Double Bass A question.....

[millsbass5]

Okay, for starters, I'm strictly an electric player. But, I respect the DB immensely. Sure, I've walked upon a cheap, beginners DB and plucked out a few lines in a local music store. But, that's been the extent of my experience with the instrument. So, therefore, this is why I'm asking the most basic of questions.
Are DB players as finicky about how the action and playability is on the instrument as electric players? Or, is it more about producing that ever so elusive tone that you hear in your head? Or, are you guys/gals always tweaking the string height on the fingerboard and such?
Sorry for the "beginner-type" of questions, but I just want to learn a little about the instrument. Thanks.

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

Are DB players as finicky about how the action and playability is on the instrument as electric players?

Usually yes or even more so.

Or, is it more about producing that ever so elusive tone that you hear in your head?

It's kind of hard to separate the two. Because our instrument is an acoustic one, every change in setup affects the sound. On my bass, which is set up with what I would call "high-ish medium" string height, the g string is about 7mm off the end of the boardboard, and the E string is about 10mm. Much higher or lower than that and it becomes difficult for me to play and get the sound I'm after.

Or, are you guys/gals always tweaking the string height on the fingerboard and such?

Usually only twice a year when the seasons change, to keep it in the range mentioned above.

 

[Kmonk]

I would imagine that most musicians are very picky about the setup of their instrument.

 

[millsbass5]

Thanks for the replies. If I have more questions, i 'll ask, if you don't mind. Thanks again, guys.

 

[drurb]

With regard to setup and sound, Chris said it very well:

It's kind of hard to separate the two. Because our instrument is an acoustic one, every change in setup affects the sound.

You'll find quite a bit of variance among players with regard to their setups. For example, my string heights are much like Chris's but, depending on the player, the bass, the strings, etc., string heights are quite variable. As for the finicky part, you'll notice that many of us have bridge adjusters. For me and many other players, they're there, not because we're often changing heights, but because adjusters allow us to dial right in to the "sweet spot."

I've found, and I'm sure others have as well that, across seasonal changes, a very small tweak of the adjusters makes a substantially bigger difference in "feel" than would seem to make sense from the sub-millimeter change in string-height that it causes. Across seasons, these small adjustments seem to be compensating for changes that occur in the wood of a bass with a carved top. The changes re-adjust the force on the top. Bottom line: Finicky? Hell, yes!

Then there are instrument preferences including neck profile, shoulder slope, fingerboard overstand, fingerboard radius, and on and on and on...

 

[millsbass5]

I don't know why, but lately I've had a big interest in DB. Is it due to my age? Who knows. I think I'm kinda gettin' tired of the same regurgitated music that involves the electric. I've always appreciated classical music, and I've been listening to a lot of it as of late. The dynamics in that music are just so breathtaking. It seems like you can hear an acoustic instrument b-r-e-a-t-h-e.

 

[RSBBass]

I think you are hearing the call of the dark side.