Double Bass Wilson K1 vs. Yamahiko single sensor

[Barcza]

I started to search a new pickup for my „loud“ band...
I narrowed my interest to this interesting two product....
Both are not so widely used, but both are seems very quality product.
Many of players says, the K1 has low output, but the Yamahiko has very hot output, what can easily distort amps input...
A have many different kind of gigs, play different band, different rental amps, doubling etc.
I’m afraid of dealing with complicated gain staging!

Have you got experience of both pickups or one of them?

 

[DoubleMIDI]

I doubt you can find people that used both (on the same bass and bridge) because the holes for each pickup would interfere.
So either different bridges/basses or only one of the two pickups.

 

[Kristian]

I've been using the Wilson k1 for many years but just recently switched to underwood since it gives a "cleaner" sound. Wilson can be great but often gets a bit "boxy". If I had the money, I would try the yamahiko. Seems like everyone likes that one.
I mainly use a mic and mixes in a little piezo if needed so a to clean piezo is not an issue for me.

 

[Francois Blais]

I voted K1 because I have one but never tried the Yamahiko.
As I said in your other thread, I don't use it at the moment.
I use an Underwood (only one element) and will try to add a mic in the next weeks. (A-T Pro 37)

 

[Barcza]

I voted K1 because I have one but never tried the Yamahiko.
As I said in your other thread, I don't use it at the moment.
I use an Underwood (only one element) and will try to add a mic in the next weeks. (A-T Pro 37)

Did You find the output low of the K1 compared to Underwood?

 

[Francois Blais]

The output of the K1 is very hot on my bass.
I'd need to do a A/B compare to give you a real answer though.
I'll try it in the next days and let you know...

 

[Barcza]

The output of the K1 is very hot on my bass.
I'd need to do a A/B compare to give you a real answer though.
I'll try it in the next days and let you know...

Thanks Man!

 

[Francois Blais]

Ok, so I just did an A/B test.
The output of the K1 is less hot than the Underwood.
However the tone I get is also very different.
The K1 sounds rather dark on my bass, and at the position it has been fit.
Almost no highs in comparison to the Underwood, which sounds rather bright.
It's like day and night between them....

Hope this helps!

 

[Barcza]

Ok, so I just did an A/B test.
The output of the K1 is less hot than the Underwood.
However the tone I get is also very different.
The K1 sounds rather dark on my bass, and at the position it has been fit.
Almost no highs in comparison to the Underwood, which sounds rather bright.
It's like day and night between them....

Hope this helps!

Thank You,
I play on a bass few days ago, equipped with Realist and Wilson K4, i tired both. The K4 was way hotter than Realist, and the sound was very midforward, but very clear and even, seems the K1 version is lot more bassy and less hot....

 

[Barcza]

Ok, so I just did an A/B test.
The output of the K1 is less hot than the Underwood.
However the tone I get is also very different.
The K1 sounds rather dark on my bass, and at the position it has been fit.
Almost no highs in comparison to the Underwood, which sounds rather bright.
It's like day and night between them....

Hope this helps!

Thank You,
I play on a bass few days ago, equipped with Realist and Wilson K4, i tired both. The K4 was way hotter than Realist, and the sound was very midforward, but very clear and even, seems the K1 version is lot more bassy and less hot....

 

[Francois Blais]

You forgot the element placement...
The K4 you tried was probably installed near each string.
I had my K1 installed in the E-side leg, in front of the wing.
Depending where the element is installed and the bass itself, the result may be completely different.
That’s why I think your poll in kinda useless.
The Wilson pickup is a different beast, very dependent on where it’s installed, and this is unfortunately unpredictable.

 

[DoubleMIDI]

A Wilson more or less directly under the string gets higher vibrational amplitudes that one in a bridge leg. The reason is it is closer to the string, so less damped and the wood is thinner there, so easier to move/deform.
I only have a little bit of experience, mostly on other basses (and my own EUB) with a BassBalsereit, now ANS, which is similar to the K1 but a lot larger in diameter. The sound is darker than my Yamahiko. Some might like this, I don't. I prefer to attenuate frequency ranges, not try to amplify what's hardly there.
Also the Yamahiko is closer to the strings, so less top influence, which can help avoiding feedback loops. Anyway, the open string can start a feedback if it is loud enough, even with a magnetic pickup.

 

[Barcza]

You forgot the element placement...
The K4 you tried was probably installed near each string.
I had my K1 installed in the E-side leg, in front of the wing.
Depending where the element is installed and the bass itself, the result may be completely different.
That’s why I think your poll in kinda useless.
The Wilson pickup is a different beast, very dependent on where it’s installed, and this is unfortunately unpredictable.

Unfortunatelly, can’t do mutch experimenting, since must dril the hole in ther bridge before try....
I make the poll just, to see how many of us using one of that two pickups....

 

[Barcza]

A Wilson more or less directly under the string gets higher vibrational amplitudes that one in a bridge leg. The reason is it is closer to the string, so less damped and the wood is thinner there, so easier to move/deform.
I only have a little bit of experience, mostly on other basses (and my own EUB) with a BassBalsereit, now ANS, which is similar to the K1 but a lot larger in diameter. The sound is darker than my Yamahiko. Some might like this, I don't. I prefer to attenuate frequency ranges, not try to amplify what's hardly there.
Also the Yamahiko is closer to the strings, so less top influence, which can help avoiding feedback loops. Anyway, the open string can start a feedback if it is loud enough, even with a magnetic pickup.

You currently useing Yamahiko single sensor?

 

[B String]

Ok, so I just did an A/B test.
The output of the K1 is less hot than the Underwood.
However the tone I get is also very different.
The K1 sounds rather dark on my bass, and at the position it has been fit.
Almost no highs in comparison to the Underwood, which sounds rather bright.
It's like day and night between them....

Hope this helps!

oooh....Use them both with a mixer. I used to do that with an Underwood and a Realist. Best of both worlds...sort of. I used a Raven Labs blender but there are other good options out there now.

 

[Francois Blais]

Interesting idea!

 

[Barcza]

oooh....Use them both with a mixer. I used to do that with an Underwood and a Realist. Best of both worlds...sort of. I used a Raven Labs blender but there are other good options out there now.

I tried to use Ehrlund and Fishman BP-100 togeather, it must be very good theoretically Fishman for string sound Ehrlund for body....but on practice, was not good, maybe phase problem....Sometime doesn’t worth to blend, because can’t earn the best of both, just worst of both....

 

[DoubleMIDI]

You currently useing Yamahiko single sensor?

Yes. But have not played much since it was recently installed.
Had a Full Circle before. Also have a Shadow SH-965NFX (bridge foot), a Shadow SH-950 (bridge wing), an Ehrlund EAP with preamp and an AKG C411 with battery adapter/preamp.

I dislike the Realist (no highs), but the Shadow NFX is nice but soft in attack. Nice for bowing or a smaller acoustic group.
For power bands it's the Yamahiko/Full Circle. Bowing is nicer with the Yamahiko, but it depends a bit on pickup mounting orientation.
The bridge wing needs the right (low) amount of pressure to sound good. Good attack, but less body sound. Punches through a band, but bowing is not sounding well (with the same EQ setting as pizz).

The few times I played a BassBalsereit/ANS on a double bass was during a jam session where the amplification was set rather dark and I wasn't allowed to change EQ (or there was no time to try a different setting).
But this might have the other bass players sound preference. Mine is different.

 

[Barcza]

Yes. But have not played much since it was recently installed.
Had a Full Circle before. Also have a Shadow SH-965NFX (bridge foot), a Shadow SH-950 (bridge wing), an Ehrlund EAP with preamp and an AKG C411 with battery adapter/preamp.

I dislike the Realist (no highs), but the Shadow NFX is nice but soft in attack. Nice for bowing or a smaller acoustic group.
For power bands it's the Yamahiko/Full Circle. Bowing is nicer with the Yamahiko, but it depends a bit on pickup mounting orientation.
The bridge wing needs the right (low) amount of pressure to sound good. Good attack, but less body sound. Punches through a band, but bowing is not sounding well (with the same EQ setting as pizz).

The few times I played a BassBalsereit/ANS on a double bass was during a jam session where the amplification was set rather dark and I wasn't allowed to change EQ (or there was no time to try a different setting).
But this might have the other bass players sound preference. Mine is different.

I heard the Yamahiko single Sensor has too hot output and difficult to manage the gain, did you notice this problem?

 

[DoubleMIDI]

Not more than the Full Circle which I have used before.
Might depend on the amp.
My Genz-Benz Shuttle 3.0-10T combo works well with the Yamahiko.