Double Bass Vintage Ampeg Pickup

[dbrock1951]

I recently purchased and 1951 Kay M-1B. Legend has it, the bass was played by the owner's grandfather all over the place including the Grand Ole Opry.

Anyway, it has this vintage Ampeg pickup on it. There's a microphone attached to the end pin inside. A wire comes through the f-hole and is connected to the volume knob. The volume knob is between the bridge and the body and has a microphone under it. Then the connection is a threaded 5/8 aluminum connection with a pin that pushes in.

Has anybody seen one of these? How's it powered? I've found no info on it and asked a bunch on old timers. Thanks -D

 

[bolo]

Sounds like the original "amplified peg" or "Ampeg" pickup designed by Everett Hull in 1946. Wow!

I guess maybe you've googled a bit for things like 'Hull peg bass', or some such combination maybe. Maybe somebody who's read Ampeg: The Story Behind the Sound will chime in here too.

Or perhaps if you contact Ampeg you could see if they have any documentation or instructions.

Wow.

 

[dbrock1951]

Here's the thing. I have the male endpin part, but I don't have the female connection to attach the endpin to an amp. Vintage Amphenol?

 

[Bob Branstetter]

I had one of those on my first bass in the 1950s. At the time, there wasn't much else available for amplifying a doublebass. As I remember, it had a thin, hollow sound and was VERY prone to feedback at even low volumes. I don't know what type of mic it had, but it did not require anything except the cord from the peg to the amp. I have no idea where you could get the part(s) you would need to get it working. However, you could probably jury rig something with alligator clips or solder to see if would still works before you begin searching for the part(s). Other than the curiosity value, I wouldn't invest too much time or money on it. I was glad to have it at the time, but IMO the worst bass pickup or mic available today will be far better than the Ampeg peg mic was when it was new.

 

[bolo]

I think Ron Carter still uses a Kurmann soundpost pickup, combined w/ a Realist, according to several articles I've read, including a recent one (BP Nov. '07). Kind of akin to the peg idea, doing its job from inside the body of the bass. The Kurmann product has been discontinued.

Pretty interesting stuff.

 

[Bob Branstetter]

I think Ron Carter still uses a Kurmann soundpost pickup, combined w/ a Realist, according to several articles I've read, including a recent one (BP Nov. '07). Kind of akin to the peg idea, doing its job from inside the body of the bass. The Kurmann product has been discontinued.

Pretty interesting stuff.

However, the similarity ends with being located inside the body. According to their [Invalid or Expired Link Removed], the Kurmann uses a ceramic transducer built into the soundpost (which connects the top and back plates). This no doubt is better than a microphone picking up sound from the air enclosed within the body.