Playing Mandolin thru amp

[sharpsmusic]

Hi
Have problems (feedback)with my Ovation MCS 148 Mandolin.

It tends to feedback on the bottom g string, causing me a fair bit of grief when performing.
Can anybody recommend a pedal or something to stop this problem.
Or is there a good microphone you would recommend to fix this

Regards John

[roberto]

I used to cover the f-holes with duck tape. Simple but works right.

[Klaus Wutscher]

Many possible reasons for that problem....
1) Are you using an amp and a monitor or just a monitor or just the amp (unlikely). First, find out what feeds back. If you use both, turn the one down that feeds back and turn the other up if necessary.
2) Positioning of the amp: Distance and angle of the amp are crucial for feedback. If the amp stands flat on the floor and screams at your knees you will need much more power to hear the amp as opposed to positioning the amp in an upward angle so it is directed to you, thus it is more likely to feedback. Also, it is better to have the amp behind you rather than in front because your body is between your instrument and the speaker. Watch out when you turn back, though!
3) EQ settings: take a good look at the EQ settings of the mandolin/amp/monitor/pa: inherently most mandolins have a sigal boost on the g string and that has to be properly adjusted.
4) How loud is the band on stage? If you have electric guitar and drums on stage, probably louder than necessary! Yes, it is possible to turn louder things down instead of quiet things up!
5) If all the above does not work, outboard gear like a parametric EQ should do the trick. However, usually that should not be necessary.

These days, mandolinists should not be doomed to drown in feedback once they know their equipment and how it works- a little research really goes a long way!

[Mando-Loon]

I'm assuming that you have the OP-24+ Pre-amp? Try pulling out each of the three EQ frequencies one at a time until you find the nasty frequency.

Are you're running it through an amp or directly into the PA? Try adjusting the EQ on those as well, pull out each frequency one at a time until you find the culprit.

Most effects companies have an EQ pedal, usually for not too much cash. Boss and DOD are fairly common for guitars but I don't know if anyone has a mandolin specific one. It will give you more control over your own frequenies if you don't trust the person doing sound.

Remember that each room responds differently so you may have to tweek it each time. But that's what sound check is for, right?

Covering all those holes on an Ovation may look bad but it might help as well. I was going to suggest a rubber sound hole cover but then I looked at the Ovation sight and saw the multi sound hole. They have covers for a center sound hole but nothing for the multi's.

How does the Ovation play? I've got a 6 string Celebrity that I use live and I just love it. So I've been thinking about an Ovation mandolin.

Robbie

[Klaus Wutscher]

The problem with 3 band EQ (esp. with a mandolin which does not have a bass range, which turns it to a 2 band eq, essentially)is that the bands are so broad that you will cut down a very broad range of frequencies where you really only need a very narrow filter (maybe 20 HZ). Also, if you allready have a 3 band EQ on the preamp and a 3 band on the mixing desk, probably a third 3 band EQ will not get you any further imo. If you are looking for an overkill solution get the sabine feedback killer. I doubt that you will need it, though.

Our guitarist in the country band uses an older ovation with an outboard 32 band EQ - no sound problems ever!

[Ted Eschliman]

Funny, I've owned three different Ovation mandolins, including my current custom (one of a kind) Adamas model. These instruments are really the only mandos that I never had feedback problems with. Even my revered Rigels would give me pesky overtones on D pitch at high volume, especially facing directly into the amp (or monitor).

My Trace Elliott amp is endowed with a "Notch Filter" knob which was perfect for the offending tones. It did a terrific job once I isolated the offending frequency; I was able to dial it out quite effectively, without discoloring the tone.

[Smyers]

Almost all acoustic instruments will have one or two frequencies that they will want to naturally resonate at. #Some instruments are worse than others of course. #Add this to an amplifier which has its own natural resonance with a pickup or mic and let the fun begin. #Welcome to the world of pro audio!

Luckily, feedback occurs in sinusoudal waves only and can be tuned out easily. #You will find that it will be at just one frequency or at a pair of mathematical multiples that sort of make a strange warble sound. #As you turn the volume up, you find then other frequencies which take more gain to start to feedback which require even further attention. #To add even more fun to it, those frequencies will vary slightly over time with temperature and humidity. #Yes, the room can and will come into play, but I believe you are talking about amp/instrument feedback which is room independent.

Wide band equalizers are not the solution, because they squash the sound overall, encouraging you to turn up the volume which of course adds to the feedback again. #You will find you are always on the edge of feedback with this method and your sound just isn't right.

As Mandohack has discovered, a simple notch filter is a great solution without squahing the overall sound of the instrument. #A more modern and better solution are Automatic DSP feedback filters, which are extremely narrow filters that discolor the sound of the mando even less and catch things automatically during a performance. #Nice. #Using either requires some experiementation with your exact instrument/amp combo, but you should have great success with the right piece of electronics and some patience.