#1
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'The Comfort Factor'
I am starting this thread to discuss the comfort or discomfort of playing the Bass.
What factors to YOU are important in making playing more pleasurable and less strain when playing this 'bigger' Violin? Points I want to personally touch is shape, corner style, size, Neck stop, Radius of FB and Bridge and any other construction issue we can find. I don't think String discussions should be included here because it wont make an uncomfortable Bass feel comfortable unless there is a huge mis-match to the Bass string wise. For starters I love the looks of Violin Shaped Basses. For some reason, I often his the upper corners on either side of the upper bout with the Bow. Gamba corners stick out less and I hit them less as well. The one concert I played with my Cornerless Bass I remember playing about 8-9 hours on that day with a 44 1/4" string length and saying to myself "This is the most comfortable Bass I have ever played"! I have used both D and Eb necks and at this point, I am not sure what I like better or even IF I like one better than the other. On Strings lengths stretch-wise I prefer 41"-42". I have played bigger but only the Cornerless Bass seems easy to play at that longer length. I don't mind large shoulders if I can get over them but I will overlook some or all of the above if the sound almost puts me in a Coma! Two Basses that I have in restoration have features that fall into my 'problem zone' items. One is the 'Hart Maggini Bass' which has strong violin corners bound to get whacked by my Bow, has broad shoulders and an Eb Neck. Most of the Basses I have been playing with the exception of me semi-retired Batchelder (I only play it in the office these days at best) have basically a 'D' Neck. The Tone of this Bass when it was literally 'falling apart' was one of the sweetest sounding Basses my ears have heard and was almost as loud as the Dodd which was in great condition and not in need of a massive restoration like the Hart was. For the sound alone, I will forgive all the possible less-than-perfect comfort items I have mentioned. We can talk looks at another time! The other is the 'Mystery Bass' that has been in restoration for about 3 years now. This Bass is a 'big boy' standing at about 6"6" or so off the ground. The Top is about 46" to the Neck and longer to the tips. The Upper bout is almost 22" across and the lower over 28". Both Bouts were either cut or worn heavily as the Purfling is missing in the rounder areas of the bouts. This baby is HUGE! How does it sound? I have no idea! Why did I buy it totally unplayable and falling apart? It spoke to me! The wood and varnish is beautiful and I just have this gut feeling that this will be my organ sounding cannon when all is said and done. When you like a Bass, many things are looked over. When the Bass is just not your 'grail yet, we seem to find fault at every turn. |
#2
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Not that I know much. You learn what's wrong with one bass by finally playing one that doesn't have that deficiency. I've played a bunch of basses, but not long enough to know except on the two I've owned.
Last edited by David Powell; 07-07-2007 at 09:06 AM. |
#3
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Mensur Trivia
String length and comfort / playability:
String length: longest whole step (half position)*, whole step at heel (D harmonic)* 41.5 inches: 39.1708 - 34.8972 = 4.2735, 27.6667 - 24.6481 = 3.01 inches 42 inches: 39.6427 - 35.3176 = 4.3251, 28 - 24.9452 = 3.05 inches 43 inches: 40.5866 - 36.1585 = 4.428, 28.6667 - 25.5391 = 3.1276 inches 44.25 inches: 41.7664 - 37.2097 = 4.5568, 29.5 - 26.2815 = 3.2185 inches *Calculations of actual experienced stretches to reach across whole steps bases on the twelfth root of 2 as the factor between half steps. The calculations show that the hand only must stretch slightly more than a quarter of an inch farther at the most between the shortest string given and the longest. The difference is dramatically reduced as one moves up the fingerboard. The difference looks daunting when considering the total difference of 2.75 inches. But that is a difference the hand experiences only in small fractions. |
#4
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!
david,
thank you, very interesting. i´ve never thougt about it this way. when i got my 5-string bass i did not knew the string length, i played it in the orchestra for 6 months without any problems or even thinking about the SL. then, one day i measured it, it was 110cm (43,3´´) (!), my 4-stringer at home had 104cm. (40,9´´) i think the playability/comfort can not only be measured in cm/inches Last edited by Anselm Hauke; 07-07-2007 at 02:49 PM. Reason: added the inches |
#5
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Nice..
Quote:
With the FFs positioned so far down, some type or types of corrections will be necessary which can include Block cutting/Shoulder-Block trim, Top/Back cutting with some rib re.bending hence 'cutting the Bass down' and moving the bridge forward up from the notches. Being that the Top is very strong and the FFs placed wide across (the old bridge being 170mm wide and still inside the upper eyes) moving the Bridge up an inch will be no problem at all. The Bass Bar in that Bass is only about an inch or so tall (I will ask Paul for an accurate measurement) and is older than anyone on the forum. Still, the Top shows no sign of ever having any type of sinkage. The extra tight and possibly 'ice age' growth rings of the Top may have something to do with its strength. The String Length is not as much a factor in this re-mensuring of the Bass as is the comfort of reaching the F# and thumb position. As the Thread says, it's all about comfort. |
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