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Double Bass Desperate times call for desperate measures (feedback)

Norre

Norre

Jan 5, 2001
465
49
51
Antwerp, Belgium
users.telenet.be
#1
Ever since I started playing amplified I've been fighting the big feedback monster that I'm sure we all have met. I've learned a lot from this forums and invested in some proper gear over the last years. I use a Full Circle that goes into an Acoustic Image Clarus 4S+ (great amp btw!) and a MAS45 or 2 1x12" Bergantino cabs depending on the venue. I don't stand in front of my cabinet and I always start soundcheck with no bass in the monitor (near me). This usually works but sometimes I still have feedback no matter what I try. Last gig the soundman had to cut everything below 240 HZ (!) to get a sound that worked. I'm really sick and tired with this feedback issue. I'd love to just plug in and concentrate on the music instead of amps and stuff. So I've been thinking to get a feedback killer like this one: http://dbxpro.com/en-US/products/afs2--2
Anyone ever tried this?

Greetz,

KN
 
#2
Never used that parcitcular thing myself. Do have experience with sound engineers using something like this and it seemed to work for them. I don't think you have to go this far though. What's missing in your bag of tricks is phase reversal and a high pass filter. Several pre's for DB will provide that. Like the Fdeck and the Fishman pro platinum. I use both and they take care of most feedback issues. There are loads more threads on tb attesting to how well they work.
 
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#4
I just tried the Behringer Shark and was not happy with it. There comes always a new feedback frequency in if the last one was filtered out, since you move the instrument. And the automatic detection is too slow, so you often hear a feedback building up before it was filtered out.
Nice in theory, but not for a bass mic.
Better elevate the amp and move it away from the bass, pointing to the rib of the bass, not bottom or top (and try not to turn the bass too much).
 
#6
Hey Eric,

Thanks for the offer! I do use a high-pass filter and phase reverse switch (which are integrated in my acoustic image amp) but I still get feedback sometimes.
I also have an EDB-1 and even an fdeck preamp but haven't used these with my acoustic image yet.
Maybe I should give that a try?

ciao,

Norre
 
#8
DoubleMIDI said:
I just tried the Behringer Shark and was not happy with it. There comes always a new feedback frequency in if the last one was filtered out, since you move the instrument. And the automatic detection is too slow, so you often hear a feedback building up before it was filtered out.
Nice in theory, but not for a bass mic.
Click to expand...

My experience with the Shark feedback destroyer was the same.. One thing that helped for me was putting my endpin on a punctured tennis ball or a bit of foam to prevent lows coming in from the stage

Steve
 
#10
Norre said:
Hey Eric,

Thanks for the offer! I do use a high-pass filter and phase reverse switch (which are integrated in my acoustic image amp) but I still get feedback sometimes.
I also have an EDB-1 and even an fdeck preamp but haven't used these with my acoustic image yet.
Maybe I should give that a try?

ciao,

Norre
Click to expand...

Norre,
You definitely should try the EDB-1, into the effects return of your AI, so that you're bypassing the EQ section. What I've found, is that you will typically get a cleaner, and more articulate sound, with ample headroom before feedback starts to be
an issue, especially if you roll off the bass control on the Headway EDB-1, and use the Low Midrange control's overlap to emphasize the upper end of the low frequency range. Only the newest Acoustic Image amplifiers (Series 4+) have individual controls
for Low and High Midrange, it makes a world of difference, to be able to discreetly adjust, those frequency bands individually. The FDeck is a wonderful device, but it isn't intended to be a pre amp like the EDB-1 is. Inserting it into the effects return,
defeats it's 10 Meg Ohm input impedance function, so it you're going to try the FDeck it should be at the front of the signal chain directly after the pickup. Good luck, it's a real challenge to solve this issue.

Ric
 
#11
Thanks for the advice Ric.
I had a gig last night. I got a good sound using a single cab (elevetad from the ground) facing away from me.
Unfortunately the monitors didn't work (the club had a crappy PA system with no one to operate it) so I had a hard time hearing myself.
But at least there was no feedback. Folks were dancing and having a good time ... that's good enough for me.
The feedback battle continues. Sometimes you win sometimes you loose, but every time you learn something ;-)
 
#12
There are tons of tricks that help...usually those tricks come at the expense of what you love about having an acoustic bass in the first place! Finding the balance is the key. I use foam in the f holes and under the tailpiece and it helps more often that not
 

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