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Double Bass Pickup recommandation needed

I

Inconnu

Nov 1, 2005
2,407
1,148
Montreal, Canada
#1
Hi !

I'm looking for a pickup for my Upright, and I'm new to this. I've checked the newbie links and it doesn't seem to give me a good idea on what I need to know.

In brief, I need something I can install by myself, on a budget but effective... And I'd like to know the difference between the sound you get from a Piezo vs. a magnetic pickup. Thanks !
 
#2
Hi Inconnu.

Piezos represent the true tune of the bass better than a magnetic pickup (mag), which tends to "electrify" the sound. Magnetic pickups are useful in a rock setting where volume can be very loud, because "mags" tend to eliminate feedback. "Mags" may only be used with steel strings.

The vast majority of people use piezos.

You need to give us an idea of what type of bass you have and how you intend to use it (ie in what setting).

That said, I have had very good luck with a K&K Bassmax pickup. Easy to install, inexpensive and fights feedback.

Other people like the Revolution Solo II or the Underwood.

Theses are all bridge-wing pickups, and relatively easy to install yourself. Provided your bridge wiing is flat - not curved.
 
#3
I don't have any first-hand experience with magnetic pus on double bass, but what I heard is sounding more like a giant fretless electric. Mags pick up nothing of the wood, only the string vibrations. They rely on steel strings, or at least strings with a steel core.

Piezos are crystals that transform vibration/pressure in electric current (and vice versa). They are somewhat more natural sounding because, depending on where they are installed, they pick up vibration of wood as well. The most common systems sit on different spots on the bridge, mostly in the wings (Underwood, etc). They can easily be installed by yourself. There are piezos that sit under the bass side brigde foot, and the install is slightly more complicated, but can be done.

A caveat is that "natural" is a relative term, as the high frequencies in piezos can sound plasticy and harsh, and the lows are sometimes a little wobbly. For a natural sound, the moving AIR around the bass needs to be picked up too, and that's a microphone's job.

"On a budget" is very vague, but piezos can be found starting at approx. $150 (but don't nail me on this price).

All this is colored by opinion, taste, and need,so YMMV.

Hope it helps.
Best

Sidecar
 
#5
Here are some more info...

Context : mostly for home recording, I guess I'd plug the pickup into a DI/Mic preamp I have that works well with electric basses so far. I guess there's less problems related to feedback with that application.

I'm curious about those microphones you can clip to the bridge.
 
#9
Inconnu said:
A mic... any style in particular ? I only own an SM57 right now... I guess something more bass specific should do... like mics you'd use with a bass drum or bass guitar amplifier ?
Click to expand...

You want a mic that's as neutral as possible, which IME is a better choice than the usual suspects for most applications. You can get a used PR40 (which I use for kick and guitar amps - so far) for under $250 shipped, or a used D4 (which I use for toms, horns, amps, ...) for half that.
 
#10
As others have said, a magnetic pickup will make it sound like a big fretless electric. I would only use one in a really high volume setting. A piezo pickup will sound more like the acoustic sound of your bass. The Rev solo is a good choice and pretty inexpensive, also the bass max. I did not like either one, but different pickups sound different on different basses, and I've heard them sound great.

In my experience just about any mic will sound better than even a good piezo pickup, even a lowly SM-57. Others might disagree, but I think an SM 57 mounted close to the bass top gives a good, decent sound, better than a piezo pickup recorded direct.

You can get a good sound out of one of those MXR condensers that sell at guitar center for under 50 bucks. But the better the mic the more the mic placement, and the the sound of the room matter. Obviously, the best sound comes from really expensive gear in a really good room.
 
#11
PB+J said:
In my experience just about any mic will sound better than even a good piezo pickup, even a lowly SM-57. Others might disagree, but I think an SM 57 mounted close to the bass top gives a good, decent sound, better than a piezo pickup recorded direct.
Click to expand...

Agreed. I did a radio in-studio the other day and we just stuck a 57 in the afterlengths. I think the 58, 57, Beta 57 and several other vocal dynamic mics are all pretty cheap and easy to find mics that get a surprising good tone.
 
#14
eh. Don't have to do all that.

Just stick it between the A and D strings.

4125846991_39b5c89034_m.png
 
#15
Yep, that's great if you've got an SM-58, but the OP has an SM-57.

As always YMMV, but on my bass, with my strings, IMHO, I'd be afraid to go onstage with an SM-57 stuck through the afterlengths with nothing holding it in place. I'd be majorly distracted looking at the mic all the time to see if it was falling out or not.
 
#17
Wrap it in foam or a towel and it will stay put.

You'll get a pretty mellow tone. If you want a natural amount of overtones, or fingerboard slap, you'll likely be disappointed.

You'll get better results with an omni, which won't have the ridiculous upper bass/low mid bump of a directional mic (unless you have an RE15/16 lying around).
 

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