Ancient Mariner Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 As an inveterate fiddler with an interest in stuff one finds on the 'bay I've seen a piezo bridge and thought "what if?". Does anyone here use a piezo on a solid bass, and if so, how does it sound and what do you use it for? I wouldn't mind replacing the 'bent bit of tin' type bridge on either of my cheap basses anyway, and this might open up interesting sonic possibilities. Cheers guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil.i.stein Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 [quote name='Ancient Mariner' post='724071' date='Jan 25 2010, 01:48 PM']As an inveterate fiddler with an interest in stuff one finds on the 'bay I've seen a piezo bridge and thought "what if?". Does anyone here use a piezo on a solid bass, and if so, how does it sound and what do you use it for? I wouldn't mind replacing the 'bent bit of tin' type bridge on either of my cheap basses anyway, and this might open up interesting sonic possibilities. Cheers guys.[/quote] ..worth a quick watch.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ancient Mariner Posted January 25, 2010 Author Share Posted January 25, 2010 Thank you - so it adds lots of clank and bite (I need to listen on better speakers too)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil.i.stein Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 [quote name='Ancient Mariner' post='724099' date='Jan 25 2010, 02:22 PM']Thank you - so it adds lots of clank and bite (I need to listen on better speakers too)?[/quote] erm, i use it to dial in a nice slap tone when required. it seems to cut the nasty mids, and absorb heavy hits... and gives a nice clean top edge to the sound, whilst retaining the low end. (does that make any sense ?) i'm sure it would work well with tap and bridge-biased fingerstyle too.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ancient Mariner Posted January 25, 2010 Author Share Posted January 25, 2010 Thank you, yes, that does make sense. Just listened through HiFi speakers, and I can hear how it brings out the crisp airiness without harsh treble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 It will need a buffering pre-amp in the bass. It will be nasal and horribe otherwise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutToPlayJazz Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 I have a 2000 model Stingray with a piezo bridge, not unlike the Sterling in the video. The real bonus is that with just the piezo and the player concentrating their RH playing up at the end of the fingerboard, you get a very passable double bass-like sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Heeley Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 I'm also the Proud owner of an EBMM piezo bridge 4-string, and a great 'airiness' is for me the best expression of tone for these. Sort of electro-acoustic zing for bass, which is to be expected, I guess, from the piezo bridge. Adds a huge sonic boost to a dull instrument. Get a good preamp as Owen says. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemmywinks Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 (edited) I'm having one of those eBay bridges fitted to my fretless Jazz, it's just gone in to my tech today. I think this is the preamp design he's putting in the bass: [url="http://www.till.com/articles/GuitarPreamp/index.html"]http://www.till.com/articles/GuitarPreamp/index.html[/url] If you want one a bit cheaper v8bass was selling his, think he's overseas though so don't know what the final cost would be. I'm having mine wired to a vol/tone so i can roll off the treble if needed, hopefully i can get a nice acoustic-type sound out of it. A few people on the threads said it was double bass-esque which is what i'm hoping for There's a few threads regarding piezo bridges, have a quick search and there's some useful information from people who have retro-fitted one. If the bass hasn't got a spacious control cavity you'll need to rout one to make room for the battery, pre and extra pot(s). It'll also need a channel drilling and a little recess making for the piezo cable. Mine used to be active so that's not an issue for me When it's all done i'll let you know the results if you're interested? My tech is really busy at the moment so might not be too soon though Ta Steve Edited January 26, 2010 by lemmywinks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7string Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 The piezo bridge in my bass tends to really fatten out the sound. Definitely a worthwhile mod even if you never want to get near a db sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grand Wazoo Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 I am also a very proud owner of piezo loaded MusicMan Bongo 5, and it's the dog's thingies. I do declare. Previosuly, some 10 years ago I owned a Yamaha TRB5PII with piezo and it sounded surprisingly similar, in fact I wonder how many manufacturers are out there who make piezo transducers, because when I asked in the EBMM forum if these 2 piezo were the same, I never got a reply from them. The only reason I sold the Yamaha its because it was so heavy it gave me back ache. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatback Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 (edited) Will an outboard preamp do the biz for a piezo? I wouldn't want to rout out my passive bass, but the mod sounds mighty attractive. Also, do you have to have an extra tone control for the piezo? fatback Edited January 26, 2010 by fatback Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 [quote name='fatback' post='724885' date='Jan 26 2010, 10:04 AM']Will an outboard preamp do the biz for a piezo? I wouldn't want to rout out my passive bass, but the mod sounds mighty attractive. Also, do you have to have an extra tone control for the piezo? fatback[/quote] Outboard could work OK - it does for my Double Bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemmywinks Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 [quote name='fatback' post='724885' date='Jan 26 2010, 10:04 AM']Will an outboard preamp do the biz for a piezo? I wouldn't want to rout out my passive bass, but the mod sounds mighty attractive. Also, do you have to have an extra tone control for the piezo? fatback[/quote] Here's one i was looking at, can be mounted in a small box: [url="http://www.scotthelmke.com/Mint-box-buffer.html"]http://www.scotthelmke.com/Mint-box-buffer.html[/url] The one i linked to before is also small and can be made into an outboard unit. Correct me if i'm wrong but i thought the puropse of the buffer is to match the impedance of the mag pickups, so i guess you'd need a seperate output fitting to the bass and some way of blending the two signals? And no i don't think you need a tone control, i'm having one fitted because i can remember my old acoustic bass having a piezo that had quite harsh, overbearing treble and this needed to be rolled off. I'd rather have the option than not, at least until i've heard what the bass sounds like Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatback Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 (edited) [quote name='lemmywinks' post='724925' date='Jan 26 2010, 10:57 AM']Here's one i was looking at, can be mounted in a small box: [url="http://www.scotthelmke.com/Mint-box-buffer.html"]http://www.scotthelmke.com/Mint-box-buffer.html[/url][/quote] Neat little box. I've already got an outboard Sadowsky that could control the final tone of the bass, Would that do? I guess I'd still need some kind of blend pot? Th bass only has tone and vol. Interesting thread. Edited January 26, 2010 by fatback Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemmywinks Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 [quote name='fatback' post='724999' date='Jan 26 2010, 12:04 PM']Neat little box. I've already got an outboard Sadowsky that could control the final tone of the bass, Would that do? I guess I'd still need some kind of blend pot? Th bass only has tone and vol. Interesting thread.[/quote] I'm no expert and would appreciate verification, but i thought the buffer preamp would come before the volume/blend pot, so the impedance matches the mag pickups before it goes to the output jack? Like i said, i'm just assuming that and not basing it on any technical knowledge whatsoever! You could always look at a stacked pot if you don't want to drill any more holes in the bass/pickguard. That's what i'm doing, also takes up less space in the cavity Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 The Sei Flamboyant I used to own had a piezo bridge -- with all the treble rolled off the Barts, it did a perfect impression of an Ovation acoustic. It was a great sound. I'm seriously considering fitting a piezo bridge to a future project. [quote name='lemmywinks' post='725008' date='Jan 26 2010, 12:12 PM']I'm no expert and would appreciate verification, but i thought the buffer preamp would come before the volume/blend pot, so the impedance matches the mag pickups before it goes to the output jack?[/quote] That would be my understanding, yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatback Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 [quote name='lemmywinks' post='725008' date='Jan 26 2010, 12:12 PM']I'm no expert and would appreciate verification, but i thought the buffer preamp would come before the volume/blend pot, so the impedance matches the mag pickups before it goes to the output jack? Like i said, i'm just assuming that and not basing it on any technical knowledge whatsoever! You could always look at a stacked pot if you don't want to drill any more holes in the bass/pickguard. That's what i'm doing, also takes up less space in the cavity[/quote] Presumably that means the buffer has to be inboard, then routed to the master volume? A stacked pot sounds good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemmywinks Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 [quote name='fatback' post='725041' date='Jan 26 2010, 12:37 PM']Presumably that means the buffer has to be inboard, then routed to the master volume? A stacked pot sounds good.[/quote] I think so, that's how i'm having it. Hopefully i'll have vol/vol/tone for the mag pups, usual jazz configuration. Then a stacked vol/tone for the piezo. My tech is also gonna put a series/parallel switch in for the mag pickups so hopefully i should be able to get quite a few really different sound out of it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatback Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 [quote name='lemmywinks' post='725093' date='Jan 26 2010, 01:24 PM']I think so, that's how i'm having it. Hopefully i'll have vol/vol/tone for the mag pups, usual jazz configuration. Then a stacked vol/tone for the piezo. My tech is also gonna put a series/parallel switch in for the mag pickups so hopefully i should be able to get quite a few really different sound out of it[/quote] Sounds really promising. Let us know what it turns out like. I think this is the first time I've ever been tempted to do a mod. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ancient Mariner Posted January 27, 2010 Author Share Posted January 27, 2010 (edited) Thanks everyone - it does sound interesting. The mintbox looks like a really cool buffer (and easy to make too). lemmywinks - I'd love to hear how it turns out. Edited January 27, 2010 by Ancient Mariner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted January 27, 2010 Share Posted January 27, 2010 Correct me if i'm wrong but i thought the puropse of the buffer is to match the impedance of the mag pickups The purpose of the buffer is effectively to control the tone coming off the Piezo. If it is not running into a very large impedance load then the top end goes all monster and you get a NASTY scratchy sound. With proper buffering you get a tone which is very open and organic which sits VERY well with acoustic/classical instruments in a way that a bog standard Mag/active bass never seems to manage. I have a roll off on my piezo in my NS Bolin but I have no idea if it is passive or active. That pre-amp has an individual pot for each string. However, my Double Bass pick up is one big piezo for everything and the balance is fine and dandy once it has been buffered properly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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