• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Double Bass Need urgent help with Fishman Full Circle

A

adarvas

Jul 27, 2006
177
140
Toronto
#1
I had the Fishman FC pickup installed on my bass recently, and I'm having trouble with the E string. Does anyone know which side is the hot side of the pickup? Is it the smooth side or the or the other with the small screw head looking things?
I'd appreciate a reply from someone who knows for sure. Thanks!
 
#2
adarvas said:
I had the Fishman FC pickup installed on my bass recently, and I'm having trouble with the E string. Does anyone know which side is the hot side of the pickup? Is it the smooth side or the or the other with the small screw head looking things?
I'd appreciate a reply from someone who knows for sure. Thanks!
Click to expand...
The hot side is the one without the threads. I believe the screw heads are on that side.

Why?
 
#4
I have the smooth side facing the strings on my upright and the opposite on my Vertical Bass; it seems to work OK either way. I'm pretty sure the critical part of the installation is the accuracy of the fit on both sides.
 
#5
Thanks gentlemen! The bridge was installed by a reputable luthier, and it seems straight and very precise, so I'm even more confused. The hot side-as you described-does face the strings, so I think I'm going to have to play around with the soundpost!!! It's the only thing I can think of that might help.
 
#7
You're right, I've neglected to give details on what the problem was. Well, the E string is weaker in comparison to the rest. Not so much acoustically but the amplified sound is obviously weaker in volume, definition and sustain. I'm using the Fishman Pro-EQ Platinum, and it does help a bit but it is still very frustrating.
My amp are either an Epifani PS600 or a LMK II, My cabs are Berg AE112s and I use an Analysis Plus cable and they all function perfectly with my electric basses, so the problem is definitely with the bass itself.
 
#8
Good start. Need more.

What's the bass, who made it? where? carved? ply? what strings, particulars about setup? Low? high? weird? Bridge? Who installed it? Were the adjusters there and just swapped out, did they retrofit from old adjusters?

Keep going....
 
#11
Regarding my earlier post-I'm not advocating installing this pickup contrary to the maker's instructions, just stating my own experience. On the Vertical Bass, the construction of the instrument demands an inverted installation, which works fine.
 
#12
The bass is Hungarian of an un-known maker, carved, gamba, flatback. The adjusters were newly installed into a brand new bridge from Heinl & Co. in Toronto by the Soundpost, also in Toronto. When I said I will have to play with the soundpost I meant with the help of a luthier.....of course. I've been playing for 30 years and never would attempt doing the actual adjustment myself.
The setup on the bass is on the low side for pizz. I understand it sacrifices some volume but my main concern is the uneven tone, not volume. I figured the pickup or its position might be the problem, but it seems to be all properly done. I went back to the luthier, and the soundpost adjustment did improve the tone and balance, but its still not as good as with the old bridge.
 
#13
Are the strings super low tension? What strings are they?

Did the adjuster with the pickup get installed on the E string side or the G string side?

If anything the E strings are unusually hot on the Full Circle pickup.

Is it threads up or down?

Are there any gaps beween the hot side of the pickup and the bridge top or foot (depending on how it's installed)? Gaps can cause string balance issues.

Was a new bridge made or were adjusters installed in an existing bridge?
 
#14
I had a similar problem the first time I installed the Full Circle. It was because I installed it upside down.
Make sure the adjuster is screwed into the "E" side, bridge foot, with the smooth side up. (Make sure the adjuster screws into the foot and not into the bridge)
Be sure the smooth side is flush with the bridge, with no gaps, but you want a small gap on the bottom foot (in other words, don't tighten the adjusters all the way down).
 
#15
paulunger said:
I had a similar problem the first time I installed the Full Circle. It was because I installed it upside down.
Make sure the adjuster is screwed into the "E" side, bridge foot, with the smooth side up. (Make sure the adjuster screws into the foot and not into the bridge)
Be sure the smooth side is flush with the bridge, with no gaps, but you want a small gap on the bottom foot (in other words, don't tighten the adjusters all the way down).
Click to expand...
You can install it either way, threads up or threads down. The important thing to do is screw it in where the threads are in the wood vs trying to put it where they aren't. Install from a freshly cut and tapped adjuster install can be done either way with a subtle change in the tone of it.

The big mistake is if it's on the G string side. That would sound pretty crappy.
 
#16
I can only speak from my personal experience and the bass that it was installed on. But on my bass you definitely can NOT install it either way. It had to be installed with the screw going into the foot. Maybe on another bass in another situation it can work either way. Or maybe I am just an idiot, but on my bass when I installed it with the threads going into the bridge it produced a terrible and uneven sound similar to what Adarvas described.
 
#17
paulunger said:
I can only speak from my personal experience and the bass that it was installed on. But on my bass you definitely can NOT install it either way. It had to be installed with the screw going into the foot. Maybe on another bass in another situation it can work either way. Or maybe I am just an idiot, but on my bass when I installed it with the threads going into the bridge it produced a terrible and uneven sound similar to what Adarvas described.
Click to expand...
It can be installed either way if done properly, but will sound bad in a variety of different ways if done wrong.

Look at this install guide if you don't want to take my word for it, although I've done a whole mess of them.

Link Removed
 
#19
The pickup is on the E side. The threads are going into the feet. New bridge, with zero gap between the bridge and the top. The strings are D'addario Hybrids, they sounded great with the old bridge. The pickup is not "choked" by not leaving any space. The string height is also proper, about what Barcza descibed.
Thanks for all the advice guys!
 
#20
The top of the bridge is what the piezos are sensing mostly given the threads down positioning. The bottom of the top of the bridge must be square and flush with the top of the pickup. Rotate the wheel so the wire is pointing up at the neck or down towards the ground exactly centered on the bridge, not out to the side or at an angle.


Be sure there is some space between the bridge foot and the bottom of the adjuster wheel.

Be certain the bridge feet are flush with the top and not just the outer edge.

The pickup needs a decent amount of tension to perform at it's best. With the low string height and lighter tension strings it may not be loaded enough to speak well. That's pretty expensive to change.

If that doesn't do it and the luthier can't find anything wrong you'll need to experiment with different E strings.

What other pickups have you tried? The Realist or the Underwood or the Bass Max or the Rev Solo? Any reports about how they behave with your setup?
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back