Pickup position for upright(ish) sound

[jrixn1]

On 05/10/2023 at 18:46, kristo said:

I’m interested in peoples experience with getting an upright like sound.

 

What's your scenario?  Small-group jazz, concert hall, listening audience - I wouldn't be happy doing it.  Large, loud function band in a wedding marquee - you'll be fine.

 

3 hours ago, Geek99 said:

p bass, flats, roll the tone off a bit 

 

If of interest, I have some comparison audio here from a few years ago, as we recorded both the rehearsal (P bass, flats, foam) and the gig (upright, piezo direct):

 

 

[lemmywinks]

Get the piezo sorted then put tapewounds on it, what buffer preamp do you have in the bass at the moment?

 

Adding a mag pickup is going to make it sound less like an upright IMO.

 

 

Also pluck the string with the side of your finger, if you want to go the whole hog then have the bass defretted.

Edited October 8, 2023 by lemmywinks

[kristo]

On 07/10/2023 at 22:58, jrixn1 said:

 

What's your scenario?  Small-group jazz, concert hall, listening audience - I wouldn't be happy doing it.  Large, loud function band in a wedding marquee - you'll be fine.

 

 

 

It’s a bluegrass/blues/swing style band playing pubs/party’s so generally pretty relaxed. 

[kristo]

22 hours ago, lemmywinks said:

Get the piezo sorted then put tapewounds on it, what buffer preamp do you have in the bass at the moment?

 

Adding a mag pickup is going to make it sound less like an upright IMO.

 

 

Also pluck the string with the side of your finger, if you want to go the whole hog then have the bass defretted.

It has a Shadow piezo and preamp fitted currently, but I’m really not too impressed with it at all. String inbalance, background noise, piezo ‘quack’ and feedback are all pretty prominent. 
 

I’m off to seethe luthier later today so will see what he thinks too. 
 

Thanks for everyone’s input 👍

[ead]

There's a vid from Scott's Bass Lessons on exactly this.  I know he's a bit marmite but it's only 18 mins of your life 

 

 

[kristo]

I ended up going with the end of the neck. Sounds pretty awesome at home so looking forward to trying it with the band. 

[Cliff Edge]

On 27/10/2023 at 18:09, kristo said:

I ended up going with the end of the neck. Sounds pretty awesome at home so looking forward to trying it with the band. 

 
 

Advice  I got some years ago was play over the 12th fret above the fretted note. So playing the fifth, pluck over the seventeenth. Not very practical though. If I want a DB ish tone I play as far up the neck as possible.