Double Bass Looking for a cheap pickup

[Vinton]

I have a Shen SB90 with gut strings and I was hoping to find a cheap pickup. I'm not going to be recording or even playing using it (at least most likely not) I'm getting it to practice songs with a program I have. I just need to be able to plug it into my computer. I already have a guitar cord with a USB end that I use for my regular bass, I just need a pick up to use it with my upright.

I was thinking about the Shadow SH-SB1

Any help is welcomed!

 

[Vinton]

Continuing to look around this one looks like a good deal: K&K bass max

 

[lermgalieu]

Continuing to look around this one looks like a good deal: K&K bass max

Bass Max is solid. You might need a preamp too.

 

[Lee Moses]

Continuing to look around this one looks like a good deal: K&K bass max

I have one. It will generally do the job.

 

[DoubleMIDI]

He Bass Max is a bit dark, but that May pair well with gut strings.

But a guitar to USB cable is not a simple cable but an audio interface getting powered from the USB side. Nothing wrong with it, but they are made for magnetic pickups, so they have a rather low input impedance.

An impedance buffer (mint box or something similar) or a high impedance preamp (1 MegOhms minimum (!) input impedance) should be used for a better sound between pickup and "USB-cable".

 

[Matt Ides]

What about just using an USB mic?

 

[lermgalieu]

What about just using an USB mic?

I do some recording of my bass for demos of songs I write, and just general messing around, and I almost always use the K&K. Not because it sounds awesome, but it is definitely usable in a mix, and avoids ambient noise and placement issues of the mic. I can squeak around the floor and sneeze all I want while laying a track and you don't hear it. So I guess it depends on Vinton's goal - it sounds like he just wants to play along to some exercised - IMO a pup is a better way to go given the above - less screwing around and it will always sound the same (for better or worse). That said, YMMV.

 

[Jay Corwin]

Look up Hurley pickups. Cheap and good.