The upright I am playing is on loan to me so until I can afford my own, I wanted to see if there is an affordable pickup that can easily be put on and removed. I can’t modify the bass in any way. Suggestions?
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Double Bass Removable upright pickup
- Thread starter Casey Black
- Start date
All good choices and relatively inexpensive. The KNA DB1 sounds very good. There is a nice TB thread with audio and video examples.
Bridge wing pickups like the ones mentioned above can work if they are not too thick for the wing. Also some wings won't make a good contact to a wing pickup if the wing is curved (but it can work).
A bridge foot pickup with a constant thickness like the Shadow SH-965 NFX, that works fine with a single foil under the bass side bridge foot, would only need a short lift of the bass side bridge foot under reduced bass string tension to install and remove. The battery compartment might have a rattling PCB in it, but that could be cured by unscrewing and inserting some (rubber) foam.
At least the old Realist has a disk in it that makes it not contact thickness and marks the top. Stay away from that one (and it sounds too dull in my opinion anyway, the Shadow NFX is a lot better IMHO).
Contact mics for the top can work, but might not do as well with ply tops as with carved ones and to find a good position might be too much experimentation. But close to the outer side of the bass bar is usually a good idea and varying the distance from the bridge foot gives different shades of directness vs. softness.
A bridge foot pickup with a constant thickness like the Shadow SH-965 NFX, that works fine with a single foil under the bass side bridge foot, would only need a short lift of the bass side bridge foot under reduced bass string tension to install and remove. The battery compartment might have a rattling PCB in it, but that could be cured by unscrewing and inserting some (rubber) foam.
At least the old Realist has a disk in it that makes it not contact thickness and marks the top. Stay away from that one (and it sounds too dull in my opinion anyway, the Shadow NFX is a lot better IMHO).
Contact mics for the top can work, but might not do as well with ply tops as with carved ones and to find a good position might be too much experimentation. But close to the outer side of the bass bar is usually a good idea and varying the distance from the bridge foot gives different shades of directness vs. softness.
Well, even a beginner might want to take a shot at playing with a band but i could agree with a statement such as always practicing acoustically. I don't think installing a pickup in year one is such a bad idea.
I had put a copper Realist on my rental. Loosen the strings and slide under E side bridge foot, careful not to change the location of the bridge. That same Realist moved over to my Upton once i bought my own bass.
I also recommend the Bass Max as an affordable and usable entry-level (and beyond) pickup. I used one for a long time and keep one as a backup. There is the possibility, however, that it might not fit into the bridge wing without filing the wing opening.
If the bridge has adjusters, consider the David Gage Realist Lifeline and the Fishman Full Circle pickups. Both are excellent, but I prefer the Lifeline because it is more even in response when switching between pizz and arco. The Lifeline has a darker sound than the Full Circle. I also find the Lifeline to be more durable (the Full Circle's skinny wire is its weak point). Both are totally removable without leaving any evidence of their presence.
If the bridge has adjusters, consider the David Gage Realist Lifeline and the Fishman Full Circle pickups. Both are excellent, but I prefer the Lifeline because it is more even in response when switching between pizz and arco. The Lifeline has a darker sound than the Full Circle. I also find the Lifeline to be more durable (the Full Circle's skinny wire is its weak point). Both are totally removable without leaving any evidence of their presence.
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If your bridge has height adjusters the David Gage Realist Lifeline is a great option, it`s easily put in place ( between the E -side adjuster and bridge foot or crown, depending on the model ) by loosening the EAD. Not too expensive either.
Seconded on the Realist Lifeline, assuming you’ve got adjusters. Another option is the Fishman BP-100, which clips onto the bridge between the E/A and D/G strings. The Fishman doesn’t get many accolades around here but I know of a local player who uses one and sounds great on it.
Bridge wing pickups sound their best, IMO, when the wing slot is shaped to maximize even contact and pressure on the pickup, which will likely require a very minimal amount of work on the bridge. While such a modification could go unnoticed, it doesn’t tick your box of ‘no modifications whatsoever’. If it were me I wouldn’t do it.
Bridge wing pickups sound their best, IMO, when the wing slot is shaped to maximize even contact and pressure on the pickup, which will likely require a very minimal amount of work on the bridge. While such a modification could go unnoticed, it doesn’t tick your box of ‘no modifications whatsoever’. If it were me I wouldn’t do it.
