i'm getting a double bass on the weekend

I_WEAR_RED_PANTS · 03-25-2008, 06:59 PM

it's acoustic, i'm planning on buying some pickups and putting them on it to save mic-ing it up all the time.

is there a specific type that i'd need to buy?

and are they normally easy to install?

blacklungfever · 03-25-2008, 07:36 PM

The easiest pickup to install is the Fishman BP-100. It's also one of the lower-end pickups, but it'll do the job. Theres one called the Underwood as well, but I've never tried it. From what I've heard it's better than the BP-100. Then theres the fancier pickups like the Gage Realist (I've got one) and the Fishman Full Circle, but those are much harder to install, and you probably shouldn't go putting a FC on a rental bass anyways, haha.

Theres only a few upright players on here as far as I know though, me being one of them, and my knowledge is pretty limited. You should head over to the Talkbass double bass forum, you'll get loads of answers there.

Oh, also find out if you can rent a bass with a pickup already on it from wherever you're renting from. Thats what I did for a while until I bought my own bass.

I_WEAR_RED_PANTS · 03-25-2008, 08:52 PM

i forgot to mention it's not a rental bass. a guy near my dads place is selling one and he's buying it today for my birthday and i'm picking it up on the weekend from him

Dez_Axer · 03-25-2008, 10:47 PM

What kind of bass is it and how was it constructed?

David Gage Realist is #1, but I use Fishman simply because of the price difference.

The Gage Realist, however, is not a great pickup if your playing at very loud volumes (though most piezo pickups feedback at high volumes anyway). It will fuzz and feedback like crazy.

blacklungfever · 03-25-2008, 10:52 PM

Telling us how its made will help a lot. (plywood or carved?) You may have to try out a few different pickups, as different basses respond to different pickups. How much are you looking to spend?

Dez_Axer · 03-25-2008, 11:25 PM

Good double bass pickups can all be found for under $275.. preamps though (i dismiss as useless unless you want a blast of volume and "percussive" crackle) start at about $150.

I've played some horrible plywood basses, but I've also played some horrible plywoods with the Realist installed that sounded amazing. The Realist amplifies the pure sound that the bass body produces inside of it, not the output. Fishmans and other common piezos just amplify what you hear, meaning a plywood with a fishman=unpleasent tone, whereas a plywood with a Realist=wonderful warm tone without the signature plywood crisp/crunch when you pluck the strings.

Carved and solid basses sound terrific without amplification and terrific with amplification (using just about any pickup).

And just stay away from magnetic pickups.

I_WEAR_RED_PANTS · 03-25-2008, 11:30 PM

i'm not sure what make and if it's plywood or carved, i don't think it was a good choice just letting him buy it without me checking it out first.

and i'm willing to spend $500 at max.

Dez_Axer · 03-25-2008, 11:42 PM

If your not one of those "rockabilly musicians" or a bluegrass guy then get the David Gage Realist. It'll make pretty much any bass sound great.

I_WEAR_RED_PANTS · 03-26-2008, 06:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dez_Axer

If your not one of those "rockabilly musicians" or a bluegrass guy then get the David Gage Realist. It'll make pretty much any bass sound great.

i play bass in a country backing band every wednesday, so i'll mainly be using it for that....but no, i'm not a rockabilly musician or bluegrass guy.

AFragileHope · 03-26-2008, 07:03 AM

Double bass = a sick instrument. Classical music is actually pretty bitchin'. As is Bob Dylan/Iron & Wine type stuff.

Son of Magni · 03-26-2008, 08:39 AM

Strings make a huge difference on an upright. You might think about getting a set of good strings for it. When I bought a budget upright ($850 or thereabouts) the strings that came on it were total junk. I put on a set of Super-Sensitive Red Labels and it sounded great

Dez_Axer · 03-26-2008, 08:50 AM

Double bass isn't just for classical music.. and classical music isnt just anything involving violins. It's a time period. Classical=early orchestral music

HaVIC5 · 03-26-2008, 12:59 PM

The realist is by far the most natural sounding pickup around. When I first heard one coming through an small amp at a medium volume I couldn't tell that it was amplified at all - they're incredible at reproducing the natural sound of the instrument. You might not want that sound though, some people like John Pattitucci like the more electrified sound that comes with pickups like the Fishman or the Underwood. I personally don't like it (upright bass is supposed to thump, its not supposed to sound like an electric, imho) but a lot of people do.

Akira · 03-26-2008, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dez_Axer

Double bass isn't just for classical music.. and classical music isnt just anything involving violins. It's a time period. Classical=early orchestral music

That's not really right at all.

Classical with a capital "C" is indeed a time period - but it came after the Baroque period, and therefore really can't be called early orchestral music. Also, classical with a lowercase "c" is a layman's term for orchestral music, or other similar sounding solo music.

Dez_Axer · 03-26-2008, 10:49 PM

Sorry i forgot to capitalize a C.

I just bugs the hell out of me when people assume that anything involving bowed stringed instruments is Classical (CCCCCCCCCCCCC). Personally i perfer Romantic music over Baroque or Classical..

blacklungfever · 03-26-2008, 10:52 PM

Actually, good point SoM. Forgot about strings. Chances are you might need a new set. As well, If you have that much to spend, get a Realist.

I started composing a classical/romantic style double bass duet piece a few days ago. Once it's done I'd like to record it, maybe It'll be my first recording posted here.

PrimalConcreteSledge · 03-26-2008, 11:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Son of Magni

Strings make a huge difference on an upright. You might think about getting a set of good strings for it. When I bought a budget upright ($850 or thereabouts) the strings that came on it were total junk. I put on a set of Super-Sensitive Red Labels and it sounded great

Aren't upright strings really expensive? Like $100?

Dez_Axer · 03-27-2008, 12:48 AM

^^^^^^
NO..
Good ones start at around $300 a set

Son of Magni · 03-27-2008, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PrimalConcreteSledge

Aren't upright strings really expensive? Like $100?

Red Labels are like $80, they're pretty good strings. Thomastic Dominants are probably more like $200 but they're chrome wrapped. I think my Dominants for my cello are over $100.

Dez_Axer · 03-27-2008, 09:40 AM

Red Labels are not good.. they're like spare tires.

Dominants are better, but they're no holy grail..

La Bellas and Piastro Evah Pirazzi strings are where its at

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

03-25-2008, 06:59 PM	#1
I_WEAR_RED_PANTS I'm a cop you idiot Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: it's not a tumor Posts: 1,650	i'm getting a double bass on the weekend it's acoustic, i'm planning on buying some pickups and putting them on it to save mic-ing it up all the time. is there a specific type that i'd need to buy? and are they normally easy to install?

03-25-2008, 07:36 PM	#2
blacklungfever double bass Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Toronto Posts: 1,064	The easiest pickup to install is the Fishman BP-100. It's also one of the lower-end pickups, but it'll do the job. Theres one called the Underwood as well, but I've never tried it. From what I've heard it's better than the BP-100. Then theres the fancier pickups like the Gage Realist (I've got one) and the Fishman Full Circle, but those are much harder to install, and you probably shouldn't go putting a FC on a rental bass anyways, haha. Theres only a few upright players on here as far as I know though, me being one of them, and my knowledge is pretty limited. You should head over to the Talkbass double bass forum, you'll get loads of answers there. Oh, also find out if you can rent a bass with a pickup already on it from wherever you're renting from. Thats what I did for a while until I bought my own bass.

03-25-2008, 08:52 PM	#3
I_WEAR_RED_PANTS I'm a cop you idiot Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: it's not a tumor Posts: 1,650	i forgot to mention it's not a rental bass. a guy near my dads place is selling one and he's buying it today for my birthday and i'm picking it up on the weekend from him

03-25-2008, 10:47 PM	#4
Dez_Axer No shoes. Just thongs. Join Date: May 2003 Location: Wichita, Kansas Posts: 1,277	What kind of bass is it and how was it constructed? David Gage Realist is #1, but I use Fishman simply because of the price difference. The Gage Realist, however, is not a great pickup if your playing at very loud volumes (though most piezo pickups feedback at high volumes anyway). It will fuzz and feedback like crazy.

03-25-2008, 10:52 PM	#5
blacklungfever double bass Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Toronto Posts: 1,064	Telling us how its made will help a lot. (plywood or carved?) You may have to try out a few different pickups, as different basses respond to different pickups. How much are you looking to spend?

03-25-2008, 11:25 PM	#6
Dez_Axer No shoes. Just thongs. Join Date: May 2003 Location: Wichita, Kansas Posts: 1,277	Good double bass pickups can all be found for under $275.. preamps though (i dismiss as useless unless you want a blast of volume and "percussive" crackle) start at about $150. I've played some horrible plywood basses, but I've also played some horrible plywoods with the Realist installed that sounded amazing. The Realist amplifies the pure sound that the bass body produces inside of it, not the output. Fishmans and other common piezos just amplify what you hear, meaning a plywood with a fishman=unpleasent tone, whereas a plywood with a Realist=wonderful warm tone without the signature plywood crisp/crunch when you pluck the strings. Carved and solid basses sound terrific without amplification and terrific with amplification (using just about any pickup). And just stay away from magnetic pickups.

03-25-2008, 11:30 PM	#7
I_WEAR_RED_PANTS I'm a cop you idiot Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: it's not a tumor Posts: 1,650	i'm not sure what make and if it's plywood or carved, i don't think it was a good choice just letting him buy it without me checking it out first. and i'm willing to spend $500 at max.

03-25-2008, 11:42 PM	#8
Dez_Axer No shoes. Just thongs. Join Date: May 2003 Location: Wichita, Kansas Posts: 1,277	If your not one of those "rockabilly musicians" or a bluegrass guy then get the David Gage Realist. It'll make pretty much any bass sound great.

03-26-2008, 07:03 AM	#10
AFragileHope Awaiting the Flood Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Planet Earth Posts: 1,021	Double bass = a sick instrument. Classical music is actually pretty bitchin'. As is Bob Dylan/Iron & Wine type stuff.

03-26-2008, 08:39 AM	#11
Son of Magni Builder thorbass.com Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NH - USA Posts: 2,246	Strings make a huge difference on an upright. You might think about getting a set of good strings for it. When I bought a budget upright ($850 or thereabouts) the strings that came on it were total junk. I put on a set of Super-Sensitive Red Labels and it sounded great

03-26-2008, 08:50 AM	#12
Dez_Axer No shoes. Just thongs. Join Date: May 2003 Location: Wichita, Kansas Posts: 1,277	Double bass isn't just for classical music.. and classical music isnt just anything involving violins. It's a time period. Classical=early orchestral music

03-26-2008, 12:59 PM	#13
HaVIC5 The Armed Pawn Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Maryland USA Posts: 10,246	The realist is by far the most natural sounding pickup around. When I first heard one coming through an small amp at a medium volume I couldn't tell that it was amplified at all - they're incredible at reproducing the natural sound of the instrument. You might not want that sound though, some people like John Pattitucci like the more electrified sound that comes with pickups like the Fishman or the Underwood. I personally don't like it (upright bass is supposed to thump, its not supposed to sound like an electric, imho) but a lot of people do.

03-26-2008, 10:49 PM	#15
Dez_Axer No shoes. Just thongs. Join Date: May 2003 Location: Wichita, Kansas Posts: 1,277	Sorry i forgot to capitalize a C. I just bugs the hell out of me when people assume that anything involving bowed stringed instruments is Classical (CCCCCCCCCCCCC). Personally i perfer Romantic music over Baroque or Classical..

03-26-2008, 10:52 PM	#16
blacklungfever double bass Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Toronto Posts: 1,064	Actually, good point SoM. Forgot about strings. Chances are you might need a new set. As well, If you have that much to spend, get a Realist. I started composing a classical/romantic style double bass duet piece a few days ago. Once it's done I'd like to record it, maybe It'll be my first recording posted here.

03-27-2008, 12:48 AM	#18
Dez_Axer No shoes. Just thongs. Join Date: May 2003 Location: Wichita, Kansas Posts: 1,277	^^^^^^ NO.. Good ones start at around $300 a set

03-27-2008, 09:40 AM	#20
Dez_Axer No shoes. Just thongs. Join Date: May 2003 Location: Wichita, Kansas Posts: 1,277	Red Labels are not good.. they're like spare tires. Dominants are better, but they're no holy grail.. La Bellas and Piastro Evah Pirazzi strings are where its at