SORRY - that question AGAIN...... Pickups/volume

[nugget]

I know this question comes up all the time, but this is a bit specific (in my head)

I have started playing in an acoustic pop covers band, super fun stuff, loads of energy and VOLUME with a drummer playing a full kit, it’s only a small kit and the girl doesn’t hit em too hard but they seem quite loud for their size and how hard she’s hitting them so I need some fairly serious volume.
I recently picked up a PJB 8b cab which at home I can get the best DB sound I’ve ever had and very very happy with it at sensible volume, however, obviously at high volumes I’m having to cut quite a bit out of the eq to beat the feedback and can get loud enough but still fighting feedback a bit but obviously the tone is pretty pants.

I’ve read a lot no here about schaller mag pickups, so it doesn’t sound like a DB, but then neither does my piezo at high volume. SO just at high volume would a mag sound better / fuller than piezo? I know that’s hard as you don’t know what mine sounds like but has anyone had experience with changing to mag in a similar environment? My current strings wont work with mag and I LOVE my strings so that’s another negative to switching over. Are there any youtube clips etc of mag pickups in a full band situation

Would it be better to go IEM just for bass and position my cab away from me (other side of the drums)????

Either way is gonna cost some money I don’t really have so I thought I would ask here before taking the plunge.

[Beer of the Bass]

What's your pickup at the moment?

[nugget]

full circle and also got fitted one of those cheap ebay wing mounted things
Headway pre or (better) fdeck clone

[Rabbie]

Look at Blast Cult p'ups if what you want is sheer volume without going mag, but you may be too hasty. I play with Ehrlund and Schertler and I play in a trio with guitar through valve amp and drummer (though very sympathetic musicians). Drums are noisy compared with a bass played entirely acoustically, but all you need is enough amplification for the band to hear you well on stage, then let the front of house do the rest. Low stage volume see us fine in any situation, from small club to big festival. If faced with feedback at sound check, I switch the phase and bob's your uncle. Just my 2p's worth. Not useful advice for psychobilly guys but may well work for you maybe.

[randythoades]

I use a mag pickup and can play at insane volume without feedback, or indeed induce feedback like a DB version of Hendrix should I choose!!
It doesn't sound like my bass overall but it sounds pretty good in the mix. If you PM me I can email you some mp3 of my playing with band if you want to hear.
Rabbie is right though, even with mag pickup I tend to play at 'normal' volume with just a GK MB200 running about half volume into single 112 cab so only around 100w, just for my benefit really and DI into PA for both general monitoring for the rest of band and FOH.
Easier on the back.

Edited June 9, 2015 by randythoades

[timbass]

I experimented. Schaller is OK, Kent Armstrong mag pickup is better. I mix the Kent Armstrong with an AKG 411 contact mic through a Bose Tonematch. The sound is very close to unamplified DB, but can never be the same.

[fatback]

I'm wondering whether you might not try a decent preamp first. Notch filter rather than crude EQ, HP Filter and polarity switch. Some combination of these might help fix the feed back problem. Raising up the cab a foot or so can help too.

Just a thought.

PS Someone helpful on here years ago suggested I use a notch filter to test the bass to identify its bad frequencies for feedback and I've stuck with that setting ever since without a problem.

Edited June 9, 2015 by fatback

[timbass]

Totally agree with notch filter to take out bad frequencies at high gain. Audio Tools [url="http://studiosixdigital.com/audiotools-modules-2/acoustic-analysis-modules/rta/"]Real Time Analyser[/url] from Studio Six Digital is really useful for identifying the frequency and spread (guesswork eliminator). Mostly I leave this notch set, but sometimes playing on boomy stages it is useful to change it.

[nugget]

I've got a notch filter on the headway (and HPF and phase switch) i'll give that a go, the audio tools analyser looks like a good idea to.

I've played DB in a rock n roll band before an have always got reasonable tone at high volume just by slightly cutting relevent frequencies on the amp and the HPF/phase switch on the Fdeck. I did the same this weekend but had to cut more and more aggressively to a point where I though i might get a better tone with steel strings and mag pickup.

The more i think about it i'm not sure it wasnt more to do with the room, its a new practice room, the small drum kit with a light hitter sounded bloody loud (and i'm used to playing elec bass in a pop/rock band with a fairly hard hitter)

I think i'm shying away from Mag as i love my strings so much when playing unamplified at home, no more string GAS. I might suggest we reherse somewhere else even if for a one off before doing anything drastic.

Thanks
Dave