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Double Bass K&K Double Big Twin

W

westcoastblues

Sep 12, 2008
5
0
#1
Hi, I'm a newb to playing double bass, and I'm just getting an old 50's King Mortone going. It had a Gage Realist when I bought it, but it was too uneven and also a bit on the dark side, so I am experimenting with pickups. I am after more of an old-school gut-string bluesy sound, a la Willie Dixon (but I don't slap). Bass is now strung with Velvet Garbos.

My question is - although I can get a reasonable sound out of the K&K into my Mesa Walkabout Scout (decent EQ controls) -- the pickup seems to bring out the difference between the D & G strings - the G being more a flatwound "gut" string, it is smooth sounding, whereas the D sounds twangier like the wound string it is. Should I try placing the pickups (overall) further away from the strings? I understand this results in less volume, but would it also mean less string attack? Any other tricks for using this pickup? Much appreciated!
 
#2
You can do many experiments with that, since it can be placed almost anywhere.
You can even put the elements in the wings, like an Underwood.
Just use some thick felt or cork as a shim between the wing and elements plates. (to get some pressure on the plates)
I got the best results that way on my EUB.
It's best to not use the adhesive in that configuration.

If you have Fishman BP-100 brass clips, you can also try to use them with the Big Twin.
Then again, don't use the adhesive.
(you can buy spare clips from Lemur Music, or use paper clips like these:
fishclip.gif
)
 
#3
Thanks for that... the timing was perfect, as I just now am doing exactly that - playing with the positioning. Right now I am trying two left on the bridge, more or less centered between the A and D, plus the other two on the BODY near the feet of the bridge. This positioning gets rid of a LOT of the twanginess of the Garbo D-string. Also meanwhile I am reading in the Newb sections here, where there are tons of interesting ideas. Thanks to all posters, past and present, I sure appreciate this website.
 

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