Double Bass Yamahiko Double Bass Pickup

[bassfacer22]

I don't quite understand the whole phasing thing.. but maybe one day these Manufacturers will just make a 1 sensor pickup that grabs the whole damn bridge.. with one sensor..

so you don't have the 2 sensors phasing garbage.. (as far as I know it was because the sound transfer between two pickups doesn't reach each other at the same time??)

but Yeah I know, they would have done it already if it was that simple..

 

[lowfreqgeek]

I missed this earlier but for example I had the MAS 16 on the ground flat on its back with the amp on it, it sounded wonderful but I needed a bit more presence...change the mix knob to slightly favor the G side...totally woody presence, cuts the mud, great sound. Seems like with it set up this way you almost never have the pickups equal in the mix...it always sounds better with one a little dominant.

This is not unlike an electric Jazz bass. Sometimes both pickups can be too scooped and even a little muddy. Roll back one of the 2 (depending on what kind of mids you want) and it opens up the sound, cuts the mud, and generally gives it a little presence. I love the sound of a Jazz bass full-up, but having the option to dial back one pickup or the other gives it a lot of versatility for dealing with the signal at the source.

 

[flatback]

Well if you run the two pickups separately and do not invert either channel's phase the sound is thin.But if you turn that sound up, and eq it a bit, it can be really quite excellent. If you reverse the phase on one channel, then the full un phased independent pickups are sounding. THis alone changes the whole nature of the sound of the pickup from Underwoody to Realisty. Just a slight adjustment of which pickup is more forward in the mix and presto, I've been getting crazy good sound.
The truth is I have played a number of gigs in a row where I screeched the mic in the audiences ears (the only design flaw of the Grace Felix is that it does not power up muted) and so I felt the need to take the mic out for a bit. (even the Ischell I caused to feedback by accidentally powering it up with the volume knob knocked to 11.
So I can really see that a variable phase knob would be a great eq feature. But the Felix is totally the bomb with this pickup in either configuration and can set up the two pickups to work pretty perfectly together.
I am hoping that this combination works really well on my little bass, which is really difficult to amplify well. I plan on getting this pickup for that bass (after I sell some stuff). Bassfacer22 I would seriously consider the Yamahiko over the Ischell for your little bass, I think that it's direct thick but totally controlled sound might be a better (although way more expensive) fit.

 

[bassfacer22]

I would seriously consider the Yamahiko over the Ischell for your little bass, I think that it's direct thick but totally controlled sound might be a better (although way more expensive) fit.

Aw man, My girlfriend is in Japan right now, I could have her buy one and bring it to me.. I decided to go with the Ischell and not the Yamahiko because of the big thick adjuster wheels.. I mean look at my bridge.. and my luthier was just telling me that it looks like the yamahiko is installed with the threads going into the bridge feet.. and my bridge feet are too small..

maybe I should still get it.. (the single sensor version)

 

[flatback]

yeah not gunna work the pickup is in the shaft and it is longer too. I just think it is gunna be the one that makes my little bass sound less thin.

 

[bassfacer22]

I think it's too late but my luthier is actually making me a new bridge from scratch for my Eminence but I think he can't make bigger feet..

the bigger the feet, the bigger the..

 

[flatback]

Totally worth it on my Tyrol. This pickup is such the bomb. Played a duo last night with just the Y and a 16 . Man it was beautiful, didn't miss the mic.I know there will be situations that I do, I love my mics, but I literally laid the bass down in front of the amp with out it muted and no feedback.

 

[SamuelHarris]

Flatback, do your threads go into the feet or into the bridge? Mine go into the feet.

Also you use the double sensor correct? Do you use the connector cable or two seperate outputs?

 

[flatback]

Hi Sam. Hey I do have the 2 sensor model....if you read a little earlier in this thread, I have both separate jacks and and the cable to tie them together. Benefits to both. Best to go back a little bit in the thread. Since the actual sensor is in the SHAFT not the WHEEL, it does not matter as it does in the Full Circle which way the threads go...Hope you dig the sound...It responds really well to eq and works well with a mic.

 

[bassfacer22]

I'll have a testing out session tomorrow (monday) with my new bridge which should have slighlty bigger (but not much) feet...

however here are the current usual small tiny feet that there is no way any side would fit of the yamahiko.. I want to use the Yamahiko, but we will see the size of the feet of my new bridge tomorrow.. I still think it won't fit though..


here is my old feet!




** I could ask my luthier to glue on extra wood to the feet..

perhaps I can cut the threads down to fit my feet.. but that's gonna be one small thread length!

 

[bassfacer22]

@flatback could this be the exact same sensor for bass? I could try this on the bridge if I get it fitted..

This is the paino yamahiko.

 

[flatback]

Yeah the piano pickup, don't think you want to get into adapting it. But the Yamahiko 2 sensor thing (with each going to a different eq OR just hooked together) is for what you are getting cheap. This pickup has A LOT of sound possibilities from totally electric and midrangy to damn mic like, with thump and clarity. It is industrial, when you listen to it flat it is like a RAW photograph: all the tonal information is there good bad and unwellbalanced. but a bit of eq, phase and HPF and you have a pickup better then any other piezo I have used, by far. THe G side pickup is sick. Mixed with a mic, just that pickup on my old bass is such a crazy rich totally cutting sound. I love to play with it because it never lets me down. In the loudest of situations, it does not sound it's most acoustic, but what does? It always cuts thru with a really pleasing sound.
I know this is one of those pickups you have to totally commit to because of the oversized threads and the expense of install but it doubles as the very best set of adjusters, AND puts the very highest quality piezo exactly in the perfect spot (both of them E and G).
I can see that I really DO want a variable phase control, for mixing these pickups. I'll bet with it you could leave everything else pretty flat, and just dial a focused sound with that.

 

[flatback]

I have been communicating with Mr Yamana and he is going to build me a stereo jack with 2 microdot connectors so that I can have one cord to the Felix. I think he might begin to offer that option. My thought is to have the Ring connected to the E side so that if I have a mic plugged in it will be the piezo underneath.

 

[flatback]

I wrote to Mr Yamaya last month suggesting that he produce a Yamahiko pickup with a 1/4 inch thread so that Bassists in the USA who already have a bridge with 1/4 inch threads could buy his pickup without incurring the added expense of having a luthier redrill their bridge. I thought it might be really useful to people who want to try this pickup without potentially sacrificing their bridge.
Mr. Yamaya just sent me a drawing of the new pickup and I think he will begin offering it soon.
Again while the Yamahiko is a piezo with the potential for mis eqing and more importantly mis matching impedance Z(i use it with 20mohm), it is the best piezo I have used and built better with more versatility and finer sound then the others.and it sounds great thru MAS speakers.
I have no business interest at all here, just trying to help bassists looking for a better sound (cheaper).

 

[Earl]

I have been considering trying this pickup. When I used the Lifeline I had to order the large one because my adjusters are larger than normal. Does this mean that the current version of the Yamahiko might fit without any drilling?

 

[DaveAceofBass]

Would this pickup work with a Kolstein bridge?

 

[flatback]

You cats are so funny....I think that the new 1/4in thread will work with 1/4 inch thread. The Yamahiko presently it M8 which is 8mm and an unusual thread. Hope that helps

 

[SamuelHarris]

I wrote to Mr Yamaya last month suggesting that he produce a Yamahiko pickup with a 1/4 inch thread so that Bassists in the USA who already have a bridge with 1/4 inch threads could buy his pickup without incurring the added expense of having a luthier redrill their bridge. I thought it might be really useful to people who want to try this pickup without potentially sacrificing their bridge.
Mr. Yamaya just sent me a drawing of the new pickup offering and I think he will begin offering it soon.
Again while the Yamahiko is a piezo, it is the best piezo I have used and built better with more versatility and much better sound then the others.
I have no business interest at all here, just trying to help bassists looking for a better sound (cheaper).

After I already got mine installed, thanks a lot!

 

[flatback]

Mr. Y says it should cost about the same as well. He is making a stereo jack too. Then you could use one sensor (Tip) or two (TRS)

 

[SamuelHarris]

Hey all, I've had my Yamahiko single sensor pickup on for over a month now and just want to give my take on it.

It is not the holy grail, it is not MBOL, it will not radically change your world. At the end of the day it is just a piezo pickup. However, it's a damn good pickup.

It gives you plenty of everything: treble, mids, bass. The bass is not as exaggerated as with a realist so if you're used to one it might sound a tad thin. I came from a lifeline so that was my thought but then again with the lifeline I was always using the HPF and bass cut on my Acoustic Image Clarus S4 to tame the low end so now it just means I have a nice solid low end with the hpf off and the low set flat.

With a flat eq this thing does not have an amazing tone. However since it gives you so much of all the frequencies you can really "shape" the sound. With the lifeline, there's like no treble at all. With my AI head and EA Wizzy 10 I could boost the treble EQ all the way and cut all the way down with no noticeable difference. Not so with the yamahiko.

If it's a low volume gig, cut some mids and you have a really nice Realist-like sound (with adjustable treble). When the volume comes up or the crowd gets noisy uncut the mids and you get a really cutting tone that is great for hearing yourself with clarity on stage. And it helps you to hear yourself without having to turn up the volume too much.

The biggest thing I've noticed about the yamahiko is its ability to "thump", with the right acoustics it can actually sound like a microphone since it responds to dynamics. If I dig in, more comes out of the speaker just like more comes out of the bass.

Another thing I love about this pickup is how well ghost notes come out, those little eighth note and triplet accents in walking lines come out much better with this pickup.

The arco isn't the greatest but I'd say it's incredibly sensitive to your arco technique. While the tone isn't phenomenal I think arco heavy people will appreciate how well the pickup amplifies all the little nuances of your technique. In other words it will really put out what you put in, if your arco is working well acoustically it will be quite alright, if not, it's gonna sound terrible. So really it's a garbage in, garbage out scenario whereas I feel pickups like the realist can almost mask bad technique IMHO.