Loud D and G, weak E and A

[bville]

The E and A strings on my upright sound a lot quieter than the D and G, any idea why this happens? The strings are all the same age.

[Nuno A.]

I would bring the bass to a luthier for a soundpost adjustment...
he will be the most qualified person to help you because he will actually see the bass, you can also try to change strings and see what happens, tell us more about the strings you're using.
good luck

NUNO

[KSB - Ken Smith]

Only the best basses I have played or owned have an E as strong at the G and D with true fundamental tone. This is common. Also, many Basses need a different E to balance with the set to help this problem. If your A is weak as well then it could be the Bass, it could be an adjustment or could be the Strings. It's not that easy to fix what isn't there with adjustments.

I have only played one Bass which I currently own where the E gets louder than the other strings. That Bass is bottom heavy. It is also a VERY expensive 200 year old English Bass. The average bass will be weak on the bottom acoustically. It's more common than not!

By the way, is this with Pizz, the bow or both where you are having your problem?

[Chris Fitzgerald]

What MSG said - it's very common. Can you give us some more info about your bass, what strings you are using, and what styles you are playing? Another part of the equation is technique. For me, the relationship to the bass is like an intimate relationship with another person: it takes a while to get to know your partner and find the groove of your relationship to (him/her/it). From a technique standpoint, to a certain degree you have to play slightly differently (especially with the RH) to get the sound you're hearing in your head out of each bass. With some it's easy, with others not so much. Strings and setup can help, but a part of it will be an adjustment in technique as well. Fill us in on your bass and setup details when you get a minute.