Double Bass Problem with Realist Lifeline

[tito mangialajo]

After 30 years with an Underwood, since one month I tried a Realist Lifeline. The problem is that when I play the first E on the D string there is a great resonance on the the E string that starts to vibrate and is very noisy and difficult to manage. I lowered the bass knob on the amplifier, a beutiful GRBass Cube Acoustic, I try to use the notch filter, the ampli is not on the ground but is on a stand...but nothing to do. The E string resonates a lot and is very difficult to play...
Has someone the same problem? Possible to resolve it? (This evening I have a concert and I try to play both Underwood and Realist Lifeline, a sort of A/B test, and I will hear the difference between the two in the same room...)

 

[Jefenator]

It sounds to me like the Lifeline might still have potential to work. I would try some hi-pass filtering if available (not necessarily the same thing as a "bass" knob with a bell-shape EQ curve) and move farther from the amp if possible.
It might also be that the Underwood is just a better match for the rest of your setup. My full-size 5-string came with an old Underwood which was working nicely for me until it died. I replaced it with a Lifeline and have been struggling to get that to work as well. It does seem prone to resonating & feeding back when trying to keep up with a loud drummer. I think the Underwood had a response more like a magnetic pickup, which wasn't as nuanced or true to the acoustic vibe, but may work better for letting that bass be heard in a loud group.
Unfortunately, finding the best pickup seems to be a trial & error process sometimes.

 

[Wasnex]

After 30 years with an Underwood, since one month I tried a Realist Lifeline. The problem is that when I play the first E on the D string there is a great resonance on the the E string that starts to vibrate and is very noisy and difficult to manage. I lowered the bass knob on the amplifier, a beutiful GRBass Cube Acoustic, I try to use the notch filter, the ampli is not on the ground but is on a stand...but nothing to do. The E string resonates a lot and is very difficult to play...
Has someone the same problem? Possible to resolve it? (This evening I have a concert and I try to play both Underwood and Realist Lifeline, a sort of A/B test, and I will hear the difference between the two in the same room...)

Try rolling up a towel and wedging it gently between the tail piece and front of the bass

 

[tito mangialajo]

Yesterday I noticed that the big resonance is there even with no amp. When amplified is lower in volume with the Underwood, but always there. I don't noticed that resonance before I installing the Lifeline. Could it be the cause? Changed the Lifeline in the bridge something in the set up?

 

[bherman]

Yesterday I noticed that the big resonance is there even with no amp. When amplified is lower in volume with the Underwood, but always there. I don't noticed that resonance before I installing the Lifeline. Could it be the cause? Changed the Lifeline in the bridge something in the set up?

Check the bass carefully, maybe its something else vibrating that is causing the resonance. One test might be to take the Lifeline off and see if it goes away. I use a lifeline on one of my basses (an Eminence EUB) and it works fine - but I did have to slightly raise the G string side of the bridge to compensate for the thickness of the Lifeline.

 

[Wasnex]

Yesterday I noticed that the big resonance is there even with no amp. When amplified is lower in volume with the Underwood, but always there. I don't noticed that resonance before I installing the Lifeline. Could it be the cause? Changed the Lifeline in the bridge something in the set up?

The bass, pickup, amp, speaker, and acoustics form a feedback loop. The stronger the feedback loop, the more it will emphasize resonances. The more amplification you use, the stronger the feedback loop.

Try using the towel as previously suggested. The tail piece and front panel tends to resonate at different low frequencies. The towel dampens both.

You can also use a notch filter or narrowband filter from a parametric EQ such as an Empress ParaEQ. Align the notch with the problem frequency.