Pickup for Acoustic Bass Guitar

[H3ytm@n]

Hi All,
I've been asked to install a pickup (+/- preamp) in an acoustic bass guitar. The owner has no particular preference re brands, but would like the bass to sound as "natural" as possible.
I have no experience in installing pickups in acoustic basses, but have been particularly impressed with K&K's in acoustic 6-string guitar.

Any thoughts?
Preferences?
Anecdotes?

Thanks in advance

[aljosha]

quiet frankly I just know the k&k, for standard systems, which is pretty decent in sound imho
but at least worth a thought is this one or something comparable
http://www.lacemusic.com/USAB.php

can be installed like a archtop pickup, with a bit of work too, lets call that floating for now
and then you get a quiet versatile instrument, depending on the position
or just tape/glue it on

it's more on the side of an electric sound than acoustic, but then again, most plywood doghouses dont sound good anyhow...
so an EQ is needed anyhow...

I installed one of those before, and played it on stage a while later too, not my bass
it does sound somewhat similar to a doublebass
I go with my fretless jazzy though, preferably
best acoustic bass sound possible

btw, the guy I installed it for played the first half of the first gig after installing it without turning his amp on, without noticing
sometimes the bass player is just there to make the stage look a bit more crowded...

best
j

[H3ytm@n]

Thanks j,
I've heard LR Baggs Lyric pickups are good as well, but have only heard reports and sound clips from 6-string Steel guitars installations.
Haven't been able to find much on the net re use with ABGs.

[slowlearner]

Hi All,
I've been asked to install a pickup (+/- preamp) in an acoustic bass guitar. The owner has no particular preference re brands, but would like the bass to sound as "natural" as possible.
I have no experience in installing pickups in acoustic basses, but have been particularly impressed with K&K's in acoustic 6-string guitar.

Any thoughts?
Preferences?
Anecdotes?

Thanks in advance

Hi H3ytm@n, you've got a serious challenge here. I'd compare it to trying to get an upright bass to sound natural. What you really need is 2 pickups to get a few different tones with a blend to even them out. The best combo I've found thus far is Mag and Piezo combined. Of course this requires a blend circuit of some sort. This is my current fave...

http://www.electrocoustic.com/magpi.html

I've installed it on two instruments after Dave Wendler very kindly sold me his system. The first of them was this fretless. It's got 2 disc piezos under the wooden bridge and a mag MM pickup.



The second is a chinese resonator. I bought Lace's slimline PU for it and the PU on it's own wasn't great. Blended with the magpi circuit and a K&K biscuit bridge PU, it's pretty awesome.



You could easily use the Lace slimline bass pickup suggested above with some soundboard style piezo PU. I'd email Dave and ask him.

[H3ytm@n]

Some great advice Pete. Thanks
I'm emailing Dave now.