Double Bass question on acoustic amplification

[bjornbass]

I rented a bass from my school for the summer and was wondering if I could use one of those piezo transducer thingamajigs to pickup the sound of the bass. If I could, where is the thing traditionally positioned on an upright? Right now I have an amp that I use for my bass guitar but I'm afraid if I play through it on the standup I could possibly damage it. Am I right or just being paranoid?

 

[Francois Blais]

Most upright bass pickups are installed on the bridge.
If your amp is a bass guitar amp, there's nothing to worry about damageing it!
The upright bass is exactly in the same register.

 

[pegleg paul]

see the thread immediately below for a bit more info on specific pickups.

 

[bjornbass]

Hey thanks for the input. So the Piezo sits on the bridge somewhere? hmmmm... would it be in between the wings of the bridge? Is that the correct term for that part of the bridge? I'm so dumb when it comes to uprights

 

[pegleg paul]

many different kinds; some clip over the top of the bridge, some wedge between the wings, some are placed between the feet of the bridge and the body. The K&K Bass max ia a pretty solid piezo pickup that fits in the space in the "wing" of the bridge.

 

[bjornbass]

could I use that 5$ piezo you get at radio shack? I don't have money to blow.

 

[JimmyM]

I made a pickup with one. They're very very trebly but they work. There's $25 pickups you can buy on Ebay that are made with cheap piezos like those at Radio Shack. I haven't the faintest idea how to mount it best, though. I just tried mine for picking up the fingerboard slaps for my oldies band and it was way too trebly for my tastes. I've heard you can wire two together and break the plastic casings off and stick them under the bridge feet, or I've heard you can wrap one in cloth and stick it in the E side bridge wing. Experimentation is best.