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02-23-2011, 11:31 PM
| | | | headstock/scroll question
Hi. New to this forum. Long time semi-pro musician and electric bassist.
I'm basically new to AUB also. I did own one for about 7 months and was learning but sold it a couple of months ago because the particular bass didn't really suit me. Looking to get another one this weekend.
Anyway, I was wondering if the scroll on the headstock has any function other than ornamental? If it was broken off or cut off would it have an negative effect on the sound? I know headstock mass on electric basses do have some effect on sustain and tone but does this apply to the amount of wood in the scroll an on AUB?
Thanks
George
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02-24-2011, 05:30 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Canada | | Hi SotR59 / George. Welcome to TalkBass!
The scroll on the headstock of an acoustic upright bass is purely ornamental. You can feel free to cut it off without effect on the sound. You could even replace it with something cool like this: 
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02-24-2011, 06:07 AM
| | | | I saw the pics of the process of your new headstock crest. That is really cool. Personally I was thinking about space. The scroll takes up "just" that much more room when you are trying to fit the bass into your vehicle. The bass I am looking at getting though actually quite a nice bass, the neck was broken off and then "jimmy rigged" as the seller stated. The repair job looks solid and for my purposes that is ok. And for the price I won't complain. But also I thought taking off the scroll might look weird and more Rock and Roll.
Thanks for the welcome and answer to my question.
Keep it low....
Geo |
02-24-2011, 06:16 AM
| | Registered User
Private Inventor - Bass Capos | | Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Cologne/Göttingen, Germany | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Bass  Hi SotR59 / George. Welcome to TalkBass!
The scroll on the headstock of an acoustic upright bass is purely ornamental. You can feel free to cut it off without effect on the sound. You could even replace it with something cool like this:
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??? The shape itself is ornamental, but the mass definitely matters. This is going to be a fun thread!
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Robobass
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02-24-2011, 07:11 AM
|  | Oracle, Ancient Order of Rass Hattur | | Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Connecticut | | Quote:
Originally Posted by robobass ??? The shape itself is ornamental, but the mass definitely matters. This is going to be a fun thread! | Absolutely. Some even claim that switching from metal to ebony (hatpeg) tuning rollers makes a substantial difference. In any case, I sure wouldn't assume that lopping off all that mass makes no difference.
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02-24-2011, 10:04 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Chicago | | | Don't have the exact quote, but in his book, C Traeger talks about Glenn Moore's bass sounding better when the lion's head got knocked off. |
02-24-2011, 10:43 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: May 2006 Location: Chipping Norton, Oxon, England | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Eric Hochberg Don't have the exact quote, but in his book, C Traeger talks about Glenn Moore's bass sounding better when the lion's head got knocked off. | Less growl perhaps? |
02-24-2011, 10:50 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Philadelphia, PA | | If it changed the sound that much, I'd imagine people adding little weights along their scroll, like the way tires are balanced! Tweak it just right...  - j |
02-24-2011, 11:04 AM
| | | | Speaking of scrolls, personal rant opinion: C extensions are great, but to me they look hideous. There should be a way to re-design a neck and scroll for a 4-string C-extension bass, as an original build, not an add-on, so that possibly the G, D & A tuners are on one side, the extension on the other, and the actual aesthetics of the traditional spiral scroll be redone to something more aesthetic and integrated without being top-heavy.
OK, I know, after a statement like that, it should be my turn to buy the next round.... |
02-24-2011, 11:19 AM
|  | ...or Jason, if you insist on vowels. | | Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: San Francisco Bay Area | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Roger Davis Less growl perhaps? | Ouch! (Excellent!)  |
02-24-2011, 11:22 AM
|  | Supporting Member | | Join Date: May 2002 Location: Lincoln, Nebraska | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Roger Davis Less growl perhaps? | Yes, that is probably the mane effect. |
02-27-2011, 10:16 AM
| | | Quote:
Originally Posted by David Morris Yes, that is probably the mane effect. | It probably won't have much difference, better than it just lion around.
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02-28-2011, 05:22 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Canada | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Eric Hochberg Don't have the exact quote, but in his book, C Traeger talks about Glenn Moore's bass sounding better when the lion's head got knocked off. | But not as purr-ty.
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"That is a copyrighted photo of me you stole from my website. The joke is over funny man. Change it now before I threaten legal action to Paul at TB and yourself... the Dogs are off the leash."
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02-28-2011, 04:10 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Atlanta | | Quote:
Originally Posted by WallBass It probably won't have much difference, better than it just lion around. |
Pretty sure it would void the warranty claws.
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03-01-2011, 05:18 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Canada | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Barron Pretty sure it would void the warranty claws. | Indeed, paws for concern.
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"That is a copyrighted photo of me you stole from my website. The joke is over funny man. Change it now before I threaten legal action to Paul at TB and yourself... the Dogs are off the leash."
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03-01-2011, 07:58 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Chicago | | | Are you cats fur real? |
03-01-2011, 08:39 AM
| | proprietor, Condino's String Shop | | Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: asheville, nc | | Scrolls are overrated....
j. 
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03-01-2011, 09:04 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Philadelphia, PA | | | Damn, James... that's understated beauty... - j |
03-01-2011, 09:26 AM
| | Oracle, Ancient Order of Rass Hattur | | Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Connecticut | | Quote:
Originally Posted by james condino Scrolls are overrated....
j. | To each his own. That convinces me that they are not at all overrated. 
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Famous last words: And with that- Im gone. You will probably read in the paper soon about a deranged kid who burns his bass in front of a luthier. |
03-01-2011, 11:37 AM
| | Registered User
Private Inventor - Bass Capos | | Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Cologne/Göttingen, Germany | | Quote:
Originally Posted by james condino Scrolls are overrated....
j. | James,
I know that the rest of the bass is probably equally radical in design, so comparisons will be difficult, but what affects do you think come from losing all of that scroll mass?
Very cool BTW!
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Robobass
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