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03-26-2011, 02:15 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Princeville, Kauai | |  Setting the sound post
Aloha luthiers and bassists who work on their instruments. My back up bass is an old German/Czech shop bass. It seems that I'm always fussing with something on that old girl. Luckily, I have all the required tools to set a sound post. this is because I live on Kauai and we don't have any luthiers living here. Since I have the tools, I'm at least able to reinstall the sound post when it falls for whatever reason. However, I don't think I'm doing a very good job. My main concern regards best placement and which way should the grain of the soundpost face as it relates to the top plate and optimum placement. In addition, how do you pull my high end or low end out of the instrument by moving the soundpost? Any tips are greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance guys.
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Last edited by Treyzer : 03-26-2011 at 02:20 PM.
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03-26-2011, 02:40 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Keswick, Ont. Canada | | | Setting a sound post is critical to the tone and response of the instrument and requires a little know-how. I don't think there are any hard and fast rules that are universal to all basses. One thing I can tell you is that the grain of the post is to be at right angles to the grain of the table.
Is your sound post falling inside the bass with the table under tension from the strings? If this is the case, it sounds like your post may be too short. Improperly fitted posts can do harm to the bass wioth cracks etc. |
03-26-2011, 03:32 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Princeville, Kauai | | | @bassics1975, Thanks for the help. The sound post has been in for about 15 years and was fitted by Jeff Sahs who is well regarded for his luthier work. However, the post maybe a bit short as the humidity on Kauai is much greater than in Northern California. I know that with my other bass purchased from Lemur, Jerry suggested a very slightly longer post to account for the humidity and I don't have the same problems with that bass.
Thanks also for confirming the grain issue. That is what I thought but wasn't sure.
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03-26-2011, 04:08 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Keswick, Ont. Canada | | | Next time you are on the mainland, you may wish to bring the bass with you and have a larger post fitted. I am sure it will make a huge difference in the sound of your old instrument. Good luck! |
03-26-2011, 04:57 PM
|  | Supporting Member
Luthier: Bresque Basses, rep: Paulin EUB | | Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Sydney, Australia | | Quote:
Originally Posted by bassics1975  One thing I can tell you is that the grain of the post is to be at right angles to the grain of the table. | IMO the grain issue isn't the least bit important.
If you use a standard soundpost setting tool, that's just the way it'll end up, since you stick the blade into the ends of the grain, and insert the soundpost through the side. Try sticking the blade in across the grain!
So someone notices that IN ALL VIOLINS AND CELLOS AND BASSES, the grain of the soundpost runs parallel (I MEANT PERPENDICULAR) to the top grain. Wooooo Wooooo ... must be something special going on there 
In my opinion there's a lot of woooo-woooo about a bunch of things about how things are done in luthiery, when in truth, its just like that for practical reasons.
I may be wrong, of course.
Last edited by Matthew Tucker : 03-26-2011 at 08:41 PM.
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03-26-2011, 05:38 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Princeville, Kauai | |
Quote:
Originally Posted by Matthew Tucker IMO the grain issue isn't the least bit important.......Wooooo Wooooo ... must be something special going on there
In my opinion there's a lot of woooo-woooo about a bunch of things about how things are done in luthiery, when in truth, its just like that for practical reasons.
I may be wrong, of course. | Mathew, I love your rant! It makes me smile. However, please remember, I'm a player and in no way represent myself as an "in the know" luthier. I'm also at a spot in this world where there are NO Luthiers! 
So, I'm just trying to figure out how I can do this and get optimal results. Thanks for the Rant! 
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03-26-2011, 05:58 PM
| | Supporting Member
Luthier: Bresque Basses, rep: Paulin EUB | | Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Sydney, Australia | | | |
03-26-2011, 08:27 PM
|  | 'Woodworker - Witch Doctor - Luthier'
Owner/The Bass Spa, String Repairman/L & M Vancouver | | Join Date: May 2006 Location: Crescent Beach, BC | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Matthew Tucker So someone notices that IN ALL VIOLINS AND CELLOS AND BASSES, the grain of the soundpost runs parallel to the top grain. Wooooo
I may be wrong, of course. | Did you mean to say "perpendicular"? |
03-26-2011, 08:36 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Keswick, Ont. Canada | | | Wooo...wooo. |
03-26-2011, 08:40 PM
| | Supporting Member
Luthier: Bresque Basses, rep: Paulin EUB | | Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Sydney, Australia | | | LOL of course ... |
03-26-2011, 08:52 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Keswick, Ont. Canada | | | "If you use a standard soundpost setting tool, that's just the way it'll end up, since you stick the blade into the ends of the grain, and insert the soundpost through the side."
...Never thought of it that way. Makes perfect sense. |
03-26-2011, 11:22 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: emmitsburg, maryland | | one stabs the cello and bass SP on the bench, violin, between the thumb and forefinger...perpendicular to the grain of one's flesh.  |  | Thread Tools | Search this Thread | | | | 
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