Double Bass K&k bass max sounds thin, shrill and lifeless

[midichlorine]

Help!
It’s new and on a new bass.
Actually my bp100 on my ehardt c1 sounds way better!!

From what I’ve read it doesn’t have to have a preamp although I’m sure it helps but this is really bad!
The fit is nice and snug like instructions suggest.
I’m wondering if the surfaces are a little and I mean a little uneven would that do it?
Lost

 

[abaguer]

that shouldn't be. I've had a bass max as a backup on 4 basses over the years (carved, ply, hybrid, 3/4, 7/8). Everyone of them sounded full dark without preamp. it's in the bass side wing, correct?

 

[midichlorine]

Yep,
I know something isn’t right.
There’s no way this pickup sounds like this.
So, it’s mounted on the bass side and is snug.
Like I have to make an effort to move it. No much of an effort bu more than a thump.

 

[Standalone]

What’s the input impedance on your amp

 

[abaguer]

by your description it sounds like it is mounted correctly.

 

[Ric Vice]

The Fishman BP-100 has a very pronounced upper midrange bump that gives it edge which cuts through but has a very nasal sound. By comparison the Bass Max is more even throughout the entire register of the Double Bass. It could be that your Bass Max has a pressure fracture somewhere in the material that connects the two transducers or one of the leads into the transducer elements could have an intermittent short.

 

[Francois Blais]

Picture please?
What preamp or amp are you plugging to?

 

[shwashwa]

i would also guess that its damaged in some way... plug in and play an open string, and giggle the pickup and wire around a bit

 

[midichlorine]

I think I’ve got it.
The both sides of the wing surface weren’t completely flat

 

[midichlorine]

Well, I was wrong.
Problem not fixed.
I guess I’m just not a bass max guy.
Honestly have never struggled with a pickup this much.
I have K&k s in my acoustics and they sound great

 

[Dr. Love]

Thin, shrill and lifeless sure sounds like an impedance mismatch to me. What are you plugging in to?

 

[james condino]

Something is off. 99% of the time Bass Max pickups are too boomy and muddy, so much they usually sound much better and balanced installed on the treble side wing. Either you have a bad element (broken), the impedence is mismatched, or it is installed way too tight.

Did someone who has experience with them install it or was it a "grandpa's old pocket knife and a couple o' PBRs" install?

Are you using a 30' long guitar cable? For piezo pickups, the numbers work out in the neighborhood of something like no pre-amp, at 6-8 foot you cut your signal in half and it keeps going every six foot more. This can be an issue with longer guitar cords like the standard 20' guitar cord. You'll get noise out the other end, but no thickness or bass love, just weak noise like from an old transistor am radio...

Either way, if you are still going for the wing mount pickup, try a Vics. 'Best $35 pickup going!

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[bigshiny]

I have been using K&K Bassmax pickups since they came out in the late 90’s. It could quite possibly be defective. I have had them “wear” out after a period of time also. Do you have any pictures of the pickup installed on your bass?

 

[midichlorine]

Yes, professionally installed.
I’m going in to a lr Baggs pre that has 10 meg input.
Out of that going to a Qsc k10

all of that should reproduce a pretty sweet tone ( I would think)

 

[midichlorine]

Sorry to blow you guys up, it’s just frustrating.

 

[shwashwa]

did you do the troubleshooting step that i recommended?

 

[midichlorine]

Just did that and there’s no crackling or signal breakup but definitely tone changes

 

[james condino]

"Professionally installed" by a double bass luthier or at your local electric guitar shop????

 

[midichlorine]

Db luthier

 

[Francois Blais]

Picture please?