Double Bass Krivo Magnetic Pickup Review

[Jeff Bonny]

Thought I'd start here before making a new thread:
Has anyone experienced balance issues?
I just got a 2016 model last week and have had plenty of time to work with the pole heights and overall orientation, but I'm having an issue with the output between open D and closed G. These notes seem thinner and slightly lower in volume until around Ab where the string to string balance is great. I'm using Spiro weichs on a La Scala hybrid.
Any input would be great; beyond this issue I love the Krivo. My band seems to like it and after playing two outdoor venues this weekend I'm already experiencing the consistency of setup I wanted. Cranking the amp and playing much lighter on the other strings got me through the weekend, but that's not ideal.
Thanks in advance!

I've had balance issues with the G of de-tuned Spiro Solos not cutting through. After using the Krivo over a year and a lot of trial and error I've found it very important to put the pole pieces more or less level and carefully align the pickup itself as precisely as possible for maximum sonic evenness before you do anything else. It's a pain disengaging the pickup from the dual lock and re-setting it several times but worth the effort. The pole pieces are best used only to fine tune the balance. Don't know if this will solve your problem but it's worth thinking obsessing about if you haven't already.

How much of your problem do you think is the pickup simply capturing what's actually audibly there vs. being finicky about what frequencies it's picking up? With the wimpy G in the Solo set I found raising the adjuster on the G side of my bridge to get a little more acoustic sound out of it helped even the amplified balance out too. Maybe some slight adjustment to your setup would help?

 

[rake]

Acoustically, it seems even. Incidentally, my E string , which is usually weak unplugged, is nice and loud through the Krivo.
I will continue to mess with the position I guess.
A fun surprise was that it actually sounded comparable to my Lifeline under the bow, but only worked on the D and G. If I move the pickup towards the low strings, it works with them instead. Not super practical, but it gives ideas for a custom job later if they do that sort of thing.

 

[kmkellner]

I just debuted the Krivo Upright Bass Pickup and Jazz gig last night in Richmond, Va. Easy to install. So how did it do? Same band, same songs, through the same amp that always play. The tone was rich and punchy, still-woody but not wooly, more like a fretless bass sound but with dark expressive distinctly-double bass tones and sustain. My drummer and piano player, who didnt know i got the pickup, both remarked that the bass sounded so clear and expressive. I used to use a David Gage Realist much to my frustration and suffer feedback at low levels, missing notes in the high registers, and a vague washed-out tone. No more. I'm a Krivo believer. One other benefit was that I didn't have to work as hard on the bass to get my point across so now 3 hours gigs are way easier.

 

[Adam Booker]

I just mounted a Krivo today and I must say this thing puts out some serious tone. Fat and warm on my bass. Really digging it. Time to drag out my old NHOP transcriptions and get to work!

 

[Whit Townsend]

After using a Krivo now for a couple of years I'm going to something else. Just too many niggling problems.
1. Won't stay attached when slapping. I finally ditched the Velcro and went with auto trim adheasive, but still have to reinforce it with a wood block and gaffers tape to keep it on.
2. Extremely height sensitive. Too close to the strings and it's too pBassy, too much sustain. Too far away it sounds good but you loose output and it won't get loud enough. It's a very fine line. This coupled with the attachment problems make it a major pain.

I use Solo Superflexables tuned down to standard. I need plenty of volume for a mix of rockabilly and blues. I am considering going to a bridge wing transducer/clicky/2 ch preamp setup.

 

[Mouldy]

How does this pickup sound compared to the Biesele that I have?
And is this pickup detachable? like the Biesele and Schaller

Did you ever find out how the Krivo compares to the Bieselle?

 

[Les Fret]

Did you ever find out how the Krivo compares to the Bieselle?

No. Never tried a Krivo.

 

[Pyke]

I'm very satisfied with my Krivo pickup. Solved a huge feedback issue for me. Make sure you have the right types of strings going forward though.

 

[All Three]

After using a Krivo now for a couple of years I'm going to something else. Just too many niggling problems.
1. Won't stay attached when slapping. I finally ditched the Velcro and went with auto trim adheasive, but still have to reinforce it with a wood block and gaffers tape to keep it on.
2. Extremely height sensitive. Too close to the strings and it's too pBassy, too much sustain. Too far away it sounds good but you loose output and it won't get loud enough. It's a very fine line. This coupled with the attachment problems make it a major pain.

I use Solo Superflexables tuned down to standard. I need plenty of volume for a mix of rockabilly and blues. I am considering going to a bridge wing transducer/clicky/2 ch preamp setup.

Hey Whit,

I had the same problem with it falling off during slapping, that's a gig killer... It was because I cut the fastener to fit the end of my fingerboard exactly.
I fixed the problem by putting on another strip and only trimming the top. Even though there isn't anything backing the strip below the fingerboard, it still gives you enough area to hold the krivo securely.

 

[HateyMcAmp]

I’m pretty sure Jason has developed a new mounting system for slappers / people with solo swoops on their fingerboards. Maybe send him an email and he’ll be able to get you one? I too have dealt with the pickup falling off during a show and it’s a very bad scene, although the small adjustments the Dual Lock allows is pretty boss so there’s a trade off. FYI, I’ve only ever had this issue while playing slap, and my current solution is to have some tape hold the pickup the fingerboard from behind. That way if it falls off it doesn’t hit the ground and the on the fly reposition is more consistent. One of my friends wood-glued his to the end of his Englhardts fingerboard, and that works but it’s pretty grisly looking and can’t be repositioned. At some point I’d like to try the new mount.

FYI, there’s some sound clips of me / my band on the website, for which I received no money or free / discounted product. I just like this thing and support the quest for a rad magnetic pickup for DB. It has its own hybrid sound IMO (although bassists I respect who have heard me play live have had differing opinions on how much DB sound is coming through) and it’s the festival / touring bassists dream during soundcheck. My bandmates absolutely love the sound and how it sits in the mix, although we play a pretty balls-to-the-wall style of experimental dance music. I still like to pull a good sound and get a mic / mic blends for acoustic-oriented gigs, as do most musicians with the option I would think!

I played for a couple thousand people on a massive outdoor stage this weekend with the formentioned group, total soundcheck time for the bass was well under 3 minutes. It’s such a great blend with a mic-ed up drum set, and there was never a hint of feedback. What was interesting is that band before us had a (very solid) fretless electric player, and I going into the night I honestly thought the two basses would probably sound more similar than they actually did! I still get a decent bit of fingerboard/string sound, a shorter decay, and DB-esque “point” to the note that for me makes it still worth it to play DB in a loud big-stage band, while his sound was very legato (pleasingly, might I add) in the way most fretless players are. Anyway, I’m super stoked about my extra long scale arch-top fretless acoustic-electric bass. Maybe it’ll end up being my thing.

 

[Marty Forrer]

I'm a Krivo believer. I run my Quilter Bassblock 800 head into a Barefaced Super Midget and run the eq on the amp dead flat. I use Eurosonics because I like that vintage Paul Chambers sound. I play a wide variety of genres and can go crazy loud without feedback. Does it sound like an electric bass? No, definitely not. Does it sound like a fretless electric bass? It could if I cranked up the mids. Does it sound like a double bass? Yes. I have used Shadow, Fishman, Barbera and Zac Victor piezos, and will stay with the Krivo. It is dead silent, no hum, which I believe plagued some of the early Krivos. I did not like the attaching method, so stripped that off and glued it to the end of the fingerboard. It is solid as a rock now. I see no reason I would ever want to remove it.

 

[Jeff Bonny]

I did not like the attaching method, so stripped that off and glued it to the end of the fingerboard. It is solid as a rock now. I see no reason I would ever want to remove it.

The Dual-Lock tape the Krivo comes with didn't work very well for me either. Slightly less permanent but VERY secure is Link Removed. Be warned though that removing the pickup requires prying it off with steady pressure for a minute or two. Warming helps. Going too fast can damage your bass.

...and ain't that Quilter just great?

 

[Stewie]

When I got mine, the E string sounded like it was going through a fuzzbox. I had D'addario helicore orchestra mediums. Mark? from Gollihur suggested a Jargar E. Sounded just like the others and the problem was gone. I love the Krivo, just wish it had a little mire output, as I run it through a wireless that makes a little noise. Don't notice it with the Fenders, but it's there with the Krivo. I'll raise the pickup some and see if it helps. Definitely a great pickup if you want to really thump. I am not associated with Gollihur in any way, but I would recommend them whole heartedly


Edit: Can't raise it, strings hit the pickup when I play if if it is above the fingerboard at all.

 

[neckdive]

I've had a Krivo for about 3 months now and love it; much better than the Fishman piezo I had before.

However, I am having some feedback issues when playing C and D on the A string when the volume is cranked pretty high. On stage, I'm using an Ampeg SVT II and SVT 410HLF (or a Schroder 212) for outdoor shows but will share a wedge on small indoor restaurant type gigs. I also DI to the FOH.

One important piece of info is that I have the DB strung BEAD using a standard EADG set (which I know seems ridiculous to most of you). I really like the low B and generally prefer looser tension strings.

The feedback is the same on the two notes. After hitting and sustaining the note, I can actually see string gaining vibration. If I attack it softly knowing that it will be a whole note (for example), it won't grow out of control but that's still very limiting.

If I barely mute the string about a half inch north of the bridge, it will dampen the sustained note to avoid excessive feedback but that's not practical either. Using a volume pedal to control just those two notes seems impractical also.

It's not completely debilitating and still sounds great with the loud trio I'm in but the volume can only go so high so the other guys have to turn down to match.

Any thoughts on how to mute just these two wild notes within this string setup?

 

[Jeff Bonny]

After hitting and sustaining the note, I can actually see string gaining vibration.

A strong enough magnetic field will drive an oscillating string. It's how the E-Bow works. I'd try moving the pickup further from the strings (or lowering the pole pieces) and turning your amp up.

 

[neckdive]

A strong enough magnetic field will drive an oscillating string. It's how the E-Bow works. I'd try moving the pickup further from the strings (or lowering the pole pieces) and turning your amp up.

Thanks, I'll give this a shot. If the majority of the oscillation is coming from the magnet, it would seem that the increasing amount of string vibration should also be visible when playing acoustic only (which it's not).

I suspect that the sound waves coming from the amp are sympathetic to those particular notes and may be enhanced by the magnetic field's position.

 

[Francois Blais]

Reversing the signal phase at the input should then help to reduce that effect.

 

[Happy Steve]

However, I am having some feedback issues when playing C and D on the A string

neckdive, is it possible that your bass has a wolf note around C / D ? How does the bass sound/react acoustically if you bow notes around that pitch high up on your low B, E strings? I had a similar problem with A notes when amplified which were tamed with a wolf terminator, and it improved clarity in the lower notes below low A on the E string.

 

[neckdive]

neckdive, is it possible that your bass has a wolf note around C / D ? How does the bass sound/react acoustically if you bow notes around that pitch high up on your low B, E strings? I had a similar problem with A notes when amplified which were tamed with a wolf terminator, and it improved clarity in the lower notes below low A on the E string.

The bass has great sustain all over including those alternative positions, acoustically or amplified; no wolf notes. I had a couple of them on a cheap bass guitar awhile back and they drove me completely nuts.

It's just at very high volumes (say 3/4 volume on an SVT II), those two particular frequencies on the A string will feedback consistently if I pluck them normally. If I play the C or D notes on the E string at the same 3/4 volume, there's no feedback at all.

I have a Fishman Pro pre-amp that I don't normally use so I'll try out the phase switch and see if that makes a difference.

 

[DoubleMIDI]

C is a common wolf note as far as I know. It doesn't have to be easily detectable when played acoustically, but might result in feedback with amplification.
OTOH it doesn't matter where the resonant peak in the string to speaker chain is. It is there and therefor you get feedback. Either limit you volume or identify the number of resonances (might be only one if it is C-C#-D continuously), the width of the frequency band and use a fully parametric equalizer (with the number of bands you need, most have one or two) that could be set to the center frequency of the resonance(s) and play with bandwidth and amount to even out the frequency response of your chain. Might be tricky if you haven't done that before and needs a lot of time until you are satisfied, but this is the best solution I can think of. Anything else might introduce other problems that you don't want.
Changing the pickup position along the string changes the resonance too, so if you want to try that do it before you fiddle with the parametric EQ.