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Goin' mag


AndyBass
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Hi - I've been playing some super-loud gigs and recently and I'm tired of feedback, despite a million Macguyver-style attempts to get round it. So I'm thinking it might be time to switch to a mag pickup. Any recommendations for a good mag pickup and some good low tension (lower the better) strings which will work with one? All advice gratefully received 🙏

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Please someone answer this. I don't even bother taking my db to gigs nowadays (even not particularly loud ones) as I can't even setup without feedback, so I just default to my piezo equipped electric bass. 

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I couldn’t get one of my basses to get an even consistent volume across the four strings with piezo, no matter how much I tried. So I put the cheapest mag, a Schaller on. The result is amazing and I get complimented on a lot of jazz gigs for the clarity of the notes.

Stingray Pete is a Schaller user. He likes his. There are ‘better’ more expensive ones but why pay more?

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1 hour ago, 6feet7 said:

Rather more costwise unfortunately :(

Thomann want €125 for the Schaller 411:

https://www.thomann.de/gb/schaller_kontrabasspickup.htm?glp=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw45_bBRD_ARIsAJ6wUXQCXcaYAOwNmGF767cIf3JI3XflFmaTCrsU--1Eq4g8mFrkvvjSD9IaAt3yEALw_wcB

Gollihur want $199 (+ P&P) for the Krivo Humbucker:

https://www.gollihurmusic.com/product/2435-KRIVO_HUMBUCKING_MAGNETIC_UPRIGHT_BASS_PICKUP_NEW_SMALLER_MODEL_INCLUDES_FREE_JACK_MOUNT.html

Definitely more, costwise, but not exactly life-changing. When you think about how much we all splash on our DBs and then on amplifying the buggers, this don't amount to a hill o' beans.

 

 

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3 hours ago, stingrayPete1977 said:

As Roger says, I use a schaller and it works great for me, I never going to be in the philharmonic so that's not a worry. 

I think a simple five string jazz bass pickup possibly mated to a volume and tone pot routed via something like fishman preamp would work fine. 

I was thinking of that, but the pickup is straight and the double bass strings and board are curved. Don't think all the strings will get the same volume

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Here's how to make a five-string bass pick-up. Use a curved 'popsicle stick' to match the curve of the bridge and you're set...

How to make a bass pick-up ...

S'not that hard; worth a try..?

Edit: just to note that the bloke winds by hand; I'd recommend attaching to a hand drill and turning the former (slowly, at first...), rather than fixing the former and winding manually. Much faster, and much less chance of breaking the wire. Just sayin'.B|

Here's the Stew-Mac method for doing the same thing ...

Build Your Own Custom Pick-ups ...

Edited by Dad3353
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1 minute ago, bassace said:

A Krivo is £189 over here at Promenade Music

https://www.promenademusic.co.uk/krivo-upright-bass-pickup

 

It's for a 5 string bass. 5 string is a lot more.

 

17 minutes ago, Dad3353 said:

Here's how to make a five-string bass pick-up. Use a curved 'popsicle stick' to match the curve of the bridge and you're set...

How to make a bass pick-up ...

S'not that hard; worth a try..?

Edit: just to note that the bloke winds by hand; I'd recommend attaching to a hand drill and turning the former (slowly, at first...), rather than fixing the former and winding manually. Much faster, and much less chance of breaking the wire. Just sayin'.B|

Here's the Stew-Mac method for doing the same thing ...

Build Your Own Custom Pick-ups ...

Love it. Going out to buy some ice lollies and I'll give it a go :)

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Thanks for signposting that Krivo, looks a decent deal especially if it's a cut above the Schaller. But let's face it the main reason is that I'm playing psychobilly and the Krivo is black...🤘That said I'm not in an immediate rush so I'll be hanging over the classifieds on the offchance one or other comes up. Thanks for the advice.

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I bought a Krivo out of sheer desperation about 3 years ago and haven't looked back. I've not tried the Schaller so I can't comment on whether it's worth spending more on the Krivo.

String wise, I'd recommend starting with a set of Spiro weichs as if you really don't like them you'll easily sell them on again.

If you want a really low tension string that works with magnetic pickups, then the Presto Nylonwound lights are the way to go.

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To be honest, you are not getting a pure double bass sound off the Krivo, but it is limitless volume wise and it is as good a double bass sound as you need for open air and festival tents. In any other circumstances, I would prefer to battle feedback and try to reproduce an acoustic sound. I am happy with my Remic live bass version, but I concur it won’t do psychobilly and I haven’t considered trying it with a noisy band. A few years back, the battle to get a decent live sound made me give up “band” gigs altogether. Now, with a Krivo and the option of blending it with a mic, I would happily consider them again, so it’s more than worth it from that viewpoint (in my opinion).

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  • 4 weeks later...

Pretty loud, sometimes....

For me it was the festival gigs with 10 minute changeovers or pub gigs where you're expected to cram 4 of you into a tiny corner so I'm wedged between the FOH and a monitor. Switching to magnetic just made the unpredictability of those gigs disappear.

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1 hour ago, TheRev said:

Pretty loud, sometimes....

For me it was the festival gigs with 10 minute changeovers or pub gigs where you're expected to cram 4 of you into a tiny corner so I'm wedged between the FOH and a monitor. Switching to magnetic just made the unpredictability of those gigs disappear.

Same. Big festivals, small stage changeover times, bad backlines, disinterested/indie-minded sound guys.

To be honest I’m glad to have drifted away from that kind of performance, but if I ever get the call, I’d gladly do a dep job, in which case the mag pickup is ready...

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  • 2 weeks later...

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