Double Bass New Pickup MSP (Magnet Sandwiched Pickup)

[lcpierce]

Hi everyone,

I recorded a video demonstration/review of a new pickup I got from Japan. It's called the Magnet Sandwiched Pickup made by the company 123 Sound.

I A/B compared the MSP to my Fishman Full Circle, Realist Lifeline, and Ehrlund. I'd describe it as a hybrid between the Realist and the Ehrlund. It sounds more natural than the Realist or Full Circle to me but not as mic-like as the Ehrlund.

I think it has some advantages over the Ehrlund because it cuts through the mix better. I found it easier to use by itself when playing with a drummer and it doesn't need a preamp before going into an amp.

It's nearly identical in terms of setup to the Ehrlund except the MSP uses magnets instead of the putty. The only worry I have is that the magnet could accidentally fall into the bass and get lost when taking it off, but they include a rubber ring to put on the inner magnet to prevent that from happening.



Here's a link to the company's website: Acoustic instrument pickup maker 123sound.jp for guitar,ukulele and so on

 

[lcpierce]

I realized there was quite a bit of distortion on the audio, so I fixed it and replaced the video. Sorry about that!

 

[lurk]

Hmm......any jazz players try this thing with a band?

 

[lurk]

Very nice playing BTW! Can you post some jazz pizz?

 

[Ric Vice]

Very nice playing BTW! Can you post some jazz pizz?

+1 Exquisite arco work with lovely timbre, ballance an execution. I purchased one to compare with the
Ehrlund EAP. We'll see how it compares on my Mirecourt Bass..

 

[DoubleMIDI]

Sounds much better without the distortion, thank you.

It seems the Ehrlund is the better concept, because it is much less weight added to the top than the magnets, but that might have less influence on a bass than on a violin or guitar.
And it is a lot cheaper.

I just got the Ehrlund a few weeks ago and hardly had time to check it out. And now I'm thinking to get a MSP...

Maybe I should get a few neodymium magnets and a piezo disk or foil and try to build such a pickup myself if the raise prices in the future.

I think I wait until Ric compares it with his Ehrlund.

 

[DoubleMIDI]

Very nice playing BTW! Can you post some jazz pizz?

There is one pizz example on YouTube. You can find the reference at the homepage of the manufacturer, instruments - bass and double bass. If the inline video doesn't work there is a textual reference below that works.

 

[seamonkey]

Patent 8916763
Won't hold up. The idea of mounting piezo pickups to a body using magnets is public domain. For example prior to the filing of this patent it has been mentioned on this board.

Wow... The cheapass Radio shack pickup really works! | TalkBass.com

Six Rounds Double Bass Pickups? | TalkBass.com

This is not a statement against the quality of this manufacturer's pickup. There's a lot of research to get it right. It's just that the approach is not novel. I know this kind of pickup can work well.

Best of luck!

 

[Peck_Time]

I bought one as well. I have a plywood and a carved bass to try it on.

I had the ehrlund for a while but could not get it happening on my basses, this seems like a nice compromise.

I also have the Vektor pickup- it's a contact mike (i think) that goes in between the legs of the bridge and is powered by a mini preamp. Some gigs it's brilliant, other gigs it's not.

 

[vin*tone]

Interesting.....

 

[Martin Beer]

It does seem like a neat concept, as I've noticed that piezo pickups behave differently when under a little pressure than when stuck to a surface with adhesive. As a means of applying some pressure in a consistent way this seems quite elegant.

 

[Clarkybass]

I've taken a punt here too. I never felt confident that the Ehrlund wouldn't fall off or get knocked out of position (and it was really sensitive to positioning on my boomy old bass), so this seems a cheap potential equivalent. We'll see

 

[shwashwa]

interesting, but i know i'd have magnets rolling around the inside of my bass before long!

 

[lcpierce]

interesting, but i know i'd have magnets rolling around the inside of my bass before long!

That's been my worry as well. I'm terribly clumsy, so I just knew I would immediately drop it inside my bass After using it for a while, I actually don't think it'll be a problem. The magnets are incredibly strong, and they include a rubber ring to make it easier to put in and take out. This prevents it from falling down inside the bass.

 

[sonix]

sounds to me it might be more feedback resistant than the EAP.

 

[drurb]

Hi everyone,

I recorded a video demonstration/review of a new pickup I got from Japan. It's called the Magnet Sandwiched Pickup made by the company 123 Sound.

I A/B compared the MSP to my Fishman Full Circle, Realist Lifeline, and Ehrlund. I'd describe it as a hybrid between the Realist and the Ehrlund. It sounds more natural than the Realist or Full Circle to me but not as mic-like as the Ehrlund.

I think it has some advantages over the Ehrlund because it cuts through the mix better. I found it easier to use by itself when playing with a drummer and it doesn't need a preamp before going into an amp.

It's nearly identical in terms of setup to the Ehrlund except the MSP uses magnets instead of the putty. The only worry I have is that the magnet could accidentally fall into the bass and get lost when taking it off, but they include a rubber ring to put on the inner magnet to prevent that from happening.



Here's a link to the company's website: Acoustic instrument pickup maker 123sound.jp for guitar,ukulele and so on

Thanks for this report! +1 on your exceptional arco and playing skills! I took a look at the website. What is the rubber ring you mentioned that helps to stop the magnet from falling in the bass? I see they supply a magnet setter and a rubber damping ring. I also await Ric's comparison to the Ehrlund. As for not needing a pre-amp, it is, after all, a piezo and likely requires an input impedance of at least 1 Mohm.

I've taken a punt here too. I never felt confident that the Ehrlund wouldn't fall off or get knocked out of position (and it was really sensitive to positioning on my boomy old bass), so this seems a cheap potential equivalent. We'll see

FWIW, I've had the EAP affixed with a minimal amount of putty and his stayed put for years. I don't see what would knock it off in normal or even substantially abnormal use.

Patent 8916763
Won't hold up. The idea of mounting piezo pickups to a body using magnets is public domain. For example prior to the filing of this patent it has been mentioned on this board.

Wow... The cheapass Radio shack pickup really works! | TalkBass.com

Six Rounds Double Bass Pickups? | TalkBass.com

This is not a statement against the quality of this manufacturer's pickup. There's a lot of research to get it right. It's just that the approach is not novel. I know this kind of pickup can work well.

Best of luck!

The patent won't hold up? Has anyone else patented the idea? My understanding is that an idea can be floating around but the first one to the patent office with a unique aspect is the winner. I'm not sure that the idea having been discussed before on TB and elsewhere makes the patent invalid. Apparently, the patent office didn't think so.

 

[shwashwa]

i wonder how it sounds stuck to different places on the bridge?

 

[drurb]

i wonder how it sounds stuck to different places on the bridge?

Hmmm... that mass on the bridge?

 

[shwashwa]

Hmmm... that mass on the bridge?

might be fine, the gage soundclip is much heavier, only one way to find out

 

[Don Kasper]

interesting, but i know i'd have magnets rolling around the inside of my bass before long!

"Bag O' Magnets"!
Problem solved.