Pecanic Tailpiece

[Bob Branstetter]

Originally Posted by Greg Clinkingbeard

Bob,
Now you've got me thinking, or second-guessing. I've got what looks like an ebony tailpiece on my bass. At least thats what they told me.
In your experience with pizz playing, how do lighter and heavier tailpieces differ in response. Do they differ in tonal balance, clarity or both?

Hi Greg,
My personal experience and most of the people I've talked to about it seem to agree that you get "quicker" response with a lighter TP. However, it also seems to make for rougher bowing. Tonal balance? Clarity? I can't say. Not every bass is the same.

[Greg Clinkingbeard]

Thanks Bob.
Quickness is something my bass could use. I rarely bow, so it can't get much rougher.I'll try a lighter one maybe at the next string change.

[Daniel Yeabsley]

Here's a nice looking composite tailpiece on Bob Gollihurs site. And it's only $43. Hmmm...

[Greg Clinkingbeard]

Add to that, depreciation on a newish set of Obligatos and it just got more expensive. I think I'll wait a few months and try something lighter.
There was a thread on TB (I think) that Arnold is using composite tailpieces on his New Standards. FWIW.

[David Powell]

Bob Branstetter,

If the general rule in tuning the after length is 1/6, wouldn't that be a perfect 5th plus two octaves? (2/3 = the fifth degree, 1/3 is octave up, 1/6 another octave up)

[Bob Branstetter]

Originally Posted by David Powell

Bob Branstetter,

If the general rule in tuning the after length is 1/6, wouldn't that be a perfect 5th plus two octaves? (2/3 = the fifth degree, 1/3 is octave up, 1/6 another octave up)

It really is not a general rule, it is known as the German rule. Length and pitch are two different animals where this is concerned. You must consider that the end of the string with the wrapping and ball are usually not even the same diameter or mass as the speaking length string diameter. I don't consider the 1/6 length something to be fixed in stone. I may make it a little longer or a little shorter depending on the bass. I have not found the pitch/interval of the after-length to be anything consistant using the 1/6 length.

I fail to see how anyone can logically isolate the after-length frequency (pitch) from that of the tailpiece and tailpiece wire/gut/rope/etc. They vibrate as a single unit and the vibration frequency of the tailpiece, which has by far the greatest mass and amplitude, is frequently below that of the the lowest note on the instrument. If I were going to "tune" anything, it would be the tailpiece. It makes more sense to me to make the pitch of the tailpiece the same or an octave (1/2 the frequency) lower than the body resonance frequency, but that would be getting into A0/B0 matching. I also find it interesting that many players who amplify routinely mute that after-length . I guess they must not consider the after-length pitch all that important either.

[bobwall]

I tune my afterlength, and it does do something, at least on my bass. I tune it to a 5th. There was one symphony rehersal that my bass felt "off," and I just idly plucked the afterlength and noticed it was not at a 5th. I changed it and there was an enormous difference - volume went drastically up, it was much easier to get a great tone, etc. I have a witness - my stand mate watched me do it and said that the entire nature of the tone became much "warmer" and the volume went way up. I didn't even tell him what I was doing - he just exclaimed after I was done. I am certain it has an effect. I did it by putting pressure up or down on my bridge just around each string.

Here's my take on it, though - you're not really "tuning" the afterlength alone - you're tuning the nut to bridge length, too, which is pretty important - scale length has a pretty measurable effect on sound. It seems to me that every bass has a scale length (or a "tuning") that it is most resonant at - mine seems to be really really happy when the afterlength sounds at 2 octaves and a 5th above the forelength. Other basses I'm sure are very different. I'm sure it's not a placebo - I can tell just with a couple bow strokes if the thing isn't "tuned."