Intense Vibration

[Earache]

I have a Peavy Accelerator that when I play a B on the E string and at the same time play an open D, the whole bass feels like it is going to vibrate into splinters. It happens only with those notes on those strings.

I am curious if this is common and if it can somehow be remedied. I own ten basses and this is the first time I've experienced this kind of sonic intensity.

Any assistance is greatly appreciated.

Thanks =)

[Bassamatic]

WOW - this is going to be interesting. It seems that the sum or difference frequency of those 2 notes (harmonics) is exactly the resonant frequency of the bass itself!

Is this amplified or without amplification?

[Earache]

It occurs both amplified and not. Amplified, it creates a powerful resonant feedback and vibrates. Unplugged it vibrates intensely.

[grisezd]

I don't know that I've ever played that combination before, I'm going to have to see if I can make my bass vibrate!

For fun, clamp some weight on the headstock and see if it stops happening. If it helps then find something useful to screw to the back of the headstock.

[Stilettoprefer]

^^ what he said. A Fender fat finger would do the same thing.

Now I'm gonna have to play a bunch of weird chords to see if I can make a bass explode:P

[chuck3]

I have no idea about the underlying subject, but it's a great thread title!

[PlungerModerno]

Originally Posted by chuck3

I have no idea about the underlying subject, but it's a great thread title!

+1

[grisezd]

The strange thing is that the OP has found a physics worm hole. Ordinarily one wouldn't expect more energy out of a system than he puts in. If you find it, patent it!!

The only times I've experienced this is hollow body instruments, plugged in, loud amp! Love that!

[SquierJazz72]

Never played that note combination before, but I gave it a try, just to see. Definitely seems to be some interesting dynamics to that combination, but nothing that gave me any trouble. I really have no idea what it might be in your case.

[Vinny_G]

Originally Posted by Stilettoprefer

Now I'm gonna have to play a bunch of weird chords to see if I can make a bass explode

Signature worthy
I frequently play a bunch of weird chords but this never happened, unfortunately

Originally Posted by Earache

I am curious if this is common and if it can somehow be remedied.

I doubt it is common and I've never experienced it on any of my instruments.. If this happened to me I would not know where to start searching: bridge, nut, neck attachment, I really don't know..

[joebar]

i have had similar problems on some of my basses but only when i play certain intervals together (i play a lot of chords and such) never happens with single notes.
after talking with a few pro luthiers and builders, a couple of options came up:
one was to try changing the offending string
second was to loosen the truss rod and retighten.
yeah these things bug me too.
it could be that it is a frequency of that particular piece of wood, i dunno