Extension makes your bass sound better or worst?

[Ken Smith]

Excess weight acts as a dampener. Like a Blanket over the sound in a way. If you don't need the extension, have it removed carefully, leave the hole in the scroll for possible future use, pack up the extension if ever you need it or sell the bass and have Lisa make you a new Nut and re-string it normally.

Some Orchestra people have said that adding an Extension opens up the sound but that is in an Orchestra capacity. Your open E which will get used a lot in Jazz will not sound as good with the Extension stop as it will in a regular Ebony Nut.

I had one bass come in that had a mechanical Extension that I didn't like. The Bass is slated for classical use but prior to its restoration, I immediately removed the extension and made a new/regular Nut and strung it normally. I gave the old Extension to a former student of the previous owner of the bass for his use. I used the Bass for nearly a year before it went on the bench for major surgery. After all is done and back to life it will get a chromatic Ebony extension like on my other basses.

One other Bass I had restored and set-up for orchestra got a fingered extension with only the E latch. When it sold to a Jazz player he had the extension taken off, packed up and set up with a normal E and 4 string ebony Nut. Same Luthier from the start on those jobs.

If you don't need it, take it off. If you want an extension that kills the sound less, get a hand made Ebony one like on my basses.