I had some interest in the Yamahiko last year. If you ever heard Eddie play he tweaks his EQ pretty hard to get that funny sound of his. I thought maybe that the pick up might be capable of a much better sound. I also wanted to try the one on each side thing. But it seems like its kinda hard to get in touch...Maybe I'll try again..
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Double Bass Fishman BP-100
- Thread starter timidbassist
- Start date
I did not know you could use just one of these things. I always thought they worked as a pair, but apparently they don't have to.
They are pretty pricey like Ric said if you do the dual element thing. But then there's this thing in my head about the potential for phase cancellation. Rick Jones told me once that his favorite DB pickup was the older STAT-B w/ dual elements. He said Schertler switched to the single element to avoid p.c. issues, but Rick said that was never a problem for him. Maybe they were just looking for a way to cut the cost (roughly) in half and make it more affordable. Dunno.
I am gonna see Rick this week (I hope), to pick up a new Focus 2R (woo hoo!). I may ask him if he is still using the older STAT-B.
They are pretty pricey like Ric said if you do the dual element thing. But then there's this thing in my head about the potential for phase cancellation. Rick Jones told me once that his favorite DB pickup was the older STAT-B w/ dual elements. He said Schertler switched to the single element to avoid p.c. issues, but Rick said that was never a problem for him. Maybe they were just looking for a way to cut the cost (roughly) in half and make it more affordable. Dunno.
I am gonna see Rick this week (I hope), to pick up a new Focus 2R (woo hoo!). I may ask him if he is still using the older STAT-B.
I had the opportunity to hear Steve La Spina, Todd Coleman, and Charlie Hayden use the Dual Element Stat B's when they first came out. They definitely sounded very natural and neutral. As I remember they had a cannon mic plug for their signal output that had to go into a preamp (or line transformer) to convert the signal fron low to high impedance. I tried one out at a luthiers shop and as I recall I thought that the price they cost, $500.00 was out of my range at the time. I think that Charlie still uses one. One of the problems with them is that the cork mounts that secure the pickup elements in place eventually ware out and have to be replaced.
Ric
Ric
Ric, that's very cool that you have heard those three guys, no matter what p/u they were using. I do recall reading Charlie Haden's endorsement for the STAT-B. In fact it is Invalid Link Removed.
The cork mount thing is one of the reasons I think I have not tried the STAT-B yet. I did try the DYN-B as a loaner, but just could not get it happenin' consistently on my bass, thru my rig, et al, and decided to send it back.
I tend to think that maybe Schertler changed the STAT-B from a double to a single element model so that it would cost roughly half, and as a result not end up in the same price range as the DYN-B. Of course I could be all wet.
The cork mount thing is one of the reasons I think I have not tried the STAT-B yet. I did try the DYN-B as a loaner, but just could not get it happenin' consistently on my bass, thru my rig, et al, and decided to send it back.
I tend to think that maybe Schertler changed the STAT-B from a double to a single element model so that it would cost roughly half, and as a result not end up in the same price range as the DYN-B. Of course I could be all wet.
Hello guys,
Just to remember, STANLEY CLARKE uses a BP-100 ( along with a EBS MICROBASS II pre amp) on his acoustics, and the sound is amazing...I think that the instrument, the player, set up, strings, etc , have a effect on sound...
Just to remember, STANLEY CLARKE uses a BP-100 ( along with a EBS MICROBASS II pre amp) on his acoustics, and the sound is amazing...I think that the instrument, the player, set up, strings, etc , have a effect on sound...
Fabio,
Stanley does use a BP-100 and if you like that tone quality then go for it. Personally, it's just not what I'm after. Lets also remember that when you hear Stanley if he's running through the mains then the enginners have worked on the signal. Stanley is a real virtusoso, especially with the bow. Whether the it's BP-100 and not the mic on Stanley's uprignt is what you are hearing in the house is debatable.
Ric
Actually, I get very close to that sound with my BP-100 right into the amp (well, through an Fdeck preamp-you REALLY need a preamp with the BP-100). I've had 8 basses. The BP-100 worked really well on 3 of them and not at all on the other 5. On the 3 that it worked on, I didn't have to do anything to get it work other than mount it. On the five it didn't work on, nothing I did could make it sound good.
mark
many times i've heard great players get great tone w/ crap gear, but that doesn't mean i want to use crap gear.
I used to carry a BP 100 when I toured and had to play the bass du jour. I also (vaguely) remember a club in NYC that had a sign on the bandstand, "No arco solos" in the era when the BP 100 and Barcus-Berry (internal and stick-on) were state of the art.
Reminds me of a place in Raleigh that used to insist on 5 hours a night of what they referred to as "peppy" jazz. The code of conduct was "No ballads, no bossas, and no bass solos."
The main thing is the clips on the bridge has a 99% chance of being awful.
On my old kay w/Supernils, I kept it clipped to the treble f hole. That was ok, especially thru the PA instead of an amp, most of the time.
Then I read on here about the superglue to the underside of the bridge method.
Tried that on my new Roma ply, and that was even better. More balanced, still not too clicky. Even without the old BP100 bass preamp, direct into the active input on my Workingmans12, it sounds pretty good.
That said, I cant recc someone buy one this day and time.
I'm probably going to a Full Circle and Baggs Acoustic DI, or other good preamp, when I can afford it.
On my old kay w/Supernils, I kept it clipped to the treble f hole. That was ok, especially thru the PA instead of an amp, most of the time.
Then I read on here about the superglue to the underside of the bridge method.
Tried that on my new Roma ply, and that was even better. More balanced, still not too clicky. Even without the old BP100 bass preamp, direct into the active input on my Workingmans12, it sounds pretty good.
That said, I cant recc someone buy one this day and time.
I'm probably going to a Full Circle and Baggs Acoustic DI, or other good preamp, when I can afford it.
I've been told the BP100 sounds pretty good when one side is placed under the E side of the bridge (I guess sort of like a Realist) and the other side is attached somewhere on the bridge. Anyone ever heard of this?
Will a Fishman Platinum Pre help the BP100? My FishmanPP is getting delivered on Monday. I'm getting a BP100 for $50 from a guy who doesn't play anymore (Same guy I bought my bass from 4 months ago, didn't buy his BP100 pickup at the time). He said he got a pretty good sound out of it directly into an amp. I'm concerned about volume and feedback since I play in a loud new grass/Americana style band and I'm going to be switching between electric bass and acoustic bass. I'm figuring a Fishman Platinum Pre should help, right? Any input is great. Thanks.
Will a Fishman Platinum Pre help the BP100? My FishmanPP is getting delivered on Monday. I'm getting a BP100 for $50 from a guy who doesn't play anymore (Same guy I bought my bass from 4 months ago, didn't buy his BP100 pickup at the time). He said he got a pretty good sound out of it directly into an amp. I'm concerned about volume and feedback since I play in a loud new grass/Americana style band and I'm going to be switching between electric bass and acoustic bass. I'm figuring a Fishman Platinum Pre should help, right? Any input is great. Thanks.
The plat pro pre is awesome. I've tried mounting the BP100 eleven ways til sunday, all stunk. Buy a underwood, buy a bassmax, buy a fullcircle, buy a RS2, ANYTHING but a BP100.
Why do they still make that horrible thing? Which i find puzzling, the plat pro is great, as is all the NUMEROUS fishman guitar products i've tried. Plus Fishman's customer service has been great.
Why buy a Bp100 for $50, when you can buy something way better for not much more money.
Jake deVilliers
Commercial User
- May 24, 2006
- 6,349
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- Owner of The Bass Spa, String Repairman at Long & McQuade Vancouver
Gotta disagree with my colleagues here. I've had 8 basses. The BP-100 has worked fabulously well on 3 of them and not at all on the other 5. It is really dependent on the bass. I mix mine with a little bit of AMT mic and I get a very natural sound on my '28 Juzek. Much more natural than with the Realist, Underwood, Planet Wing, Shadow or Schertler Stat-B or Dyn B. I've not tried a Full Circle yet. You absolutely have to use a pre-amp with it though or if you have a Series II AI amp, the high Z input.
The BP-100 might sound good on your bass; it might not. You won't know until you've tried it. Since it was on the bass before and the previous owner said it sounded good, you've got a decent shot. Plus, it's only $50. If you don't like it, you could probably sell it for what you paid for it.
Personally, I've had no success with the Underwood or Planet Wing (or any bridgewing pickup for that matter). I hesitate to call them "crap" just because I'VE had no success with them though. The Realist never sounds bad but it seems to have a limited dynamic range and it isn't the best at higher volumes. The Schertler Stat-B made whatever side it was mounted on sound good but the other side sounded weak. I had mine mounted on the G side and the G and D sounded great, the E and A sounded weak. I reversed the mounting and the E and A sounded great, the G and D sounded weak. I only messed with the Dyn-B for a little while but didn't get anything that I thought would be useable in a variety of settings.
mark
The BP-100 might sound good on your bass; it might not. You won't know until you've tried it. Since it was on the bass before and the previous owner said it sounded good, you've got a decent shot. Plus, it's only $50. If you don't like it, you could probably sell it for what you paid for it.
Personally, I've had no success with the Underwood or Planet Wing (or any bridgewing pickup for that matter). I hesitate to call them "crap" just because I'VE had no success with them though. The Realist never sounds bad but it seems to have a limited dynamic range and it isn't the best at higher volumes. The Schertler Stat-B made whatever side it was mounted on sound good but the other side sounded weak. I had mine mounted on the G side and the G and D sounded great, the E and A sounded weak. I reversed the mounting and the E and A sounded great, the G and D sounded weak. I only messed with the Dyn-B for a little while but didn't get anything that I thought would be useable in a variety of settings.
mark
Hey,
I just bought my first DB (Strunal 50/4), and it came with a Fishman BP100. I'm testing it with an older Fishman Pro-EQ (black metal box) and it still sounds weak and crappy. I'm comparing it alongside micing the bass with an ATM41HE, as well as micing it a with a set of CoreSound Binaural mics I bought a dacade ago to record concerts with my minidisc. ( [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] )
The mics both sound way better. The ATM41HE is a vocal mic and as such is heavy and big. The sound with the CSB mics is even better, but these are stereo mics and as such have an TRS connection which may not be the best for a Fishman Pro EQ input.
Does anyone know if a Fishman Pro EQ handles TRS inputs as a simple Left channel only or if it deals with it badly? (I've seen many guitar amps and such devices not deal with mic signals well when plugged in via XLR -> TRS (STEREO) 1/4". There is no signal and driving the amp gives more feedbacks. But change the cable to XLR -> TS (MONO) 1/4" and they work fine as expected.) I'll try an adapter sometime this week or next.
The CSB's are also omnidirectional, and need a good loud acoustic sound to get a good signal going. As such they are great for recording drums, but that's not quite what I want in this.
Back to the Fishman Bp100. The 1/4" jack was mounted on the A and D strings below the bridge, and when someone took them off while I was playing, the A and D strings sounded better. I've since removed the BP100 as I want to maximize the acoustic vibrations of the bass, and want nothing damping the bridge. However, I can put them back on to play around with different ways to mount them, as a contact mic should work anywhere it is in contact with vibrations.
Any suggestions?
so far I'll try..
- mount one contact on top of bridge between the E and A, leave the other off.
- on feet of bridge just below the adjusters
- on bass top near f holes
I don't really want them under the bridge feet, as I want to bridge to vibrate the bass with the least interference as possible.
BTW, the way I test sound is to record the signal onto my computer and them listen back to the recording. I do this to hear the sound from the electrical signal only, and not the signal sound mixed with the acoustic sound of the bass when playing.
I just bought my first DB (Strunal 50/4), and it came with a Fishman BP100. I'm testing it with an older Fishman Pro-EQ (black metal box) and it still sounds weak and crappy. I'm comparing it alongside micing the bass with an ATM41HE, as well as micing it a with a set of CoreSound Binaural mics I bought a dacade ago to record concerts with my minidisc. ( [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] )
The mics both sound way better. The ATM41HE is a vocal mic and as such is heavy and big. The sound with the CSB mics is even better, but these are stereo mics and as such have an TRS connection which may not be the best for a Fishman Pro EQ input.
Does anyone know if a Fishman Pro EQ handles TRS inputs as a simple Left channel only or if it deals with it badly? (I've seen many guitar amps and such devices not deal with mic signals well when plugged in via XLR -> TRS (STEREO) 1/4". There is no signal and driving the amp gives more feedbacks. But change the cable to XLR -> TS (MONO) 1/4" and they work fine as expected.) I'll try an adapter sometime this week or next.
The CSB's are also omnidirectional, and need a good loud acoustic sound to get a good signal going. As such they are great for recording drums, but that's not quite what I want in this.
Back to the Fishman Bp100. The 1/4" jack was mounted on the A and D strings below the bridge, and when someone took them off while I was playing, the A and D strings sounded better. I've since removed the BP100 as I want to maximize the acoustic vibrations of the bass, and want nothing damping the bridge. However, I can put them back on to play around with different ways to mount them, as a contact mic should work anywhere it is in contact with vibrations.
Any suggestions?
so far I'll try..
- mount one contact on top of bridge between the E and A, leave the other off.
- on feet of bridge just below the adjusters
- on bass top near f holes
I don't really want them under the bridge feet, as I want to bridge to vibrate the bass with the least interference as possible.
BTW, the way I test sound is to record the signal onto my computer and them listen back to the recording. I do this to hear the sound from the electrical signal only, and not the signal sound mixed with the acoustic sound of the bass when playing.
