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Double Bass Underwood Pickup Club

#21
Just adding a plus one to all the Underwood love. I have four Underwoods on four basses so that shows my commitment. I use both elements and agree that the fit is important; just about tight enough to hold the element safely in. The thing I like about the pickup is its brightness - too bright and it can always be eq'd back a bit.
 
#22
I've been rolling on and off with an Underwood since 92. I am using it currently through an EA Doubler and a custom Schroeder 1X10 4 ohm 400 watt cab...it sounds great! I can hear myself clearly with other players, and sounds great out front. Never tried a Schertler or an Ehrlund, but this is working well for me. I haf one with the old non 1/4" jack. I called them up, and they sent me a new jack, ziptie and plastic tubing for free. GOOD folks....very thankful for both them, and my sound.
 
#23
What I like about it is how even the response is. My E string is fat and clear which is a revelation compared to the Realist, deeper. Also, with the Realist I would dig in deeper and sometimes overload it or something and kill the tone. The tone is good over the entire bass.

I don't like the way it sounds under the bow but I'll deal with it.
 
#26
I've been an Underwood user for over 30yrs!
Best results with a preamp.now the Fishman Platinum Pro EQ
Tried other PUs , also blended with a mic,& considered changing-getting the Realist
clamp- on($400.) after reading about it last summer.
Called Lemur, asked their recommendation.
Lemur told me that Stanley Clarke just bought 2 more Underwoods for a tour....
Bought another Underwood!
Good enough for Stanley?!
 
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#27
I said back in post #20 that I took the Realist off but I put it back on a few days later and I'm glad I did. They are very different pickups to be used in different situations.
Last night, I had the pleasure of opening for Eldar on a big stage in a good sounding hall. Due to some complications, I chose to have the sound guy mic my Acme B-1 rather than the bass.
Trying the Underwood all I got was 'clickety clack' but the Realist gave me a great sound both on stage and reportedly out in the hall. I was glad to have the Underwood the night before in a very noisy club where the Realist doesn't cut it.
 
#28
Wow, you guys are awesome!! Thank you so much for your continued support. My dad originally created the pickup for his bass-playing friends and they liked it so much that they spread the word. Now the word continues to circulate because of happy Underwood users such as yourselves, making you all part of a TRULY grass roots musical family!! So beautiful. Thank you again, from me and the Underwoods, still makin' pickups by hand :)
 
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#30
BelindaU said:
Wow, you guys are awesome!! Thank you so much for your continued support. My dad originally created the pickup for his bass-playing friends and they liked it so much that they spread the word. Now the word continues to circulate because of happy Underwood users such as yourselves, making you all part of a TRULY grass roots musical family!! So beautiful. Thank you again, from me and the Underwoods, still makin' pickups by hand :)
Click to expand...

BelindaU - Have you considered making a 1 element version of the Underwood PU?
Some of us have found the 1 element version to be preferable to the 2 element version.
see below:

iona bass said:
Mike,
Re: using the Underwood "E" element only - Yes, I did the same thing - on my bass, it improved the overall sound quality - a bit darker and more front-end "thump".
It is still my fallback PU for those times when I'm in experimenting/effin' around with my set-up.
I wonder if Don Underwood has considered selling a 1 Element version?

This was recorded with the Underwood "E" element only-



(Yes, we were going for a more "direct/CTI" sound on the project...)
Thanks for your time and interest.
Click to expand...


PS - were you at Youth Music Monterrey in the early 90's?
Thanks.
 
#32
iona bass said:
BelindaU - Have you considered making a 1 element version of the Underwood PU?
Some of us have found the 1 element version to be preferable to the 2 element version.
see below:
Click to expand...

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f4/acoustic-image-realist-1059372/index2.html

Yep, I never really liked an Underwood until I tried using only half of it. Using it as designed caused phasing issues which sounded artificial and 'electric'. I know lots of people like the Underwood but that's my take.

My 'buy one get one free' Underwood sounds great; fat and clear (which I had thought impossible). I think a one element version would be viable. Please thank your father.
:)
 
#33
Eric Hochberg said:
I borrowed an old Schertler two element p/u around 2000 and really liked it. Similar to the one element Underwood sound but a bit more refined and better arco than the super scratchy Underwood. I then bought the one element Stat-B system and haven't gone back to the Underwood.
Click to expand...

Well, since I wrote that, I got a new bass, and the bridge, as is, won't accept the Schertler. I got out the old Underwood and have been using it for 6 months and it sounds good (one element). Less scratchy arco, too, than I remember.
 
#34
A few years back, I called Don Underwood to talk about the purchase of a special pickup that he had made for Glenn Moore. We had a great talk, at the time he told me several stories, all very interesting. Apparently, Walter Woods had Don send him a pickup and used it to set the input impedance on the MI-100-8 amps to 1 Meg Ohm. So, in part
Don's pickup was the inspiration for Walter Woods amps.


Ric
 
#36
I have a feeling that a one element Underwood will sound different. Maybe because the two elements effect each other even when one is removed from the bridge. I use one or both of the elements depending on the playing situation. I love having that option. I keep trying to find a new bridge pu after 35+ years, but the Underwood always wins out. It's easy to remove from the bridge and let hang without complete removal when I'm not amplifying the bass. BTW, I've been using "The Band" pickup on another bass. It is working very, very, well.
 
#39
I haven't tried the Ehrlund, but since it was pointed out somewhere around here that it too is a piezo..I'm guessing that The Band uses similar piezos with a different mounting scheme.

Nothing sounds like the Underwood though, and I'll probably always use one. It's a great, great pickup.
 

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