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Old 11-24-2011, 10:04 AM
Scott Pope Scott Pope is offline
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Default Broad peak in the overall response question

On my concededly inexpensive imported plywood bass, I have overall good action and good tone. I do notice that there seems to be a broad peak in the response of the bass @ mid-line Db or D. It's not "wolfish," in that the notes don't just "pop" out, but seems to be a general characteristic of gradual rising response from about 2nd line B those to notes, then a gradual coming back down in response going up in pitch from there, leveling back out by @ 4th line F. As I play, it feels like a body resonance that is not dependent on the room size or position (stage, corner gig setup, etc.) It doesn't seem to matter about string choice, whether the notes are played on different strings stopped or open, or position. It does not seem to be coming through my Full Circle (installed threads up, so the disc is against the foot of the bridge) to my combo amp.

Being very limited in my experience with other instruments, my question is whether this is simply the characteristic of my bass, or if this is something that can be modified somewhat with a good luthier adjusting the soundpost and/or tail gut length, or if, since the bass is @ a year old, like any instrument, it simply needs to be given more time for the bass to "open up" some more, or whether with everything else being so good already that I shouldn't mess with it, just play and enjoy.

I feel very lucky that on my limited budget in this economy, I was able to get an inexpensive instrument, and with the help of some friends get it set up myself, as it came with actually a decent ebony fingerboard that already had the rough camber milled into it and only needed some touchup, and I was able to trim and recontour the bridge myself, and the tuners are actually holding tune on the used set of Spiro S42 Weichs I have on it for my jazz band. Yes, I defied the conventional wisdom of not purchasing on-line, but it was either that or nothing. It's working for me, and I actually have the action down all the way to 4-5-6-7 mm with no buzzing, so it's easy to play the usual 3-set gigs, and the band loves it.

I think a lot of the "horror stories" about purchasing an inexpensive bass on line have to do with the unreasonable expectations of being able to play it "right out of the box," with no setup. Yes, when I got it, it had very bad strings and a 10mm action with the adjusters shut down, and the tail gut way too short, and insufficient QC with such things as the neck. I even shaved my neck width down at the nut from almost 2 inches wide at the nut to @ 1 3/4 with a good beefy profile (I didn't thin the neck any, just recontoured it slightly to round it back out from the narrowing at the nut) which feels really good to me. And of course, refiling the nut grooves to get good action in the lower positions, etc. So I have total invested, with strings, pickup, etc., about 2/3 of what a lesser expensive entry level store-brand bass would be, plus the added benefit of learning the rudiments of how a bass actually works by setting it up myself.

I've already had more offers for gigs in the past year than in the last several on just bass guitar or even tuba.

And...Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. It's now time to go watch the parade while the turkey roasts.
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Old 11-24-2011, 11:58 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Scott Pope View Post
On my concededly inexpensive imported plywood bass, I have overall good action and good tone. I do notice that there seems to be a broad peak in the response of the bass @ mid-line Db or D. It's not "wolfish," in that the notes don't just "pop" out, but seems to be a general characteristic of gradual rising response from about 2nd line B those to notes, then a gradual coming back down in response going up in pitch from there, leveling back out by @ 4th line F. As I play, it feels like a body resonance that is not dependent on the room size or position (stage, corner gig setup, etc.) It doesn't seem to matter about string choice, whether the notes are played on different strings stopped or open, or position. It does not seem to be coming through my Full Circle (installed threads up, so the disc is against the foot of the bridge) to my combo amp.

Being very limited in my experience with other instruments, my question is whether this is simply the characteristic of my bass, or if this is something that can be modified somewhat with a good luthier adjusting the soundpost and/or tail gut length, or if, since the bass is @ a year old, like any instrument, it simply needs to be given more time for the bass to "open up" some more, or whether with everything else being so good already that I shouldn't mess with it, just play and enjoy.

I feel very lucky that on my limited budget in this economy, I was able to get an inexpensive instrument, and with the help of some friends get it set up myself, as it came with actually a decent ebony fingerboard that already had the rough camber milled into it and only needed some touchup, and I was able to trim and recontour the bridge myself, and the tuners are actually holding tune on the used set of Spiro S42 Weichs I have on it for my jazz band. Yes, I defied the conventional wisdom of not purchasing on-line, but it was either that or nothing. It's working for me, and I actually have the action down all the way to 4-5-6-7 mm with no buzzing, so it's easy to play the usual 3-set gigs, and the band loves it.

I think a lot of the "horror stories" about purchasing an inexpensive bass on line have to do with the unreasonable expectations of being able to play it "right out of the box," with no setup. Yes, when I got it, it had very bad strings and a 10mm action with the adjusters shut down, and the tail gut way too short, and insufficient QC with such things as the neck. I even shaved my neck width down at the nut from almost 2 inches wide at the nut to @ 1 3/4 with a good beefy profile (I didn't thin the neck any, just recontoured it slightly to round it back out from the narrowing at the nut) which feels really good to me. And of course, refiling the nut grooves to get good action in the lower positions, etc. So I have total invested, with strings, pickup, etc., about 2/3 of what a lesser expensive entry level store-brand bass would be, plus the added benefit of learning the rudiments of how a bass actually works by setting it up myself.

I've already had more offers for gigs in the past year than in the last several on just bass guitar or even tuba.

And...Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. It's now time to go watch the parade while the turkey roasts.
I would bring to your attention the bass itself. To judge a bass, it should be stripped of anything on it that is not just the bass. Bow quiver off if you have one and the Pick-up out if possible. The Bridge is sensitive and anything you do there might mute it or, enhance unwanted overtones.

Time to break-in you say? For a Plywooid bass I would say 30-40 years because younger basses in ply sound about the same after the varnish first dries to my ear.

Camber you mention? How hard is it to press down the notes from 1/2 to 6th position with your heights at the end of the FB?

Press down the E at the base of the neck near the octave and at the same time, at the nut near 1/2 position. How much space is there under the string? More then the diameter of a G string or less?

Then, press down at the root of the neck and the end of the fingerboard. Look under that half of the FB length. How much space? Near nothing?

Then, from the two ends of the FB, press down. Is the overall camber more than your d or a string thickness? 2mm, 3mm?

Too much camber for me, can kill you. Some gorilla stringth player play so hard, 2-3mm is low and buzzes when they dig in. For me, 2-3mm overall is high. I like my boards set up fairly flat to start and let the string pull the neck up. A reinforced neck with CF graphite will help with this. Thicker and/or stronger necks will as well but the CF Gr. will also even out the notes a bit.

Maybe post some pics of your bass, set-up and camber so we can see better what it all looks like. It might help.
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Old 11-24-2011, 09:12 PM
Scott Pope Scott Pope is offline
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I would bring to your attention the bass itself. To judge a bass, it should be stripped of anything on it that is not just the bass. Bow quiver off if you have one and the Pick-up out if possible. The Bridge is sensitive and anything you do there might mute it or, enhance unwanted overtones.
The bridge came with heavy brass adjusters, and changing out to the aluminum Full Circle adjusters was an improvement in overall response; it had a slightly "damped" impression before, now it seems more open overall, but no change in the relative response as I described above.
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Time to break-in you say? For a Plywood bass I would say 30-40 years because younger basses in ply sound about the same after the varnish first dries to my ear.
Being that I turn 50 next month, it's hard to realistically say that I'll be around for that. (genetic clotting condition--takes too long to explain) So I'm glad it sounds as good as it does now and it's good to know that it's going to pretty much be that way ongoing so I can anticipate how it will behave.
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Camber you mention? How hard is it to press down the notes from 1/2 to 6th position with your heights at the end of the FB?
Very, very easy. At the end of a 3-set dance band gig, I am generally fatigued, of course, but not sore, especially about my hands or arms. I am actually less fatigued overall than having a bass guitar strapped about my neck for the same length of gig. At the end of our two-hour monthly rehearsals, I hardly notice that I've played that long.
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Press down the E at the base of the neck near the octave and at the same time, at the nut near 1/2 position. How much space is there under the string? More then the diameter of a G string or less?
Less than a G string diameter on the E side, about 1mm, even less on the G side.
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Then, press down at the root of the neck and the end of the fingerboard. Look under that half of the FB length. How much space? Near nothing?
Yes, near nothing.
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Originally Posted by Ken Smith View Post
Then, from the two ends of the FB, press down. Is the overall camber more than your d or a string thickness? 2mm, 3mm?
Overall, a little less than 2mm on the E string side and about 1mm on the G string side.
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Too much camber for me, can kill you. Some gorilla stringth players play so hard, 2-3mm is low and buzzes when they dig in. For me, 2-3mm overall is high. I like my boards set up fairly flat to start and let the string pull the neck up. A reinforced neck with CF graphite will help with this. Thicker and/or stronger necks will as well but the CF Gr. will also even out the notes a bit.
I agree. I have two bass guitars, one with the typical bolt on neck and the other with a 3-laminate neck of maple and shedua, and I used to have a bass guitar with the graphite rods which was also very even in response. The typical neck has the expected dead spot, and the laminate is very, very even. But I live in an area where there are a couple of good luthiers that keep the school and college orchestra instruments going well, but I'm not sure I'd have them rebuild a neck with popping the fingerboard off, channeling the neck for a graphite rod, installing the rod and putting everything back together. Even then, it would probably be more cost effective to buy another bass instead. If I ever get into an economic position where I can spend a few thousand on a bass, then part of that budget would definitely be travel to play first hand, as is the conventional wisdom, and from where I live I'd have to travel quite aways to get to the places with good reputations for basses in stock, new or used.
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Maybe post some pics of your bass, set-up and camber so we can see better what it all looks like. It might help.
Thanks. My digital camera is also relatively inexpensive, but I'll try to get to that. Thanks for your considered reply and breaking down what to look for in the details beyond the general "feel" of the instrument.

Last edited by Scott Pope; 11-24-2011 at 09:25 PM.
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Old 12-11-2011, 01:26 AM
Scott Pope Scott Pope is offline
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Well, it may actually have been a wolf. I thought wolf tones were more like a single note really sticking out or dying, not spreading through a range of a few notes. I shifted my jack bracket on my Full Circle from the A & D strings to the E & A strings, actually to make access easier, and lo, and behold, as I play, the peaking not only seems to have mostly disappeared, but I'm getting clearer and more balanced response from my E string overall as well. It is significant enough that my even my wife and 14-year old son can tell the difference, as they know my playing best. Thanks again for all your help.

Hmm. I'm starting to get asked for more gigs. I live in southwest Missouri, but not Branson. Word is getting out that I play, but because I'm not stuck in a bluegrass band, in an orchestra, or on the Branson strip, I'm getting asked to do a wide variety of gigs, from a barnwarming party a couple months ago to a contemporary lessons & carols church service, in jazz & funk style, as well as "conventional" dance band gigs this season. It's been awhile since I've had this many gigs in a row.

As this is my avocation, not my day job, I'm having a blast!

Here's the real kicker so far: last February my dance band played a local dance club's Valentine's Day party. Straightforward gig, decent pay, good time. This coming February we did not get the gig. But last week I got a call from the bandleader who is playing the gig and he asked me to play in his band for the gig!!! So I get to play it, anyway! Life is grand.
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Old 04-19-2012, 05:43 PM
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Update: it seems to be on the open D string, but not a stopped D on any other string in any position. Even after all the above, since the last post, it was still ringing. To work on some arco, I put a set of Bel Cantos on, which have marginally higher tension than S42 Spiro Weichs at the standard 3/4 mensure. My bass seemed to "focus" a little better with the added tension, and really narrowed the resonance down to the open D string.

Here's the kicker: I recently played a gig with a rather warm stage. Every guy in the band was perspiring, and I had a brown washcloth with me to keep everything wiped down. I don't know why, but on a whim I stuck it part way in the lower part of the G side F hole. The resonance all but disappeared! But not at the expense of damping the projection of anything else! It's now about as even in its response as one can expect for a CCB.

Go figure....
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Old 04-19-2012, 06:20 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Scott Pope View Post
Update: it seems to be on the open D string, but not a stopped D on any other string in any position. Even after all the above, since the last post, it was still ringing. To work on some arco, I put a set of Bel Cantos on, which have marginally higher tension than S42 Spiro Weichs at the standard 3/4 mensure. My bass seemed to "focus" a little better with the added tension, and really narrowed the resonance down to the open D string.

Here's the kicker: I recently played a gig with a rather warm stage. Every guy in the band was perspiring, and I had a brown washcloth with me to keep everything wiped down. I don't know why, but on a whim I stuck it part way in the lower part of the G side F hole. The resonance all but disappeared! But not at the expense of damping the projection of anything else! It's now about as even in its response as one can expect for a CCB.

Go figure....
I found Bel Canto strings had less tension for pizz - too soft. Different basses, I guess.
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Old 04-20-2012, 01:45 AM
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I found Bel Canto strings had less tension for pizz - too soft. Different basses, I guess.
Yeah, I tried BCs. Not great for pizz.
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Old 04-20-2012, 11:30 AM
Scott Pope Scott Pope is offline
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Don't confuse tension with feel, and don't confuse the tension of strings whose tension specs are quoted for 106 cm mensure with those quoted for 110 mensure.

Most folks by default use the 4/4 S42 set of Spiro Weichs, which are quoted for their tensions at 110 cm, which when you do the math to get the equivalent tension at 106 cm, difference in tension being the square of the difference in mensure, you actually come out about 14 pounds tension less than the Bels overall, with the Bel E string being almost identical in raw tension to the S39W string once tension is compensated for mensure. That's what I had on my bass to start with because I was doing exclusively jazz/dance band gigs.

HOWEVER, when you look at the Spiro 3/4 3885W set, quoted for 106 cm right off the T-I website, the quoted tension is a hair lighter on the G string and a hair heavier on the E string than the Bels. The Bel E string is too floppy to suit me, and that's why I went with a 3885.5W E string, which balances better on my bass. Your mileage will vary. My bass is very middy and growly in tone anyway; the Spiros almost sounded like Rotosound Swingbass electric bass strings. So the Bels on my bass are not as dark as they probably are on other basses. I even have my Fishman Full Circle mounted "upside down", or threads up, to get more fundamental than overtones to balance better (option 2 on page 2 of the Full Circle installation guide).

Feel, on the other hand, is a totally different subjective quality, having more to do with the overall string diameter, the flexibility of the core, set up of the bass, the ergonomics of the player, and so forth. What something feels like can have no relation to the actual tension of the string. And don't go there with how tension and feel may relate to such variables as overstand, tailpiece, afterlength, bow and hair differences, etc. That is a debate way too broad for Ken's bandwidth.

As far as the subjective judgments posted above regarding Bels and pizz, I agree with the objective part. They are dark relative to strings normally associated with pizz. If I was doing modern jazz, I'd immediately go back to the 3885W set. However, they are very easy arco, and that's what I'm working on at the present and for the next year, and the "standards" gigs I have coming up over the next few months will be fine with the darker pizz, and I'll just boost the upper mids on my combo amp a bit to compensate if necessary. But as set foth above, I probably won't have to.

It's not "good" or "bad." It's what's happening for the particular gig and the combination of bass/strings/player/repertoire. Ken knows that better than anybody.

In about a year or so, I'll probably be changing strings again as I work on arco. If I improve arco to suit myself, then I'll have a lot of studying to do to figure out where I want to go next, or just leave them on, and if I want to try to get into a formal setting for performing arco. But, being left-handed playing a conventional right-handed bass right-handed, if my right hand just doesn't take to arco, well, it will be back to a set of 3885W, and pizz on it.

WARNING: RANT AHEAD -- this is why I am frustrated that Pirastro won't give tension ratings. It leaves everything to a subjective, "Yes, it is," "No, it isn't," pizzing match like what almost happened above, except for the gentlemanly way I thank you all for tempering the comments, unlike elsewhere. When a guy says something like, "You know, I don't get quite the drive out of (certain lighter tension set), but (certain heavier set, or especially E string) tends to choke the table," then the numbers can help narrow the universe of strings to a few managable choices to consider.

Last edited by Scott Pope; 04-20-2012 at 11:58 AM.
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Old 04-20-2012, 05:06 PM
Richard Prowse Richard Prowse is offline
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Originally Posted by Scott Pope View Post
Don't confuse tension with feel, and don't confuse the tension of strings whose tension specs are quoted for 106 cm mensure with those quoted for 110 mensure.

Most folks by default use the 4/4 S42 set of Spiro Weichs, which are quoted for their tensions at 110 cm, which when you do the math to get the equivalent tension at 106 cm, difference in tension being the square of the difference in mensure, you actually come out about 14 pounds tension less than the Bels overall, with the Bel E string being almost identical in raw tension to the S39W string once tension is compensated for mensure. That's what I had on my bass to start with because I was doing exclusively jazz/dance band gigs.

HOWEVER, when you look at the Spiro 3/4 3885W set, quoted for 106 cm right off the T-I website, the quoted tension is a hair lighter on the G string and a hair heavier on the E string than the Bels. The Bel E string is too floppy to suit me, and that's why I went with a 3885.5W E string, which balances better on my bass. Your mileage will vary. My bass is very middy and growly in tone anyway; the Spiros almost sounded like Rotosound Swingbass electric bass strings. So the Bels on my bass are not as dark as they probably are on other basses. I even have my Fishman Full Circle mounted "upside down", or threads up, to get more fundamental than overtones to balance better (option 2 on page 2 of the Full Circle installation guide).

Feel, on the other hand, is a totally different subjective quality, having more to do with the overall string diameter, the flexibility of the core, set up of the bass, the ergonomics of the player, and so forth. What something feels like can have no relation to the actual tension of the string. And don't go there with how tension and feel may relate to such variables as overstand, tailpiece, afterlength, bow and hair differences, etc. That is a debate way too broad for Ken's bandwidth.

As far as the subjective judgments posted above regarding Bels and pizz, I agree with the objective part. They are dark relative to strings normally associated with pizz. If I was doing modern jazz, I'd immediately go back to the 3885W set. However, they are very easy arco, and that's what I'm working on at the present and for the next year, and the "standards" gigs I have coming up over the next few months will be fine with the darker pizz, and I'll just boost the upper mids on my combo amp a bit to compensate if necessary. But as set foth above, I probably won't have to.

It's not "good" or "bad." It's what's happening for the particular gig and the combination of bass/strings/player/repertoire. Ken knows that better than anybody.

In about a year or so, I'll probably be changing strings again as I work on arco. If I improve arco to suit myself, then I'll have a lot of studying to do to figure out where I want to go next, or just leave them on, and if I want to try to get into a formal setting for performing arco. But, being left-handed playing a conventional right-handed bass right-handed, if my right hand just doesn't take to arco, well, it will be back to a set of 3885W, and pizz on it.

WARNING: RANT AHEAD -- this is why I am frustrated that Pirastro won't give tension ratings. It leaves everything to a subjective, "Yes, it is," "No, it isn't," pizzing match like what almost happened above, except for the gentlemanly way I thank you all for tempering the comments, unlike elsewhere. When a guy says something like, "You know, I don't get quite the drive out of (certain lighter tension set), but (certain heavier set, or especially E string) tends to choke the table," then the numbers can help narrow the universe of strings to a few managable choices to consider.
Really interesting about the 4/4 & 3/4 thing Scott.

I must say, though, that I'm not interested in how I can improve the sound of a string with amp setting. For me, the string must sound (and feel) how I want it to acoustically. I need to be happy with both the arco and pizz. sound. The attack of the BCs (pizz.) was too rubbery on my bass, when I tried them (for a considerable time). I guess there wasn't enough resistance.
I know the 'maths' is very important but, as a player - one who spends a lot of time with the big fiddle in his living room - I need the bass to sound good and feel good when I play it. I'm writing this quickly, and am not long up; apologies if I missed your point.
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Old 04-20-2012, 08:26 PM
Scott Pope Scott Pope is offline
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Quite alright. Yes, the math is only a means. If it doesn't sound as it needs to out front, then it's all just a...well, you know.

BUT...without the math, there is no good way besides subjectivity to narrow down the universe to a manageable set of choices.

I have always said that specs for anything having to do with music are not like an engineer's project manual in that if you specify a certain criteria, then you run the numbers and come up with the structural application. I have tinkered with electric instruments, guitars, basses, etc., since 1975. It amuses me that someone will say, for example, "My Strat pickup was supposed to measure 6.1 kohms, but it only measures 6.05!" With manufacturing tolerences, "Just noticable difference," etc., get over it!!! The wood and the player are much more important. Likewise, even before putting them on, by listening closely, the bass itself will tell you what strings are most appropriate. I seriously enjoy Ken's comments and essays on the basses that come through his shop and how different strings react differently. I just wish I had the means to go visit his shop and play the various basses to experience the magnificent diversity myself.

Rather, the numbers are useful like a naturalist's field guide. You use a field guide to get you to the general vicinity, then use your own tools and experience, like binoculars trying to find a particular bird species, to narrow down to the most likely places to see what is being sought.

That's what tension figures are for: to help narrow the universe. Since there is such a wide variety of string construction, and an even wider spectrum of players, genre and repertoire, there is way too much to try to sample everything. Over on TalkBass you'll run into guys who have spent hundreds, nay, thousands of dollars chasing "The" set of strings. Likewise, on the brass forums, you'll run into guys chasing "The" mouthpiece, etc.

WARNING -- BIASED OPINION FOLLOWS: I believe that the reason Pirastro does not publish tension specs is because they don't want to "lose" customers. But in this global day and age of internet, and since computers bring out the "spec" guy in all of us, what they don't realize is that if they publish the specs, like TI and other companies do, they are more likely to get even more customers as they peruse the specs, then do the research on forums (or, in classical Latin, fora), their teacher, and their colleagues, to focus on a few viable choices, which would generate even more sales. We must move beyond relying only on subjective criteria, bias, entrenched opinion, and the ever-dreaded, "Well, we've always done it that way," as an excuse rather than a point of departure. If there are good objective reasons that it's always been done that way and should continue to be done that way, great! Otherwise, it's an excuse bordering on bigotry.

No spec, especially tension, is the "be-all-end-all" of string choice. To the contrary, it is probably the last criterion that should be consulted. Nevertheless, it should be out there for the reasons I stated above so the player can have another point of reference, after the recommendations of the string company, the player's private tutor, the conductor of the ensemble, and of colleagues and section/stand mates playing the same or similar instruments and repertoire, to help make the right choice, given the expense of a set of strings.

Last edited by Scott Pope; 04-20-2012 at 08:40 PM.
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Old 04-20-2012, 10:52 PM
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Cool this is deep..

As far as tensions of strings, I find that the exact same set feels different on some basses because of the bass itself. If measured on a machine you might have something to go on but on a bass, loose the numbers. They don't help.

I have been pretty definite on the set-up of my various D.Basses over the years. A few days ago I was invited to see an English Chamber Orchestra playing in Philly. The Principal bassist is Leon Bosch. After the concert I went back stage to look over his bass and play on it. Leon is one of the better players in the world today and watching him on stage you would think his action is like that of a guitar. He told me he uses 10-12?mm on the G at the end of FB and about 14mm on the E. His spacing on the G and D was closer than the A and E and from D to A was a bigger gap. He prefers this by choice. I could barely press the strings down and play anything on his beautiful Gagliano bass. I only had a few minutes to try the Bass before it went into the trunk for shipping out but I did learn something. What works for one person may not work for another. He CAN and did play on my action set-ups a few weeks ago when I lent him a Bass for a Master class and Solo concert but in NO way was I able to play HIS set-up. Also, he uses Original Flatchromes for both Orchestra or Solo. He tunes up the regular set a step up to A tuning for solos, WITH 10/12mm - 14MM action. That is some strong playing.

As I have mentioned before, there are so many things that make a bass play better or worse for any player besides the strings. What do you do to save 100s or 1000s on testing strings? Ask people that might know the real answer. I do this myself all the time. Sometimes it works and sometimes, my BASS doesn't like that particular set.

Now, write down what you put on a bass, when and how the set-up is. Then monitor how the strings are the first hour, day, week, month, etc. and save that information. 1, 2, 3 years later changing strings, your notes written down will tell you more than your memory does. It might save you money. In the last few years, the bass I have used the most is my Hart. I remember to a degree how I liked certain sets and didn't like others on 'that' bass. Some of the strings tried I liked more on other basses or not at all. I didn't write it down but I don't need to as much because I might use another bass the next month. The saying goes, "do as I say, not as I do". In this case, you should apply that rule as my goals with basses are different than most other peoples goals that use or have one main bass.

If I had to live for 10 years just playing the Hart, I would start writing down what I remember.

Now, where did I put that paper with my string notes?
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Old 04-21-2012, 12:14 AM
Richard Prowse Richard Prowse is offline
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Default and another little point.

...but let me say first that Scott's comments sound very intelligent to me.
That said, I'll make my point.
I had my bow changed back to French three days ago. When I got home and started playing everything sounded wrong and the French hold was not working. Remember that, ten years ago, I played French for about 25 years, and on a violin before that.
Now the strings sounded wrong and the tone was disappointing. As I've put the hours in (practice) things have started to change pretty dramatically. My point is this... getting used to your equipment and setup is a pretty vital part of the equation too (and I stress a part). Too often we blame the string, or the bow, or the setup without having put in a bit of sweat.
Scott, you mentioned brass players and mouthpieces. That's a perfect example of what I'm saying. I played trumpet for quite a few years. I hate to think what I spent on mouthpieces! Really I should have concentrated on working on my embrochure.
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Old 04-21-2012, 10:52 AM
Scott Pope Scott Pope is offline
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Richard, thanks. When I got back into tuba playing, I borrowed several mouthpieces, doing exactly what Ken suggested - taking notes. Then I had a long conversation with Matt Walters at Dillon Music about my playing, my tuba, the ensembles, the repertoire, and especially the weak points. He made his recommendation. His mouthpiece man, Vladimir, altered the contour of the rim a little bit for my personal preference. It is now the mouthpiece I play. Sure, I have a couple others, but by being careful up front, I have saved thousands of $$ on the safari and avoided the "mouthpiece du jour" rut that I see so many brass players fall into.

The mouthpieces have specs as well. Being long distance, I could tell Matt I like the way "X" mouthpiece feels, but I like the tone of "Y" better, and the response of "Z." Because the specs of the mouthpieces were available, he was able to help translate my subjective impressions and observations into objective criteria to help me choose the proper mouthpiece for me out of that universe.

I guess that's the bottom line with the string rants, and I've used up too much of Ken's bandwidth already. Thanks, Ken.
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