TheRev

It's a pretty hot pickup - has the the highest output of all my double bass pickups.

I can get a bit nervous if it's a new venue or if I have to kill a lot of time between soundcheck and gig time.

As it happens, on Saturday I'll be playing a venue that was my first proper 'big' gig (450 people) almost 7 years ago. I'd only joined the band 3 months previously and wasn't as familiar with the songs as I would have liked - I'd had just two rehearsals before starting a busy summer gig schedule, many of which were 'cider fuelled and entertainingly chaotic' so I was pretty much rooted to the spot with fear for the whole 45 minutes (which felt like 4 hours). Hopefully the second time will be a bit more fun!

2 hours ago, kristo said:

😜

Glad it looks ok, now to find a preamp that gets the best from it......

I used the old model Fishman Platinum Pro for 4 years with a Bassmax. Always  worked well.

98% of gigs we all go together in the drummer's or singer's van (depending on whether we're lugging a PA or not).

Occasionally one of us will drive separately if we need to leave later than the rest of the band or are coming from somewhere other than home.

In my 8 year search for feedback free double bass in a high volume band I've found that a magnetic pickup, a preamp with a high pass filter & phase invert switch and f-hole mutes (in that order) are the most effective anti-feedback measures.

I use all four, along with raising my cab off the floor to at least waist height, and not having bass in the monitors, which makes me 98% feedback free. If I'm still having issues (usually with an E played on the D string for some reason) then I'll place myself/amp so my bass is side on to my amp.

I've found the most effective anti feedback tools are the high pass filter, phase invert switch and mutes/dampening, in that order.

If you don't have those, then staying away from feedback inducing situations  by careful amp placement (raised as high as possible, ideally shoulder height so it's well away from the body of your bass) and your position on stage (away from monitors and presenting as low a profile as possible to any sound sources) are the only things you can do to help.

I've only tried a feedback destroyer one with double bass and to be honest, I wasn't expecting much so I may have been a bit biased in my 'tried it, didn't like it' response.

I'd used feedback destroyers previously in the PA/FOH of band I was in that played a lot of small pubs. While it was certainly very effective in removing troublesome frequencies, these frequencies were often the ones that were quite important to vocals, so it just ended up pulling out all of the nice sounding frequencies, leaving a hollow, thin vocal sound.

When I tried it with double bass, the same thing happened - problem frequencies were pulled out but the resulting sound was thin and weedy and effectively useless. it put me in bad mood for the whole gig, but as I said, this was exactly what I was expecting would happen.

I've had better success with a preamp with a high pass filter, phase switch and a variable notch filter, though the notch filter still removes some of the frequencies that I wanted to hear so I don't use it unless I absolutely have to.   My current setup, which is very feedback resistant is a magnetic pickup, F-hole mutes, preamp with a phase switch and the HPF set to around 80hz, no bass in the monitors and my backline up on a stand at about chest height.  if I'm still having issues with feedback I throw stuff at the guitarist until he turns his amp down. 

Dave

Velvet Blues are pretty growly on my bass.

Silver slaps are lower tension than Velvet Blues, but there may not be much in it on the G and D (at least from what I remember on my bass).

You might also want to consider Presto Nylonwound Lights.

1 hour ago, BassBod said:

Arnapol cabs are always interesting 😎

I have 2. Can bring both...

It's looking like a gig free weekend so count me in.

I'm not sure what to bring? I brought one of my double basses last year, but there wasn't much interest in the bigg'un.

I've just taken delivery of a new MAS 46 cab (Mike Arnapol Soundworks 4x6) if anyone's interested in trying it out?

This is pretty close to the Hamilton stand.

https://m.thomann.de/gb/km_14160_electric_upright_stand.htm?o=13&search=1519844502

4 hours ago, ambient said:

I don’t drink anyway, but drinking on stage to me at least seems very unprofessional, also though it seems like you don’t care somehow. Alcohol would surely affect how you play?

Our audience would be very suspicious of any gig we did without drinking. It's not unusual for us to have a 30L box of cider on stage. 

We don't drink it all on stage of course, there's usually enough left to share on the drive home.

We have a badger suit, but we make someone in the audience wear it.

Have you looked at Presto Nylonwound?

Very fat E string and low tension.

Their Aerium chambered fretless sounds more uprightish than that.

Doesn't help that blokey's right hand technique is all wrong for pizz.

That reminds me - I need to renew ours ASAP.

There have been cider related incidents......

I always thought that Morrisey's twuntishness put me off liking all bar a few tracks by The Smiths.

As the years have passed, I've realised that I only actually like five songs by The Smiths, Morrisey being a massive cnut had nothing to do with it.

No, not really.

I had more success using synthetic orchestral strings to reduce the sustain. Raising the action helps as well.

Well, I didn't have any problems hearing myself! It definitely has a bit more 'throw' than the 45.

It sounds a bit different to the 45, so my usual 'set and forget' eq had more low end than I normally have onstage. It'll take a few more gigs and a bit of tweaking to get everything just as i like it.

All set up and ready to go!

I built a cupboard in the hall for amp/cables bag, gig bass cabs, merch boxes and bass case.

The double basses live in the alcove next to the fireplace along with 1 electric bass and a mandolin, with a shelf above for acessories.

The remaining electric basses and cabs live in the rehearsal room at the guitarist's house.

Yep.

This is the 4x6. My 4x5 struggles on some of the bigger stages so the 46 will take over live duties and the 45 will move to the rehearsal room.

Arrived just in time for tonight's gig!

On 14/01/2018 at 14:43, Dankology said:

I have a few reservations though. No one locally seems to carry any stock and the only online demos I can find are a bit compromised in terms of the sound quality.

I've not come across the FEB before so I Googled some YouTube videos. They sound fine to me, for a sub-300 quid bass. The choice of strings would go some way to giving a more acoustic-like sound.

6 hours ago, Dankology said:

Thanks for that.

 

I think the sound I'd most like to approximate is the one I hear on John Martyn's Solid Air. 

The track, Solid air or the album?

The bass on the song is a Danny Thompson & Victoria combo - good luck getting that sound with an acoustic bass guitar! ;-)

If you already have flats on your electric, it's worth experimenting with foam mutes to kill off the sustain. Also try plucking with side of your finger (or your thumb!) for a softer sound.

Dave.