Hi Folks ,
I replaced the Fingerboard on my Ply and Its turned out quite good ,but Im getting too much mwah on the G , a little on the D but the G is really mwahing like a bugger .
Tried raising the string height , no difference really.
The strings are Spiro mediums which I like a lot , I think I heard They have this sound but I am wondering if I can adjust the board to lessen the effect....?

I would've said it was the string height ...otherwise the fingerboard might need shooting? Or perhaps try raising the strings a bit more? I don't have any experiences with the spiros, so somebody else might be able to suggest an alternative.

Good luck!

Cheers , I dont want the string height on the G to be over 8mm , I have scooped the board but have been taking things easy , I have lessened the scoop towards the G side , it plays easy and all . I need some advice on the final finesse ,its difficult info to find . from close inspection there seems to be plenty of clearance after the stopped note , so Its kinda baffling ,Im trying to work out if its about more scoop on the treble side of the board .

Mwah seems to be sensitive to scoop, nut height, and technique; you ought to be able to make it go away just with a different angle the string leaves your right hand. Try rolling your right wrist a bit clockwise and pulling more away from the fingerboard, to get a more classical angle on the string, and see what happens.

Thanks for the tip ...Ill try it when I string her up , made me think more about the camber , and making sure it isnt flattened out in the planeing and smoothing .

Mwah seems to be sensitive to scoop, nut height, and technique; you ought to be able to make it go away just with a different angle the string leaves your right hand. Try rolling your right wrist a bit clockwise and pulling more away from the fingerboard, to get a more classical angle on the string, and see what happens.


+1.........check the scoop

At what point on the FB is the maximum scoop on the G side? And how deep at that point? Is your FB really smooth or are you still shaping it? if it is not really smooth and polished, the slightest sanding marks can change the sound quite a lot.

The scoop is deepest around the G octave , I have tried to keep the G side shallow , but there is around two millimetres depth , I have heard that the scoop should be around the depth of the strings width , but this doesnt seem enough on the G side ,
Polished the board a few times now ,its been ongoing , shaping and trying , ...I have put a little more depth in the scoop and checked the camber along the length as I go , and Im just about to smooth it ...again ...all good fun and Im learning something as I go .
This is the second board I have replaced on this bass , the first had to be taken of after I replaced the original ,I bought a number 3 grade board, as I planed , cracks appeared under the surface of the Ebony , quite deep cracks mind you , so I took it of and sent it back and asked for a no 2 replacement board .turns out all the suppliers no 2 FBs were cracked so He sent me a no 1 for the price of a 2 , kinda made up for the inconvenience of having to do the job twice .

If your Spiro's are quite new...the "mwah" may be coming from the strings. Spiro's do that until they are well broken in.

Ah yes , I needed to know this or I would be still trying to get rid of it by putting more scoop in the FB , I had a feeling the new Spirocores had something to do with it , Thanks Martin ,
Andrew, the suggestion on plucking away from the board has shown me a usefull technique , its a much different sound , very expressive ,tho In cant get the speed or volume yet ,thanks very much chaps .

When shaping the board I chalk the underside of the string. Then play it open and see if the board gets a line of chalk anywhere. If not start G# A A# ... and look for a chalk line. You can then shave it down with a block plane (sharp).

I like a very low nut, string almost touching the board. This might require a little more scoop right up the the nut.

Good luck, it is a dusty PIA.

i've been waiting for someone else to ask so i dont seem like a dumbass, but no one has, so i'll ask, what the hell is "mwah"?

i've been waiting for someone else to ask so i dont seem like a dumbass, but no one has, so i'll ask, what the hell is "mwah"?

It's the sound of a new Spiro G on a ply.:D

"Mwah" is the reason a lot of us play this Big B*tch of an instrument. It describes the response of the string after you pluck it -- the initial attack has a bit of softness to it, and then the sound seems to swell somewhat, leaving a (relatively) long decaying "ahhhh" sound after the fact. It sounds like "mwah". You hear a bit of it on fretless bass guitars, too.

I'm a bit shocked that someone out there has too much of it, but hey -- to each their own!

thanks guys.

Cheers Ken , I have a nice white crayon, it helps a lot ,and a low nut is very important to me , I go thru too many nut blanks .I dont mind a little MWAH if I can control it , but too much , to me sounds and reminds me of that 80s fretless sound .

I dont mind a little if I can control it , but too much , to me sounds and reminds me of that 80s fretless sound .

And what's wrong with that? ;)

Nothing wrong with it ,never had a fretless BG in the 80s myself ,but these days its not something I am looking to have as part of my DB sound , I love the Old school sound of the DB .

Nothing wrong with it ,never had a fretless BG in the 80s myself ,but these days its not something I am looking to have as part of my DB sound , I love the Old school sound of the DB .

So raise your strings another 10mm! That'll probably take care of the mwah...

the other thing you should do is check the bridge slots. If they are not right, the string might be buzzing in the slot causing a mwah. A piece of card wedged under the string in the slot will temporarily stop any excess vibes there.

Card ...? not on my bass Sunshine .

As an experiment to see if that's the cause, a bit of card is fine (then once you know, you go fix it properly, of course).

I like to be able to get mwah, but also to be able to come around to a proper orchestra pizz as well, because then you've got the whole range of possibilities.

Its ok Im only joshin , yeah I like the sound the orch pizz produces , gives me more to practice and add to my limited technique , wish I could get the hang of the bow , just have to keep at it .

As an experiment to see if that's the cause, a bit of card is fine (then once you know, you go fix it properly, of course).

I like to be able to get mwah, but also to be able to come around to a proper orchestra pizz as well, because then you've got the whole range of possibilities.


Some set ups produce a growl or mwah that is not pleasing. What I hear is a buzz that's dominant. I assume the set up missed the mark when I hear that. But when the growl or mwah is right on, it's the oyster's ice skates for sure.

Polished the FB last nite with my lambswool buffing wheel that I use to polish auto paint , great shine and it plays very nicely now , still breaking in the Spiros so there is still a little of that annoying ring on the end of the note ,especially when sliding into notes.

Evah Pirazzi Weich solved my moaning whining mwahin G , the Mittell E A and D are starting to sound pretty good , and I think I will always like that section of the string set ,BUT .. I like the EPW's much more , time will tell . I put a little more scoop in the FB and blended it up towards the nut and other end, things are sounding very good.