Fishman
BP-100 Upright Bass Pickup
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Description
It's the BP-100 that helped to launch the Fishman company, and it's a pickup that's been popular for over 25 years. That said, it's not one of my favorites given some of the more modern alternatives, but it can do a good job if its characteristics meet your needs. The two transducers are placed between each pair of strings at the top of the bridge, held in place by chromed felt-lined clips.
Given its position at the top of the bridge, close to the string/bridge contact point, the nature of the sound is focused on the string, not the body. There's little wood in the equation. If that's the sound you're going for, you may be quite pleased, that level of detail was truly a breath of fresh air when compared to the dark and undefined sounds from many pickups of twenty-five years ago. Installation can be easy, depending on your bridge's shape, though it may be necessary to file the bridge if the sides are rounded in those locations or the clips will pop off. However, that is one of its strengths -- it is easily installed and removed.
Many owners have tended to complain about its thin or quacky sound-- however, in most cases that is due to impedance mismatches, as Fishman product information says a preamp is not required. Literally, it isn't, but you may find it a necessary part of your signal chain for the best performance. IMPORTANT: Please review my Do You Need a Preamp FAQ (link below) to see if it will be needed for your specific situation. If you pair the pickup with a typical high impedance (an amplifier designed for magnetic pickups) amp, you are not likely to be impressed by the result.
Finally, if you've come here looking for replacement mounting clips, since your pickup's stock clips popped off into the fifth dimension (dark corners of dusty stages), let me make an alternative suggestion. While I could make a couple bucks off selling you replacements, you can grab a couple small notebook clips at Staples or Office Depot. Clip them on, then slide out the chrome handle. They are tighter, cheaper, and the basic black looks better than chrome IMHO.
Product Manual
Need to figure out some of the more in-depth features of this product? Here's a copy of the manual, in PDF format, here.
You may wish to visit the manufacturer's website to see if a more recent version is available.
Warranty Information
Except as specifically provided in this document, there are no other warranties, expressed or implied, including, but not limited to implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. In no event shall Fishman be liable for loss of profits or incidental, indirect, special, consequential or other similar damages arising out of any breach of warranty or other obligation contained in this document. The warranty contained herein shall not apply if the serial number is defaced or removed or the product has been damaged by alteration, misuse, accident, neglect or use with unauthorized attachments.
TERMS OF WARRANTY SERVICE: Warranty service and repairs are to be made only at the Fishman factory. Unauthorized repairs will void this warranty. The customer must contact Fishman Service & Support and obtain a Return Merchandise Authorization number (RMA) before delivering the product to Fishman, freight prepaid. Product repaired under warranty at the Fishman factory will be returned to the customer via UPS ground freight, prepaid by Fishman to any location within the continental United States. Product returned to Fishman that is not covered by the terms of this warranty will be serviced only after payment is arranged.
To register your product and get the latest news from Fishman, visit their website at fishman.com.
1 Review
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One of the first and Still great!
These are still great and probably the most convenient. I use the Full circle but have one of these as a backup and loaner to students in need. I have a college student with a Kay plywood and it sounds really great. Every pickup is different with every bass but I've found these to be really good sounding on most instruments. If you need a backup that will fit any bass without modification or you are not sure how long you will stay with your current instrument and don't want to pay for an install you can't go wrong.