Piezo-What A Difference!!!!

[StyleOverShow]

Have been flirting with a fretless/EUB purchase for a couple of weeks (long time to have the GAS).

Vintage fretless or new Fender (don't own one)?

Tried a Dean Pace EUB this afternoon and it was amazing. There is absolutely nothing special about the 'instrument' itself, of cheap chinese construction, not particularly finished well either. But the sound was very cool.

And then I figured out that it has a Piezo pickup and that makes a big difference.

Have seen many posts touting the Piezo, but after playing one on a relatively cr*ppy instrument, I have to wonder why I haven't gotten around to them sooner?!

What basses come with Piezos?
Mods to other basses?

 

[Mushroo]

Hi, I am a big fan of piezo as well, welcome to the club! For a while I had a Squier into which I had installed a piezo bridge and preamp. I wish I could remember the manufacturer; I think the bridge was by Hipshot but the saddles were swapped out by a different company. My point is, there are aftermarket piezo bridges you can drop into any bass if you are handy with a soldering iron. You will need a special preamp to blend the piezo with your magnetic pickups (they are very different impedences).

As for which basses are available from the factory with piezo, Rob Allen and Rick Turner are the two that leap to mind. I believe piezo is an option on certain Music Man basses as well. Good luck!

 

[wiro]

Ken Lawrence C-Brase II
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJSEaxJalco&feature=related

Jerzy Drozd Legend
http://www.bassnw.com/New%20Exotic%20%20Basses/jerzy_drozd_legend_5FL.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILbAVo6FBKI&feature=related

And both together they sound like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bT_kQbAFFfs&feature=related

F-bass Alain Caron
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITQd2NtbOKA&feature=related

And the NS design upright:
http://www.nedsteinberger.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZpbuntmb8M

Most EUB's have piëzo's. Like Zeta and Clevinger, just to name a few.

 

[Tom7]

As you can see if you follow [Invalid or Expired Link Removed], Yamaha is a major manufacturer that has been using piezo pickups in some of their basses for awhile now.

I would really like to add a piezo to my Barker Vertical bass. I've asked around for a place that might be able to do it, with no luck. I'm open to suggestions on that by the way.

My F Bass AC6 (Alain Caron signature model) is the only bass I've owned with piezos, and I LOVE this bass!

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[SuperDuck]

There's the Fender Power Jazz. It's a Fender Jazz with piezos. I haven't seen a lot of people talking about them; I'm not sure how popular they are. It might be worth a shot, though.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/JBassPwBlk

 

[StyleOverShow]

My F Bass AC6 (Alain Caron signature model) is the only bass I've owned with piezos, and I LOVE this bass!

Beautiful inlay. Having trouble finding a good tech in Alaska?
Huh?

 

[bassicsax]

I believe you can get a music man stingray with a piezo and a fretless neck..

 

[MODNY]

wow that KL is amazing

i've always loved his basses

they are up there with the best but dont seem to be very popular. is his turn around time long or something?

 

[spade2you]

Most custom made or higher end basses are often available with a piezo. I have a Conklin and 2 Rob Allens with piezos. They can be a tad bright on fretted basses, especially when mixed with roundwounds. They're definitely complimented with warmer woods, chambering, flats, etc.

 

[elros]

Some of the Parker basses come with piezo pickups. So do the Rick Turner basses. And some of the Ernie Ball Bongo basses do too.
Apart from that, most luthiers can probably retro-fit piezo pickups on your instrument. My Surine and also my Conklin have piezo pickups. Lovely sound.
Also, if you have a V-Bass system, you can emulate the piezo pickup sound through that.

 

[Tom7]

Beautiful inlay. Having trouble finding a good tech in Alaska?
Huh?

I have trouble finding EVERYTHING music related in Alaska. That's why I'm on talkbass and anywhere else I can get reliable information.

With this bass, I listened to a lot of recordings, talked to a lot of players, then a lot of stores, and told my wife what I would like for Christmas.

What a great day when I found this early gift under the tree.

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[7string]

Now that's a Christmas present !!!

 

[MAJOR METAL]

I have trouble finding EVERYTHING music related in Alaska. That's why I'm on talkbass and anywhere else I can get reliable information.

With this bass, I listened to a lot of recordings, talked to a lot of players, then a lot of stores, and told my wife what I would like for Christmas.

What a great day when I found this early gift under the tree.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Man you must have been REALLY good !

 

[richnota]

I love piezo basses!

Here's some of my piezo posse (not present: Turners, Tacoma, Jackson).

The bass on the left is a Clement with a hipshot piezo bridge (mahogany neck and body, bubinga top, ebony fb). Fantastic tonal range. Tom Clement is currently building me a bass that uses only the hipshot piezo (no mag).

 

[StyleOverShow]

Considering a trade for a 76 Ripper with humbuckers. It's fretless and is in pretty good shape although the fretboard needs some leveling.

Was thinking about adding a Piezo and rewiring/replacing the chicken head 4 way switch to select pickup (neck, bridge, all, piezo). Would require a pre-amp right? How big is the preamp and where would it go?

 

[Lokire]

wow that KL is amazing

i've always loved his basses

they are up there with the best but dont seem to be very popular. is his turn around time long or something?

His waiting list is up around a year and a half now. He's a super busy guy. My 5-string KL is my #1 electric bass. No piezos though. I'd love to get a 6-string Chamberbrase (with piezos), but I can't wait that long, or pay that much! Even though I know it would be worth it

 

[richnota]

Considering a trade for a 76 Ripper with humbuckers. It's fretless and is in pretty good shape although the fretboard needs some leveling.

Was thinking about adding a Piezo and rewiring/replacing the chicken head 4 way switch to select pickup (neck, bridge, all, piezo). Would require a pre-amp right? How big is the preamp and where would it go?

you'd need a buffer (electronics that match impedance of mags and piezo) and a preamp, or a preamp that handles mags and piezo like a D-Tar.

Might take same routing to handle electronics and batteries.

 

[Verticos]

what are the companies that manufacture piezos for you to retrofit your bass? i know Graph-Tech and RMC make piezos and buffers to go with them. Any other brands?

What is the general favorite brand amongst piezo-fans?

 

[Guest043]

carvin offers a piezo upgrade. sounds like absolute dogmeat. what happened was, the bass i ordered had "problems" and they offered me this other bass that was in stock with options i diddnt pay for, for the same price. i took it, and one of the things i did not pay for was the $100 or so piezo upgrade. it sounds like absolute dogmeat, like a bad synthesizer trying to emulate an acoustic bass or something. maybe thats just the carvin one, but i cant immagine anything similar being usefull.

my 2 cents.

 

[StyleOverShow]

you'd need a buffer (electronics that match impedance of mags and piezo) and a preamp, or a preamp that handles mags and piezo like a D-Tar.

Might take same routing to handle electronics and batteries.

Pickguard on this puppy is huge but overall body is relatively thin, maybe an inch.

Would I do better to lose the humbuckers and go with the piezo alone? Plan on using this bass as an EUB substitute.