Double Bass Yamahiko Double Bass Pickup

[crd]

@Jason Sypher Man, you're living the good life on big stages. I would go mic only and in ear monitors...

Oh and I'd also like to mention that Mike Arnopol, the person who started all this, was the one who got: two sensors, a second output jack and ran both sensors in parallel into a two channel amp (EA Doubler).

He said that having different gain settings for the sensors (i.e. not 50/50 blend) and tweaking the variable phase between the two (a nifty EA doubler feature that I haven't seen on another amp/preamp until the felix2) was the sweet spot.

Fast forward to some months later and he said he got tired of futzing and having to plug in two cables and he had gone back to using just one sensor most the time. So YMMV

Nothing but respect for Mike. I built most of my rig around his idea's about how to amplify a double bass but I don't think he ever understood the difference between the phase of the speaker and type of phase issues going on between using more than one pick-up source or multiple mics etc.

Using the trs set-up with the Felix is really as easy as plugging in a single cable. The Felix separates the channels into each of the channels in the Felix when you use a trs cable. Once again not the cheapest option but after trying a lot of things I do think this is the best piezo option available.

 

[Hasty]

Using the trs set-up with the Felix is really as easy as plugging in a single cable. The Felix separates the channels into each of the channels in the Felix when you use a trs cable. Once again not the cheapest option but after trying a lot of things I do think this is the best piezo option available.

The Felix was a big inspiration on my DIY journey. I love my Felix, but I also play a bunch of wallpaper gigs where form factor (small/light/portable) is a factor for me. Through all my tinkering, these two items are my favorite frontrunners for any gig involving a complicated load in/long walk, small powered cabs like my MAS 16, and wallpaper music (ironically those are also some of the best paying gigs).

The Lucky Penny is in the exact same enclosure as the venerable and classic FDeck HPF. Current state, two channels in (TRS) and one channel out. Goes from the pickup to the LP with a 3 inch TRS cable. That lets me use any common TS cable to the amp. However, I did just rework the circuit and was able to cram a single phase channel in there... which should be fine because in all my finagling, I normally flipped the phase on one channel at a time. The dual level control is pretty nice and the battery last forever.

The Just a Phase is still my favorite for all things Yamahiko (and doubling gigs). TRS cable into the channel 1/2 input. Gives me phase, individual volumes, and that tone stack sounds really really good with my DB. The boost is a Tillman preamp and the oversize knob is more useful than you might think for adjust the boost on the fly. 9V battery (or wall power) lasts a super long time and fits in the gig bag with very little weight added. Only downer is that I couldn't effectively cram my XLR transformers in there without additional spacers. Maybe I'll do that, maybe I won't. The engraved text seems to exists just to haunt me and remind me of how I should have found a smaller transformer.

I didn't include an HPF with either of these, but I really haven't missed like I thought I would. Of the two, the only one that might benefit from an HPF would be the LP, but I don't have enough space to get one in there with the two channels.

 

[Karl Kaminski]

Hats off to @Hasty for his NJAP boxes. He's like a machine with the development of these dual element boxes! Ive been playing around with the NJAP predecessor IJAP for blending and phase inversion using two elements. What was immediately clear is the side by side comparison to flipping/inverting the phase of one element.

The Lucky Penny looks great, amazing build!

 

[JBarz]

Hasty, any plans on putting these into production? I’d probably splurge and get a second element pickup sometime next year if I could get my hands on one of your lucky pennies…

 

[Hasty]

I just ordered version 2 of the Lucky Penny prototype boards. This one will include the phase. I’ll probably get them after New Years sometime. If this batch does what I want the plan is to release them as open source so anyone can make one. Out of pocket cost (assuming you have basic soldering equipment) will likely be around $30 per unit. I’ll probably end up with a bunch of boards that I’ll give away to people here if the admins don’t mind.

 

[danengland]

Hi

I have a Yamahiko 2 sensor pickup on my bass (and really like it) and I’m considering getting another for my La Scala bass.

The La Scala bass has plastic bridge adjusters which seem wider than either of the available yamahiko adjuster sizes (it's hard to measure their size exactly as they are in the bass).

Has anyone had a bridge which already has adjusters adapted by a luthier to fit the yamahiko or other adjuster pickup? Would this require a new bridge or is it easy enough for a luthier to fill and re drill the holes for a slightly smaller adjuster? Is there a reason not to do this?

Thanks

 

[Jim Dombrowski]

Yes, I did this on my Shen. The original adjusters were 5/16”. My luthier put threaded inserts in to convert from 5/16 to 1/4” threads, and then installed a piece of nylon or plastic tubing into the non-threaded hole. He used a mini-lathe to machine the plastic tube to the exact size needed for the top of the Yamahiko adjusters

 

[bassmanbrent]

Has anyone had a bridge which already has adjusters adapted by a luthier to fit the yamahiko or other adjuster pickup?

I've had a luthier (Gerard Samija, who pops in here from time to time) drill out and plug the holes with maple dowel and then re-drill and tap. No problem and not expensive.

 

[flatback]

Hasty? Is there any way to have a phase adjust (not a flip) as part of your build? I prefer them with the same polarity in most situations but sometimes flip one. When I do it always is too much thickness and I have to eq some of that out. Seems like a pair of Yamas might have a general "right" polarity somewhere between 0-180. Is there even a possibility of a fixed 90 for example? At the beginning of this thread (so many pages ago) Mike was all jazzed on hi variable phase. I know it exists on the new Felix too.Im sure it was discussed here but I have forgotten why it was abandoned....

 

[Jeff Kissell]

FWIW… the non threaded end of my 5/16” adjusters and the Yamahiko M8 adjusters are the same. My luthier only had to plug and re-drill the threaded ends.

 

[Roger Mouton]

Hi

I have a Yamahiko 2 sensor pickup on my bass (and really like it) and I’m considering getting another for my La Scala bass.

The La Scala bass has plastic bridge adjusters which seem wider than either of the available yamahiko adjuster sizes (it's hard to measure their size exactly as they are in the bass).

Has anyone had a bridge which already has adjusters adapted by a luthier to fit the yamahiko or other adjuster pickup? Would this require a new bridge or is it easy enough for a luthier to fill and re drill the holes for a slightly smaller adjuster? Is there a reason not to do this?

Thanks

I love the Yamahiko pick up. My bass had Delrin adjusters. My luthier, Jason Brown, stated it probably was not necessary to make a new bridge. He used the same bridge and dealt accordingly with the smaller hole size. He plugged the holes and then re-drilled/taped. As bassmanbrent said, "No problem and not expensive."

 

[Hasty]

Hasty? Is there any way to have a phase adjust (not a flip) as part of your build? I prefer them with the same polarity in most situations but sometimes flip one. When I do it always is too much thickness and I have to eq some of that out. Seems like a pair of Yamas might have a general "right" polarity somewhere between 0-180. Is there even a possibility of a fixed 90 for example? At the beginning of this thread (so many pages ago) Mike was all jazzed on hi variable phase. I know it exists on the new Felix too.Im sure it was discussed here but I have forgotten why it was abandoned....

Maybe? I’ve been looking at a variable phase option that’s designed for hi-fi subwoofers and thought I might be able to adapt it cause the circuit isn’t too much different. I might breadboard it and test it out in the near future, if I like it it might find its way onto a pcb.

I shifted my focus to the tiny package that only allows one channel to have a phase flip option. Built one up so far and I’ve been pleased with how it works. I just have to pick which channel gets the phase (couldn’t fit two in there). On my bass it went to the G side and the difference is audible. I also like the fact that it let me use my wireless on the bass again. On some gigs that’s a nice option. Just run the TRS 3” cable from the Yamahiko plug into the Lucky Penny and Sennheiser goes into the output. Then it goes to FOH somewhere or other.

 

[danengland]

Hi

Has anyone got a pdf of the instillation instructions for the Yamahiko 1/4" NC20 thread sensor?

Thanks
Dan

 

[Karl Kaminski]

its on the site (look under the 8M set... the installation is the same just use 1/4" drill bit and tap)

 

[danengland]

Thanks! I missed that

 

[Eric Hochberg]

Don't know if this has come up, but I just got a Yamahiko and haven't taken it on a gig yet. Yesterday my bass developed a rattle that I couldn't figure out. It turned out the little caps on the pickup had come loose and were
rattling, particularly on the open A and G strings.

Has anyone else experienced this? It must have happened due to vibrations and it seems the only permanent fix would be to remove them. Thoughts?

 

[crd]

Don't know if this has come up, but I just got a Yamahiko and haven't taken it on a gig yet. Yesterday my bass developed a rattle that I couldn't figure out. It turned out the little caps on the pickup had come loose and were
rattling, particularly on the open A and G strings.

Has anyone else experienced this? It must have happened due to vibrations and it seems the only permanent fix would be to remove them. Thoughts?

Yeah. They seem to come loose overtime from playing. I would leave them on and just tighten them periodically. I worry about getting rosin in the connectors. When I really tighten them with my hands, it seems to be a good six months or so before they loosen.

 

[Don Kasper]

Thoughts?

 

[Earl]

Don't know if this has come up, but I just got a Yamahiko and haven't taken it on a gig yet. Yesterday my bass developed a rattle that I couldn't figure out. It turned out the little caps on the pickup had come loose and were
rattling, particularly on the open A and G strings.

Has anyone else experienced this? It must have happened due to vibrations and it seems the only permanent fix would be to remove them. Thoughts?

Yes it happens infrequently to me. I just check them sometimes and keep them tight.

 

[Jeff Kissell]

ummmm yeah… No!