Very nice new piezo/MIDIable bridge (Hipshot)

[zeronyne]

LINK

 

It's not clear whether the 13 pin add on to the preamp is in a breakout box or right on the bass itself...I'm guessing it's the latter.

 

Very interesting. They make a 6, GB!

[Eric VB]

Very cool!

[jeremy c]

I will definitely check this out at NAMM.

 

0-9, are you going to be there again?

Maybe we could have lunch or something.

 

I'll be there with AccuGroove.

[g.]

This is the one I've been mentioning for a couple years. About time they announced.

[Eric VB]

"...open up the world of acoustic and MIDI sounds to electric bass players..."

 

At the heart it's a piezo ... dare we dream of bowing our EBGs?

[g.]

Actually the piezo bridge is only one part of the puzzle. The AcoustiPhonic preamp handles the piezo acoustic sound and can connect up to a variety of modular controls on connectors much like the current EMG systems for no wiring headaches, and the Hexpander preamp can piggyback on top of the Acoustiphonic and it handles each string's/piezo's output massaging to the 13-pin jack (again, via a modular ribbon connection).

 

Then you have a better V-Bass driver. Or for midi, which I still think is not as compelling for a bassist who is used to immediate response and no tracking issues.

[The Geoff]

"We're excited to be collaborating with Dave Borisoff and his crew at HIPSHOT to bring this innovation to individual players and the industry," states Dave Dunwoodie, President of Graph Tech. "Hipshot bridges are precision milled, not casted , and make for an incredibly accurate and tight bass bridge."

 

I love how you guys keep introducing new words into the language.

 

Geoff

[g.]

Those two preamps piggybacked are very small, BTW.

 

http://www.graphtech.com/Images/ghost.jpg

 

Easy to fit into cavity space, and the Acoustiphonic can mate with existing magnetic p'up electronics via switch or blend pot -- they also have a nifty mid control available for the acoustic sound.

[g.]

They also have a couple different barrel sizes for existing bridges:

 

 

and for acoustic/electric bass guitars:

 

[g.]

Also, if you only want the 13-pin massaging/connection you can use ONLY the Hexpander preamp. This might be the cost-cutting way to go for V-Bassers since the V-Bass already does good models of piezo and acoustic instruments.

[Fred TBP]

This looks like the Variax-killer.

[zeronyne]

Originally posted by jeremy c:

I will definitely check this out at NAMM.

 

0-9, are you going to be there again?

Maybe we could have lunch or something.

 

I'll be there with AccuGroove.

I'm going to try my best to go. 50-50 right now. Would love to have lunch.

[g.]

Not to mention that the Hexpander gets power over the 13-pin connector from the V-Bass, and in turn can power any 9-volt preamp for magnetics. Voila, no steeeenking batteries.

[Steve Lawson]

Hmmm, I know that Rick Turner does a custom order Hipshot bridge saddle replacement piezo - I wonder if that could be hooked into this system... I think that would be the ultimate, given that I've yet to come across a Piezo system I like as much as Rick's...

 

steve

www.stevelawson.net

[g.]

It's possible you never will unless you try others that come along ; }

[David King]

These seem designed to go up against RMC's Polydrive I but from what I've heard the Ghost piezo sound isn't as bearable as the RMC acoustic golds. The bottom line is going to be the price and tracking ability for midi only. Oh and the fact that they are a direct retrofit into Hipshot bridges.

I'd love to hear more about the sonic and tracking quality as soon as someone has had a chance to compare the two systems.

[Steve Lawson]

Originally posted by greenboy:

It's possible you never will unless you try others that come along ; }

I've tried most of those available, some that sound OK, most that sound brittle and nasty and need major EQing. Rick's proved it's possible, and clearly doesn't require lots of incredible technology, just a little bit of thought, so I'm sure eventually someone else will work out what he's doing and come out with something similar.

 

 

steve

www.stevelawson.net

[g.]

Actually Graphtech's been garnering good reviews for getting a great acoustic sound on guitars for years now, Steve. They just haven't gotten around to focusing on the bass.

[g.]

David King: These seem designed to go up against RMC's Polydrive I but from what I've heard the Ghost piezo sound isn't as bearable as the RMC acoustic golds. The bottom line is going to be the price and tracking ability for midi only. Oh and the fact that they are a direct retrofit into Hipshot bridges.

Graphtech has gotten a lot of great reviews in guitar mags and online specifically for its natural acoustic sound. Some of you would do well to try it out yourselves in its current incarnation rather than spreading dubious info that never actually is attributed to any pair of ears. I know it's great to feel like a big expert by saying this about this and that about that, but shouldn't such statements come from some actual knowledge and a current product?*

 

I'd love to hear more about the sonic and tracking quality as soon as someone has had a chance to compare the two systems.

So would I. Eventually somebody will come along who can afford to do this who isn't already convinced it isn't even worth trying because so-and-so said someone's brother said around five years ago that such and such didn't sound so good and this other company is what we all worship around here anyway.

 

I mean, really!

 

 

*big rant of the day: people that heard one _____-brand product of 10 years ago and who can say with a straight face that all ______-brand products are kind inferior. Man, I hate brand nazis.

[_Sweet Willie_]

I'll admit that this product looks to be pretty cool -- and this is from someone who is a pretty strict adherent to magnetic pickups only.

 

Generally I've found piezos not to be for me, but this product ain't about your momma's typical piezos. (Or my momma's piezos for that matter!)

 

I've generally avoided the hubbub around MIDI and V-Bassability and Variaxin', but as more of these products appear, the more curious I become. I don't know what it is about this multifunction bridge/preamp that grabs my attention in particular. It may have something to do with offering some fairly complex opportunities in what appears to be a relatively straightforward physical package.

 

Peace.

--SW

[knuckle_head]

FWIW - I have a 5 stringer that is Graph Tech-only and I really like the sonic quality I am getting. I am building out a fretless 5 mag/piezo using the GT pre though side-stepping their tone shaping and going passive on tone controls with it. No time or satisfactory gear to test the midi capacities though.

 

I intend to have the beast at NAMM, though it likely won't be on the show floor anywhere.

 

GT also makes a saddle assembly for ABM bridges that fit perfectly with a very similar Hipshot version that Peavey adopted. I hope the GT solution catches fire as I am quite fond of it.

[David King]

This is the feedback I was looking for. I'm more than willing to give these a try. For the record I have nothing against Graphtech, I've been using their saddle materials in all my bridges for the last 12 years and the company has been great to work with.

While dealing with RMC on a business level isn't much fun, their tech support after purchase is astoundingly good. (Who else answers desperate emails at midnight on Sunday, July 4th?)

[rumpelstiltskin.]

also, if you go to the graphtech site, you'll see that dave dunwoodie's wife is hot. seriously. click the "contact us" link. i have a thing for older ladies.

 

robb.

[David King]

i have a thing for older ladies

You think she's older?? You must be under 20 or I must be over the hill.