Double bass strings/setup???

[Ewan Dumbleton]

Hi folks
I have a 4-string double bass set up for orchestral playing. My bass seems noticeably different to others I’ve played in terms of moving between strings in the same hand position. So - I’ve done some measurements on my bass by temporarily laying paper tape across the fingerboard under the strings and marking the tape with the stop position of correctly stopped notes in various positions, using an electronic tuner. The positions marked thus form an imaginary fret, which consists of a series of very obvious steps across the fingerboard – hardly a straight line at 90 deg.


The bridge is correctly centered, with it and the nut at 90deg to the fingerboard. String length is a uniform 1043mm for all strings.


As an indication of the discrepancy, comparing E and G strings:

• · For Ab just above the nut on the G string, the in-tune position is 6mm closer to the bridge than the F position on the E string.

• · B on the G string is 7mm closer to the bridge than the G# on the E string

• · D on the G string is 10mm closer to the bridge than B on the E string

• · The G octave on the G string is 10mm closer to the bridge than the E octave on the E string.

OK, I expect some difference in imaginary fret position across the fingerboard on a double bass because of the large change of string thickness/stiffness from E to G strings, but this much?


Is this amount of discrepancy across the fingerboard normal? Is it a symptom of poor quality, poorly matched, or old strings? Could there be something else wrong with the bass setup that’s not visually obvious?


I’ve no idea what strings are on it. From the similarity of the felting at the ball ends, they appear to have started life as a matched set. All appear to be flat wound on a solid synthetic core. String diameters are 2.88mm, 2.27mm, 1.75mm and 1.25mm. Strings are OK for playing, except that the G string is very sensitive to bow position and angle, and can rapidly develop a case of the scratchies.