Is it a set up problem?

[Mike Mandelas]

Friends, thanks for your replies. The bass is a 3/4 roundback, with a string length of 104 cm. Talking about the piz sound i can describe it as lacking depth, lacking this "booming" which is associated with jazz music. The volume is acceptable and the sustain is good with the Spiros but... the overall feeling is not comparable with its arco sound. The arco sound (with Evahs on) is magnificent and shakes the whole place. The principal bassist int the Symphony Orchestra of Salonica played it and gave a very high appraisal for the quality of the sound. Alas, he never played jazz and he has no opinion about the pizzicato sound.

I recently ordered a soundpost with a larger diameter (21 mm) and with dense grain and i'm waiting to try it. The existing soundpost (18 mm) is not of the best quality. In my quest for the best sound in the past i had the chance to improve the piz sound in one of my basses simply changing the soundpost with a larger one, with more density in the grain. Only your invaluable help and Chuck Traeger's book can provide me any hints to work and upgrade my instruments, since there is not any respectable luthier in Greece dealing with double basses.

Thanks for yor time and i'll keep you informed for any improvements.