Help with new bass.....

[bassplaya4life]

hey, I just purchased my first 3/4 upright bass about 6 months ago and I love playing the thing its just that it dosent seem to "thump" very well. I tried to add a fishman BP-100 pickup to it but the sound is very thin and harsh. I would like to be able to play it without electronics. If you have ANY advise, please help!!

[Chasarms]

What sort of advice has your teacher offered as to the sound you are getting?

[bassplaya4life]

I am inbetween teachers right now but I am going for a thick jazz/blues sound and its not really putting out much depth. I was thinking it could be the strings or the bridge.??

[Mike Goodbar]

What? You've been playing six whole months and you still haven't got the sound you want?

If you're going for the thump, you might want to try gut strings or strings with a synthetic core. Also, keeping your setup on the high side can bring about this effect. Is your bridge adjustable? Also, go through the Newbie threads located at the top each forum, they're a friggin' font of knowledge, I tell ya.

Don't forget, though, that much of the sound comes from those wiggly things at the end of your arms.

[Michael Case]

Originally posted by Mike Goodbar: Don't forget, though, that much of the sound comes from those wiggly things at the end of your arms

No truer words have been spoken EVER! I'd say experiment with the placment of your fingers, try playing towards the end of your fingerboard where the strings are tighter. Also I'd recomend trying to use the weight of your arm to pluck the strings not just your fingers. Think of your fingers as the final point on a long line starting at your shoulder and work from there.

Try working with open strings, set the nome at 60 bpm, start on the G 4 quarter notes per measure, 4 measures each string. While you are doing this experiment with placing your right hand at different spots on the FB and see what the results are.

Gut strings maybe a possible solution, plus bring your bass to a good luthier for some set up work. Tell him/her the sound you want and maybe the could do some magic to help the bass along.

Most importantly, GET A TEACHER! They have been where you are and could help answer your questions.

[Paul Warburton]

Originally Posted by bassplaya4life

hey, I just purchased my first 3/4 upright bass about 6 months ago and I love playing the thing its just that it dosent seem to "thump" very well. I tried to add a fishman BP-100 pickup to it but the sound is very thin and harsh. I would like to be able to play it without electronics. If you have ANY advise, please help!!

Most basses don't like that word "THUMP" I don't think you meant that because it's really very easy to get THAT sound!