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Double Bass K&K Bass Max Pickup Anyone?
- Thread starter jgbass
- Start date
I found the K&K to be a "boomy" pickup with high output that made my bass sound like a giant BG. My vote would be for the Rev. Solo II. To my ear and on my basses, it has been far superior.
YMMV
I don't like the bass max at all. On my bass (actually two very different basses) it's either boomy or crispy withy no in-between. Even with the k&k preamp I could never get any acceptable tone from it. Some people like it I 'm sure. Not me.
I used a Bass Max for years, and for my old bass, I liked it a lot. [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] a clip of a live recording made on my old bass with a custom "double bass max" (two elements instead of one) running direct into the board during a concert in a hall where the sound is too boomy to record acoustically. I think it sounds pretty decent. The bottom end is a little rubbery and slightly electric sounding, but I've heard and played much worse.
When I got my new bass, the Bass Max didn't sound good on it, so I moved on to the Full Circle and haven't looked back. That said, for the money, the Bass Max can be very nice if it likes your bass. IMO it sounds best with a HP filter to remove some of the "mwahhh" sound.
When I got my new bass, the Bass Max didn't sound good on it, so I moved on to the Full Circle and haven't looked back. That said, for the money, the Bass Max can be very nice if it likes your bass. IMO it sounds best with a HP filter to remove some of the "mwahhh" sound.
I have the Bassmax fitted to the G side of the bridge and a Rev Solo II on the E side. A/B'd against each other the Solo is my preference but the Bassmax is'nt that far behind. Like others have said, the Bassmax has a hot output with too much bottom end for my tastes and the K&K pre does little to tame it so the pick up on it's own should suffice, just be sure to mount it on the G side of the bridge (the E side is pure slab sound). It's on and off in a jiffy too.
When I get around to it I intend using a Y splitter and combining the two pups before I sell the K&K, just to see if the K&K adds a little depth to the upper register that the Solo seems to lack. Of course, as I'm sure you're aware, this could be due to other factors (strings etc.).
Steve
Thanks for all the posts! Yep, should have done a search..
Sounds like it depends on the bass. Am a little concerned, because when I use the Realist with my Czech Ease, I sometimes get a little boominess on the GK MB200, but I suspect that might have something to do with the GK. The bass I want to hook this up to is a Sunrise 5/8 and I think I might like some more bottom end on this bass. Might be a good thing. I guess I could try it out. Bob has been great as far as returns.
Right now, on that bass, I am using the B-Band Statement and its fine, but it is just extra stuff to take to the gig with the preamp box, the mic cord, back-up battery, and have been trying to keep things as simple as possible. I really like how the Realist is simply something you can plug in a 1/4 cable and play. I might just spring for another Realist. My motivation for getting a another pickup is more about convenience, something I can just set up with a 1/4" cable and get a good sound.
Sounds like it depends on the bass. Am a little concerned, because when I use the Realist with my Czech Ease, I sometimes get a little boominess on the GK MB200, but I suspect that might have something to do with the GK. The bass I want to hook this up to is a Sunrise 5/8 and I think I might like some more bottom end on this bass. Might be a good thing. I guess I could try it out. Bob has been great as far as returns.
Right now, on that bass, I am using the B-Band Statement and its fine, but it is just extra stuff to take to the gig with the preamp box, the mic cord, back-up battery, and have been trying to keep things as simple as possible. I really like how the Realist is simply something you can plug in a 1/4 cable and play. I might just spring for another Realist. My motivation for getting a another pickup is more about convenience, something I can just set up with a 1/4" cable and get a good sound.
Doc, I believe you already know the answer to that.
Those that don't know (and are actually interested) can check my profile. jg, sounds like you already have experience with a couple types of pickups. So like Chris F. said, you probably already know it really just depends an awful lot on your bass (even your bridge), your amp, and your tastes. Kinda have to just try 'em for yourself and see what turns your crank the most.
Like you said, if you need a heftier bottom and some thickness for the Sunrise, the Bass Max might be just the ticket, especially as you said as an easy on/off backup p/u.
Thanks!. It's an oldie, and there are some things on there I cringe at a little bit, but the spirit is nice, and every once in a while I get to drag it out when people start slagging the Bass Max too hard. Seriously, it's a decent pickup for the price, and can be a good workhorse if you learn how to control certain aspects of it.
Howdy Marcus. Do you have a pic you could post of how you positioned the 3 or 4 transducers on your bridge?
Just curious. When I changed the bridge on my current bass several years ago, it REALLY affected how the DBT sounded. In my case I think a thicker bridge resulted in a thinner p/u sound.
Plus I just like pics. Especially from Hawaii.
Just curious. When I changed the bridge on my current bass several years ago, it REALLY affected how the DBT sounded. In my case I think a thicker bridge resulted in a thinner p/u sound.
Plus I just like pics. Especially from Hawaii.
I thought I read recently that the B-band Statement was going to be phased out, but I could be wrong. So you might want to hold on to that puppy.
I heard one in person for the first time not too long ago. It sounded all right I thought. This fella had an AI head (Clarus or Focus) and an Epifani cab. I think it was a 1x10. The low end was really quite loud and thick IMO, surprisingly so to me for a 10" driver. However the mid- and upper registers seemed much thinner sounding w/ his setup. Then again, his bass had a very thick top which he pointed out to me, and the bass sounded very dark on its own.
He said that in his case, most of the B-band's sound came from the bridge wing element on the E string side. Funny I thought ... That's exactly where most people put the Bass Max.
Hey Steve... I'll try to send you something. I'm bringing the camera to Japan next week, so I need to practice anyway.
But basically I just lined up the four elements centered on the string slots, with the front edge of each element about 1/4" (maybe a little more) from the front edge of the bridge.
My experience with the K & K Bass Max is on my ol' Kay, strung with Kolstein Heritage strings, going through a couple different amp/preamp combos. The best sound I ever got was still kind of BGish. After some rough treatment, like my cable getting tripped over by a clumsy piano player, it started to cut in and out, so, with a gig imminent, I bought a Rev Solo II. It sounded woodier, more DBish out of the box. Changing over to a hybrid bass and fiddling with the Solo II, I have a sound that I like very much. I'd say it's better than the Bass Max and I like the organic look of the wood housing over the rubber disc appearance of the Bass Max. ymmv.
I've been using one for about 6 months now. I had to wrap duct tape around it to stop feedback. That is the only problem I had. I play a cremona w/ supernils.
I think they are moving into another, less experience model. Actually, as a bass newbie, before I discovered TB, I had read a positive review of B-Band in BassPlayer Magazine. I liked that is rarely had problems with feedback. Then, I noticed that Bob Magnussen, here in San Diego area, used this set up (think he still does), so I thought this would be a good purchase. This set up is interesting because it has two channels, supposedly one for arco, one for piz. I took it to my last gig and couldn't get a good sound though, kind of muddy, Maybe it was the room, maybe the Kolstein Heritage strings ??, but I was wishing that night I had my Czech-Ease with the Realist pickup because I seem to get a lot of definition from that bass. I think I am going to read some TB reviews of the Realist also. I probably should put the Realist on my other bass -- hope I don't do damage to it?? -- and see how it sounds.
Does anyone know if it is harmful to remove a Realist to put under the bridge on another bass? I know these pickups have a reputation of being time-limited, in that, after awhile, the pressure of the bridge tends to wear them out, curious if this applies to removing it.
I think the BassMax sound must be dependent on the individual bass and setup. I have mine on the E side of my 1950's Juzek, running through an AI Coda 2R Series III, and it sounds great, very natural, both with pizz and arco. I've been using this in our local symphony orchestra (I'm the only bassist, and the extra volume is much appreciated) and it DOES NOT sound at all like a slab...and this is from someone who also has several BG's. Our conductor and cello section members have been raving about the natural sound I get from this setup.
I've used numerious piezzo pickups on my upright bass and the Bass Max is my favorite. I run it through a Fishman Pro-EQ Platinum Bass Preamp into a David-Eden WT1205 amp and the woody natural tone of my bass is amplified very accurately.
The most important thing is to EQ the Bass Max through the Fishman and let the amplifier (in a flat setting) do the rest of the job.
The most important thing is to EQ the Bass Max through the Fishman and let the amplifier (in a flat setting) do the rest of the job.
