Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian Gencarelli
Bob,
Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't the afterlength tuning important in the fight against wolfs, or it can at least mimic a "true wolf" when the afterlength is vibrating at a sympathetic frequency?
For instance, if your A string is hard to start, check all the afterlength and see if one of them is an A or very close to it. If so, put a wolf tone eliminator on to "correct" that pitch?
This concept was passed on to me by a luthier I worked with in the past, and I figured with your AO/BO expertise you could shed some light? Plus this would affect the tail length to shoot for.
I have heard that we should try to tune an octave and a fifth higher than the open string, but obviously that would be hard with a compensated tailpiece...
What are your thoughts? Or Arnold, Jeff, Ken?
Thanks,
Brian
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Well, when I make an adjustment in the after length I am either moving the TP up or down. If up, the tailwire is longer with more flex possibly and iff down, less flex as the shorter wire is tighter. Also, there is more or less string below the bridge or the TP is closer away or farther towards the bridge.
What does this all mean scientifically? I have
NO CLUE! 
But, I do feel that when the TP is lower, the string tension feels tighter and when the TP is closer to the Bridge, The bass feels easier to play. There is about a 5% - 10% difference if pay close attention. A day or so later, all is forgotten.
Now, I am doing this on some pretty good carved Basses, most of them being fairly old. These are all great Orchestral Basses and 'smoke' for Jazz if that's what I need them for. If It was a wolfy shop Bass or modern plywood Bass, I don't know if polishing the hood ornament would make the engine run smoother. No insult meant there by the way.
Newer Bass need to be broken in and stay well set up and cared for just like any other Bass. The only thing is that you may not live long enough to see, play or hear that Bass fully matured.
I have owned and used about 4-5 New Basses in my life. One was my first plywood from Germany (Lang/Juzek). the next would be my W.Wilfer (from Juzek, Master Art model w/o Juzek Label). That Bass was 5 or 10 years old when I bought it but never out of the shop or set-up b4 I picked it up. It replaced an older Shop Bass maybe 40-60 years old or so. That older Bass was tight and wolfy. The Wilfer was loose and smooth on every note. Just a better Bass regardless of age.
Next was 10 years ago when I got one of 2 Shens made with European wood, the 3/4 Gamba1000 model. Smooth and deep for its size and still going strong. That is now my son Jon's Bass. Then I got a 7/8ths 800 model Gamba Shen which I still have and use when needed. The 3/4 I think is a finer sounding Bass but the 7/8ths is a cannon, just a little new sounding.
Most recently I bought the Bollbach Lion which is amongst the best new Basses I have played ranking the the handmades that Arnold makes which I just don't own one but have played a few of them.
Good handmade Basses sound good, period. Shop Basses do not have the attention to detail internally or in the materials chosen combined which makes it a hit or miss gamble. Two other Basses I bought which were both represented originally as Italian Basses turned out to be most likely Hungarian and not as old as they are dated. These do sound good by the way and not at all like my Shens. They are just Italian fakes made in a country where they think making a fake is more profitable than building up your own name as a maker. Many people are searching to find who these makers are as they have fooled a lot of people in the business or at least made us interested rather than just disgusted as the Basses are very good for the most part.
So.. for the TP.. Dress up you Bass as you see fit but the set-up overall is more important than one single component or accessory.
By the way, if and when I DO need a new TP, Mike is my go-to guy for that.
Jeff and Arnold have made some nice ones for their personal Basses as well but I think Mike has the best ones on the market today.