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Double Bass Help i'm getting feedback!

MAJUSCULE

MAJUSCULE

Jun 9, 2009
7
0
Edmonton, AB, Canada
#1
So today was my first rehersal with this Jazz band i'm trying to start up. So i'm using my upright, but i've never played my upright throught an amp before. As rehersal is starting i plug in to the amp and get a metallic sound so i start trying to ajust the EQ, i don't get too far. We start playing and everything is running smoothly when i'm playing but every time we finish a song i get a steadly increasing hum of feedback and end up turning off the amp. So i was wondering if any one could give me tips on how to clean up sound and not get that feedback? :help: (The amp is a Roland D-Bass 210 and i'm playing a crapy plywood bass)
Thanks!
 
#4
I've found the the two most effective tools for fighting feedback are a phase switch and a HPF. I use a Fishman Platinum Pro. fdeck also makes a box that does those things.

I also try to eq pretty minimally. I've found that most eq tweaking ends up effecting things you don't want to in trying to get what you want. You can also create some pretty weird artifacts. I eq pretty flat and have found pickup and amp pairings that allow me to do that.
 
#5
Like real estate ... it's location, location, location. That dawg house will pick up vibrations from any source, be it the strings against the bridge and top, or from the amp speaker two feet away. Add a sensitive piezo to the mix, and you get feedback. Really, try moving the amp and bass around.
 
#9
Les Fret said:
Is there a way to dampen the bass to reduce feedback? For example putting a piece of cloth behind the tailpiece. Or is that stupid and doesn't it help?
Click to expand...

Sure. It helps. I've used to do a towel or nerf ball behind the tailpiece and some of those red felt strips that piano tuners use woven between the afterlengths of my strings, even some pieces of foam plugging the ff-holes.

Turned me off from using the DB in larger venue rock stuff though.

Lately I have been doing some gigs with a singer/songwriter that is doing some big rock clubs and festivals and I am revisiting the way I make the DB stoopid loud. Like I've said before a phase switch and HPF are invaluable tools.

As of yet I haven't had to break out the old nerf ball.
 
#11
To get slab-like volume out of a DB, I found the best thing to use is a magnetic pick-up, such as the String Charger. Been many years since I've had to and sold that pick-up long ago, but that would do the trick.

Don't expect it to sound just like your upright, but it beats fighting feedback.

I would never use one for jazz though...
 
#13
fingers said:
Sure. It helps. I've used to do a towel or nerf ball behind the tailpiece and some of those red felt strips that piano tuners use woven between the afterlengths of my strings, even some pieces of foam plugging the ff-holes.

Turned me off from using the DB in larger venue rock stuff though.

Lately I have been doing some gigs with a singer/songwriter that is doing some big rock clubs and festivals and I am revisiting the way I make the DB stoopid loud. Like I've said before a phase switch and HPF are invaluable tools.

As of yet I haven't had to break out the old nerf ball.
Click to expand...



nerf ball? ill like to see a pick of this:hyper:
 
#14
MAJUSCULE said:
Hey guys,
thanks for all the tips i'll try moving it around and up. I don't know what kind of pick up I have:confused:, but I will check into it. No I don't have a pre-amp, but give me some suggestion.
Click to expand...

I am surprised no one suggested to use a notch filter, Very effective for reducing feedback. Some amps (like Acoustic Image) have them, maybe there is a preamp that contains one. It's the same as using a parametric eq at full cut and just sweeping the the range control until you find and stop the feedback.
 
#15
Eddue said:
I am surprised no one suggested to use a notch filter, Very effective for reducing feedback. Some amps (like Acoustic Image) have them, maybe there is a preamp that contains one. It's the same as using a parametric eq at full cut and just sweeping the the range control until you find and stop the feedback.
Click to expand...

Hey Ed, good thought, it probably wasn't mentioned because they're not that common. I wonder why the acoustic preamp people don't include a notch filter in their product?

In addition to Uncle Toad's famous feedback post, Chris Rhoades on RockabillyBass recently wrote a good post on fighting feedback right here:

http://www.doublebasschat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8929
 
#16
Bass said:
Hey Ed, good thought, it probably wasn't mentioned because they're not that common. I wonder why the acoustic preamp people don't include a notch filter in their product?

In addition to Uncle Toad's famous feedback post, Chris Rhoades on RockabillyBass recently wrote a good post on fighting feedback right here:

http://www.doublebasschat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8929
Click to expand...

There is one on my AI coda, it comes in handy quite often. I also carry a Korg AX10A. It is a small effects pedal/preamp made for acoustic guitars. It has a notch filter, eq, tuner and some of the effects are usable and the input impedence works well with my fishman pickup. I just keep the effects to a minimum and have access to the notch filter and tuner plus it has a volume pedal built-in.
 

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