Double Bass new David Gage P/U

[Richard Simon]

Yesterday's NAMM show highlights included

Sound Clip - the new "portable" pickup from David Gage. Good-bye to the "cheeseburger effect" of the Realist - where the copper (?) strip oozes out between the bridge foot and the body; the transducer in the Sound Clip makes unseen contact on the side of the bridge leg. It has a volume knob and a separate tone dial. The vice-like design allows you to attach and remove the pickup in seconds, so you can attach it to that borrowed bass in Belarus. Hits the street in March at $390.

 

[doberman]

Wow that sounds really interesting. A big chunk of money though, did you get to hear it?

I actually liked my old realist (until it broke), except that it interfered with the bridge/bass contact (though admittedly when I took it off there didn't seem to be much difference in sound, maybe very very slight). When they changed the make of it didn't seem to have quite as nice of a sound...more brittle or something. When my old realist broke I stopped using pick ups altogether. I didn't want to use the full circle because I didn't like that you can't adjust the bridge height with it without affecting the way the pick up functions. Never cared for wing pick ups and I didn't want to do anything invasive either. So, this sounds like it may be promising, also if it really is easy to take off I could use it on both my basses.

Interesting about the volume and tone dial knob, did you get a chance to see those in use?

 

[Richard Simon]

Folks,

(1) "Sound Clip" is the name Gage has given to its new pickup; there was no mp3 file or other sound clip in evidence at the Gage booth when I made my belated entrance to last weekend's NAMM show.

(2) The only basses nearby were Czech Ease basses, one of which sported the new pickup. There were no amps around by then, either; but since I'm not a big fan of the C/E's sound, and even the final hour of NAMM is a din worthy of Gunga, I might not have enjoyed the pickup under those conditions.

(3) Your humble correspondent merely wanted to share the discovery of the Sound Clip. I leave it to you enterprising explorers to delve further into it. I found the idea, if not the price, enGaging.

 

[Roger Mouton]

David Gage demo'd the clip for me early last Thursday. I don't believe there is a tone control, just volume output at the pick-up. There is capability however to add or substract weight on the bottom of the pick-up and David says this can affect tone and could even modify/diminish Wolf tones. It depends on the instrument. They are still "tweaking" for the next few months.

There is NO WAY you can evaluate the nuances of the sound of any instrument in those halls. Well, except maybe for drums.

 

[Richard Simon]

You are absolutely correct:
the knobs opposite the volume knob are not "tone controls" per se, but weights that can change the tone but are there primarily to eliminate wolf tones.
Elsewhere: I liked the look and (lack of) heft of the Phil Jones Super Flightcase amp, but those were the only aspects I could appreciate in the context of NAMM. Along with the drummers that flail away mightily there, among the other musicians that seemed to enjoy the general cacophany were the electric bassists. As the PJ amps on display were cranked ever-louder, no one flinched and backed away except this dinosaur. Tranquility beckoned from the booth of Jim Beloff and a veritable Flea circus, an array of models of his new-age ukelele.

 

[NickyBass]

Thanks for the info. I am definintely interested in learning more!!!

 

[scott reed]

Sounds promising - I hope it's more effective than that other "clip-on" pickup, the Barcus Berry B3150.

 

[kurt]

Anyone tried this yet? could be a good option for my folding bass as it sounds super durable and no cord to short out.

 

[Eric Hochberg]

There is a more extensive thread on this if you do a search.

 

[Big B.]

Sounds promising - I hope it's more effective than that other "clip-on" pickup, the Barcus Berry B3150.

That thing was pretty awful.