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Topic: Ongoing problem amplifying my dobro to stage volume |
Tony Palmer
From:
St Augustine,FL
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Posted 5 Feb 2016 7:32 am |
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I have a beautiful dobro made by Carroll Benoit of Texas which I love but for the life of me, cannot successfully get decent stage volume without feedback. Knowing this to be a universal problem, I started with a magnetic pickup by Lace, which they say they make specifically for acoustic instruments and dobro. This produced a ridiculous amount of feedback even at lower volumes. Simply could not use it live under any circumstances.
Needless to say I was surprised as I didn't think a magnetic pickup could feed back.
Replaced the Lace Slimline with the Fishman Nashville resonator pickup (professionally installed) and bought the Aura/JD preamp pedal.
Although about 50% better, still NOT able to get decent stage volume or even PA volume without feedback. Fwiw feedback consists of the fourth or fifth string vibrating out of control, as if an eBow is activating it.
Is it *possible* the problem is my particular dobro??! I hope not 
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Sierra S10 (three!), Peavey 112 and 115, Benoit dobro, Beard Model E dobro, Beard Roadophonic, MSA Superslide, Dean Nickless custom dobro |
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Howard Parker
From:
Maryland
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Posted 5 Feb 2016 10:17 am
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Tony,
I've not had that issue with my Nashville/Aura rig. Can you describe your complete signal path and what your proximity is to your amp or monitor?
Something to try is to check the gain screw on the side of the Aura pedal. Make sure it is turned up 100%. Anything less than "all the way" usually means you can't get enough gain out of the pedal before feedback.
If already at 100% try backing off of the mix blend a tad to get a bit less of the image in the mix. Also, have you played with different images?
Hope this helps.
h
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Howard Parker
03\' Carter D-10
70\'s Dekley D-10
52\' Fender Custom
Many guitars by Paul Beard
Listowner Resoguit-L
Last edited by Howard Parker on 5 Feb 2016 1:32 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Michael Brebes
From:
Northridge CA
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Posted 5 Feb 2016 1:29 pm
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I use an LR Baggs Para DI after my Aura box, to control any problem frequencies as well as being able to flip the phase which helps many times.
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Michael Brebes
Instrument/amp/ pickup repair
MSA D10 Classic/Rickenbacher B6/
Dickerson MOTS/Dobro D32 Hawaiian/
Goldtone Paul Beard Reso
Mesa Boogie Studio Pre/Hafler 3000
RP1/MPX100 |
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Rob Anderlik
From:
Chicago, IL
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Posted 5 Feb 2016 5:17 pm
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Tony,
Something is suspect. You should be able to get decent stage volume with the Fishman Nashville pickup/JD Aura pedal.
Curious, what are you plugging into? In other words, does it feedback at relatively low volumes no matter what you plug it into? If you're plugging it in an amp and then running a line to the P.A. system you might want to try just plugging it directly into the P.A. system.
If it's the case that it's feedback at extremely high volume levels - I'd say that beyond a certain point the Fishman pickup - as good as it is - will feedback if pushed beyond a certain point. That's where a good preamp/EQ can be a lifesaver. Last but not least, if you haven't already tried this you might be able to stop or reduce the feedback by reversing the polarity on a preamp if you are using one.
Hope this helps |
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Tony Palmer
From:
St Augustine,FL
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Posted 5 Feb 2016 6:11 pm
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Thank you guys those are good suggestions. I have not checked the gain control on the side so it's at whatever was set at the factory. I have had the blend set around 2-3 o'clock so I will try backing that off. I have tried all the images but not while experiencing the feedback. And yes, I am guilty of playing relatively close to my amp but I have experienced the feedback even when I go direct to the PA.
It's not a *very* loud band, it's medium loud sound. And regardless, I get it even during sound check at low/medium volume.
I keep calling it feedback but it's really like a string or two are vibrating to the extreme...you can feel and see it. The dobro feels like it's going to explode when it happens!
_________________
Sierra S10 (three!), Peavey 112 and 115, Benoit dobro, Beard Model E dobro, Beard Roadophonic, MSA Superslide, Dean Nickless custom dobro |
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Howard Parker
From:
Maryland
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Posted 5 Feb 2016 6:39 pm
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That's feeding back through the cone. Check that gain control. Turn it all the way up.
h |
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Brian Evans
From:
Nova Scotia, Canada
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Posted 6 Feb 2016 11:42 am
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| Get a notch filter and dial back the gain at the frequency that generates the feedback. Get the sound sources pointing away from you, and monitor through earpieces rather than trying to hear your on-stage sound. Have you tried a microphone rather than a pickup? |
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Stephen Cowell
From:
Round Rock, Texas, USA
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Posted 6 Feb 2016 11:49 am
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The more sensitive and responsive the guitar, the worse this problem can get. Put a crappy cone in the guitar, your problems might go away. Irony.
Your JD Aura pedal has a Phase switch... try that.
A graphic EQ might help too... sounds like the bass frequencies are getting out of hand. The Aura system on my Martin armpit guitar has both phase and auto-notch... really great in a pinch. Amps for acoustic instruments often have a variable notch and phase switch too... my Fender Acoustasonic Jr DSP has a variable frequency notch knob.
Good luck!
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New FB Page: Lap Steel Licks And Stuff: https://www.facebook.com/groups/195394851800329 |
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Jerry Overstreet
From:
Louisville Ky
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Posted 6 Feb 2016 11:57 am
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FWIW, I have a Regal RD52 with the Fishman Nashville bridge unit on a Quarterman cone. I run it straight into an old Silvertone or my big stereo rack rig with no problems with feedback. MOF, it's the best I've ever done amping a reso. I'm not using the Aura or any other offboard acoustic blenders, eq's, etc.
I'm sure you've tried repositioning your amp/monitor away from close proximity, so it sure sounds like there is something odd going on with the Benoit. Great sounding and playing instruments BTW and high quality as they come, so it's a mystery to me. |
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Tony Palmer
From:
St Augustine,FL
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Posted 6 Feb 2016 12:09 pm
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What I haven't tried is running the pickup into the PA sans the Aura pedal.
I didn't bother because I don't think there's enough signal from the pickup alone, hence the preamp always being strongly recommended.
I have tried some or most of your suggestions here and there but the permutations are endless. Just trying 16 images with phase on phase off are 32 sounds then do them again with say, 25% blend then again with 75% blend are 96 separate sounds to evaluate!
Throw in variables like gain trim knob and distance from amp....wow!
I'm really starting to think there's something going on with the bridge or cone
_________________
Sierra S10 (three!), Peavey 112 and 115, Benoit dobro, Beard Model E dobro, Beard Roadophonic, MSA Superslide, Dean Nickless custom dobro |
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Howard Parker
From:
Maryland
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Posted 6 Feb 2016 12:29 pm
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Who did the install? did they not test before the guitar was returned to you?
Again...If you answer the questions in my first post I may be able to shed some light.
h |
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Tony Palmer
From:
St Augustine,FL
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Posted 12 Feb 2016 3:56 am
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Ok problem mostly solved. Did the same gig again last night, made a few tweaks to the Aura pedal but the final fix was one thing and one thing only: I moved away from my amp. I guess I was just too close and the sucker just went into an endless loop of amplification and vibration. Finally found the sweet spot about 10 feet away and had no problems. But the ghost of feedback from the last times haunted me and I still felt I was on the edge of setting 'er off again but thankfully did not.
So, lesson learned: a dobro is not a solid body electric it will feed back if you play too close to the amp!
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Sierra S10 (three!), Peavey 112 and 115, Benoit dobro, Beard Model E dobro, Beard Roadophonic, MSA Superslide, Dean Nickless custom dobro |
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