Does anyone have any good way of mounting an HPF-Preamp to a double bass tailpiece? Just got it today, and I figured I'd check here before trying to reinvent the wheel.
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Double Bass Mounting an HPF-Preamp to DB tailpiece
- Thread starter thejumpcat
- Start date
Here's the kit Bob G. sells for the small K&K preamps he sells:
Invalid Link Removed
Here's his instructions for mounting with the above kit:
http://www.gollihurmusic.com/faq/9-PREAMPS_MOUNTING_A_SMALL_PREAMP_TO_YOUR_TAILPIECE.html
Don't know if this applies the HPF you have, but if it's something small like the Fdeck, this sort of thing should work.
Jeremy
Invalid Link Removed
Here's his instructions for mounting with the above kit:
http://www.gollihurmusic.com/faq/9-PREAMPS_MOUNTING_A_SMALL_PREAMP_TO_YOUR_TAILPIECE.html
Don't know if this applies the HPF you have, but if it's something small like the Fdeck, this sort of thing should work.
Jeremy
Here is my solution to mounting the HPF pre-amp.
I bought a cheap retractable tape measure and removed the belt clip which I them Araldited to the back of the HPF.
I now clip the pre-amp over the after length strings with some rubberized cloth in between and it sits nice and firm.
The extra knob is a volume control I added which is quite effective.
I must say that Fdecks' little amp is very effective and transparent, and easier to use than the K&K I was using previously.
I am running into a Genz-Benz Shuttle 3.0 10T which has so much presence and life compared to my AI Coda which is now on ebay.
I bought a cheap retractable tape measure and removed the belt clip which I them Araldited to the back of the HPF.
I now clip the pre-amp over the after length strings with some rubberized cloth in between and it sits nice and firm.
The extra knob is a volume control I added which is quite effective.
I must say that Fdecks' little amp is very effective and transparent, and easier to use than the K&K I was using previously.
I am running into a Genz-Benz Shuttle 3.0 10T which has so much presence and life compared to my AI Coda which is now on ebay.
Attachments
I never liked the phono-to-1/4" adapter on the end of my Full Circle pickup. I always liked fdeck's HPF-Pre preamp. And I always wanted to try having a preamp closer to the pickup, instead of at the amp. So....
I asked Francis (fdeck) to make an HPF-Pre with the In & Out jacks reversed, so the controls would be facing the bridge. I used tape labels to switch the names.
I removed the phono-to-1/4inch_Female adapter (ugh), and used a common right-angle phono_to_1/4inch_Male adapter, which is light as a feather compared to the original. A bit of velcro on the male phono lets me stow it (without adapter) on the backside of the tailpiece when playing acoustically.
A right-angle instrument cord leads down the tailpiece to the amp, and keeps the overall profile slim. The Out jack still turns the power on, so the instrument cord can be removed and the HPF-Pre left mounted on the Bass.
Elastic straps with velcro ends keep the preamp and a piece of foam in place, and also help at the bottom exit of the instrument cord. These straps are made in different lengths by "Strap EZ", and I get them at West Marine.
I didn't like the thought of adding weight to my light Wittner tailpiece, but the original adapter was 2oz, and the new adapter plus HPF-Pre and battery only total 5oz, so I rationalized. In early A/B acoustic tests, with and without the HPF-Pre mounted, I can't detect any difference, but I've got to try going back & forth more. Also, I need to see if there's a diff in the amplified sound with the preamp closer to the pickup or at the amp end.
Was this trip necessary? Dunno. But once the idea hit, I had to pursue it. I'll try to post some followup after a while. Photos attached. My thanks to Francis for humoring me.
....Lyle
I asked Francis (fdeck) to make an HPF-Pre with the In & Out jacks reversed, so the controls would be facing the bridge. I used tape labels to switch the names.
I removed the phono-to-1/4inch_Female adapter (ugh), and used a common right-angle phono_to_1/4inch_Male adapter, which is light as a feather compared to the original. A bit of velcro on the male phono lets me stow it (without adapter) on the backside of the tailpiece when playing acoustically.
A right-angle instrument cord leads down the tailpiece to the amp, and keeps the overall profile slim. The Out jack still turns the power on, so the instrument cord can be removed and the HPF-Pre left mounted on the Bass.
Elastic straps with velcro ends keep the preamp and a piece of foam in place, and also help at the bottom exit of the instrument cord. These straps are made in different lengths by "Strap EZ", and I get them at West Marine.
I didn't like the thought of adding weight to my light Wittner tailpiece, but the original adapter was 2oz, and the new adapter plus HPF-Pre and battery only total 5oz, so I rationalized. In early A/B acoustic tests, with and without the HPF-Pre mounted, I can't detect any difference, but I've got to try going back & forth more. Also, I need to see if there's a diff in the amplified sound with the preamp closer to the pickup or at the amp end.
Was this trip necessary? Dunno. But once the idea hit, I had to pursue it. I'll try to post some followup after a while. Photos attached. My thanks to Francis for humoring me.
....Lyle
Attachments
Nice job and pics but... I seem to be missing something. Why do you want the pre/HPF attached to the bass at all? In Wal Pawlik's case, he added a level control, which I could see one using during a gig and wanting within easy reach. Do you routinely adjust the HPF cutoff or the phase switch once it is set?
What got me started on this were just the reasons I mentioned: wanting to be rid of the Fishman adapter, and trying a preamp closer to the pickups.
The HPF-Pre controls aren't something I continually adjust, but it's nice to have them pointing up. I thought through adding a volume control, but decided to not duplicate controls already on the amp.
...Lyle
The HPF-Pre controls aren't something I continually adjust, but it's nice to have them pointing up. I thought through adding a volume control, but decided to not duplicate controls already on the amp.
...Lyle
Well, ok. I have my fdeck pre/HPF at the amp. There's no disadvantage to running the cable that length. To each his own.
Official thread derail: How do you like the Evahs?
It makes sense to me to have the HPF-pre on the bass, in order to boost the signal. This should help avoid loss through the cable length and help the pedal tuner operate a little better.
I use the phase switch a fair bit, phase seems to be a function of position relative to the amp. The phase switch should be handy since I don't play standing next to the amp.
Well, from an electrical standpoint, any loss through the cable should be virtually immeasurable and certainly of no practical significance. In addition, at the typical voltages of pickups commonly used, noise should also not be a problem with any quality cable even considering runs of 10 feet or more.Indeed, as stated in many of my posts and those of others. I don't find that I need to touch the phase switch once it is set for a given setup. So, for me anyway, there's no reason to mount the pre/HPF on the bass (with all the potential drawbacks of doing so) unless I wanted/needed a level control close by.
I'm in the middle of mounting an HPF and would like to add a volume control.
Can anyone tell me the best way to wire it up?
thx.
Can anyone tell me the best way to wire it up?
thx.
Unless you have some experience in electronics and soldering I would not encourage you to try.
It involes dismantling the HPF, locating the track on the PC board that connects the output jack, cut the track, then solder in additional wires for the volume pot.
You then need to carefully select the position on the case to mount the volume pot, solder the wires to the pot terminals and reassemble.
It is a bit tricky as there is very little space in which to make the mod. But it can be done.
If you are the least bit intimidated, then buy the new HPF with the control built in.
