Double Bass Headway Band or Ehrlund for DPA / Underwood user?

[NickyBass]

I usually prefer using a mic, but sometimes the Underwood is necessary for louder gigs. I really want to replace the Underwood with something new. A lot of people like the Ehrlund, but I am afraid that it won't have the headroom that I want. I am wondering where the Band and Ehrlund fit, volume wise, in relation to the DPA and Underwood. I would greatly appreciate any perspective.

 

[Don Kasper]

I usually prefer using a mic, but sometimes the Underwood is necessary for louder gigs. I really want to replace the Underwood with something new. A lot of people like the Ehrlund, but I am afraid that it won't have the headroom that I want. I am wondering where the Band and Ehrlund fit, volume wise, in relation to the DPA and Underwood. I would greatly appreciate any perspective.

Have you tried using only the E side element of the Underwood? I've found this to improve the Underwood's sound.
Just a (cheap) thought.
Thanks.

 

[NickyBass]

Hey Don. I have tried that, but really, my Underwood is pretty old and I would feel better having another pickup, and using the Underwood as a backup.

 

[DoubleMIDI]

Hey NickyBass,

the Ehrlund is very different to the Underwood in sound and decay. Very nice to the more traditional jazz styles, but if you want to try more modern stuff like rock, funk etc. that's not what it does well soundwise. It might work with volume, but could also feedback. The strange thing with the Ehrlund was that I got feedback at home, but not on stage.

My old ATM35 is really feedback resistant compared to other studio condensers, but less feedback resistant than the Ehrlund. And As I read on Talkbass, the DPA sounds better than the ATM35 but is less feedback resistant.

The feedback resistance of the Underwood can be much higher than the Ehrlund, but it depends on pressure on the Underwood and position of the Ehrlund. But in general the Underwood is much more feedback resistant. With the Underwood feedback often comes over the open strings, so you need to damp them to avoid feedback in loud volume situations.
I haven't had an Underwood myself, but a Shadow SH-950 which is basically a clone of the Underwood.

You should know that finding a good position for the Ehrlund is not that easy. There are good hints in the Ehrlund threads (better read the completely, you waste more time if you don't read them). Finding a good position (soundwise) is easier for a close mic, because the range of the top that gets amplified is much larger than the spot position of a contact mic like the Ehrlund.

Keeping the Underwood as a backup is a good idea, I keep a Full Circle and my old SH-950 as a backup and for more modern sounds.

 

[Eric Hochberg]

A Stat B replaced my single element underwood and I've been happy with it for many years. Plenty of headroom for loud situations and a more refined sound.

 

[Don Kasper]

A Stat B replaced my single element underwood and I've been happy with it for many years. Plenty of headroom for loud situations and a more refined sound.

Hi Eric,

I like the Stat B, but I've had reliability issues with the (2) Stat B's that I've owned - (I no longer use it, BTW). What has your experience been with that pickup and preamp?
Thanks.

 

[Eric Hochberg]

Hi Eric,

I like the Stat B, but I've had reliability issues with the (2) Stat B's that I've owned - (I no longer use it, BTW). What has your experience been with that pickup and preamp?
Thanks.

I have had no problems with the pickups. I have with the Schertler Stat Pre's. I've been through 2. I now use an LR Bags Gigpro with it live and for recording I use a Pre All.

 

[Don Kasper]

I have had no problems with the pickups. I have with the Schertler Stat Pre's. I've been through 2. I now use an LR Bags Gigpro with it live and for recording I use a Pre All.

Maybe it was the preamps that failed. I didn't know that a Non-Schertler preamp was compatible.
Good to know. I may revisit that pickup.
Thanks for your time and expertise.

 

[NickyBass]

I've tried a Stat B, but the cork wasn't cut for my bass. To try it on mine, I fitted a pretty thick piece of belt leather around the element to make it fit. It has a nice tone, but I'm wondering how much better it would sound if I had one fitted to my bass.

Double MIDI, I've been following the threads. It seems like the people who found the spot love the pickup. Thanks for the additional information!

 

[Eric Hochberg]

I've tried a Stat B, but it wasn't cut for my bass. To try it on mine, I fitted a pretty thick piece of belt leather around the element to make it fit. It has a nice tone, but I'm wondering how much better it would sound if I had one fitted to my bass.

Double MIDI, I've been following the threads. It seems like the people who found the spot love the pickup.

I've never tried belt leather, but I have cut wine cork and glued it on with adhesive to the Stat cork and it works well.

 

[NickyBass]

So, does the Stat B need phantom power? Would the Headway pre work with it?

 

[Don Kasper]

I thought Schertler recommended that a small wooden ledge be installed on the bridge - here is my solution, which I recently removed. It was glued on with CA adhesive.

 

[Eric Hochberg]

So, does the Stat B need phantom power? Would the Headway pre work with it?

Yes, 9v. The EDM would work AFAIK. I think the EDB supplies 48v only.

 

[Eric Hochberg]

I thought Schertler recommended that a small wooden ledge be installed on the bridge - here is my solution, which I recently removed. It was glued on with CA adhesive.


View attachment 853184

I've seen that done, but I never have. Pressure only has been sufficient.

 

[Vunz]

I installed the Stat-B the "official" way (including the wooden wedge) and it works great. 12V phantom power is delivered by my Grace Felix preamp.

Cheers,
Vincent

 

[NickyBass]

Thanks for all the info. I am hoping to hear some experiences with the Band pickup too...

 

[DoubleMIDI]

Rickwolff has experience with the Band. Do a search for his postings.
He didn't put the sensor element under the Logo in the middle of the bass but more to the right close to the bass bridge foot and got better results than in the middle.
So anything that doesn't have a fixed place at the bridge can need a lot of experimenting until a good position could be found.

I think you should decide first if you want a simple install and forget solution with a non-optimal sound or a flexible solution that might not work well at all or needs a lot of experimenting and potentially has a better sound.
I think the Band is in between these extremes, but didn't work with every bass.

 

[NickyBass]

I am looking for something that I can put on and take off easily since I am doing about 90% classical. I don't mind sacrificing a bit of tone for volume and ease of use. I would use the DPA whenever possible and use the Band, Stat-B or Ehrlund when I need more volume. I am leaning toward the Band or Stat-B since I feel like they would give me the most volume AND be a tonal improvement over the Underwood.

 

[DoubleMIDI]

It would be a good idea to mark the position for the Band or the Ehrlund with pencil or other removable stuff on the top when you remove the pickup.
For the Stat-B also it's length axis on the bridge.

 

[Ric Vice]

I am looking for something that I can put on and take off easily since I am doing about 90% classical. I don't mind sacrificing a bit of tone for volume and ease of use. I would use the DPA whenever possible and use the Band, Stat-B or Ehrlund when I need more volume. I am leaning toward the Band or Stat-B since I feel like they would give me the most volume AND be a tonal improvement over the Underwood.

Nicky Bass,
The Ehrlund EAP has worked well on a number of basses. You'll have to try it before you make your decision. To that end, Gollihur Music offers a trial period on the EAP. It's also possible that the Headway Band may be better designed for taking a pickup on and off the bass frequently. The lead between the Trangle pickup element and the connection, is a very fine cable. You could run the risk dammaging it permanently.



Ric