RealistPickup for Acoustic Upright Bass

Best sound

Love it. Have it on my fully carved 3/4 Shen with 7710N Black Nylon Tape Wound strings. Super easy install. I use a 90 deg jack to plug 1/4" cable. Definitely gives a good sound, though I combine it with a Myers pick up to my effects blend to warm up the sound just a touch; that's not a slight on this pickup, for it gives a great representation of my bass's sound, more so with pizz than arco, but this version still has a little of that boxy/graty piezo sound, hence the Myers. I don't have any problem cutting through the band so my fellow cats can hear me, so I can play as I would play un-amplified. It's a good product for bassists at any level.

I have a 1/4 size double bass that I bought for fun, to play jazz bass lines and such. The problem is, it just doesn't have the throw that a standard 3/4 double bass does, but I didn't have the room nor funds for the larger instrument.So I decided to get a pickup. I first went to my local shop and bought the venerable Fishman BP-100, and found it dissatisfying: it picked up the bass tones well, but seemed to do a better job picking up my fingers sliding on the strings. That was returned to the shop.Then I found the Realist.I installed this pickup when it arrived today and spent the next hour playing walking bass lines. With the output of this pickup plugged into my Phil Jones Bass Briefcase, I don't need a preamp, and it sounds just like a nice full double bass with no finger noise.The manufacturer recommends unstringing the G string and passing it through a plastic clip to hold the jack, but I didn't want to be messing with unstringing, so I used small zip ties looped through the brass nuts at the ends of the strings to secure the jack. It's good enough for me.I'll come back in a few months if it starts having issues.

My son plays the string bass and has lately been branching out from classical into bluegrass and old-time fiddle music. The gatherings we go to always provide instrument microphones, but they really don't work so well for a string bass. My son's bass instructor, who has played professionally for decades, recommended this pickup as "the most bang for the buck." Indeed, the pickup is fairly unobtrusive when installed, and seems more secure and durable than cheaper alternatives. The sound is great, and we're happy with our choice.

Finally I was able to give life to my "not so great" bass. I have used every mic imaginable to get enough volume to occasionally use it for live performances. It always sounded too thumpy and had very little definition. Took me ten minutes to install and it makes my bass sound great. I have used it threw a 4-10 MarkBass amp and a Bose L1 Model 2 with dual bass modules and it shakes the roof and adds a great deal of detail and tone.Great design!!!!

The Realist blows away the competition at the $220 price range. Unless you go to the $500 and up category, this is the one. The sound is smooth and full, without honk and quack, and it resists feedback very well. Installation is not hard but you must know how to properly match the soundboard curve to the foot of your bridge to get the best sound from your instrument and this pickup; without that you are doing a disservice to your sound. Very pleased with this pickup.

Easy to install. I have used it on 2 gigs so far and it is acceptable. I probably need to run it thru a pre-amp to get a better sound on the low E string. It's workable and looks like good stuff.

Pickup works great, puts together in about 30 minutes, simple and precise instructions. Have only played it in an enclosed area so far and still working out ways to eliminate feedback at higher volume. Deep bass; crisp, "stringy" highs. Sounds clear when bowed. Looking forward to hearing this kit out or on stage.

El mejor sonido natural que he logrado con una pickup, es la segunda que compro, para montar en un segundo instrumento, combinandola con el preamp fishman platinum pro eq, para evitar la retroalimentación, eliminar por completo el gis, darle cuerpo al sonido y así poder tocar con arco en escenarios en vivo, el sonido resultante, me parece mejor al de un micrófono. Realmente genial.

Dudaba mucho si comprarla por el precio algo elevado pero después de múltiples recomendaciones de diversos Contrabajistas al final me animé, una pastilla con un sonido muy potente, claro y fácil de usar :)