Mitigating the acoustic feedback from an EB-2/Rivoli

[tleeitsme]

I have a Korean Rivoli that feedbacks like crazy. I know this is the nature of semi-hollows but there’s got to be a little room for improvement.


It currently is rocking a dimarzio model one humbucker that I would like to swap for a Novak Darkstar, but my tech seems to think adding a single coil will only make matters worse. Is this true?

I’ve read about jack cassidy or phil lesh stuffing their semi-hollows with foam. Is this a solution or just hippies throwing stuff at the wall and seeing what stuck? Lol

any help is appreciated.

thanks.

 

[Jazz Ad]

Covering the f-holes is a good start.

 

[Beej]

Stuffing it with foam definitely works, but foam can also break down over time, and using hollofil or the like can be a pain to get it out as it will catch on the rough surfaces of the wood inside.

Total sideways thought but sometimes people turn up the volume when using mudbucker basses in the hopes of gaining more articulation in the tone. Changing it to a single coil or clearer-sounding pickup may permit you to achieve the tone you need with less overall volume which can also reduce the amount of feedback you get. Just a thought... If you can tell, I'm not a fan of mudbuckers. I think it's a pickup design that was worthy of total rejection back in the 1960s...

 

[rudy4444]

You would get some feedback relief by coupling the top and rear plate by wedging in some snug-fitting dowels between the plates through the f holes. You can use a violin sound post setting tool to do that.
Only test fitting would tell you how effective this would be.

 

[dwizum]

Is the pickup potted? If not, try potting it (or swapping to one that is). An unpotted pickup can cause all kinds of feedback regardless of the body design.