Just wondering how this sounds? Ive got fretted with a piezo, and i like it, its a bit different, but i was wondering how it would sound on a fretless, probably as close as your going to get to a double bass sound on an E-Bass?
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Fretless bass using a piezo pickup?
- Thread starter i_got_a_mohawk
- Start date
- Feb 8, 2005
- 3,636
- 1,053
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Bag End - Dean Markley - Thunderfunk
The piezo posse. all fretless. Im my opinion some of the best basses you can get:
Veillette MkIV five string
Turner Renaissance
Rob Allen Deep 5
All a little different. They can sound like an upright but really exist in their own tonal space. Electric meets acoustic.
Veillette MkIV five string
Turner Renaissance
Rob Allen Deep 5
All a little different. They can sound like an upright but really exist in their own tonal space. Electric meets acoustic.
I really think they add a good acoustic value to the bass (if it's a good bass). Nice Rob Allen richnota, but nothing can touch a real upright
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I really think they add a good acoustic value to the bass (if it's a good bass). Nice Rob Allen richnota, but nothing can touch a real upright
So true. The piezo basses are not going to replace an upright (and i dont think RA and Ren lovers play them that way). They offer some of the tonal qualities but are a very different thing. Nothing can replace what i'd call the "physics" of a great big hollow body and long scale. I went to David Gage a few weeks ago and got to play a couple $20K+ uprights....its a whole other world. I think one day I'll break down and get one.
I really think they add a good acoustic value to the bass (if it's a good bass). Nice Rob Allen richnota, but nothing can touch a real upright
Replace? No way. Nice alternative? Hell yes. Even the most expensive Rob Allen will be cheaper than a 1/2 decent upright. They take up less space and are lighter. With the right wood combos, you can produce some convincing upright sounding tones.
I haven't really heard anything like a rob allen that has that "thump" to it. Do you know any recordings that have anything like that? I'd be interested to know(I'm not being sarcastic, I just would like to know).
But I think I'm getting a little off-topic on this thread.
But I think I'm getting a little off-topic on this thread.
Sorry if i put over the wrong impression, i know that an E-Bass isnt going to sound like an upright, but being fretless and using a piezo is as close as you would get (id imagine) is all i was meaning.
Richnota, those are stunning!!!
Richnota, those are stunning!!!
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I think a lot of the sound will depend on the woods and technique of the user.
- Feb 8, 2005
- 3,636
- 1,053
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Bag End - Dean Markley - Thunderfunk
If I may be so bold
http://www.electrocoustic.com/audio/5stringfretless.mp3
NCI at all, just a happy customer
http://www.electrocoustic.com/audio/5stringfretless.mp3
NCI at all, just a happy customer
My Spectorcore has a Fishman piezo bridge. For me, the magnetic pickup (EMG) sounds closer to a double bass than the piezo (through my amp it comes VERY close IMO), it makes it sound more acoustic, more 'hollow'. But the piezo is very useful in its own right, just different. On the other hand, I think there are big differences in piezo quality, so some might sound more acoustic than others.
Jep, I bought mine used for 400 euros, new they go for at least 700 here, so I guess that's a great deal for me then
. It was just a few months old and in perfect condition, except for string marks on the fretboard, apparently Spector deliver these with rounds as standard, and not very good ones at that 
.
If I could get one for a good price I'd like to add a piexo bridge to my Brice V2. However, I just can't justify spending twice the price of the bass on a bridge.
The piezo posse. all fretless. Im my opinion some of the best basses you can get:
Veillette MkIV five string
Turner Renaissance
Rob Allen Deep 5
All a little different. They can sound like an upright but really exist in their own tonal space. Electric meets acoustic.
You're missing a Takamine!
The Turners and Allens are the closest to an acoustic sound for my ears and hands. (I consider T-I Acousticore strings a big part of the sound.) I have an original Tune Modern Acoustic electric bass, with a chambered body, 36" scale, piezos in the bridge, and two narrow aperture magnetics. Once again, it comes close tone-wise, and it can "fake" a lot of different gigs. Same for the hybrid Bolins. Excellent instruments! I love playing them!
They're not $20K + doghouses, and they're not set up for arco playing, but I think the point is that they are not $20K doghouses. I suspect if you polled all of the designers who worked on them, you would get a unanimous or near unanimous response that they were never trying to replace/equal/duplicate the double bass.
I've owned a Taylor and a Thunderchief, and they came in distant also-rans to the ones noted above. Minimal bottom end, even by electric bass standards. They were pretty much firewood compared to a half-way-decent double bass! I think most of us would have expected the opposite results.
They're not $20K + doghouses, and they're not set up for arco playing, but I think the point is that they are not $20K doghouses. I suspect if you polled all of the designers who worked on them, you would get a unanimous or near unanimous response that they were never trying to replace/equal/duplicate the double bass.
I've owned a Taylor and a Thunderchief, and they came in distant also-rans to the ones noted above. Minimal bottom end, even by electric bass standards. They were pretty much firewood compared to a half-way-decent double bass! I think most of us would have expected the opposite results.
^Pics please!!!!!!! 
I'd like to see the piezo fretless gain more popularity, though I suppose it will always be a limited market.
It's really interesting how the piezo+fretless combo make for so many different tones based on different types of touches and techniques. It would be hard to find a magnetic pickup that can get both upright and singing tones.
I took my 2 to an audition last night for a jazz/improv/funk/reggae band and they were impressed with the tones I was getting.
I'd like to see the piezo fretless gain more popularity, though I suppose it will always be a limited market.
It's really interesting how the piezo+fretless combo make for so many different tones based on different types of touches and techniques. It would be hard to find a magnetic pickup that can get both upright and singing tones.
I took my 2 to an audition last night for a jazz/improv/funk/reggae band and they were impressed with the tones I was getting.
I posted a very, I mean very, short clip of my pizzo equiped Takamine B10 here:
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?p=4024641#post4024641
It doesn't quite capture the entire range, but gets across a bit of the lower register.
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?p=4024641#post4024641
It doesn't quite capture the entire range, but gets across a bit of the lower register.
