Double Bass Removable pickup.

[Ric Vice]

Futzing with an Ischell (or other body mount pickup) night after night might get old but may be the best solution, depending on how loud you need to go. Yes, the Band and the big and heavy Realist block thing are not too good, IMO. The wing pickups may need bridge modifications to install.

I would just ask for your basses to include a pickup! You're willing to play strange basses so I wouldn't be too concerned about the pickup supplied. And you can always ask about the pickup beforehand. I suggest bringing your own pre or small amp head to help get your sound right.

Good Advice,

Thing is if you have a Headway EDB-2, Grace Felix, or even a HPF Buffer Pre Amp you can really improve the sound of the existing pickup whatever it is.

Ric

 

[Troiani]

1st option is to request a bass with a quality pickup already installed. Basses with pickups are common in the pizz playing world.
2nd backup option have a removable pickup. I like the Kremona DB1 as well. Great sounding pickup for $99. The shims help it to fit into the bridge wings of most basses. If you need extra shims, guitar picks can do well. The issue that could happen with proper fit is if the spot to place it on the bridge is too curved. That could happen. But this is already the backup option.

Thanks for the reply. The basses I get all have pickups but my last trip to Finland they all had fingerboard pickups for Rockabilly. I couldn’t get a decent sound. A wing pickup may not be work on all bridges. The Ishell pickup seems like a good option.

 

[Simon Toth]

Oh wow, must be a lot of rockabilly players in Finland

 

[longfinger]

Another option is having a supercardiod dynamic side-address microphone in your bag to use. Wrap handle and cable in a towel and place it between the bridge legs. For new microphones being sold, Sennheiser has the e609 and the e906. Inexpensive, durable, easy to carry, easy to use, decent microphone sound with reasonable rejection of sound from other instruments. Mic to FOH, p/u to amp.

 

[Troiani]

Another option is having a supercardiod dynamic side-address microphone in your bag to use. Wrap handle and cable in a towel and place it between the bridge legs. For new microphones being sold, Sennheiser has the e609 and the e906. Inexpensive, durable, easy to carry, easy to use, decent microphone sound with reasonable rejection of sound from other instruments. Mic to FOH, p/u to amp.

I’ve tried various microphones and the towel trick; couldn’t get it loud enough. The quality of the “House Basses” is usually low. As a last resort, and depending on which airline we’re booked on, I bring my Fender...