Double Bass Realist Lifeline vs. Full Circle, Output

[Chris Fitzgerald]

This tracks. The timbres of each pickup are not the same; the Full Circle has a bit of midrange "push," which can help with clarity and breaking through a dense instrumental mix. Whereas, the midrange of the Lifeline is more "open" and subtle, and its bass response is warmer and fuller than the Full Circle.

Which is "better?" Either may be better for a particular player based on their band, their bass, or their musical style. A player in a duo or trio might favor the more natural sound of the Lifeline, where their own instrument's sound is not fighting for as much sonic space in the smaller ensemble. But a player in a larger band and/or louder group might do better with the Full Circle, as its more "brash" response helps their bass to not get "lost in the sauce," without having to have their volume in the mix be "too loud" and overwhelming the band/room in other parts of the sonic spectrum.

And in the mix, it still sounds great. It's a common trap to choose a pickup based on what one sounds best to you, playing by yourself in your living room at home. But what sounds best soloed doesn't always work out best in the context of the band - all the subtlety can get overwhelmed by the sheer need to "slot into" the mix of other instruments. Ask a mixing engineer! (Or, listen to one of those YouTube clips of Paul McCartney's isolated bass tracks from classic Beatles tunes - those great bass lines sound AWFUL when listened to naked and out of context!)

This is why it's a faulty premise to ask, "What is the BEST upright bass pickup?" Each one has its pros and cons, and I always find out what the player's needs are before steering him/her in one direction of many.

On a side note, remember that the Full Circle's tone is somewhat "tune-able" - the wheel with the elements inside actually has 4 transducers, arranged in a "cross" pattern. Turning the wheel within a quarter-turn's adjustment actually shifts where those transducers sit (1/8 of a turn changes the "cross" to an "X" pattern, for instance - see below).

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Shifting how the pickups are aligned can actually alter the tone through phase adjustments and other changes, so it allows for a noticeable adjustment in tonal response, without making a major change in height/action. I suggest putting a "dot" on the adjuster with a Sharpie marker to allow one to monitor what placements work best (you can also use the entry point of the wire as a landmark).

All of this. ^^^

I did a video review a few years back on amplification that I ended up thinking of as “the skeleton and the skin”. In this analogy, contrary to what one might think, the amplified sound is the skeleton (because it is hard, solid, and unforgiving) and the acoustic sound is the skin (because it is softer, breathes more, and has organic give).

In quieter settings, no amplification is needed, and the bass does not need to compete to hold the proper place in the mix. As the volume of the other instruments/room goes up, the bass needs some inflexibility in its core sound in order to sit in the mix. At lower amplified volumes, the natural organic acoustic sound of the base wraps around the skeleton and the result is a nice organic pleasing sound with a strong backbone. As the volume goes up further, there is more skeleton and less skin.

The key, in my opinion, is to always use as little amplified sound (skeleton) as possible, and to let as much skin envelop it as the situation allows. I consider this a lifetime pursuit.

 

[damonsmith]

"Invasive" pick ups always work better. I don't like amplifying enough to have one. I would love to get a Lifeline some day to see how it works against my Soundclip - which I get great results from. Anyway, it isn't fair to compare a pick up that comes off the bass easily to one that doesn't.

 

[PBandJazzBass]

Here’s a quote of mine from another thread. Just figured I’d throw it in here.

With the Full-Circle, I have to set my amp at the strangest EQ curve I’ve ever used. The sound is good though.

I was using a GK MB-112 II. Treble was at noon, the high and low mids were barely turned up and the bass was rolled all the way off with the midrange “contour” switch on. Again, good sound. But kind of weird IMO.