Best pickup?

[grahambrown1986]

Just about to upgrade my pickup, I'm interested to see what people think works best.

For me the debate has always been between replicating the sound of my bass, and evenly covering all the strings, whilst not feeding back.


It is such a hard one to get perfect, and I'm keen to know what people use?


Realist with an EQ is where I'm thinking of going, but not sure about which EQ?


Any help or input would be amazing.


g

[Cat Burrito]

I don't know that my opinion on double bass is going to be the best as I'm fairly new to it but I took advice and got a shadow pickup. It sounds like my instrument (but amplified) and I've been really happy.

[url="http://www.djmmusic.com/itemdesc.asp?ic=SH950"]http://www.djmmusic.com/itemdesc.asp?ic=SH950[/url]

I'm sure others will have other opinions but it certainly suits my needs. Not cheap but very reliable. I tend to find feedback is often more because some soundmen don't know how to deal with different instruments. I play locally where the guy who sold me this pickup does the sound so he has it nailed every time. This may have coloured my view.

[Doddy]

I've been using the Davis Gage Realist for years now and it's great.I sometimes
go through an Aphex Bass Exciter aswell,but normally only when I'm doubling,just to
give a little bit more control when going into one amp.

[velvetkevorkian]

I liked the Realist (although I don't gig much with amped DB) but be aware it may have a limited life span- mine died on me. I wasn't using it often, but it is something Gage have confirmed- they do have a limited lifespan.

[Gary Holder]

I use David Gage 'The Realist', I like the idea of getting the signal from the bass soundboard as opposed to the string/bridge vibration of a bridge mounted pick-up.
As most will be aware, 'The Realist' sits under the 'E' string side bridge foot, so is firmly pressed to the bass body.

When I'm working with an all acoustic group I use AKG C2000B microphone only.
If I use the David Gage realist pick-up I use Roland Cube 100 Bass combo.

In the past I have bought little 'stick on' peizo blocks, horrible! Underwood pick ups that slot into bridge 'wings' reliable but I didn't like the arco response & accusound peizo & mic combination but didn't like the control mixer box attaching to the bass, nice unit & reliable though.

Hope that helps
Best wishes
Gary
www.bassistgaryholder.com

Edited December 18, 2009 by Gary Holder

[guyl]

Very, very pleased with my Full Circle - accurate reproduction and no feedback probs. I use it with a Fishman Pro pre/EQ.

Folk speak highly of the Realist. Ive never tried one, but the common problem of it "dying" and reports that it is a little more feedback prone put me off.

[symcbass]

Still get on with my Underwood, I keep going back to It. Old workhorse, It can be a bit scratchy and honky if you don't eq It right.
The bassmax is nice for the money, you get good volume, a nice woody sound even string response and doesn't feed back too easily,
The full circle is a good pickup, I've only used It once though, but faithful acoustic, rounded sound and decent volume.
The realist is nice at lower volumes. I found If you try and play a loud gig with It, forget It. I always had feedback issues.
As for eq, the Fishman pro EQ platinum bass, make sure It's the bass one, is easy to use and has useful features.
I use a D-tar solstice for blending two pickups now, this has been my favourite so far for my uprights.

[marvin spangles]

I have used a Shadow , Rev solo and Full circle. The Full circle wins hands down on my bass. Good woody amplfied sound no feedback problems unless you really yank the volume excessively good even response throughout the fingerboard and across every strings. The Realist seems to get a lot of good reviews . I haven't any experience with it though I don't like the way it leaves a mark on the top of the bass. Good luck in your quest.

[Gareth Hughes]

I just replaced my dead Realist (in fairness, it lasted about 7 years and was taken on and off quite a lot) with an Apt-Flex. Similar in design, and positioned just like The Realist, I found it to have a stronger signal and a less murky tone to The Realist. Available from Jonas Lohse at Lando Music in Frankfurt. I'm not associated with Jonas, just a very happy customer - he really has great customer service nailed.

Also have great results from a K&K Bass Max. Less acoustic sounding to the Apt-Flex/Realist design, but sometimes more practical for volume and a solid signal.

As for EQ - if you can find the discontinued Fishman Dual Parametric DI, they're a very flexible unit. So good I bought two But by all accounts it's successor, the Fishman Pro is a quality unit too.

[TPJ]

[quote name='Gareth Hughes' post='689445' date='Dec 20 2009, 12:09 AM']I just replaced my dead Realist (in fairness, it lasted about 7 years and was taken on and off quite a lot) with an Apt-Flex.[/quote]

How's that APT-Flex working out? Is it good in louder situations? I nearly bought one of those when I replaced a Rev 2 Solo (another good sounding pickup) but went with a Bass Max instead.

The DHA DI EQ is another great preamp for piezo pups. It doesn't have a phase button but it is really flexible with it's eq.

[PTB]

I use a B-Band Statement set-up and am very pleased with it. Essentially, it's two pick-ups which connect to small box by an XLR. One pick-up sits under the E side bridge foot (like a Realist) and gives you the woody sound of the body & the other fits in the bridge wings (like an Underwood) and gives you more articulation. The box then lets you set two different blends between the two - one for arco and the other for pizz - and you can footswitch between them. The box does all the impedence matching etc and also contains a balanced D.I. out with ground lift etc.

I haven't a great deal of experience with other pick-ups but this set-up gets compliments from bandmates and audience alike and it's very feedback resistant so I'd highly recommend it.

I bought it used off someone in the US via TalkBass after reading a good review of it somewhere so I really struck lucky! I've no idea how much they cost new or even if they are readily available in the UK but the B-Band website will no doubt have all the answers. I've never seen another DB with one of these - does anyone else out there have one?

Paul

[guyl]

[quote name='PTB' post='694315' date='Dec 27 2009, 03:23 PM']I've never seen another DB with one of these - does anyone else out there have one?[/quote]

I had one, and it was hands down the best DB pickup I have ever seen. I loved it.

After about 5 years it started to "go off" - initially starting to become a little middy - then muddy - then feedbacky - then buzzy.

Despite trying, I couldn't get any advice off B-Band, or the local music shop where I bought it, or their UK distributer.

It's such a pity when it was so awesome, but I didn't fancy replacing a £500 pickup every 5 years - especially when the manufacturer couldn't be bothered showing any interest in their customers.

Recently I bought a Full Circle. It isn't as good as the B-band, but it is still excellent.

[PTB]

[quote name='guyl' post='695085' date='Dec 28 2009, 07:42 PM']I had one, and it was hands down the best DB pickup I have ever seen. I loved it.

After about 5 years it started to "go off" - initially starting to become a little middy - then muddy - then feedbacky - then buzzy.

Despite trying, I couldn't get any advice off B-Band, or the local music shop where I bought it, or their UK distributer.

It's such a pity when it was so awesome, but I didn't fancy replacing a £500 pickup every 5 years - especially when the manufacturer couldn't be bothered showing any interest in their customers.

Recently I bought a Full Circle. It isn't as good as the B-band, but it is still excellent.[/quote]

Sorry to hear your experience with the company. For the record, I had a problem and e-mailed them via the website and they were very helpful. Not sure how old mine is so hoping for more than 5 yrs! I see from the B-Band website they've withdrawn the Statement and will be releasing a new "improved" version later this year.

ptb

[valere24]

+1 for the realist
I used to have a underwood before that - no comparison at all.
I think the problem with any pick-up is that they react differently depending on the bass. You've got to try what works for you.