Marvin Wire Tailpiece

Eli_Upright12 · #1 03-25-2008, 07:13 PM

Has anyone every used one of these? I just ordered one after playing one on David Murray's solo bass, the resonance on his bass was great and really playable. My bass struggles with wolftones and slow response so I guess I'll try it. I'll tell everyone how it works, also finally got the EP E string to finish the set.

Jake deVilliers · #2 03-25-2008, 09:42 PM

I'm looking forward to your report Eli. I've been thinking about making one of those, just to hear what it does for the sound.

Eli_Upright12 · #3 03-25-2008, 09:46 PM

Well I can tell you that on David Murray's bass you could hit a low g on the E string, dampen it, then at least two other harmonics would still ring clear, all the overtones sort of jumped out of the strings. That bass was strung with permanent solos, and is a naturally bright bass meant for solo rep. It will be very interesting to see what kind of effect it has on my very dark big, Romanian hybrid.

Jake deVilliers · #4 03-25-2008, 09:49 PM

To find out what the tailpiece sounds like, you have to make it the one change you make on a bass you know well.

If you do two things at once, you can't know which change did what.

You'll know soon.

charlespf · #5 04-13-2008, 08:34 PM

Eli,
Did you ever install the tailpeice?
Diana's got one on a bass in her studio, and I've been kind of interested in trying one out lately. For me, Spiros work fine as a hybrid string, but I find that they can be kind of slow and wolfy arco.

Eli_Upright12 · #6 04-13-2008, 08:59 PM

I haven't yet, but I should this week, I had an audition for the Youth Symphony today, and didn't want to change anything right before an audition. I should be able to get back in the next week or so.

Eli_Upright12 · #7 06-20-2008, 01:47 PM

I has taken me two months but I think I can give a good review now. when I first put on the tailpiece I was a little scared as at first it actualy made the bass too resonant, to the point that it had more wolftones and an unfocused tone, but this passed in the first week or so. Now the bass is WAY WAY LOUDER, my bass was loud before but now it can play with any group, it can even hold its own in my wind band and brass ensembles. Everything is also more focused now, when you play a note it pops out of the bass and is very clear. Probably my favorite change that it has made for my bass is the response, when I lay my bow in the string the notes articulate very quickly and I can get a great staccato with a lot of bite(this is a lot in the bow technique, but the bass has helped). The one problem I had is that through its ability to cancel wolftones the afterlength of the string and the individual wires vibrate quite a bit on select notes. This wouldnt be a problem except that I didn't put on the dampening felt that goes around the wires and the vibrations cause the brass rings that hold the balls of the strings to bang together. This was an easy fix with a little padding and duct tape. The other negative is I have had a hard time adjusting to not having a quiver, I almost threw my bow on the floors a few times.

anonymous12251111 · #8 06-20-2008, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eli_Upright12

I has taken me two months but I think I can give a good review now. when I first put on the tailpiece I was a little scared as at first it actualy made the bass too resonant, to the point that it had more wolftones and an unfocused tone, but this passed in the first week or so. Now the bass is WAY WAY LOUDER, my bass was loud before but now it can play with any group, it can even hold its own in my wind band and brass ensembles. Everything is also more focused now, when you play a note it pops out of the bass and is very clear. Probably my favorite change that it has made for my bass is the response, when I lay my bow in the string the notes articulate very quickly and I can get a great staccato with a lot of bite(this is a lot in the bow technique, but the bass has helped). The one problem I had is that through its ability to cancel wolftones the afterlength of the string and the individual wires vibrate quite a bit on select notes. This wouldnt be a problem except that I didn't put on the dampening felt that goes around the wires and the vibrations cause the brass rings that hold the balls of the strings to bang together. This was an easy fix with a little padding and duct tape. The other negative is I have had a hard time adjusting to not having a quiver, I almost threw my bow on the floors a few times.

Hey Eli,you can apparently attatch a quiver to it...check the faqs area of the marvin site!

Eli_Upright12 · #9 06-20-2008, 02:51 PM

I saw that but they also suggest it will work best with the smallest amount of mass, so I have been playing with it sans quiver.

anonymous12251111 · #10 06-20-2008, 02:56 PM

Do you have the newer looking marvin or the old one? the new ones look really strange...

Eli_Upright12 · #11 06-20-2008, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calvin Marks

Do you have the newer looking marvin or the old one? the new ones look really strange...

I'm not sure which ones which, but mine has the braided wire coming over the saddle that splits into four staggered length wires with brass rings that attach to the strings, it comes with the black felt dampening cover that has adhesive to attach it to the wires.

charlespf · #12 06-20-2008, 04:34 PM

This revival is inspiring me to write a bit of my own review:

In the month and a half that I've had the tailpiece, I've found that the most noticeable change it made on my instrument is an increased snappiness. Right now I've got a set of Spiro mittels on, and the tailpiece really gives them an almost gutlike elasticity. Of course, they're still somewhat stiffer, and they still sound like Spiros. It's really made my already quite playable instrument very, very easy to play.

Tonewise, they've brightened up my instrument quite a bit, and I perceive an increase in sustain. Everything's feeling and sounding looser and brighter. Double and triple stops really ring out now. Not really for everyone, but it really suits the sound I'm going for.

Most of my observations come from a jazz standpoint, as my classical arco experience is super limited. I do, however, sense that the strings have become much easier to start, and whenever I'm practicing or soloing with the bow, there are more clear notes than before, particularly in the middle and extreme high registers.

Also, I use a quiver with mine, and I've got both of my pickup jacks mounted on it. I avoided the quiver for a while, but I actually felt like, on my bass, the tailpiece would benefit from a little extra weight. Without the quiver, open strings had a tendency to sound hollow, with perhaps some of the over resonance that Eli described. Putting the quiver on solved any of those problems. Now the tailpiece is working great.

Eli_Upright12 · #13 06-20-2008, 05:27 PM

Yeah it made my bass alot brighter too, it was ultra dark before though so it evened out nicely. I also experience the easier playing with the left hand, though I play Evah's and they are real tight, so it brought them somewhere easier.

toman · #14 06-20-2008, 07:18 PM

I'd be willing to give one of these a try, but after seeing it I kind of choke on the $80 price tag. Is there really anything to it that couldn't be put together from bits from the hardware store and a little creativity?

Eli_Upright12 · #15 06-20-2008, 08:10 PM

The braided wire would be hard to do, but it does look pretty simple, but thats supply and demand for you, I think its worth it. but think of it this way that would by you an uncarved ebony tailpiece that wouldn't be half as good in my opinion.

anonymous12251111 · #16 06-20-2008, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eli_Upright12

I'm not sure which ones which, but mine has the braided wire coming over the saddle that splits into four staggered length wires with brass rings that attach to the strings, it comes with the black felt dampening cover that has adhesive to attach it to the wires.

Is the dampener for show or is it really necessary? I find the dampener really ugly.

Eli_Upright12 · #17 06-20-2008, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calvin Marks

Is the dampener for show or is it really necessary? I find the dampener really ugly.

Its not necessary at all it does help to control vibration of the afterlength of the strings, the brass rings can bang together without it, I think its supposed to look like a traditional tail piece, alot of people just buy some colorful felt ( you can match your string silks) and weave i through the wires, it has the same effect.

anonymous12251111 · #18 06-20-2008, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eli_Upright12

Its not necessary at all it does help to control vibration of the afterlength of the strings, the brass rings can bang together without it, I think its supposed to look like a traditional tail piece, alot of people just buy some colorful felt ( you can match your string silks) and weave i through the wires, it has the same effect.

I like the old Marvin tailpiece better, when it had that woven grey spiral instead of the black felt dampener

Eli_Upright12 · #19 06-20-2008, 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calvin Marks

I like the old Marvin tailpiece better, when it had that woven grey spiral instead of the black felt dampener

yeah me too, thats why I didnt put it on.

anonymous12251111 · #20 06-20-2008, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eli_Upright12

yeah me too, thats why I didnt put it on.

do they still make the old one? do you know if the new one has any actual sonic improvements? i heard that the dampener addition was to make it look more "normal"...if anything it just makes it look more ugly.