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Double Bass Wilson K4

Thanks. I'll try something along those lines for sure, I have two K4s and one K1 installed, the latter in the E-sided foot of the bridge as per the original instructions, so much less proximity to the strings than the K4 anyway, but I'll still try that first. Any hunch on where you would point that single module, if it's drilled into the bridge arc?
 
I first heard the Bassbalsereit pickup in the 90's, when Zoltan Dekany showed up at CalArts with one. It sounded great (although I remember thinking then I would never cut a hole in my precious bridge). The back of the bridge has a lot going for it as a pickup location.
 
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FWIW I futzed around with it and listening on headphones. I get very little bass power on my Low C string (I tune in 5ths - so it's the same as E string in 4ths) unless the pickup is mounted in the leg. I played around with the two positions with the other element and I still prefer it on the bass side. It's a little more woody and blends better with the element in the bass leg.

Again, this is on my old Yamaha SLB200 EUB and it to me, it makes it a serious instrument that could compete with full bodied basses. I am not a pro but i could totally see someone touring with this setup. Pop the EUB folded up in a golf club case and you're off to the races.
 
What makes me interested in the K4, is that although I know a lot of people hate multi pickup configurations because they can "phase",in my experience, especially in blending two separate Yamahiko pickups thru the 2 channels of the Felix, it is more about getting the blend ratio right. If you just bind the two together (Underwood, Yama,etc) then the ratio of one to the other is totally random and uncontrolled, but if you separate them and blend with a different ratio (based on your ear and bass etc) a wide range of tone and width and open/directness is available just in that narrow parameter.
The Wilson K4 has 4 pickups that can be individually adjusted in the bridge for that very purpose. Also, while the directions say to drill the holes 9mm from each string, there is no reason to be bound by that. Just the combination of simple adjustment for blend (twisting the pickups in the bridge) and the simplicity of the tube preamp/piezo thing makes it interesting. I played last night with the two Yamahiko pickups bridged and got a great sound. When I use them individually they have distinct characteristics (the G side has the even thump while the E side has the bass and treble...on my bass) and when I have blended them in the Felix they sound great 70/30 one way or the other depending.
THe K4 design could be a really effective way to balance the signal from each pickup (by changing the aim of the piezo element.) When I owned a K4 the last time it was way back before I even know about Impedance. The sound I got was thin and ugly. I think it deserves another go round...
I was doing this with a small mixer blending an Underwood with a Pierre Joseph String Charger. I would also run the String Charger through my Zoom B1xon for some trippy hippie upright stuff 😊

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FWIW I switched my K2 to be top treble spot with the other in the bass leg. I wasn't getting enough signal for the bow in the higher register on my high strings. Now it's all ballsy. I actually I think I like this better in hindsight. If I turn up the gain and overdrive my amp a little bit, I'm learning to enjoy a little bit of grit in my signal with the Yammy. It's not all delicate and arco sounds real nasal. But pizz is lots of fun. Still does'nt sound like an EUB yet it doesn't have the air of a DB. Sounds like a throwback to the 80s sound where most of everything is coming from the pickup.
 
Hi, I just installed the Wilson K4 on my bass, but I have a small problem. I’m getting a persistent buzz that stops whenever I touch one of the pickups. It seems to be a grounding issue, similar to what you can get on an electric guitar. Has anyone experienced the same problem and figured out how to solve it?
I tested the pickup before mounting it on the bass and didn’t notice anything unusual.
 
Yes, I tried other cable and other amp. The amp is plugged into a grounded outlet.

After couple of tests I noticed than when plugging in another room the problem was still there but lighter.
The pickup seems to be very affected by the electric signal.

I contacted Wilson and they suggested try to connect the 'shield-part' of the jack, to one or all four strings, simply by inserting a small wire between those parts.
I'll post more after trying this option.
 

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