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Double Bass Yamahiko Double Bass Pickup

#1,241
I cleaned upy ham-fisted soldering and was able to close the shield around the cap.

It makes a huge difference in the sound. The "hotness", I had kind of gotten used to, but taking that edge off makes the pickup more naturally enjoyable to use. Need more testing and experimenting, of course, but solid win, going back and forth between the modded cord and a standard one, no comparison which signal is more usable.

I don't need my knobs at 12:00, I've actually learned a lot about and have embraced eq, which I've needed to do for a long time. But feeling like I was really having to go heavy handed against the signal didn't seem right.

Of the 3 recommended cap values, I was able to source the middle and highest values (3300 and 4700?), but not the lowest value.

At this point, I'm not really curious about trying 4700 (more) and I may have hit the sweet spot on the first try, just a bit a high-mid cut in my own room, lots to work with when I'm in a different one, but I can't help but wonder a little bit if the lower value would have taken enough of the edge off to accomplish what I was going for.

Time will tell, but good mod. I would definitely recommend ordering a single element Yamahiko with one of his installed caps or planning on doing this mod.
 
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#1,242
If I was in the market for another pickup, I'd probably take the Yamahiko route, even thought it would mean having adjusters put on my bass. I'm not opposed to adjusters, and I can certainly see the utility of them, but I don't currently have them and it would be an additional expense to add them. But I digress.

It might be interesting to build a little capacitor box with a 4-way switch to select none-2200pf-3300pf-4700pf. It could be useful in different rooms where you need more or less signal taming. It's basically just another form of EQ.
 
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#1,243
lowfreqgeek said:
If I was in the market for another pickup, I'd probably take the Yamahiko route, even thought it would mean having adjusters put on my bass. I'm not opposed to adjusters, and I can certainly see the utility of them, but I don't currently have them and it would be an additional expense to add them. But I digress.

It might be interesting to build a little capacitor box with a 4-way switch to select none-2200pf-3300pf-4700pf. It could be useful in different rooms where you need more or less signal taming. It's basically just another form of EQ.
Click to expand...

I think that would be useful. Is that what a tone knob does on a bass guitar? If so, maybe have it be sweapable instead of a selector. While you're at it, how about input impedance selection, and an hpf?

That said, part of my motivation here was to need fewer boxes and the cap-in-the-cable mod, I think, will accomplish that for me.

Side note: I think I need to replace my soldering iron. I left it on for a long time last night and it never felt like it got as hot as it should have. Man, you pay $10 for something 30 years ago and it seems like you should expect it to work forever. What is this world coming to?
 
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#1,244
TroyK said:
Side note: I think I need to replace my soldering iron. I left it on for a long time last night and it never felt like it got as hot as it should have. Man, you pay $10 for something 30 years ago and it seems like you should expect it to work forever. What is this world coming to?
Click to expand...
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#1,245
A little off topic, but how are those KM84 clones? One of the all time great microphones, I should have bought a pair 25 years ago. I had a pair of Oktava MK012 and those were alright, pretty useful mics. But there’s a smoothness with the KM84 that’s really unusual. If this mic kit can actually capture some of that for $800 a pair, sign me up. I admit to being skeptical.
 
#1,246
Endlesssolo said:
A little off topic, but how are those KM84 clones? One of the all time great microphones, I should have bought a pair 25 years ago. I had a pair of Oktava MK012 and those were alright, pretty useful mics. But there’s a smoothness with the KM84 that’s really unusual. If this mic kit can actually capture some of that for $800 a pair, sign me up. I admit to being skeptical.
Click to expand...
You’ll be amazed, trust me. Every mic kit I’ve built from these folks has produced a holy-grail workhorse. Highest recommendation.
 
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#1,247
TroyK said:
I think that would be useful. Is that what a tone knob does on a bass guitar?
Click to expand...
It's different. The reason is that an electric bass pickup is a resistive-inductive thing, and the piezo pickup is almost purely capacitive. So an external capacitor does different things in each circuit. When wired in parallel with a piezo pickup, it should mainly reduce the gain across the frequency range, with minimal effect on the tone quality.

About soldering irons, a must-have for me nowadays is a timer that turns down the heat after a certain amount of time. That will really promote tip life. Before I got my most recent iron, I had its predecessor plugged into a little Belkin outlet timer.
 
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#1,248
TroyK said:
I think that would be useful. Is that what a tone knob does on a bass guitar? If so, maybe have it be sweapable instead of a selector. While you're at it, how about input impedance selection, and an hpf?

That said, part of my motivation here was to need fewer boxes and the cap-in-the-cable mod, I think, will accomplish that for me.

Side note: I think I need to replace my soldering iron. I left it on for a long time last night and it never felt like it got as hot as it should have. Man, you pay $10 for something 30 years ago and it seems like you should expect it to work forever. What is this world coming to?
Click to expand...

@fdeck addressed the tone knob question nicely. This one is a little different than a tone knob on an electric bass, though both are in essence a filter circuit. The source equivalent circuits are very different, though, and a resistive pot (as used on a tone knob) would behave in a less desirable way on the piezo source. It gets complex - as in sqrt(-1) kind of complex (which, ironically, makes it easier to calculate using imaginary numbers).

As for all the other stuff to add into such a box, that would be entirely doable, but would also require power/batteries, increased cost/size, etc. I totally get the desire to eliminate extra boxes and equipment, but I also don't know that this kind of capacitor selector would be as beneficial for other pickups besides the Yamahiko. The exact values would be very dependent on the piezo source in question and what the desired effect was.

Also, as @fdeck suggested, get something with an auto-off timer, and I'll add make sure that you can replace the tips. I pay a lot of attention to my tips and I keep the heat very low when I'm not actively using the iron, but auto-off will save you some headache. Also, make sure to clean and tin the tip every time you set it down for any length of time. That will prolong the tip life immensely.
 
#1,249
I just ordered the Yamahiko Dual Element Model for my old faithful Czech Ease. I've gotten very satisfactory results from either my Realist Lifeline or The Wilson K4 I've had for a while. Even my old faithful Underwood sounds good with my humble little Czech Ease plywood workhorse. But.. If for no better reason than to satisfy my curiously I put in my Yamahiko order.
It will be a bit of fun for me to see how it works out for me!
 
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#1,252
As it most often is. I'm looking forward to receiving my Dual Element Model soon with the "stock" wiring configuration. Reading page after page of the "tech talk" that several of you shared really made my head spin! I'm hoping for a nice plug and play scenario. Maybe use the already installed Realist Active Docking Station, it's 1 M Ohm. That ought to get 'er done well enough for me. You reckon?
 
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#1,253
Mike Carr said:
As it most often is. I'm looking forward to receiving my Dual Element Model soon with the "stock" wiring configuration. Reading page after page of the "tech talk" that several of you shared really made my head spin! I'm hoping for a nice plug and play scenario. Maybe use the already installed Realist Active Docking Station, it's 1 M Ohm. That ought to get 'er done well enough for me. You reckon?
Click to expand...
Hi Mike!
I haven't tried my Yamahiko into a Docking Station. Mine goes straight into a Acoustic Image Clarus SL, about as bones-simple of an amp can get, plus a hefty, etc. Here's my take after 2 years with a Yamahiko on several different instruments...hybrid and carved:

The pickup is REALLY hot in the very best way. However, I had to run with my gain waaaaay down and roll off each band of eq. NOT because I dont understand preamps and amplifier sections; the pickup seems likeness yelling at you...really hot signal. I read about using a capacitor in the jack housing to roll off some output. It seemed like a simple experiment: 35$ plus shipping and 20 in import fees. I have to tell you after doing the switch-out and taking the bass on a gig?

WOW!! My bass sounds clearer, and way more natural! It is actually a bit easier to hear intonation, since you can hear EVERYTHING. I am so ecstatic I could almost put on new Spirocores.. 😜 All kidding aside, it is so worth it. I told Kiyohiko that it should really be the way the pickups go out. He is strongly considering it.

With that said, I have 2 extra capacitors if someone wants to try one in their Yamahiko pickup housing. I also have an extra cable!
 

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#1,254
Matt Power said:
I told Kiyohiko that it should really be the way the pickups go out. He is strongly considering it.
Click to expand...

I hope he does. It seems insane to me to buy a product that I know will have to be modified before I can optimally use it. This, more than anything, has been the reason I haven’t tried one at this point. I would actually like to try one on my travel bass, which doesn’t amplify particularly well with any of the options I’ve tried up to now.
 
#1,255
Chris Fitzgerald said:
I hope he does. It seems insane to me to buy a product that I know will have to be modified before I can optimally use it. This, more than anything, has been the reason I haven’t tried one at this point. I would actually like to try one on my travel bass, which doesn’t amplify particularly well with any of the options I’ve tried up to now.
Click to expand...
Chris, for real, it's as mic-like as you will find in any pickup, and it isn't even close, IMO. It really makes the FC kind of obsolete. But yes, if you email him, he will make it for you with the capacitor installed at no charge. It is STILL cheaper than a Full Circle, and these don't crap the bed every 6-12 months. Plus, the tone is just....clear with air, as much as a piezo can do.
Take the plunge, brother! Low dollars for a huge gain (adjusted with a capacitor....pardon the pun!)
 
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#1,258
flatback said:
One thing I really dig about Kiyohiko, is he has never cheapened the product, never sold it or out sourced it, he is the guy who knows about it and he has open ears to bassists with solutions to problems....
Click to expand...
As opposed to the Fishman....the detachable/movable cable is the bee's knees. It helps keep the cable from getting damaged as easily, as it allows you to attach at any 4 points for less stress at the weak spot/mechanical joint (as everyone knows).
 
#1,259
Matt Power said:
Chris, for real, it's as mic-like as you will find in any pickup, and it isn't even close, IMO. It really makes the FC kind of obsolete. But yes, if you email him, he will make it for you with the capacitor installed at no charge. It is STILL cheaper than a Full Circle, and these don't crap the bed every 6-12 months. Plus, the tone is just....clear with air, as much as a piezo can do.
Take the plunge, brother! Low dollars for a huge gain (adjusted with a capacitor....pardon the pun!)
Click to expand...

I’ll think about it this summer. Right now, an international student has it for home practice when he’s not at school. Do they make various sizes of adjuster thread?
 
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