Double Bass Realist pickup positioning

[LarryR]

To the illustrious, luminescent URBist's's's....

Prob: My BassMax has developed a short and instead of fixing or replacing it, it's time to move on.

I once tried a Realist and (for me) it sounded better, warmer, nicer, more balanced, less honky than BassMax, but, it was SO bottomy and dark. I prefer old Skool sound, thick & dark, but the Realist (least for me) was too much so.

Question: Anyone tried a Realist under the other bridge foot?
If so, mind reporting your findings?

Gracias. Viva La Basso!

 

[Marcus Johnson]

I think I recall reading that Edgar Meyer did it that way. Wherever you put it, make sure there is absolutely NO tension on the wire. or that little $180 foil package will split open like a stick of Juicy Fruit. Then it'll look and sound (read;silent) just like the one collecting dust in the back of my desk drawer.

Very dark through my Contra. I used to think it was a good arco sound, until I got my AMT mic. With the Realist, I was going to try the treble bridge foot thing before it crapped out.

 

[LarryR]

Marcus,

I'm sorry to hear about your loss and thank you for the warning. I owe you up-front as I'm already benefitting from your misery. I shoulda been a funeral home director.

Thing is, I need a replacement pickup quick (before Wednesday) and I have an oppty to buy a hardly-ever "used" Realist for $ 100. I thought, hell, in a pinch I'm bailed out (if temporarily) and can resell later. Course, now I read a warning to NOT buy used as the imprint may cause problems.

Ideally, I'd rather buy a Mic, but, the volume and room acoustics of my residency-type gig might be problematic. We play in a cigar box.

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

I used to use a Realist, sometimes under the treble foot, sometimes under tha bass foot. In my opinion, it was always too dark and overbalanced toward which ever side (treble or bass) it was on. Mine also crapped out and I never bothered to replace it. I'm enjoying using the Full Circle, which is brighter than a Realist but more natural and balanced than the Bass Max - but you need to be handy with EQ to really get either to sing. It's more expensive than the used Realist, though.

 

[flatback]

Just a note...David Gage is a wonderful guy and has replaced my Realist several times the first few with no charge...(there was that nub that can indent the bass, he replaced it with a newer version that is flat) then the wire shorted and he replaced it again then the same thing happened recently and he replaced it for $25. David is a guy who will really try to do right by you.
With that said I just recently replaced my Realist with a similar but far superior pick up, called pick up the world.

 

[Paul Warburton]

Just a note...David Gage is a wonderful guy and has replaced my Realist several times the first few with no charge...(there was that nub that can indent the bass, he replaced it with a newer version that is flat) then the wire shorted and he replaced it again then the same thing happened recently and he replaced it for $25. David is a guy who will really try to do right by you.
With that said I just recently replaced my Realist with a similar but far superior pick up, called pick up the world.

Larry, in case you haven't heard, some bassists I respect are going GA-Ga over the Pick-Up the World pick-up that flatback mentions. Not sure on the price.

 

[LarryR]

Thank you all for chiming in.

I drove to the "used Realist" last night. Played the guy's bass. The pickup worked. Handed over the $ 100. Loosened the strings, was about to remove the G-string and noticed the gnawed wiring on the pickup (the dude has a feline). Got my $ 100 back and left.

I'll use my P-Bass for next week's gig (the band will understand) and now it's back to PUTW or Full Circle. I'm leaning towards PUTW.

Thanks again folks.