Double Bass Piezo pickups wearing out

[fdeck]

In my case, the Full Circle is pretty permanent, so it's been on there since the bass was first set up. In fact I will have to drop the bridge to get it out for repair. Fortunately I have the original adjusters.

Somewhere.

 

[Ric Vice]

I’ve noticed that my realist lifeline has slowly been getting quiet. It’s prob about 5 years old. Could it be that it is time to replace? I don’t really use it anymore. I used to blend it with atm350. Does not see any use since I upgraded the mic. Ive left it on in case i hit a room where the mic has too many issues and I need to blend. Guess I could experiment with something else…

Sounds very familiar, I've have very good luck the the Ehrlund EAP in combination with the Grace Felix, but alas they are more expensive. Since you're comfortable with the ATM 350 that's something dependable that will last. I recently recorded with

the newer DPA 4099 DVote Core. I liked the sound of that microphone and felt that it had a more refined sound than the first 4099 I owned. Then again I have the Remic's which sound very nice. It's just easier to plug the EAP in and play. Just my take though.

 

[Jim Dedrick]

Ric- I don’t use the ATM any more since I got the CMC1MK4. Prob should find someone that wants it. I have a lifeline just in case and have not needed any piezo since I got the Schopes. I’ve thought about EAP or Yamahiko if lifeline fails which it sounds like I am approaching.

 

[fdeck]

How do the small condenser microphones handle the crowded stage? In my main band, I'm backed into a corner, in between 15 wind players and the drummer. I'm afraid if I tried to use a mic, I'd mainly be amplifying my competition.

 

[Ric Vice]

Not sure how that would turn out, FDeck. I’d want to have a pickup along with the condenser as a backup or for support. I’ve done big sending the condenser FOH.

but the pickup always goes to my back line amp.

 

[DoubleMIDI]

When I played in a big band I once tried the ATM35 instead of the pickup got FOH. The mixing console engineer (who did a good job) was not happy because I needed to stand directly beneath the drums and the drums, mainly the cymbals were picked up rather loud compared to the bass signal. (Monitoring was done with a FC and a 10“ Combo.) For later gigs he preferred the pickup signal only since there was a bass guitar player too, so the technician needed already two lines for the two instruments. He didn‘t wanted a third one.

 

[Martin Beer]

Is it primarily the pickups that are under downward pressure from the strings that have a limited lifespan? I have had one bridge wing piezo fail on me (one of the UK-made JTone pickups), but that may have been rough handling or bad luck. I experimented briefly with DIY piezo film pickups under the bridge foot on bass and other acoustic instruments, and those sounded surprisingly good but had a very short lifespan.

 

[DoubleMIDI]

I had my Shadow (prototype, 2nd hand) bridge wing pickup failed twice. In both cases the shield wires broke or the soldering point broke off the brass. In both cases I could repair it myself.

Since the second repair I didn‘t used it much. Later I liked the slots just a tiny bit wider and now I don‘t have to press the pickup in place, it glides nicely where it should go and stays there.

And it sounds better now (before the pickup sounded compressed, now it‘s more natural and open, but of course still a ceramic based piezo pickup).

 

[Wasnex]

When I played in a big band I once tried the ATM35 instead of the pickup got FOH. The mixing console engineer (who did a good job) was not happy because I needed to stand directly beneath the drums and the drums, mainly the cymbals were picked up rather loud compared to the bass signal. (Monitoring was done with a FC and a 10“ Combo.) For later gigs he preferred the pickup signal only since there was a bass guitar player too, so the technician needed already two lines for the two instruments. He didn‘t wanted a third one.

Same experience here. One of my peers bought an AMT S25B. It sounded great when he played solo, but when the drummer kicked, in the cymbals were way louder than the bass.

To make matters worse, the cymbals coming through the mic sounded flanged. I believe this is because the mic was picking up the cymbals reflecting back off the curved face of the bass. The mic signal was totally unusable IMHO, and rolling off the highs to reduce the problem with the cymbals degraded the sound of the bass to the point where the pickup actually sounded more natural and authentic than the mic.

 

[basss]

I bought my FS a year or two after they came out. It's been on and off a couple basses. Still sounds great. I've never had a piezo wear out on me, not saying it doesn't happen but IME it's not a given, or at least they don't have a definite shelf life.

 

[bassmanbrent]

I bought my FS a year or two after they came out. It's been on and off a couple basses. Still sounds great. I've never had a piezo wear out on me, not saying it doesn't happen but IME it's not a given, or at least they don't have a definite shelf life.

I bought mine around the same time and it lasted until around 2 years ago. It had lived on multiple basses and didn't owe me anything when it died. Fishman replaced it as discussed above.

 

[fdeck]

The pickup is back from Fishman. They tested it, found no problems, and sent it back at no charge. Their process ran quite smoothly, an automated system for handling the RMA and shipping, but also a real person to communicate with. In the meantime I played a couple gigs with my homemade cello pickup (not destined to be a product), which can now go back on my cello. I may still have a feedback problem to chase down, but it's good to eliminate any possible root cause. My pickup has the screws, and I've painfully resisted the urge to open it up and look inside.

I will copy this message to the other Fishman thread just for sake of reference.

 

[Ric Vice]

Since I have ebony adjusters, I went with the Ehrlund EAP, which is actually a piezo but
sounds more like a microphone on my bass. Before that, I was going through Realists in about 4 years.
Even with the EAP, I still prefer the Remic’s sound FOH. I’m lucky that the Ehrlund works so well on my instrument
since that hasn’t been the case for others who tried it. At heart I’m a microphone lover. If Line Audio built a Hypercardioid, I’d be in heaven.