Double Bass Simple Hack for Headway "The Band" pickup

[John Littler]

Eli, the Band has two Pickups inside, which we found sounded fuller and more detailed than a single one, probably due to a tiny phase difference, similar to stereo Mic's, also greater sensing area, but it's live along much of the tube. The Pickups are buffered to smooth the response, so not peaky and to trim treble. John of Headway

 

[John Littler]

I had the opportunity to demo the Headway Band along with the Headway EDB-2 that was new at the time. Matt’s solution is genius, that said,
I’d have to try it on my own instrument before I ever invested in that particular pickup. My sense is that as the rubber band is used over time
It will continue to stretch out of shape, whether or not the fix will compensate for that is anyones guess. The Ehrlund EAP achieves the same thing on my bass without the band. Just my take.

 

[John Littler]

Hi Ric, EDB-2 range was developed partly using Bands and our other Pickups to help voice the EQ facilities. So I think they complement and nobody has asked us to change the EQ. Some bass players did not believe the bass pot frequency profile was possible to work as well for bass as for guitar, but both are well covered by it as you can see in the quoted figures where it is measured differently for each instrument. John of Headway

 

[John Littler]

I'm curious to try The Band because it can be installed/uninstalled so easily, but very skeptical because its hard to find many people using it professionally or enough high-quality sound clips online. Almost everything I've tried can sound decent enough at a low to medium volume. My concern is how much usable volume can you get before feedback? More or less than the Realist, Realist Lifeline, RevSolo, or KNA DB-1, anything you've used? The Realists are solid reliable but I hate the semi-permanence of their install. The wingslot PUs are always a bit finicky with placement and pressure. Playing local venues, more often than not, I'm crammed up against a wall right in front of my speaker and expected to fill the room. I do okay with the pickups mentioned, but it takes a lot more tools and dialing in than I'd like. If The Band was comparable, I would be happy enough. It just can't be worse.

 

[John Littler]

I understand about how people expect Acoustic instruments now to cope with playing at the same amplified volume as drum kits, electric guitar etc. I would say a two channel pre-amp or combo amp, with bridge and body mounted pickups would be best and be prepared to use the notch filter. Microphones are not going to add much in such conditions. The bridge pickup should beat feedback better but probably sound less natural. John of Headway

 

[John Littler]

The Band tubing can be stretched very slightly, but it tends to go back. You have to get the material very hot ( heat gun hot) make it stretch permanently. We just had word of one gigged regularly since 2009 and the jack went. It still works. John of Headway

 

[John Littler]

Try replacing the Velcro with 3M Dual Lock. That stuff’s not going anywhere.

That's right Michael. It is one of 60 grades of PVC, a tough flexible long lived plastic. We do exchanges old for new at a lower price. People appreciate that if old ones were just repaired, additional small stresses would continue on parts other than the any original failure. We get 0-2 back per month out of 37,000 out there. The old ones have components re-cycled anew for lower cost "B" stock on Ebay. John of Headway

 

[John Littler]

I've never used The Ehrlund, but it definitely has a reputation as a great pickup. If anyone wants to loan me one, I'd love to do a side by side

I don't think the Band "streaching" needs to be a concern. It's not really a "rubber" band, more like a very flexible plastic. I've had mine for almost 10 years, and it doesn't seemed deformed at all-I would think any streaching or deformation would be visible in the lettering/logo. I DO think there is a design issue is that the velcro on the back has a tendency to work itself loose over time (my little hack does seem to have alleviated this issue though) IMO Headway would do well to find a different "connection" system.

I'm not by any means saying the Band is the end all be all of pickups. In fact, before I figured out the cable tie thing, I probably wouldn't have recommend it to someone looking for a new pickup: it was just to persnikity. I think this small tweak really does make a huge difference, though, and turns The Band into an option I think is worth serious consideration.

 

[John Littler]

Matt, the velcro on the back normally lasts years. We get 0-2 back most months out of a very large number out there.. If coming off there are specialist glues and techniques we recommend for low cost repair and we can repair more like new ourselves past guarantee for a modest cost + post shipping. John Of Headway

 

[Ric Vice]

Walker, I believe Rick Wolff is going to organise a D'Bass Band2 trial to members via post or courier. Thanks, John of Headway

Rick Wolf did organize the original trial with your kind loan of the Original Band and the new (at the time) Headway EDB-2. It will be great to try out the new one
and hopefully someday the EDB-2 with the tube.

 

[John Littler]

Ric, I'll suggest he adds the EDB-2 H.E to truck around together and get best out of them. John of Headway

 

[matt holt]

Thank you for posting that material on the Headway Band Pickup. We are into Band2 now with improved pickups and better definition, detail and slightly better levels. We have sold 37,000 of them over about 20 years, mostly for Violin but quite a lot for Cello. It is more finicky for Double Bass as you say, but for tone, it makes sense picking up from the main producer of sound of the instrument, i.e the top. Bridges are more for transmitting vibration and supporting strings than producing sound and the resonant (dominant) frequency of maple is higher than spruce which influences a harder tone with a greater content of higher frequencies. The size of top compared to bridge also biases more lower frequencies. Of course it is likely to be more prone to feedback than a bridge Pickup perhaps. I like the modification and I wonder if we might use the pic and details on website and credit you? I take it you have used double sided non adhesive velcro? I have another idea for a clamp on dual system involving pickups and microphones plus a tiny pre-amp and minimal controls. Maybe we will have something in a year or two. Best wishes from a UK in record heat. John of Headway

Hi John, thank you for posting; it is always cool when companies engage in a personal way with their user bass (see what I did there?).

You are by all means welcome to use the pictures I posted in this forum; and yes, the velcro strips are single sided non adhesive. They are the just the cable ties I usually use for keeping my instrument cables coiled.

 

[matt holt]

Matt, the velcro on the back normally lasts years. We get 0-2 back most months out of a very large number out there.. If coming off there are specialist glues and techniques we recommend for low cost repair and we can repair more like new ourselves past guarantee for a modest cost + post shipping. John Of Headway

That's good to know about the repairs.

I must be a bit unlucky because both of The Band pickups I own (I'm big into having backups) have had this problem, although the second one was to a much lesser extent. It's such an easy fix to re-glue it (I found gorilla glue worked great, sorry if that is cringe enducing for you) that it wasn't a big deal for me, and it never even occurred to me to send it in.

Thanks again for taking the time to engage with the community, and please don't interpret anything said here as being an attack on Headway or it's products. At the end of the day, I have been using the Band/EDB2 combination for longer than any other pickup system I have tried over my 20+ years playing bass, and I sincerely want to see the company thrive.

 

[rickwolff]

I am looking forward to revisiting THE BAND and doing a thorough video review when I get back from vacation in a few weeks.

I want to echo the sentiments above by saying that working and communicating with John and Headway over the last several years has been a delight. It's wonderful to have a designer and builder of such excellent products who is so 'in tune' with their customers.

 

[John Littler]

That's good to know about the repairs.

I must be a bit unlucky because both of The Band pickups I own (I'm big into having backups) have had this problem, although the second one was to a much lesser extent. It's such an easy fix to re-glue it (I found gorilla glue worked great, sorry if that is cringe enducing for you) that it wasn't a big deal for me, and it never even occurred to me to send it in.

Thanks again for taking the time to engage with the community, and please don't interpret anything said here as being an attack on Headway or it's products. At the end of the day, I have been using the Band/EDB2 combination for longer than any other pickup system I have tried over my 20+ years playing bass, and I sincerely want to see the company thrive.

 

[John Littler]

Hi Matt, it's great to be honest and open, otherwise we can't improve from any shortcomings. Thanks, John of Headway

 

[Ric Vice]

One thing to remember, which I frequently forget is that no piezo pickup has a “lifetime guarantee” because they need to be “under pressure” to work.
So regardless of where they are placed, ( in the bridge wing slots, under the bridge foot, inside a bridge adjuster, or in a band) they will degrade over time.

 

[Eric Hochberg]

Nice going, Matt! Mike Arnopol and I futzed around with the Band on 3 basses and could not get enough pressure on the top using the strap alone. We tried a couple mods which were unsuccessful. We both liked the tone of the Band but without enough pressure the volume remained very low.

For what it's worth, I've never seen a Band used professionally on a bass. I'll admit the look of it doesn't thrill me.

I'd like to add that I just purchased a new Headway EDM preamp to use with my Schertler Stat B pickup and I think it sounds better than both the Schertler Pre's and the Baggs pre's I've been using for years.

 

[Earl]

Nice going, Matt! Mike Arnopol and I futzed around with the Band on 3 basses and could not get enough pressure on the top using the strap alone. We tried a couple mods which were unsuccessful. We both liked the tone of the Band but without enough pressure the volume remained very low.

For what it's worth, I've never seen a Band used professionally on a bass. I'll admit the look of it doesn't thrill me.

I'd like to add that I just purchased a new Headway EDM preamp to use with my Schertler Stat B pickup and I think it sounds better than both the Schertler Pre's and the Baggs pre's I've been using for years.

I also use that preamp and it is great!

 

[DoubleMIDI]

One thing to remember, which I frequently forget is that no piezo pickup has a “lifetime guarantee” because they need to be “under pressure” to work.
So regardless of where they are placed, ( in the bridge wing slots, under the bridge foot, inside a bridge adjuster, or in a band) they will degrade over time.

But the amount of pressure is very different.
The bridge wing pickups (should) have a very low pressure and can work for decades. But an impact on the bridge can break the ceramic any time.
The bridge foot/adjuster pickups (except the Yamahiko) are under constant high pressure, so they might give up earlier, even if hardly in use over time. But also for those a forceful impact on the bridge might break the ceramic or a misplaced bridge might do. (Less danger for piezo foil if it is sealed in some plastic foil.)