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Double Bass Toby Timber's Vektor pick up review

#41
I have a Vektor installed on my DB, the version that runs off of phantom power. Like jar240, I find it is not very hot; and there is a fair amount of white noise. Perhaps I don't have a thick enough rubber pad under it? The tone is good and it even picks up finger noise from the FB.

Is anyone else experimenting with this pickup, and what results are you getting.
 
#42
jsbarber said:
I have a Vektor installed on my DB, the version that runs off of phantom power. Like jar240, I find it is not very hot; and there is a fair amount of white noise. Perhaps I don't have a thick enough rubber pad under it? The tone is good and it even picks up finger noise from the FB.

Is anyone else experimenting with this pickup, and what results are you getting.
Click to expand...

I get a very hot very warm signal... some adjustment may be necessary in order to get the fit just right. I had Toby install the pick up in the bridge and I believe the right fit makes a huge difference.
 
#43
I removed the bridge, changed the rubber spacers, adding more thickness, and then sanded it down to what seemed to be the right thickness. The signal stength is much better, but I would think could still be louder. The white noise is somewhat reduced. Much better overall. One nice thing about embedding the mic in the bridge, it does not seem to be particularly susceptible to feedback.

Thanks flatback, and Toby (via PM) for your suggestions.

Jim
 
#44
yea it'll get a standing wave feedback loop going at high volume, but for a contact mic it has very little feedback. the placement is the perfect spot. I used the Vektor last night with a quintet in a loud SF jazz club and it sounded sweet. (thru the Focus and Wizzy 10 it has found a perfect match.)
 
#46
jsbarber said:
Flatback - given your recent experimentation with the dynamic Heil mic's, could you compare/contrast the Vektor with the mic's you've been playing with?

Thanks,

Jim
Click to expand...

yea sure, the Vektor is mic like and fat and open. You wouldn't (I wouldn't ) want to blend it with a mic...to much of the same thing. But What I really like the best I think is a mic with a more dry bottom (FC or Aptflex) somehow that makes for a sound that can be adjusted to a lot of situations as well as routing possibilities (monitoring the pick up and mic to house) That said I just did a trio gig that started with the Aptflex but when I switched to the Vektor it was so fat and nice and perfect I was really getting into te sound. Its just with the PR 40 there is that mic air.
 
#47
Man I had a gig last night in north beach at a wine bar on Green St. I brought just the Focus W10 and plugged the Vektor into it. That sound was so good, clear clean with all the right stuff. IT is my new micro rig.
Its really too bad that the other cats who have used this Pick up have not had it set up properly (or something) because when it is set up right it is killing. Toby's got such a great pick up Its too bad it requires such an intense install. On my bass it has so much gain that I keep the Focus between 1 and 2 on the preamp. I aimed the bass directly at the speaker last night and got no feedback what ever. I love the blending sound but man I gotta admit one cord into the Focus to get that sound is so sweet and trouble free.
 
#48
I hope this is the right place to post this.

I would like to inform all those of you who didn't dare to try the Vektor pickup, that there is now a way of trying it without major surgery to your bridge.
Also, you don't need a luthier to fit it, and it can be taken off any time.
The pickup is fitted in a device which clamps under the arch of the bridge and is tightened to a. not fall out and b. to adjust the sound. As mentioned in previous posts, the pressure is crucial to the sound it produces, it can now be adjusted very finely without having to take off the bridge.
I include a couple of pictures of the proto type.
 

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#49
tobytimber said:
I hope this is the right place to post this.

I would like to inform all those of you who didn't dare to try the Vektor pickup, that there is now a way of trying it without major surgery to your bridge.
Also, you don't need a luthier to fit it, and it can be taken off any time.
The pickup is fitted in a device which clamps under the arch of the bridge and is tightened to a. not fall out and b. to adjust the sound. As mentioned in previous posts, the pressure is crucial to the sound it produces, it can now be adjusted very finely without having to take off the bridge.
I include a couple of pictures of the proto type.
Click to expand...

Hi Toby! OK now this is very interesting. Unfortunately when I changed basses a couple of years ago, I lost my Vektor with the bass and didn't get another one. One of the reasons for that is that although I was happy with the sound, I felt that I perhaps just got lucky with the installation and even then, it wasn't a very hot signal. Other people were not getting the same results, even when they had the same luthier doing the installation.

So how does this work? I can see the contact mic is at the bottom there. Does that device above it extend into the underside of the bridge at all or is it just purely pressure that keeps it there and if so how does that work given that the pressure from the bridge is not being exerted directly downwards because of the arch of the bridge?
 
#50
The new device is not going into the bridge at all, it can be taken off easily. It holds at any place under the arch with the sharp end which sqeezes into the wood (and no, it won't leave deep gaps).
As you can see in the picture, there is a threaded bit which lets you adjust the pressure with which the pickup is pressed onto the front.
 

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#52
yea i'd lve to give it a try Toby i you need some real world experience....I think that with the ability to move it around and adjust pressure, this will be a real improvement....not that the original design is bad just difficult. Anytime you can make something like this non invasive it is an improvement.
Yea I'd love to be a beta tester....
Well Done and all the best,
p
 
#54
Santa is supposed to be bringing me one of Toby's newly designed Vektors for Christmas, but I was wondering if anyone had tried one of the new ones yet? It seems that the installation problems of the old design are gone now that you can easily adjust its pressure against the top.

I'm mainly wondering about the following questions, for anyone who uses the new one - or the old verion:

1. What preamp do you use yours with?

2. Do you blend the Vektor with a pickup, or with a mic?

3. Does anyone have any soundclips of your bass with the Vektor?

4. How feedback resistant is it really? Does it compare to the Full Circle in how much sound before feedback it produces?

5. Does the tone compare more to a mic or to a pickup?

Thanks to anyone who can help
 
#55
The Vektor is a mic not a piezo. It requires power which can be provided with a battery or is available in a Phantom powered configuration using a small K&K (3" X 2" X 2") preamp. (See http://talkbass.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6515177&postcount=11) I use it in the latter configuration, as I prefer to avoid batteries.

There is no need to blend this device with a Piezo unless you like the tonal characteristics of a piezo pick up. Although it is a microphone, the "old" Vektor is embedded in the foot of the bridge and does not make contact with the air but, rather, is pressed against the top table of the bass using rubber-like spacers. So, creating a feedback loop would involve having the body of the bass act as an acoustic antenna to pick up the signal from the amp and feed it back into the Vektor. My experience has been that it is not very prone to feedback.

In the version I have you can use any amplifier that provides a microphone input with phantom power. (I forget the range of voltages that the K&K will appropriately convert to the required voltage, but certainly 48V works, and some lower voltages may as well.)

Jim
 
#56
jsbarber said:
The Vektor is a mic not a piezo. It requires power which can be provided with a battery or is available in a Phantom powered configuration using a small K&K (3" X 2" X 2") preamp. (See http://talkbass.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6515177&postcount=11) I use it in the latter configuration, as I prefer to avoid batteries.

There is no need to blend this device with a Piezo unless you like the tonal characteristics of a piezo pick up. Although it is a microphone, the "old" Vektor is embedded in the foot of the bridge and does not make contact with the air but, rather, is pressed against the top table of the bass using rubber-like spacers. So, creating a feedback loop would involve having the body of the bass act as an acoustic antenna to pick up the signal from the amp and feed it back into the Vektor. My experience has been that it is not very prone to feedback.

In the version I have you can use any amplifier that provides a microphone input with phantom power. (I forget the range of voltages that the K&K will appropriately convert to the required voltage, but certainly 48V works, and some lower voltages may as well.)

Jim
Click to expand...

i think that the phantom that comes with the pick up is an uncolored, just power preamp that works great. i tried a bunch o different preamps including the gigpro and others which all seemed to color the sound. the Vektor powered up and into the focus is an excellent sound.
I think in the end you will have to try it or yourself and decide i you like it. I have tried almost every pick up out there...at least every type of pick up and the problem is that ALL o them sound different then the bass...and all basses sound different, so trying them out is one o the only ways to really get at your sound.
I found that it WOULD feed back (standing wave) if turned WAY up but or most applications it is highly resistant.
On my bass it is very warm, but i have a warm bass...if you have a very trebley bass you might find yourself twiddling knobs, maybe not.
 
#57
So, the wait is over, I have a limited supply of new pickups ready for shipping. If you like to try it, please contact me.
Also, the new on board pre amp is ready. Like before, it sits in the jack socket, the only extra thing is the battery in a little leather bag velcroed to the underside of your tailpiece.

I'm sure I'm not allowed to make this sound too much like advertising, so please contact me for the full sales pitch.
 
#58
I am really looking forward to trying this new pick up. having the ability to adjust the pressure and placement will significantly improve the pick ups viablility and being able to take of at will is where its at...more when I get it up and going
 
#59
I can say I am really impressed with Tobias's new incarnation of his Vektor pickup. I was at his workshop picking up the new removable neck bass and flight case he made for me(which are fantastic), and tried the new pickup. I had him fit a Fishman Full Circle to my bass, before I knew about this new version, but will be getting one of these when I can . As you can place the pickup where you want between the bridge and the body, it is really even. I previously had one of his pickups on my shen bass but felt that , with my setup, it wasn't so even when placed in the bridge foot on the bass side. This new one does away with that problem.
It is incredibly easy to fit. You don't have to slacken any strings, or do any drilling or filing to get contact. It is totally non invasive, so all the purists should love it. I wish I had had this when I was using a different hired bass for every gig on tour, it would have saved me a load of time and grief.
It sounds fantastic too, in fact this is the major plus point for me. it sounds really natural and even(if your bass does).I haven't gigged with it, as I haven't got one yet, but I could tell right away that the bottom 2 string overbearingness I felt was present in the bridgefoot mounted version is rectified by just moving the pickup to a more central point. I will also have to wait 'till I get one, and gig with a drummer, to tell about how it handles volume levels, which the Fishman is very good at. We were quite loud in the workshop and not a hint of feedback, so it looks promising.
 
#60
I have Toby's newly designed Vektor pickup on my old German carved bass, and it's great. I'm totally loving the tone, and the volume to feedback ratio is definitely comparable to my Full Circle. It should be great for live use. The tone is nice and mic like, although it took some fiddling with the pickup adjusters and the soundpost to make it sound right without a bad standing wave feedback. I am getting a lot of noise, however, but I'm thinking that most of the problem is with my cheapo K&K Golden Trinity preamp. Has anyone had any luck using the LR Baggs Gigpro with this pickup, or is Toby's preamp the best one?
Nice job Toby, the Vektor is definitely a winner. My Realist is going on ebay!
 

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