1/4 size double bass dull thuddy sound

[ceilidhswinger]

[color=#000000][font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]Just had my old 1/4 size bass fitted with new sound post and tailpiece shortened as I need a back up bass after selling my old back up bass. I haven't been playing my 1/4 that often as I noticed about 6months ago it had been sounding a bit lifeless and thuddy as opposed to its normally sweet sound. Strings weren't that old so had my guy look at it and he suggested new sound post and tail piece shorten but when bass come back it sounded exactly the same, lifeless and thuddy,especially over G. Could it be because I haven't been playing it that often that the wood has kinda went to sleep so to speak because of no vibration. I know that with new acoustic guitars I own that were needed played in, I battered them everyday (play-wise) and stuck them in front of a speaker for weeks. This definitely helped now those guitars sing like a bird. My friend also has a gismo which clips on instruments and emits vibrations through the body of instruments, might ask for a loan to see if I can wake this old boy up again. Any thoughts?solutions guys?[/font][/color]

[Apprenti L'Artisan]

Don't bother with the fake vibrations thingy, playing will do the same thing and IME more efficiently.

I doubt it's a bad bass, although it's possible that the top's been carved quite thick. What strings are on it? Shortening the tailpiece won't do anything, tuning it to a IV 2 octaves above might (never bothered though because it seems like a load of mumbo-jumbo). Soundpost is definitely important, maybe get another luthier to look at it and adjust it? Also, thinning the bridge will help.

Wood does sleep, but it won't sound 'bad' before playing it a bit, just a bit less open. My advice is to play it for a few weeks and see what happens. If there's no change after a week or two, have a different luthier thin the bridge and fiddle with the soundpost.

Best of luck!
Joe

[ceilidhswinger]

Hi Joe,

Will stick a new set of strings on and play it in a bit, see how I get on, strange one this as I used to play this bass a lot and it used to sound bigger than its size! too many bloody basses and too much gear, think that's the problem oh! and going deaf and getting auld!


Calum
Havana Swing
http://youtu.be/_sbRAXmC_W8

[Old Horse Murphy]

Corr, that gets the old foot tapping

Love it. You've a good set of pipes too!

[ceilidhswinger]

Cheers mate! glad you like.

good happy music.


Calum

[Owencf]

I say that bass looks familiar
Good tune plenty of bounce.