Bass Pickup System

The Rice Audio® Bass Pickup System (BP2) is a balanced differential system using two silver metalized piezo-film transducers, a phantom powered variable gain pre-amplifier and a 15' removable cable. The sensors mount near the base of the bridge using removable double sided adhesive tape (3M WallSaver works well for this). The pre-amplifier features a mute switch, a thumb wheel gain adjust and a green power LED. It has a clip for attaching to the strings just above the tailpiece. The removable cable is Mogami and has SwitchCraft TA3F and A3M (XLR) connectors.

The thin plastic transducers have far better sensitivity and acoustic properties than ceramic crystals or magnetic transducers. Unlike ceramic crystals, the film material has no distortions within the entire audio frequency range.  They produce an accurate signal even when mounted on thicker pieces of wood where there would not be enough mechanical force for a ceramic transducer to operate. Keeping the pre-amplifier close to the sensors produces a very high signal-to-noise ratio while eliminating the possibility of electromagnetic interference.  The balanced design has a very high resistance to acoustic feedback.  Most customers are so delighted with the sound of this pick-up that they do not use an equalizer or other signal processor with it.

Because the BP2 pre-amp requires phantom power, many Bass players will need to use an adapter with phantom power supply on stage in order to have a direct output for an on-stage amplifier.  Almost any small mixer can provide phantom power.  Rice Audio® manufacturers both the ADB2 and the BDB1 single channel adapters that can provide phantom power and have both an XLR and a 1/4" output.  For musicians who prefer the soft compression available from a tube pre-amp, the ART Tube MP will work well with this pick-up.

Feature List:

Endorsements:

Ralph Gordon is a professional bass player who has been using the Rice Audio® Bass Pickup System exclusively for over three years without a problem. Ralph uses the Art Tube MP preamplifier with the BP2 to provide phantom power and to provide a soft compression. The combination provides a sound very similar to that of an expensive studio bass microphone but with the convenience of small size and light weight and with the advantage of a higher resistance to acoustic feedback. Ralph has tried many different Bass pickups over the years but he refers to the BP2 as "The next level in pickup technology. Clearly superior to piezo-ceramic pickups".

Kathy Reitz is a local bass player using the BP2 for nearly two years. When she first tried the pickup she set up an experiment in her home with the bass in one room and her amplifier/speaker in another. She asked he son to figure out which room had the instrument and which had the speaker without opening the door. He guessed wrong!

Joe Gretz is a local bass player who recently purchased the BP2. He set up quietly to see if the band would notice the difference with a new pickup. When the band commented that his bass sounded really good that evening, he tried switching back to his other pickup but the band wouldn't let him.

Installation Instructions:

The piezo-film sensors are somewhat fragile until mounted to the bridge.  Please read these instructions fully before proceeding.  Warranty on the sensors may be voided if these procedures are not followed.  If the sensors must be removed temporarily to be repositioned, then please also read the removal instructions before proceeding further.

The sensors are mounted so as to sense side-to-side strains within the bridge.  They are interchangable and can be attached to either the top or bottom face of the bridge.  Most musicians will choose the top face for convenience.  The sensors mount symmetrically opposite each other with the length of the sensors in line with the arch of the bridge.

The preferred location is close to the body of the instrument near the feet of the bridge.  The sound is more natural picking up some resonance from the instrument body rather than directly from the strings.  However, if your bridge has adjusting thumb wheels, you will need to mount the sensors higher on the arch of the bridge.

Only the phase of the signal will change if they are interchanged.

  1. Clean rosin dust from the areas of the bridge to where the sensors are to be applied. One way to do this is to apply and remove a piece of adhesive tape several times.
  2. Attach the pre-amp mounting clip to two strings just above the tailpiece with the pre-amp between the strings and the instrument body so that it won't interfere with your instrument cover.  The connector can face toward either side as convenient.
  3. Find a convenient routing for the sensor wires.  Some bridges have a center hole that the wires can pass through.
  4. Remove the adhesive strip backing from one sensor and mount the sensor to the bridge on one side. The sensor can be oriented in either direction but most installations point the cable toward the strings.  It is easier to avoid trapping a pocket of air by applying pressure working from the film end of the sensor working toward the cable end of the sensor.  The adhesive tape must support the entire film area and the plastic housing.  Excessive noise will be generated if the small plastic housing is free to move.
  5. Mount the remaining sensor symmetrically opposite the first using the same procedure as in step 4.
  6. Use an adhesive tape or other method to take up slack sensor cable which might pull on the sensors to generate undesirable noise.  This will also help to prevent a sensor from being accidentally pulled lose from its adhesive mounting by the cable possibly damaging the sensor.
  7. You can now test the system.  Connect the cable to the pre-amp and to a phantom power mixer or adapter input.  The green power LED should come on.  Check that the mute switch is off - slide toward the sensor cables and gently run each sensor with your finger to check that both are working.

Removal Instructions:

The sensors have a silver metalization that will separate from the film with excessive force.  Also excessive force will create tiny stress fractures in the outer protective plastic layer of the sensor.  However, the sensors can be removed and reapplied repeatedly without accumulating damage if done carefully.  To avoid unnecessary stress on the film when removing a sensor please following these steps carefully:
  1. The removable adhesive tape has a crepe paper liner to give it strength.  Using a sharp edge, carefully lift a corner of the adhesive tape from the bridge.
  2. Working slowly to give the adhesive time to release, grasp the adhesive tape rather than the sensor and continue to lift the tape with the sensor remaining attached to the tape.  Try to avoid bending the piezo-film more that about 45 degrees.
  3. If the adhesive tape does not want to release easily due to aging, then try soaking the the adhesive with isopropyl alcohol.  The alcohol should soften the adhesive.  Anhydrous (not diluted with water) isopropyl alcohol is available at many electronic and printing supply stores.

Replacing the adhesive tape:

After removing a sensor you should replace the adhesive tape before reinstalling the sensor.  3M WallSaver Removable Poster Tape is ideal for this application and is available at most hardware stores.
  1. Slowly peal the used tape free of the sensor while using the side of your finger to hold the film straight. This will cause the adhesive tape to bend rather than the piezo-film.  If the tape does not want to release easily, then you can soak the adhesive with isopropyl alcohol.  The alcohol will not harm the sensor.
  2. Tear off a length of removable adhesive a little longer than the sensor.  The tape has to mount the plastic housing of the sensor as well as the film area.
  3. Press the sensor onto the adhesive strip working from the film end of the sensor to avoid wrinkling or trapping any pockets of air.
  4. Use a fingernail or other sharp edge to separate a corner of the adhesive tape from its stiff backing by pushing the tape toward the sensor.
Acrylic adhesives have a tendency to harden and become more permanent with age.  It is a good idea to replace the adhesive tape about once a year to insure that the sensors can be easily removed.