Woof note at last

Joe Taylor · #1 06-03-2003, 11:47 AM

After a year and a half my bass finly got loose enough to have the A flat G sharp wolf note come out. - that not a bad thing as I can fix the wolf note with a cable clamp for about 50 cents but the bass is sounding better all the time. Baby getting her voice. And the G string does not sound a harsh now.

Joe

Bruce Lindfield · #2 06-03-2003, 11:50 AM

Do you only get "woof notes" on a "doghouse"?

Mike Goodbar · #3 06-03-2003, 11:52 AM

Hey Joe,

Congratulations (?) on your wolf.

Is this the Christopher flat back?

Joe Taylor · #4 06-03-2003, 12:22 PM

Yes it's the Christopher. Kind of funny it was not there then one day it jumpped out. You have to be dead on Green light on the tunner playing on the D string 3rd position G# and out it comes. There seems to be more overtones too I think it a function of the bass being "played in". I like the new sound. Of course it could be the strings are about to go south or the hot weather or phase of the moon or this all summer play gig I got going.

I do need to take the bass in for a check up after a year and a half of being just fine I think I might need an sound post bump or something. I have fooled with the bridge and not sure if I have it exactly right. I think I need to see a pro at this point.

Any one have any experience with the San Francisco Bass Shop?

Joe Taylor · #5 06-03-2003, 12:30 PM

I suppose you could get wolf notes on any instrument as it it a sympathetic resonance.
A Wolf note is not the sign of a bad instrument, all it means is that the instrument likes that note.

When I play F# the china cabnet rattles in the living room so does that mean the china cabnet has an F# wolf note? Yes it does.

In the real old days the term was also applied to disonate notes like the augmented 4th / diminished 5th. Before the tempered scales came in to use, see Bach's 48, players of keyboard instruments had key signatures that could not be played with out retuneing ther instrument. Also all sorts of special tunnings for viols existed but that is another topic.

They are called wolf notes because it was said the instrument howled like a wolf when the note sounded.
Joe