K&K Rockabilly Bass Pickup

This is the K&K Rockabilly Bass Pickup known as Bass Master Rockabilly.  It combines two of their pickups which is then blended into one little preamp.  First it uses their Bass Max (#1) that clamps into the bridge wing.  While K&K usually shows this one on the treble (G string) side of the bridge, you can really put it on either side depending on how you like it to sound.  The #2 pickup used is their "Fingerboard" pickup.  The quarter inch cable plug (#3) is clamped between any two strings between the bridge and tailpiece.  Usually we see photos of the preamp being taped or strapped (with plastic loop) onto the front of the bass tailpiece. (Aesthetically, I prefer behind the TP. Seeing more bass and less electronics that way, but that's up to you.)  Not a big deal, but the reason that the preamp is placed on the bass is because you're combining two pickups into one cord output and it just cuts down on all the wires!

For those that are trying to buy a pickup that suits their playing styles and needs, this pickup is really best for Rockabilly bass style playing because first it amplifies the actual bass notes (like all the other pickups including the Realist, Fishmans etc..) but it also uses the fingerboard pickup as well.  For anyone that has tried to play Rockabilly and amplify using a regular pickup, it doesn't "pick up" the cool fingerboard percussiveness that makes that is so important in rockabilly playing.  Obviously, you are not thumping (slapping down on the E and A string or pulling up the D or G strings all night (you'll die!), but using the two pickups together is the only way to go.  If you already have a great pickup on your bass but unhappy about missing that fingerboard 'pop', you can just buy the fingerboard pickup if you like. 

The Preamp is used as a 'blender'.  Depending on the exact sound you want, you can either use more 'bass' or more 'thump' from the fingerboard and/or adjust it a bit between tunes.  You can completely turn down the fingerboard pickup and in the next tune, go back to what you had simply by turning the volume back up on that particular pickup. 

Installing and mounting the Max pickup.  Usually these wedge into just about any bass bridge.  If you need more space, you can get a thin file and gently file the wing side (top part) of your bass bridge.  If that space it too wide, you can always find a wooden shim and use that to take up the slack. (Do not use balsa or super soft wood or paper. While it will "work", it will also deaden and mute the overall performance of that pickup.

Go back to our upright bass pickups page to order.