Pickups & Mics for Upright Bass:  Pickups

K&K Sound Double Big Twin Upright Bass Pickup

Manufactured by: K&K Sound

Double Big Twin
Double Bass Pickup

The Double Big Twin was my first K&K "love," and I still consider it to be a great choice for string detail oriented jazz play*, especially for the price.

Of course, there are a lot of other pickups worth considering, depending on your personal desire for "the sound".

As you can see in the photos, there is an individual transducer for each string, and their close location to the string/bridge contact point means a heavy string emphasis (with less "wood") in the sound. For that reason, I particularly like the Double Big Twin as part of the K&K two pickup system, the Bass Master Pro (see related items), since blending it in with the Bass Max allows you to increase or decrease string emphasis.

Installation is easy (more about that later) using a thin adhesive film, and the discs are about 3/4", with a slight lift where the wire attaches. The output jack is on a clip that mounts on any pair of strings above the tailpiece. There is also a 5-string version with five transducers; while it is considered a "special order item," we can usually have one on its way to you quickly.

So how does it sound??

The Double Big Twin's strength is its clarity and definition, but yet with body to it, not that typical thin piezo sound. It is the more accurate sound of the string, its interaction with the fingerboard, capturing sustain, vibrato, and... oops! better watch the intonation with this baby! While you hear mostly the sound of the instrument's strings, thanks to its location, it's warmer-sounding than other string-centric pickups I've heard.

What about arco?

Do you bow? If arco is a large part of your repertoire, you might think twice. A potential reason to consider a pickup like the Bass Max over the Double Big Twin is that if you get a pronounced scratchy style of arco tone due to your strings (or technique), this pickup — being very close to the strings — will accurately reproduce it. What you play is what you get.

If you prefer a slightly thicker and more balanced sound, with more mids, but still with all the definition you need, the Bass Max may be a better choice -- see its page for further information and photos. And the Bass Master Pro offers sort of a combination approach (with both the Double Big Twin AND the Bass Max, and a two-channel blending preamp), so you can have your cake and eat it, too.

Do you want fries, I mean, a preamp with that?? I STRONGLY recommend you use an appropriate preamp with the Double Big Twin for the best results, or you may not be a happy camper. Read details on my FAQ (link below) Do You Need a Preamp? page - your amp may already be compatible or you may already have a box that can do the job. This is important, no marketing BS, some pickups, like the Double Big Twin, must have the proper input impedance (1 megohm or higher) to sound as intended. I offer a Double Big Twin/preamp combo deal as well, which extends the free shipping (USA) to the preamp — as well as includes a free mounting kit for the preamp.

Notes on Installation

The unit comes with its own special adhesive to mount the transducers to your bridge. Position changes in relation to each string does not make a huge difference, so don't expect to make up for a weak or more powerful string by positioning the transducers. To make sure you can easily install the pickup yourself, I include a copy of my personal notes with every pickup and preamp purchase, which includes my experiences and advice. It can give you further insight on installation - and more.

Bass Max or Double Big Twin Pickup/Preamp Package

Combine the Pure Preamp from K&K with either the Bass Max or Double Big Twin URB pickup - and get a free preamp tailpiece mounting kit and cable!

K&K Sound Bass Max Upright Bass Pickup (transducer)

The Bass Max is a compact, dual-transducer pickup unit designed to be wedged into the wing in the side of your bridge. Big sound, small price!

K&K Sound Bass Master Pro Upright Bass Pickup System

The Bass Master Pro Combo combines the K&K Bass Max and Double Big Twin pickups, allowing you to mix them using a tiny two-channel preamplifier. With two distinctly different pickup "sounds", it makes for a flexible choice.

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Jazz Upright Bass (DVD) - Featuring Ed Friedland

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