Double Bass new bass and pickup. New problem!

[sidonbass]

I recently stepped up to a fully carved bass from my old laminated bass. My old bass had a full circle which I ran to my Radial Tonebone Bassbone, to a powered speaker. No issues.
New bass has a K and K Bassmax and then through the same chain. Result - Super boomy bass. I have the bass EQ set at 7 oclock on the Bsssbone and it still is boomy and even has some feedback if I don't mute the strings, which of course kills the sustain. Suggestions?

 

[DJ Bebop]

I recently stepped up to a fully carved bass from my old laminated bass. My old bass had a full circle which I ran to my Radial Tonebone Bassbone, to a powered speaker. No issues.
New bass has a K and K Bassmax and then through the same chain. Result - Super boomy bass. I have the bass EQ set at 7 oclock on the Bsssbone and it still is boomy and even has some feedback if I don't mute the strings, which of course kills the sustain. Suggestions?

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[Scott Lynch]

An HPF can help to control the boom in the lowest bass frequencies better than a shelving-type low EQ. Seconding @DJ Bebop ’s recommendation above for @fdeck ’s HPF pre. It’s probably the best option for something affordable. That would be the easiest place to start.

Another thing you could do is experiment with different pickups. Perhaps try running the FC on your new bass and see if it makes a difference.

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

That's too many variables, IMO. I would start by trying a FC on the carved bass, assuming the strings and setup are similar.

I used a Bass Max way back in the day, and was able to make it work after a LOT of trial and error. It had a big rubbery bottom end that needed to be tamed, and also some glassy highs that I didn't want. I always used a HPF and had some pretty extreme looking EQ settings on my amps and preamps. Once I moved on to the Full Circle, everything on the amp was pretty much flat if I used a HPF. That's why I never looked back, because it was much more plug and play. I'd start there and see what happens.

 

[Don Hergert]

Try moving the wing pickup to the treble side of the bridge. Many of us have found that to be the solution.

 

[Francois Blais]

Get rid of the BassMax, that's the way it sounds.

 

[Wasnex]

With a name like BASS Max, sounds like it's working perfectly (or at least exactly as intended) .

You can run an HPF and/or apply a bunch of corrective EQ. You can try fiddling with pickup position. My guess is the best results will be with a different pickup.

FYI, the optimal pickup varies from bass to bass. The Bass Max may be awful on your carved bass, and yet work great on a different bass.

Try rolling up a towel and wedging it between the tail piece and top panel.

 

[Lee Moses]

I agree that a K&K Bassmax is a significant downgrade from a Full Circle. Getting that Full Circle on my new bass would be my first step.

 

[fdeck]

Moving the pickup sounds like a good thing to try. Much as I love to sell gear, it does add one more thing to haul around if you don't need it.

My only word of caution is to make sure the adjuster threads match on the two bridges. The Full Circle comes in different thread sizes including US 1/4-20 and metric 6 mm, which could be mixed up if you don't look closely, and are not compatible.

 

[sidonbass]

Try moving the wing pickup to the treble side of the bridge. Many of us have found that to be the solution.

Thanks! That is what is so surprising. It's on the treble side.

 

[Don Hergert]

Thanks! That is what is so surprising. It's on the treble side.

Hmmm. Have you tried dropping the EQ Bass tone down very low, and raising mid and treble?

 

[Thumpa]

I have a bass max. I need to adjust the pickup position each time I use it. Slide it North or South (toward fingerboard or bridge) East or west (toward trable or bass side) rotate it...the tone changes significantly with each small move. I have learned how to do this by ear each time I play. My other bass has a full circle, no problem.

 

[sidonbass]

I tried moving it around and yes, it helped. I also switched to my other rig: Trayner 500 watt head and phil jones cab. That helped even more.

 

[Francois Blais]

You can also try to twist it around so the side facing the wing will face the leg.
The tone may be somewhat different.

 

[pjb15]

Ditch the Bass Max and get another Full Circle or Realist Lifeline. Consistent good sound.

 

[logdrum]

First play around with the bass max positions. Try everything even if it sounds illogical. Then HPF. If you are doing drastic EQ, it is the wrong pickup. The HPF will not be wasted whether you get another pickup or not. You really need it for most carved basses when playing amplified.

Also the Boominess , is it also present when recording it and the speakers are off or through headphones? Sometimes what an HPF cannot catch can be fixed with a notch filter. Sometimes you have to set the HPF frequency too high over 120Hz that you losing the low end

The first gen bassbone is not good for double bass, passable at best. I have one and I have another preamp and use the channel without EQ and set it to flat. The PZ version is what you want but there are probably better versions of a DB preamp anyway

 

[logdrum]

Also have you had the carved bass checked by a luthier. The bass post may need adjustment also. They always do IME Mention that it is too boomy when you bring it in.

 

[Michael Eisenman]

I seem to remember something about making sure that the fit is not too tight. Pickup needs to be snug in the wing—held in place, not squeezed.

 

[james condino]

$50 Vic's model B

 

[Ric Vice]

The Full Circle is has a focused sound, it’s even throughout the frequency range of your instrument. The Bass Max is convenient to mount and remove but doesn’t reproduce the basses timbre IME.