Double Bass signal loss with older piezo pickups

[contrabart]

I think I've read something somewhere, a long time ago, about piezo pickups deteriorate when they get older. I recently started using my realist again after years of playing without amp, or using a mic. I have one bass with a realist that's about 10 years old, and another that was fitted with one just over a month ago. Using the old one I need to turn up the amp more than twice as much as with the new pickup. Is his a common thing for old pickups?

 

[Ric Vice]

I think I've read something somewhere, a long time ago, about piezo pickups deteriorate when they get older. I recently started using my realist again after years of playing without amp, or using a mic. I have one bass with a realist that's about 10 years old, and another that was fitted with one just over a month ago. Using the old one I need to turn up the amp more than twice as much as with the new pickup. Is his a common thing for old pickups?

Contra Bart,
Sam Findlay from David Gage was very forthcoming when he came onto our thread several years ago. In short, he told us that Realists tend to degrade over time, due to piezo element fatiguing under pressure, after about 4 years.

Ric

 

[contrabart]

Thanks for the info, Ric.