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Double Bass Pedal and preamp question

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petebanana

Sep 16, 2009
37
7
#1
I currently am using a k&k rockabilly bass master and an fdek hpf 3 going into my gk head and cab..the wing pick up and clicky are going into k&k as stereo in and then mono out to the fdek and mono out to bass head.
My question is...would a sansamp para driver be a good idea in the line..looking for more volume in my mix..or is there a better soltion..also would my idea work as an ampless thing..strait into the pa..?T.I.A pete
 
#3
Hi Mr Ralph.. thanks for reply..1st question is what's split foh..is it like the k&k?.2nd..is the vics dual a wing piezo and a clicky...any chance of a diagram or pic..I did make a stereo splitter which I could use I suppose to take the click out of the mix and put back in just b4 the amp..cheers
 
#4
petebanana said:
I currently am using a k&k rockabilly bass master and an fdek hpf 3 going into my gk head and cab..the wing pick up and clicky are going into k&k as stereo in and then mono out to the fdek and mono out to bass head.
My question is...would a sansamp para driver be a good idea in the line..looking for more volume in my mix..or is there a better soltion..also would my idea work as an ampless thing..strait into the pa..?T.I.A pete
Click to expand...

I also use a Vic's dual, the Model C, which is roughly the same setup as the K&K RAB pickup setup you've got, although it's possible that the Vic's pickup system is more powerful given its dual-piezo pickup design. Its stereo output feeds into an onboard K&K Dual Channel Pro ST for volume/blending and tone control.

With mine I have no problem with volume, just sending the K&K's mono output either into a FOH PA or into my own amp. I don't target "crazy loud", but I have played with loud bands and this setup is fine for that, and still with at least 50% more headroom...

As such I'm wondering what your goals are with the extra hardware. I guess I'm having trouble imagining a need for more volume with the similar setups that we are talking about.
 
#5
Hi..dhergert..thanks for reply..I was thinking it would be a good way into the foh pa and a way to also tweak the tone..I read a few reviews where people were saying that the para is especially good with piezo sound and a way to ditch the bass amp sometimes..I do tend to get feedback with my current set up and struggle to get volume..even though I have a 500 watt head and 600 w cab..we are not even a loud band..must be doing something fundamentally wrong..
 
#6
If giving you more control of your tone is a concern, then yes, any devices that you'd like in your chain could be helpful.

But if you're trying to control feedback without dropping volume you may need some DB body muffler devices. A foam squeeze ball under the tailpiece and some closed cell sheet artfully folded into the F-holes may take care of that.

Also, is your tone balanced between all the strings? If you're getting whimpy treble and boomy bass tone you may want to experiment with bridge wing piezo tightness and/or moving that piezo to the other side of the bridge. Many folks run their bridge piezo in the treble side of the bridge for that reason.

Might also consider a magnetic pickup system for high volume usually without feedback, but it's a whole different approach from piezos, and you'll need steel strings if you aren't already using them.
 
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#8
Piezos are pretty fragile so they shouldn't be too tight. With normal bridges a loose piezo is usually "snugged" in with thin wooden wedges like hardwood veneer or even guitar flat picks or cardboard. Care should be taken to not damage the piezo though.

Piezos also can degrade with age, generally a concern close to 10 years old

If you're dealing with high volume on the treble side and your piezo is already on the bass side of the bridge you may want to EQ treble volume down to achieve balance in your K&K preamp.

How is your acoustic tone and volume?
 
#12
If rubbing the piezo can be heard through the amp, the piezo is at least working. While I really like Vic's Pickups you may not have to replace your K&K. The Vic's you'd want is a model C, bridge wing and fingerboard piezos. Is your K&K wired with a stereo phono TRS plug?
 
#14
Ok sounds like your hookups are just fine... So if you get a [Invalid or Expired Link Removed], the stereo-wired one is the one you want. This might solve your problem. Again I'm not totally convinced that your K&K is the problem -- but if it is working ok, I would think that you should be getting more than sufficient volume from this setup.

(Make sure to verify on Vic's website the kind of jack you want installed on this.)
 
#16
No problem, I hope the solution is at hand for you.

Vic's service reputation is great too, emailing him with any questions you may have should be the best way to reach him. If you are in contact with him you might want to mention that a lot of TB/DB folks really appreciate him.
 
#18
My Vic's model actually has both pickups on the bridge. If you do a search on Vic's pickups on TB you will see my setup. I was mostly commenting on the using both the Fdeck and Para driver as it has been a wonderful setup for me. Both DB and EB. The Para driver lets me send the same signal to both my amp and FOH. Vic's has super customer service. Good Luck.
 
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