Double Bass Pickups - Fishman Full Circle versus David Gage Realist?

[Ethan Eriksen]

I'm a huge supporter of the Realist. I feel Fishman pickups give you a lot of control over your sound, but they just can't come close to the precise reproduction that the Realist offers.

So if you want the sound coming out of your amp to sound as close as possible to the sound coming out of your bass, I recommend the Realist.

This is of course only my opinion.

 

[TroyK]

I've used both. I think they are both fine. I don't like any pickups, so I have caveat and say that "fine" is high-praise from me. They are both stable and predictable.

The Realist is very consistent amp to amp, room to room with or without a pre-amp. The Full-Circle is a little more particular.

The Realist is "woodier" in an ideal setting and "swampier" in a lot of places and settings in which I play. The Full Circle is sonically more capable pickup in most settings, in my experience.

The Full Circle doesn't can't mark or damage your bass, but the wire is much more fragile. It can't practically be installed or removed without a luthier or someone really good or lucky at working on their own bass.

The Realist does mark your top a bit, but is better constructed in my opinion, the wiring is solid and reliable. I've installed it in a set break. It's very easy to live with.

I'm currently back to a Realist after trying a lot of things. I'm remembering what I didn't like about it in the mix sometimes, but I am basking in the plug-and-playedness of it. I don't think about it.

I have something new that I'm testing that might replace it, we'll see. I would go back to the FC if that wire/lead plugged into the adjuster wheel and was removable/replaceable when not in use. I'm not likely to go back to it otherwise. There's a much more expensive similar pickup only available in Japan that does just that. Maybe it will come here and price competitively some day.

Aside from that I generally agree with every other impression on this thread. You're not going to make a mistake either way. I think they are among the better choices for most people looking to plug into an amp....but I don't like any pickups. They're nothing more than "necessary" to me.

 

[afroblue]

I always wonder just how loud people actually need their double bass amplified. a hi-pass filter can tame a realist surely?

 

[lurk]

The Realist is a good pickup that on some basses sounds great and is the best piezo I've ever used for arco playing. It can be kind of woofy and it's not a high pass filter issue, but rather the lack of high frequency response. I guess that's why when you pick up the bow you can dig in and saw away comfortably.

 

[Ric Vice]

I always wonder just how loud people actually need their double bass amplified. a hi-pass filter can tame a realist surely?

Well if it’s the Realist Lifeline then yes, a Low Pass Filter alongside with an impedance buffer will improve the sound of the Realist lifeline.
IME the original Realist Copper Foil just reproduces to much of the fundamental frequencies and filters the harmonics effectively suppressing them.
Just my take though. The Fishman BP 100 is a poor man’s version of the Underwood pickup. To much emphasis on the upper midrange.

 

[afroblue]

I use a realist copperhead (now with red-eye and AI clarus so HP filter there is extremely useful. Whenever I'm on a big stage, the amount of low end when it initially comes through the PA is insane. Having a dark pizz sound though is definitely a thing for many players though. I sometimes use the "treble" knob on said red-eye if it's too dark. Always wondering about different setups though, the struggle is real

 

[Ric Vice]

Good point! I also use the Red Eye Twin with both the Realist Lifeline and the Ehrlund EAP. I ditched the Realist Copper Foil years ago after the third one failed. The RedEye Twin is my go to Preamp for all things piezo and the Grace Felix has an incredible HPF. So those being the conditions, then the older Realist Copper’s tone would really improve.