Piezo Bridges

[Simon Cyclotron]

I am keen to get some views and ideas about piezo bridges for Bass. I am considering fitting one to a four string. Is there one maker which is your favourite/the best?? Have you encountered certain problems which I should investigate further? Thanks.

[jzucker]

you'll get every view under the sun but I hate piezo bridges on electric basses. They bring out all the brittle high freq noises that you normally don't want to hear on electric bass.

[The Golden Boy]

I think they're a unique tone to be able to add to your bass sound.

I could also see them being very annoying in the hands of someone that is not adept at using EQ.

[danny]

I've only played one bass with a piezo pup and that was a Carvin custom bass through an Eden head and cab. I didn't notice any problem with mixing in the piezo; in fact, it rendered a little bit of clarity to the overall sound. That said, I would only use a piezo if I needed over-the-top clarity. They don't sound right for rock, pop, or R&B. JMO

[The Golden Boy]

I wouldn't consider using ONLY a piezo pickup. It would have to be in conjunction with "normal" pickups...

[CallowHill]

I install RMC piezos pretty frequently. They work well on the Taylor AB2's and the Hipshot retrofits for electric basses sound good. Everyone I install them for tends to envision them more as triggers for a midi system rather than a viable acoustic alternative though.

[PB+J]

I had a rick turner bass that had piezos. The big advantage of piezos is that they produce a MUCH wider frequency response, and if you're trying to catch all the nuances of an acoustic instrument, they seem like a better option.

I have to say, I can't stand them. They need a lot of careful attention to eq to avoid that hideous quacky clanky high end thing they do. I find that I spoend all my time with piezos trying to figure out how to get them to not sound like piezos. On my upright I searched for years till I finally foud a non-piezo pickup that would work well--a contact mic.

If you like the sound of piezos it's fairly easy to put them in a bridge, but it's harder and more expensive to get a piezo to play nice with a magnetic pickup

[danny]

I wouldn't consider using ONLY a piezo pickup. It would have to be in conjunction with "normal" pickups...

Well sure. I certainly didn't mean to encourage someone using only a piezo. I meant that they are great for mixing a little bit of extra clarity into the bass timbre for a bass that will be prominent in the mix -which it's not usually used in that manner for rock, pop, or R&B. :)

[bassic83]

Fishman PowerBridges are nice...I have one on my Dean B2-5 (that's B-Squared, not B2)...not quacky or clanky. Actually has a big bottom! Adds tone of low end support, the way I have it EQ'd. The EQ for it is inside the cavity, though. I've never seen them other than OEM.

[Simon Cyclotron]

Thank you all for your responses - lots to thinkabout. Talking it through with the client we will make one special bass combining pickups from Bare Knuckle and a canibalised Yamaha with the piezo bridge and an active 18v system with MIDI capability, - that should keep me busy!!
This new boy says thanks again, it's good to visit a site where things are discussed maturely with minimum BS.
I look forward to coming back with my next little quandary.
TTFN Simon Cyclotron

[WeAreOurGear]

you'll get every view under the sun but I hate piezo bridges on electric basses. They bring out all the brittle high freq noises that you normally don't want to hear on electric bass.

Spoken like a guitar player who is blinded by his bass player's high frequency excursions!:rotflmao

I have several basses all that have RMCs (Zon Hyperbass, F-bass Alan Caron 6 string fretless) and I believe they are killer additions to the electric bass. Piezo's operate from direct vibration and thus bring out the acoustic quality of the bass. They also generally require an active preamp and this will be part of your sound. Absolutely killer for fretless! Furthermore if you are into playing harmonics the Piezo will make them ring and sparkle. Finally, you will need to blend the sound between the magnetic and piezo to get the tone you like.

Highly recommended without reservation.

[pjmuck]

I installed Graphtek Ghost piezo saddles into my old Fender Tele bass (with the Seth Lover mudbucker at the neck), and the blend of piezo with the mudbucker is unbelievable. I now have the monstrous fat deep tone of the mudbucker but with some top end clarity to cut through. Killer.

[WeAreOurGear]

I installed Graphtek Ghost piezo saddles into my old Fender Tele bass (with the Seth Lover mudbucker at the neck), and the blend of piezo with the mudbucker is unbelievable. I now have the monstrous fat deep tone of the mudbucker but with some top end clarity to cut through. Killer.

exactly!http://www.thegearpage.net/board/images/icons/icon14.gif

[tkozal]

I have the Carvin 5 string with the piezo bridge. Its strung E-C, and the piezo is great for playing chords and stuff when I am trying to be Steve Swallow...

gives real clarity to chords up high, mixed with the mag pups...