DIY: Electric Cello Bass Conversion

Converting your cello to electric allows you to play though an amplifier.

Taking your cello bass to a qualified musical instrument builder to have a piezo pickup installed so you can play your cello through an amplifier can become expensive. To avoid this cost, you can purchase the piezo pickup and complete a DIY conversion. The conversion does not necessarily require permanent installation. Depending on how you install the piezo pickup you can remove it at any time you decide you want to go back to having a standard acoustic cello bass.

Things You'll Need

• Feeler gauge
• Razor blade
• Sanding file
• Glue
• Cello piezo pickup kit
• 1/4-inch instrument cable
• Pre-amp (optional)
• Amplifier or public address system

Instructions

1. Measure the thickness of the slot under the bridge wing on the bass side of the cello with a set of feeler gauges. The slot is located between the wing and the leg. It must measure between 0.060 and 0.090-inch.

2. Cut the supplied wooden shim with a razor blade so it will fit on the bridge leg if the measurement is wider than 0.090-inch in order to bring it down to a width between 0.060 and 0.090-inch. Glue the shim on with a small amount of wood glue or super glue. If the gap is within tolerance, skip this step. If the gap is less than 0.060-inch,lightly file the bottom of the bridge wing with a sanding file to widen the gap.

3. Slide the square transducer between the bridge wing and the bridge leg. Make sure the spring on the transducer touches the shim or the leg and that the flat part of the transducer presses against the wing. This will ensure proper contact for the pickup.

4. Peel the film off the back of the jack mount that is wired to the transducer. Slide the jack mount between the face of the cello and the wooden tailpiece with the adhesive side of the jack mount facing the tailpiece. Lift the jack mount up and secure it to the underside of the tailpiece.

5. Plug a ¼-inch instrument cable into the jack mount. Plug the other end of the cable into a pre-amp and plug the pre-amp into an amplifier or public address (PA) system. A pre-amp allows you to make changes to the volume and tone of the pizeo signal before it is amplified; it is not required if plugging into an amplifier but is recommended if you plan to plug directly into a PA system. When the instrument is not in use, you can unplug the instrument cable from the jack mount.

Tips & Warnings

• Gluing a shim or sanding the wing create permanent changes to the bridge but you can remove the piezo and jack mount at any time.

References

• Fishman: Installing a pickup