Yeah, right. I'm just your basic bassist, so this is no artist endorsement—started on string bass back in 1961 (!!) and majored in it at college, though I never pursued music on a full-time basis. But I've always been very concerned with sound, have consulted with and assisted other players over the years, built my own bass and PA cabinets, pickup systems, etc. In my never-ending (it never does end, does it??) quest for "the sound," I found the K&K Sound pickups and I ended up selling these pickups to other musicians pretty much by accident—it wasn't my main gig at the time but has grown into a more than full-time occupation. For more background info and a look at my current and past musical experience, see my Personal Bass Page.

Do you want to chat about basses and amplification challenges? Let's talk, and I'll be glad to try and help—call us at the office at 609.624.1470; feel free to call me from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., there's a machine to leave a message if I'm out. I'm in New Jersey (Eastern Time), so please consider any time differences.

Once upon a time (ok, it was in 1997), Bob was looking for a new piezo pickup for his double bass, to replace his broken (and mediocre) one, but choked on the very high price tags ($500!!) of multi-string units. He didn't like the indefinite thump of an individual bridge pickup he tried, nor the muting effect on his sound caused by the pair of metal clamps that one of the most popular pickups out there uses.

He valiantly (and frugally—ok, he's cheap) experimented with constructing hobbyist piezo elements, then bought and returned a pair of piezos designed to be drilled and buried in a bridge ($75 for a pair of raw piezos!!), read up on pickup tests and the market at large... and then found out about K&K Sound and was intrigued—they had a four transducer piezo pickup listing for $137(!!!). He asked around the area and on the web—nobody responded. Then he tried to find one to buy—forget it! Well, it took him a while to find a K&K Double Big Twin, and without ever hearing it, he took the plunge. He was totally amazed at the full-range, warm sound, and went forth, proclaiming their praises:



Unfortunately, as he himself discovered, they were more rare than hen's teeth, since K&K seems to focus more on OEM than retail sales. K&K Sound kindly (and they are kind folks) granted Bob dealer status, so he could pass pickups and preamps on to fellow bassists at musician-to-musician discounts through the Internet. And holy smokes, as of March 1999, I started to advertise in bass-oriented magazines, like Bass Player, Bass World, and Dynamite.

This multi-page site has grown from the original, single page that described the initial experiences with the Double Big Twin and other K&K pickups. Since then, we've seen new pickups from K&K and I ended up developing the Bass Master RB pickup for rockabilly and country slap bassists. We've also worked together to develop a reasonably priced microphone system for double bass. As of 2003 I'm using the Golden Trinity/Bass Max system along with my Acoustic Image Contra since most of my gigs aren't that loud.

Since then all sorts of wonderful things have happened. A right place at the right time opportunity came my way to be be exclusive distributor for wonderful fully carved basses from Bulgaria. This led to selling US-made laminated Engelhardt basses at great discounts, a much better bass than the substandard basses flooding the market. Since my own experiences with Acoustic Image and Euphonic Audio have been so pleasing, I am a dealer for Acoustic Image and their amazing Contra, Corus, and Coda R combos as well as the tiny Clarus and Focus amps. In addition to Euphonic Audio combos, cabs, and amps, and more items are being added all the time. Remember, I am a longtime bass player, and these are bass products I have used and/or thoroughly checked out myself - if it doesn't pass the "Bob Test" I won't carry it. And it means you can call us and get an honest and detailed appraisal of anything I carry, since I have the experience to back it up.

I really need to update this page! But meanwhile, I should note that my photo, taken in 1998, has become slightly out of date-- my beard has really grayed. But I've become a grandfather since then, maybe that's what did it?? I guess either a new photo or some Photoshop work is in order.



Which bass? The one that sounds like two feet away, or the one across the room? Do you want to project a close-miked, recorded sound, or a blended, round bottom bassier personality? Or a little of both?

Past attendance at jazz festivals has me convinced that many bassists don't know their projected sound—the majority of the players I heard would have had a fit if they'd heard themselves. I know my personal view has changed over the past few years—I thought that thick rumble echoing back at me from my amp sounded like my bass. Wrong!

Sure, a lot depends on the type of music/band/bass you're into, and its needs. You'll find that the Bass Max, Fishman Full Circle, and other transducers I sell are full-range units; the nature of the sound is heavily influenced by their location on the bridge. The philosophy is to give you ALL the frequencies, and let you make adjustments to your personal needs, 'cause thar's highs in them there basses!! Initially, this hi-fi sound can be a bit of a shock, and then often an eye-opening (and ear-opening) experience.

If I can be so bold as to make a suggestion - you may want to reconsider the tonal character you are or want to project. Double basses sound so different from 5 to 100 feet away. And so do amps. Initially, the K&K Double Big Twin, Bass Max, and mic, and the use of more "hi-fi" amps made me completely rethink my approach to the sound I've been projecting. Getting another bassist to play my instrument/pickup/amp combination, so I could get away from the acoustic sound of the bass and listen to the amp, was the first step. And that was a good thing, since it helped me develop a better stage sense of my sound, knowing its affect on that perceived by the audience.

Just my .02 for your consideration. Happy Bassing! —Bob

Visit Bob's personal Eclectic Bass Page, or, for a real blast from the distant past, my Past Bass page.

I've often joked that Bob (my Dad) should have encouraged me to play drums instead of bass - we could have made a killer rhythm section! But ultimately, bass chose me, and I've been playing bass instruments of all kinds for over 25 years. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

I've done a lot of electric bass playing over the years, with many original bands to my credit - but the upright has always been within reach as well. In fact, I have some very embarrassing photos of me playing Dad's blonde Kay (which he has since sold) at a choral concert during my high school senior year. (It's mostly embarrassing because of the clothing styles that were popular at the time - my playing was fine.) I've also done other performances over the years with the upright, including Cancer Society benefits and the like.

I currently play my own fully carved URB in an ad-hoc acoustic "jam circle" group of friends; we may be playing someplace public soon, but mostly that group is for the fun and fellowship of good friends. My other projects over the years have been mostly original, from Lilith-friendly pop to progressive metal. I also own my own home studio (Digital Din), where my most recent album was recorded. As a result, I've got a decent knack for the technical stuff and getting good sound - and I love musical "toys."

I've worked in several jobs since my teenage years - before hooking up with Dad at Gollihur Music, I managed a department at a musical software design company, did sales with a major musical instrument merchant, even worked at an advertising agency (that's what I went to school for). A fortuitously timed cosmic event brought me to Gollihur Music - Dad needed help, and I wanted out of where I was. My background in musical instrument sales, tech support management of music software, web development, and my advertising degree made me a perfect fit. He often says that with my educational background and experience set, he'd have hired me even if I weren't his son, especially since I play bass, too!

That's a question that is answered by thousands of positive comments on the web -- look around and ask around, and you'll get your answer.

Who we are NOT is a "big box" music store; we're bassists who specialize in what we sell! And we sell only what we like ourselves -- and what we think you will find useful for your needs. In our product descriptions, you'll find in-depth product details, expanded explanations of specific uses, side information for perspective, and other comments to help you choose the right gear for your specific situation. Most often, these comments are based on our personal experience with the products, not just the typical cut-n-paste info from the manufacturer's website. Finally, we work very hard to get your order out and to you as quickly as possible (most items are in stock at all times!), and we get in touch with you promptly whenever necessary.

For yet another (objective) reference, check out our eBay feedback! That should give you a good idea about our level of service. We're always running dozens of eBay auctions (though note that our prices here on the site are the same as the opening bid prices on eBay!) We also have one of the top services examining our web site every single day to insure we remain Hacker Safe. See the certified logo up in the right hand corner of our page.