This is not a sales tactic

[Johnny L]

Well, here's another gizmo that has gained my interest in trying to coax Cinderella out of my beginner bass. It's some kind of brass fastener, about 3 oz., that's supposed to attach to an electric bass' headstock...or a double bass scroll!!!! Hey, Joe Satriani isn't afraid of the camera with one of those doo-hickies on his guitar.

Has anyone thrown $30 dollars away for one (or more) of these things, and if you're brave enough to admit it did it take you in the direction of goodness?

Thanks for any useful feedback.

[Johnny L]

O.K., what if I say there's a precedent to such a device as this...you know, those brass plates that hug the sides of the scroll.

Does anyone know how much those plates weigh? Do luthiers use customize those brass plates to create any kind of tonal advantage for a bass, or are they just considered decoration?

[Bob Branstetter]

Originally posted by Johnny L
O.K., what if I say there's a precedent to such a device as this...you know, those brass plates that hug the sides of the scroll.

Does anyone know how much those plates weigh? Do luthiers use customize those brass plates to create any kind of tonal advantage for a bass, or are they just considered decoration?

The only way a device such as the one you are describing could improve the sound of a double bass would be be for the additional weight to move the resonance frequency of the neck assemble closer to the resonance frequency of the air contained in the body of the bass. The possiblilty of this happening without the use of very expensive test equipment is extremely remote. The process is called A0-B0 matching. There have been discussions of this subject in posts in the past. The short answer to you question is don't waste your money.

The weight of the brass plates varies from light to very heavy. I know of no luthiers who modify the machine plates other than engraving them for decoration and reworking the gears to make them work better.