How can I make my bass sound better

DSbrega · #1 07-03-2008, 07:20 PM

I was just wondering if there were any ways to make my bass sound better in general without buying anything. Things like moving the bridge, or stretching out the strings, etc. I heard there's this guy in NYC who you can drop off you bass to and he can make your bass sound better overnight. Unfortunately I don't live in NYC. What do you think he does?

Coelho · #2 07-03-2008, 07:25 PM

OxJohnson · #3 07-03-2008, 07:27 PM

Practice.

Marcus Johnson · #4 07-03-2008, 08:07 PM

Use gut strings.
Use steel strings.
Use hybrid strings.
Play German bow.
Play French Bow.
Play standing.
Play seated.
Use only fingers 1,3, and 4.
Use only fingers 1, 2, and 4.
Use fingers 1 through 4.
Play more.
Play less.
Use a pickup.
Use a mic.
Play unamplified.
Transport the bass in a (insert random auto brand here).

This is pretty much the consensus on TBDB, as far as I've been able to surmise. YMMV, IMHO, FWIW.

Sorry if I'm being glib, but... you're seventeen... this thing takes time. I've been doing it since cars had tailfins, and I'm still asking the same question. Be patient, it'll come together, but it probably won't come from sending your bass to a guy in NY.

(easy for me to say, I had my bass set up by a guy in NY)

PS... I admire you for asking the essential question. Believe me, I look for the answer every day.

P.S.S.... Ox is right.... it's in your hands, your ears, and in your heart.

Bassman822 · #5 07-03-2008, 08:13 PM

Same way you get to Carnegie Hall. Practice. Practice. Practice

**Chris Fitzgerald** · #6 07-03-2008, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marcus Johnson

Use gut strings.
Use steel strings.
Use hybrid strings.
Play German bow.
Play French Bow.
Play standing.
Play seated.
Use only fingers 1,3, and 4.
Use only fingers 1, 2, and 4.
Use fingers 1 through 4.
Play more.
Play less.
Use a pickup.
Use a mic.
Play unamplified.
Transport the bass in a (insert random auto brand here).

This is pretty much the consensus on TBDB, as far as I've been able to surmise.

Best. Encapsulation. Of. Talkbass. Ever.

**Matthew Tucker** · #7 07-04-2008, 06:31 AM

but he forgot the mode matching ...

GreyBeard · #8 07-04-2008, 06:49 AM

A good setup can always make a bass play and sound better. But, it's hard to tell someone how to make something better if you don't know what's wrong with it. If you know about checking and setting the intunation, neck relief, string height, etc. then check those things and correct them if needed. But, you'll probably make things worse if you don't know what you're doing.
http://www.garywillis.com/pages/bass...tupmanual.html
http://www.tunemybass.com/bass_setup/
Here's a couple of web sites that can help. Be sure to have your guitar's manual too because different manufactures use some pretty different truss rod designs and adjusting them can be tricky. If you don't feel comfortable doing any of this then DON'T, take it to a good guitar tech. Having your bass professionally setup is money well spent.

Bruce Lindfield · #9 07-04-2008, 07:19 AM

Wow - I never realised my strings neeed stretching!

jerseyrichSnr · #10 07-04-2008, 07:37 AM

Get a BBE Sonic Stomp box. Makes my Sadowsky sound better, if you can imagine that.

Basslice · #11 07-04-2008, 07:59 AM

I think some of you are misreading the thread. This is a Double Bass forum - not electric bass.

That being said, if there is something wrong with the bass, take it to a good shop and have them look it over.

Probably practice and playing with different mike set ups. I used peizos on the bridge and cut all the highs and got some decent tone. But I haven't played the old upright in a couple of years. I swear that just playing the thing everyday made the wood come alive and after a few weeks of constantly playing not only did my hands get better, but the bass tone improved. Just my observations.

Eric Swanson · #12 07-04-2008, 08:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DSbrega

I was just wondering if there were any ways to make my bass sound better in general without buying anything. Things like moving the bridge, or stretching out the strings, etc. I heard there's this guy in NYC who you can drop off you bass to and he can make your bass sound better overnight. Unfortunately I don't live in NYC. What do you think he does?

You could travel down to Boston and take it to a luthier here. For short money, they could adjust your sound post and review your instrument's setup.

Yes, you can drop your bass off at various places in NY and come back the next day to a better sounding instrument. You could also do the same thing in Boston.

For minor setup stuff, you may be able to find a luthier who will do the work, while you take a walk for a couple of hours. I actually just did that yesterday (to have my sound post swapped out for the summer and to have my string width at the nut adjusted). You can see a lot of Boston in a couple of hours on foot...

You can searchTB for luthiers in the Boston area...heck, Portland is only a couple of hours by car. You can also travel by train or bus, if you don't have a car yet. When I was a teenager in the D.C. area, I rode up to N.Y., on Amtrak with my bass, to get it set up...

Best wishes,
Eric

Gearhead43 · #13 07-04-2008, 11:55 AM

Why are there always random bass guitar people posting in the Double Bass forums?

Does this happen over on the bass guitar side? Somehow I doubt it.

jerseyrichSnr · #14 07-04-2008, 12:10 PM

My bad, got the wrong forum.
It must happen that way round all the time because you guys are special. :-)

**Chris Fitzgerald** · #15 07-04-2008, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gearhead43

Why are there always random bass guitar people posting in the Double Bass forums?

Does this happen over on the bass guitar side? Somehow I doubt it.

It's usually an honest mistake. If someone finds a thread by checking "New Posts" and then doesn't check the tag, it's a pretty simple mistake to make.

GreyBeard · #16 07-04-2008, 01:09 PM

oops, I should have been more careful.

bassteban · #17 07-04-2008, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OxJohnson

Practice.

This is totally a myth. After spending hours on TB, I'm actually so good that I don't even need to play anymore, let alone practice. All the pros know this.
BTW, this truth applies to BG, DB & kazoo.

MR PC · #18 07-04-2008, 01:31 PM

Not a bad way to discover another perspective on bass. It's a cyber mondegren, "double bass".

I would recommend listening to Charles Mingus regardless of what shape bass instrument you play!

bassteban · #19 07-04-2008, 01:34 PM

What's a cyber mondegren? Wikipedia doesn't seem to know either...

AZNBassist · #20 07-04-2008, 02:31 PM

Quote:

I was just wondering if there were any ways to make my bass sound better in general without buying anything. Things like moving the bridge, or stretching out the strings, etc. I heard there's this guy in NYC who you can drop off you bass to and he can make your bass sound better overnight. Unfortunately I don't live in NYC. What do you think he does?

Yes, while getting a good setup can make your bass sound better, I think you'll find that in the long run practicing is the cheapest and most effective way to make your bass sound great. The proof? Have a teacher/professional play your bass and see how much better they sound than you on your instrument. I know this probably wasn't the answer you were looking for, but in my experience, I've found this to be the only tried and true way to make my instrument sound good without buying anything, good luck.