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[John L Nobile]

Our next show will have 3 numbers with upright bass. Bennet/Gaga numbers. Bass player has an Underwood pickup and couldn't get a decent level without feedback from his rig or another one he brought in. I told him to patch into the system and hear it through his Danley SM LPM monitor. He was blown away. I walked on stage and I was too. No eq. He asked for a little more bottom so I turned on the PA for that as the subs are under the stage.
Best upright sound I've ever had. His low notes were shaking the room and I could clearly hear every note.  He was so happy that he just texted me. He's still smiling.
But I'm always looking for something better. Are we better off with something other than the Underwood? I was thinking of strapping a Crown CM 311 to it. I have a few with broken headbands that I can use. Or am I better off with a pickup?
Suggestions?

[Jay Barracato]

The thing to remember about uprights is that feedback from the front and back vibrating is very direction dependent. The other is that much of the character of the note is well above what most people think of as bass frequency wise.

I have never had good results running through electric bass amps. There are a couple of acoustic bass amps like acoustic image but for what those cost you might as well run it through a monitor. Just offset the monitor like you would for a hypercard pattern mic.

I use both AT pro35 and EV nd467 mics on occasion but if there is a working pickup that is always the first choice.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk

[g'bye, Dick Rees]

Is it a real wood bass or a plywood box?   

I HATE playing real wood basses.  Much, much too sensitive in the body.

Give me an old blonde KAY plywood bass and leave your orchestral instruments at home.

[John L Nobile]

Is it a real wood bass or a plywood box?   

I HATE playing real wood basses.  Much, much too sensitive in the body.

Give me an old blonde KAY plywood bass and leave your orchestral instruments at home.

That I don't know. I'll ask but he may not know. How do you tell the difference?

[Keith Broughton]

Try a mic as well as the pickup and add in the mic in the mains only. They can be grief in the monitors!
It will give you that nice "fingers on strings" sound to add to the pickup.

I'm dying to do a gig up there and try out that Danley rig.

[g'bye, Dick Rees]

That I don't know. I'll ask but he may not know. How do you tell the difference?

The real wood one burns with a blue flame...

[g'bye, Dick Rees]

Try a mic as well as the pickup and add in the mic in the mains only. They can be grief in the monitors!
It will give you that nice "fingers on strings" sound to add to the pickup.

I'm dying to do a gig up there and try out that Danley rig.

I carry a little Barcus-Berry instrument pre-amp for using with such pickups.  If I need a direct signal I can sometimes get it from an amp direct out, but they tend to be noisy and not all amps have them.  It's not great, but it's better than nothing and quieter than a buzzy amp feed.

It is a very common occurrence that a bassist will purchase the pickup only and not the matching pre-amp.  This doesn't really affect performance when playing through a proper bass amp but means that it won't match up well with a PA.

Edit:

A good reference for all things upright bass is

http://www.gollihurmusic.com/faq/25-FREQUENCIES_WHAT_ARE_THE_FREQUENCIES_OF_BASS_NOTES.html

[Keith Broughton]

I carry a little Barcus-Berry instrument pre-amp for using with such pickups.  If I need a direct signal I can sometimes get it from an amp direct out, but they tend to be noisy and not all amps have them.  It's not great, but it's better than nothing and quieter than a buzzy amp feed.

Edit:

A good reference for all things upright bass is

http://www.gollihurmusic.com/faq/25-FREQUENCIES_WHAT_ARE_THE_FREQUENCIES_OF_BASS_NOTES.html

I carry the Leon DI box for these pickups and it has a very high impedance input as well as a buffered out to go to an amp.
http://www.leonaudio.com.au/active.htm

[John L Nobile]

I carry a little Barcus-Berry instrument pre-amp for using with such pickups.  If I need a direct signal I can sometimes get it from an amp direct out, but they tend to be noisy and not all amps have them.  It's not great, but it's better than nothing and quieter than a buzzy amp feed.

We're going with bass through monitors. Amp sounds like crap and gets lots of feedback.
The reason I was thinking of the crown was that I could have him wireless with a spare pack.
He hasn't played that bass in years and if he doesn't practice more I may do the flame test.
So blue flame if it's real wood?

[g'bye, Dick Rees]

I carry the Leon DI box for these pickups and it has a very high impedance input as well as a buffered out to go to an amp.
http://www.leonaudio.com.au/active.htm

Here's what Gollihur has to say on the subject:

http://www.gollihurmusic.com/faq/11-PREAMPS_DO_YOU_NEED_A_PREAMP_WITH_YOUR_URB_PICKUP.html

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