Double Bass Stat B revisited

[flatback]

been doing a couple gigs with the Stat B. I have this love hate relationship with this pickup, sometimes it sounds the best ever and then on a gig it will be a total drag for someunknown reason .
But a while ago I went at it working a new piece of cork with a knife just right. from years past I have had that little wedge glued to the inside of the bridge hole on the E side. I cut an oversized mushroom cork and really stuffed it in there (I used to have it much looser I think)
So far it sounds incredible, I'm loving it. Works so well with the MAS16.
I remember Charlie getting either a great sound out of it or a terrible sound, depending on how it was EQ'd FOH.
Using the simplist: just single Stat-B>Vintage SchertlerStatB preamp>MAS16p, so far have not needed eq or HPF and does not distort like the Yamahiko can (with the 16). Seems like a perfect pairing.

 

[Mike Carr]

I'm getting everything I need from my Wilson equipped Czech Ease. Perfect little bass for gigging around Asia as I have done for years now. Currently in Bangkok and found a terrific luthier here, Nakorn from Bravo Music. He's a bass player so knows what we want. He recently did a set up and new strings installed, the bass works and sounds as good as a Czech Ease can sound.
Yet just yesterday I bought a new quarter inch to RCA cord..
My Stat B has been begging me to try it again.
Now I see your recent post.
So... down the rabbit hole I go..
Again!!!

 

[Keyser Soze]

I don't have a dog in the fight and have already been bitten once by this. You two, as Stat B owners know far better than I.

Many years ago my pal was the road manger/sound man for Brad Mehldau's trio. Larry Grenadier was the bass player. My buddy's a long time pro with a thick resumé, has worked with Chick Corea, Warren Zevon, David Grisman, Stanley Clarke; a lot of top pros. When visiting with my friend, I asked him what kind of amplification they were using on the bass.

He told me "Schertler Stat B." (Keep in mind that this was ~20 years ago.) I asked him how it was working out. He replied to the effect that, "Not so good, it's always breaking down and being sent for repairs."

I repeated this on the old Listserv, 2xbass List, in a discussion about pickups and it seems that Schertler caught wind of my post, went to Grenadier and asked him why his sound man was slagging their product. Larry reamed out my friend who, in turn, reamed me out for going public with our chat.

I think we all got over our bruised feelings but I noted that the Stat B never really got a lot of traction in the marketplace. It's interesting to see you guys digging it out of your drawers, so to speak.

 

[Earl]

I too am revisiting the Stat B. I picked up a used one from a TBer and am loving it. Single on the G side. It fit my bridge perfectly with no shaping needed and sounded great immediately. I have also tried it with the Headway HDM1 and I think I like it even better than the Stat pre. So nice to not have to deal with that piezo thing.

Hey Flatback, do you think the Red Eye Twin will power the Stat? I asked him and he said he did not know.

 

[flatback]

dont think so. Tried it after but didnt like it. Just the simple for this setup. It does sound great run thru the Sarno V8...but so far everything does.

 

[flatback]

I don't have a dog in the fight and have already been bitten once by this. You two, as Stat B owners know far better than I.

Many years ago my pal was the road manger/sound man for Brad Mehldau's trio. Larry Grenadier was the bass player. My buddy's a long time pro with a thick resumé, has worked with Chick Corea, Warren Zevon, David Grisman, Stanley Clarke; a lot of top pros. When visiting with my friend, I asked him what kind of amplification they were using on the bass.

He told me "Schertler Stat B." (Keep in mind that this was ~20 years ago.) I asked him how it was working out. He replied to the effect that, "Not so good, it's always breaking down and being sent for repairs."

I repeated this on the old Listserv, 2xbass List, in a discussion about pickups and it seems that Schertler caught wind of my post, went to Grenadier and asked him why his sound man was slagging their product. Larry reamed out my friend who, in turn, reamed me out for going public with our chat.

I think we all got over our bruised feelings but I noted that the Stat B never really got a lot of traction in the marketplace. It's interesting to see you guys digging it out of your drawers, so to speak.

I dont think that was the Stat B. I think that was that other one that goes on the face of the bass. Around that time I bought a bass from Larry and he had a Schertler whats it called the one like the Ischell that adheres to the top plate.

 

[mikeGJ]

I dont think that was the Stat B. I think that was that other one that goes on the face of the bass. Around that time I bought a bass from Larry and he had a Schertler whats it called the one like the Ischell that adheres to the top plate.

"Dyn B" was the "other" Schertler bass transducer. Balanced output, needed 10v "electret" on tip/ring, IIRC.

Being balanced, and requiring the electret voltage meant preamp choices needed to be made. Schertler Pre's were/are not much fun. Very nice into a Grace Felix or Alix, though.

I eventually moved from Dyn B to Stat B.

If properly fitted, it works really well. I was first aware of these when I heard Mark Fain's "sound" a few years ago at RockyGrass, absolutely crushing.

Stat B also good through Felix, but more than acceptable through the tiny "Stat B Preamp" (provides volume, electret voltage) into front of an amp, and simpler setup.

 

[Eric Hochberg]

I remember Charlie getting either a great sound out of it or a terrible sound, depending on how it was EQ'd FOH.
Using the simplist: just single Stat-B>Vintage SchertlerStatB preamp>MAS16p, so far have not needed eq or HPF and does not distort like the Yamahiko can (with the 16). Seems like a perfect pairing.

Works for me for a couple decades now. I'm using a Headway pre and like it better than the Stat pre, PreA2 or Baggs GigPro.

 

[flatback]

Yes Eric,
I always have you at the back of my mind when I go back to the Stat B!

 

[Keyser Soze]

I dont think that was the Stat B. I think that was that other one that goes on the face of the bass. Around that time I bought a bass from Larry and he had a Schertler whats it called the one like the Ischell that adheres to the top plate.

You're prolly right; Dyn B/Stat B... I can't remember. Just remember that my pal said it was a pain in the butt. Aftermarket preamp options weren't what they are today.

 

[Bassemma]

I never had a problem with the StatPre since years. I think it is a very reliable Class A Preamp. The battery seems to last forever. It has a built in HighPassFilter. I also tried the StatB with the Headway EDB-2, which is able to provide the (i think 5 V) phantom power, but did like the result with the StatPre better. Maybe there is some kind of intern EQ especially made for the StatB. The signal is so good, that I need only a little of the EQ of any bass amp - or I go straight into the FX return.

The StatB and Pre stay always mounted to my bass, a west-german made plywood bass, so that I don't ever have to install the pickup new, which is to me the annoying issue with the StatB.

 

[Mike Carr]

I have a gig here tomorrow. Jazz piano trio. Maybe I'll fire up my Stat B and blend with my Wilson. I have a Raven Labs Blender that provides appropriate power for the Schertler. Plus very useful EQ and a phase switch for each channel. I do think the Stat Pre works very well too. If I wasn't so keen on trying the blended sound I'd probably just use it straight into the amp. I'm interested trying the element in the bridges bass side as one of the others who has posted here has done. If all goes well I'll hope to not need to spend more that about half a minute dialing things in. If not I know the Wilson will sound great on it's own, set flat.

 

[Kristian]

Hi! How does it compare to the Ehrlund?

 

[Eric Hochberg]

I never had a problem with the StatPre since years. I think it is a very reliable Class A Preamp.

Unfortunately, I went through 2 of them. They broke down, as did the PreAll. If they hadn't I'd still be using them.
The Baggs is reliable, less expensive with more features, and sounds as good to me. I wanted something I could plug in so I got the Headway. I think it sounds a little clearer, purer, than the others but they all sound good to my ears.

 

[Earl]

27147326[/URL], member: 44143"]Unfortunately, I went through 2 of them. They broke down, as did the PreAll. If they hadn't I'd still be using them.
The Baggs is reliable, less expensive with more features, and sounds as good to me. I wanted something I could plug in so I got the Headway. I think it sounds a little clearer, purer, than the others but they all sound good to my ears.

Which headway are you using Eric?

I tried the Baggs and did not like the sound but the Headway EDM1 sounds great and better than the Stat pre.

 

[Eric Hochberg]

EDM1

Which headway are you using Eric?

EDM1

 

[flatback]

The EAP is a great pickup. THe STAT is also a great pickup, the Wilson is also a great pickup and so is the Yamahiko. I think what happens after the pickup is more important (imp matching speaker etc) That said the Stat is like a contact mic on the bridge- a little more direct then pickups on the table and it has a weird but somehow (in the context of playing with a band) effective compression that sounds good. With the Stat I have found you absolutely positively CANNOT over play the strings or it sounds like sheit.

 

[bassically_eli]

Which headway are you using Eric?

I tried the Baggs and did not like the sound but the Headway EDM1 sounds great and better than the Stat pre.

Apologies for the tangent, but if the Baggs Gigpro is like my Mixpro, then the manual is wrong regarding the EQ. I had difficulty finding good settings when I first got my Mixpro, so I connected it to my interface to see what the frequency response was. Turns out there was a big scoop around 1khz with the bass and treble controls at noon. The flat setting is with both controls set to almost minimum (there's a little treble roll off that way, around 9:00 on the treble is flatter). Once I figured this out, I really began to appreciate the Baggs.

Edit: I bought my unit used. Idk how old it is or if all units are like this. A lot of sites list the EQ as passive, which I suspect (but don't know) is just wrong.

 

[Earl]

Apologies for the tangent, but if the Baggs Gigpro is like my Mixpro, then the manual is wrong regarding the EQ. I had difficulty finding good settings when I first got my Mixpro, so I connected it to my interface to see what the frequency response was. Turns out there was a big scoop around 1khz with the bass and treble controls at noon. The flat setting is with both controls set to almost minimum (there's a little treble roll off that way, around 9:00 on the treble is flatter). Once I figured this out, I really began to appreciate the Baggs.

Edit: I bought my unit used. Idk how old it is or if all units are like this. A lot of sites list the EQ as passive, which I suspect (but don't know) is just wrong.

Wow, good to know! I just tried it with bass/treble rolled all the way off and it sounds much better..

 

[flatback]

played a quartet gig last night with just the single Stat B into my amp with my little bass, and man that sounded so fat and nice and sat just right under the band and was no trouble and needed no eq. Just plugged it in simply and played. This time with the Stat B I have had several gigs of good and none of bad...maybe I finally got the install right.