Double Bass David Gage Lifeline Distorting?

[devnulljp]

My David Gage Lifeline pickup is distorting quite badly both through my amp and when run into a DI/pre/PA.
The bass is nothing fancy, just a Strunal but it's been working fine with the old K&K pickup.
Amp is an Acoustic Image Coda. I tried it into an RMI Bassswitch preamp set to 10 MOhm input or a Broughton P15 and took an XLR out to Bose L1 PA.
Also tried straight into the Bose without the pre or another DI.
Straight into the amp too.
It has an ugly distortion, like a torn speaker (but all speakers are good).


Any ideas? It seems to be seated fine on the post, but is there something I should be checking?

Thanks

 

[Mark Gollihur]

The pickup is under pressure and has a lot of bass response, so it's likely that you're overdriving the input. Consider strongly reducing input gain, and engage a low-cut filter if you have one (the Coda does have one built-in). Other than that, it seems odd that you'd have such a strong distortion issue, you might want to contact the David Gage shop to inquire.

 

[devnulljp]

The pickup is under pressure and has a lot of bass response, so it's likely that you're overdriving the input. Consider strongly reducing input gain, and engage a low-cut filter if you have one (the Coda does have one built-in). Other than that, it seems odd that you'd have such a strong distortion issue, you might want to contact the David Gage shop to inquire.

Thanks for the info, I'm trying your suggestions and have put a Broughton LPF inline before the DI. Seems to be helping. I also suspect the clip was a bit loose in my bridge, so I'm keeping an eye on that, which might have caused some distortion.

 

[jlmorgan84]

My lifeline did this just before dying completely fyi, angry bee distortion, I think I had damaged the piezo element somehow.

 

[Mark Gollihur]

I also suspect the clip was a bit loose in my bridge...

The clip was loose in your bridge? I'm not sure I understand. If by "clip" you mean the pickup element, the metal c-shaped part that inserts between the adjuster and the bridge, then how can it be "loose"?

To clarify for all, because I've had customers confused before - the pickup is designed to go on the non-threaded side of the adjuster. Meaning, you don't unscrew the adjuster, slip in the pickup, and re-tighten the adjuster by screwing it against the pickup. You need to remove the string tension, actually pull out the non-threaded post from the side of the adjuster that is always flat against the wood, and put the pickup between there.

If you've got it on the threaded side of the post, that is exactly your problem. If it's not, and you have it installed correctly, @devnulljp - consider this just an educational post for everyone else.

Realist Lifeline Installation

• Mark Gollihur
• Feb 17, 2017
• installation lifeline realist tips

 

[devnulljp]

If you've got it on the threaded side of the post, that is exactly your problem. If it's not, and you have it installed correctly, @devnulljp - consider this just an educational post for everyone else.

Yes! That's exactly the problem -- I had it in on the threaded part. Thank you.

 

[JW_Manhattan]

Is this your rig?

I don't use the Lifeine, but I use the Realist (copper). I have found it works best if you pad down the input level. If you open up the Clarus head (read the user manual), you can reduce the input level by 6dB, by moving a jumper. Very easy to do, and it solved the distortion issue I was having with the Realist.

May or may not work for the Lifeline... but worth a try.

http://www.acousticimg.com/docs/Manual-S4plus.pdf

Go to page 11, "Internal Jumper Options".