How to make a bass "less stiff"

[Libersolis]

I have fairly low action and just put helicore pizz strings on my carved Bob Golihur 2 year old carved bass. While the bass does not play bad by any means, I still feel as if it could be easier to play. A buddy of mine has an older German carved bass with similar strings but the ease of play (especially pizz with the right hand was noticably different. I realize the bass probably has a great deal to do with it, but since I am rather uneducated about these things I thought I would seek the advice and guidance of the people on these forums.

[davidAaronCarte]

It has to do with the angle of the strings against the bridge
Changing the height of your neck joint or moving the tailpiece away from the body will lessen the angle, and the tension with it (both things for your luthier)
Lighter gauge strings are the other option

[Libersolis]

Is the tail piece adjustment something that can be adjusted on my own or is it in the do not touch unless you have some experience with it category category. Thanks for your help on this!!!

[Sam Sherry]

Tension factors encompass just about anything related to the string and anything that affects the angles which the string takes. That would include, in no particular order:

* String height (no doy!)
* String material
* String gauge
* String length
* Tailpiece length
* Tailpiece gut length
* Saddle height
* Neck angle
* Nut string-slot height
* Angle over the nut

More?

[MrSidecar]

The soundpost plays its part also. If it fits too tight, the bass feels stiff- at least that what I experienced on mine once.

Best
Sidecar

[Paul Warburton]

Good responses, IMO.
How often do you play this bass?
IMO, play it more.

[hdiddy]

For me, switching to a Marvin or MPM tailpiece helped alot with tension. Also switching out the tailgut for a cable or string like the one Velvet sells.

I would certainly consult a luthier. They may be able to give you a setup that might get rid of some of the tension.

[tbassist4]

Originally Posted by MrSidecar

The soundpost plays its part also. If it fits too tight, the bass feels stiff- at least that what I experienced on mine once.

Best
Sidecar

+1

I'm going in this weekend to have my sound post looked at for this very reason.

[Eric Hochberg]

Originally Posted by hdiddy

For me, switching to a Marvin tailpiece helped alot with tension.

Didn't work for me and a raised saddle had little effect. But, every bass is unique it seems.

[Uncletoad]

Originally Posted by Sam Sherry

Tension factors encompass just about anything related to the string and anything that affects the angles which the string takes. That would include, in no particular order:

* String height (no doy!)
* String material
* String gauge
* String length
* Tailpiece length
* Tailpiece gut length
* Saddle height
* Neck angle
* Nut string-slot height
* Angle over the nut

More?

All that plus Camber...the amount of bow in the neck. Could have to much camber with low string height and be hard to play.

My guess, gotta grow into it. It's all to easy to look to gear for questions that should be answered in the wood shed.

[Jake]

One thing that helps to open up the sound of a bass is to play a low A and an Ab FFF arco on the bottom two strings. It may sound stupid, an excellent orchestral principal recommended that to our excerpt class when I was in school. Also try Eb against an open E, a Bb on the E string against an open A, etc.

[kaybass1952]

+1 on the Marvin Tailpiece.

[tbassist4]

Originally Posted by Jake

One thing that helps to open up the sound of a bass is to play a low A and an Ab FFF arco on the bottom two strings. It may sound stupid, an excellent orchestral principal recommended that to our excerpt class when I was in school. Also try Eb against an open E, a Bb on the E string against an open A, etc.

Interesting thought - how long/often would one have to do this to hear audible results?

[Ed Fuqua]

Think about baseball?

[Uncletoad]

Originally Posted by Ed Fuqua

Think about baseball?

Or your mother.


For most people anyhow.

[robobass]

Originally Posted by Uncletoad

All that plus Camber...the amount of bow in the neck. Could have to much camber with low string height and be hard to play....

Not to hijack, but is "camber" the right term?
Webster: camber
Function: noun
Date: 1823
1 : a slight convexity, arching, or curvature (as of a beam, deck, or road)...
I think it means the ringerboard radius to most people, and I say "relief" for the lengthwise negative curvature.
Just curious about what most people call it.

[Uncletoad]

Originally Posted by robobass

Not to hijack, but is "camber" the right term?
Webster: camber
Function: noun
Date: 1823
1 : a slight convexity, arching, or curvature (as of a beam, deck, or road)...
I think it means the ringerboard radius to most people, and I say "relief" for the lengthwise negative curvature.
Just curious about what most people call it.

In double bass land the term "camber" refers to the bow carved in the fingerboard lengthwise from the nut towards the bridge, not the radius across the short side of the fingerboard.

Relief is a guitar term which I use all day in my shop for a similar concept. It differs in that "relief" refers to the entire neck which (except for Martin guitars prior to 1986 and few others) is an adjustable thing. Relief is not used in DB because the neck is not adjustable and cannot be "relieved".

A fretted instrument generally has a same thickness fingerboard across its length and gets bow in the neck by tightening or relieving the truss rod. Relief.

Double Basses have a fixed or non adjustable neck that requires camber be carved into the fingerboard to accommodate for string travel across it's length. Camber.

[Jake]

Originally Posted by tbassist4

Interesting thought - how long/often would one have to do this to hear audible results?

I usually just do it of a few minutes tops when I first pick up the bass.

[Matthew Tucker]

Originally Posted by Uncletoad

In double bass land the term "camber" refers to the bow carved in the fingerboard lengthwise from the nut towards the bridge, not the radius across the short side of the fingerboard.

Not in this DB land here you don't

I call that lengthways relief "scoop" and "camber" is the radial shape across the board!

[Jake deVilliers]

Originally Posted by Matthew Tucker

Not in this DB land here you don't

I call that lengthways relief "scoop" and "camber" is the radial shape across the board!

Only Down Under - scoop is camber and fingerboard radius is uh, fingerboard radius.

On a sailboat a wooden tiller has camber - lengthwise curvature.