| Pecanic Tailpiece and Velvet Cord
I have neglected my sturdy Sang laminate bass since I purchased it, well used, in 1972. I had a bridge fitted in 74 and it started buzzing at the bass bar but it wasn't audible when amplified so I let it go. I decided to replace the raty looking conventional tailpiece made of a lite white wood painted black and what looks to be coat hanger wire to the end pin.
I installed a compensated Cardinal wood tailpiece and a Velvet cord from Mike Pecanic. I did nothing in the way of tuning the string length after the bridge. I play mostly pizz and the change was like replacing a very old set of strings with a new and different type of string. There is greater focus and sustain and the D string is no longer louder than the rest. Sounds like a pile of wet rags have been removed from the bottom of the bass. It's a very dramatic change in tone but when I look at that old piece of coat hanger, I guess replaceing these parts with a conventional setup might provide some improvment in tone but, IMO, not this much.
I like the look of double basses as I'm sure we all do. This tailpiece gives the bass a sort of Harpish look that seemed odd at first but I'm very happy with it now.
Why stop now, it still buzzes from that bridge refit in 74 and I'm very excited about my new found tone. Armed with bridge fitting instructions form Lars Kirmser's website and an adjustable bridgeblank from All Hail Bob what could I lose?
According to Lars the legs and feet of my bridge were far to wide for the bass bar and sound post. The new blank was a perfect width. With the new bridge fitted the buzz is history and the tone is fuller and the F, F#, and G do that muWAH like the carved bass. I am totaly stoked by the improvments I made with a few days work and a couple a hundred dollars.
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