffers for the 13 pin system.

An experimenter might try getting a single mag pickup or maybe a half of a pbass pickup physically mounted to only get the signal from a single string just for the experiment. One could wire up a buffer for a single string just to see how it worked - if you can get access to a VBass.

BTW I think it is best to mount mags to the body and not to the bridge itself if possible.

High end builders buy systems from RMC, Shadow and similar vendors to build into their instruments (Usually BG and Guitars).

Geez - can you tell I went to engineering school once upon a time?...

Peace,
S
 
#7
I went a bit deeper into the user manual. Some observations
  • the pickup "will not work with an acoustic bass". I guess this has mostly to do with the shape as discussed. So then it would also apply to an EUB
  • in the setup one needs to enter a scale length. The manual does not mention any limits but somewhere I read that it is not possible to enter a typical 3/4 bass scale length. I'm not sure how important this is.
  • The pickup is a special one. Info on the wiring seems to be essential to have any hope that one make a custom pickup out of individual magnetic pickups.

Frankly, not an encouraging list. The other consideration would be whether an EUB has actually some advantages over a (fretless) Bass Guitar as sound is obviously not as relevant as with standard amplification. Any insights on this? Perhaps drop the whole idea?

Joost
 
#12
TheSuzie said:
Are the pickup elements mounted on a flex circuit? Not sure how the gk2b can be made to match a db radius. Please do keep us us informed.

S
Click to expand...


Nope.

I disassembled a GK-1 back in the 80s and remounted the individual pickups onto a 'custom' made circuit board and fitted it into a Stick (very narrow string spacing and only 5 strings on the Melody side). I most likely had the first MIDI'd Stick. I showed it to Emmet Chapman and he was able to custom make and retrofit the Roland pickups much more nicely.

It would then be possible to do this for an EUB - if you have the time and ability to think it out and do it. But yes, they would need to be individual, isolated pickups... the above bass bridge will not work.
 

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