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10-01-2006, 10:21 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: May 2002 Location: Anyplace cold or air conditioned | | | adjustable soundpost ?
In the recent thread soundpost blues, two luthiers have reminded that soundpost tightness is a crucial sound variable, and that a slight soundpost adjustment can make the fit wrong, owing to the slope of the top and bottom plates.
I am wondering if anyone has ever tried to make an adjustable soundpost. A wood post could have the two ends shaped just right to mate with the top and bottom, but in the middle it could have some sort of length adjuster thingie.
I suppose the first reaction of many people to this idea would be horror, that the acoustic integrity of this important little component would be compromised by such a modification.
But I suspect that the same reaction was seen when bridge adjusters were first introduced. Nowadays, however, decades of use have shown bridge adjusters to be, if not neutral, at least sonically acceptable conveniences. Who knows, it might work with soundposts too.
Has anyone ever heard of this being tried? Any adventurous luthier here want to take a crack at it ?
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10-02-2006, 09:50 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: May 2001 Location: Los Angeles | | | I've been toying with the concept for years but without a specially designed tool for the job, the job would take a minimum of 3 hands. The major problem with the concept is if someone got a little too adventurous or the weather is prone to radical variations and/or both, you'd have major crackage in places do DO NOT want crackage. But yeah, its doable...I guess.... |
10-02-2006, 11:29 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: May 2002 Location: Anyplace cold or air conditioned | | | good point, mike. If you had one, tweaking it would not be easy, especially in place. Pulling it out, adjusting, back in again, and so on, would be no picnic either.
Perhaps the best idea would be to combine an adjustable post with one of those C-bout access portals that several bass makers are now experimenting with ! |
10-02-2006, 12:37 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: the end of the section | | hmmmm... Yeah, just fit a bridge adjuster in the middle of the soundpost, and than make the c-bout removable via velcro or something, like those Ross basses. Interesting, not only would it let you change the length so it could be moved easily, but also to compensate for seasonal changes and to experiment with different tensions on the post. Anybody have a lame plywood bass for me to chop up and try this on?  |
10-02-2006, 02:57 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: the end of the section | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by KSB - Ken Smith
Or, do like the rest of us do and get it done right and adjusted as needed by a pro.
| Ouch. So now there's something wrong with a bit of lighthearted discussion that might actually lead to something useful? I think you should get your blood pressure checked, man. I don't think anybody here is about to chop his soundpost in half and put an adjuster in it any time soon, but it is an interesting idea, and if it worked, hey, more convenience and money saved for the average bassist who can't afford $30k instruments, extensive restorations and frequent visits to his luthier.  |
10-02-2006, 04:39 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: the end of the section | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by KSB - Ken Smith No need to get on your 'poor-man' band wagon here. | No bandwagon here, just the fact that I have yet to meet any musicians who don't appreciate saving a buck or two. Obviously I think we all agree that an adjustable soundpost is probably not a practical idea, or even needed, but at the same time, it's ideas like these that lead to experimentation, which leads to progress. When you just put something down as a bad idea and dismiss it, that's pretty counterproductive, in my opinion. Maybe if someone were to actually try an adjustable post of some sort, they'd realize "hey, what do you know, those proposed problems really aren't issues, and I can do something cool with this that otherwise I couldn't!" Which is why I suggesting trying it out on some crap bass, that if damaged wouldn't really matter. Oh well... Let's just stick to what we know. And for god's sake, don't even touch a string with that third finger.  |
10-02-2006, 05:26 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: May 2005 Location: Bend, Oregon | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by KSB - Ken Smith Or, do like the rest of us do and get it done right and adjusted as needed by a pro. | Having read a great number of Ken's posts I believe I understand when Ken is exercising his sense of humor. This line is one of them. He even put a smilie face after it. Correct me if I'm wrong Ken. Once you get used to his writing style you'll find that he has a lot to offer.
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10-02-2006, 10:05 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Florida | | | +1 on the JB Luthier Rant. Not only is the guy an amazing luthier, he's pretty dang funny too. |
10-03-2006, 01:08 AM
|  | Supporting Member
Luthier: Bresque Basses, rep: Paulin EUB | | Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Sydney, Australia | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Jake +1 on the JB Luthier Rant. Not only is the guy an amazing luthier, he's pretty dang funny too. | Yeah ... but he doesn't deal with some of the more important inventions of the 21st century, like rubber soundposts and adjustable f holes.  |
10-03-2006, 07:51 AM
|  | Oracle, Ancient Order of Rass Hattur | | Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Connecticut | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by myrick ...Any adventurous luthier here want to take a crack at it ? | Interesting choice of words!  |  | Thread Tools | Search this Thread | | | | 
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