I have played a 3/4 bass with a pickup exclusively. I have a '38 Kay which is the go to one for playing out in a trio, double bridge pick up. HERE is my question. Ima go check out a quite reasonably priced 1/4 size 1968 Kay. i know it's 6" less nut to bridge. Any DB players have advice or have specifics on pros and cons? FYI I'm 5'6" and have small hands but hasnt been a detriment, although since I've never played a 1/2 or 1/4 maybe it's gonna be a revelation?? Thanks kind and knowlegable bassers, bassists, bass players.
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Double Bass 1/4 DB VS 3/4
- Thread starter Joe Tully
- Start date
Acoustically I think you will find the 1/4 is weak and sounds awful. It may amplify okay with some creative EQ...or it may always sound toy-like and boxey.
It could be a fun thing to have around. It isn't going to be a true replacement. If a 1/4 was viable we would all do it. As it stands, no one of note does.
There are a few great players with smaller basses, but more in the 1/2 size area and those are extremely expensive when they sound great.
There are a few great players with smaller basses, but more in the 1/2 size area and those are extremely expensive when they sound great.
Yeah that makes sense. I'm thinking of The Dead South, dude carries the bass line on a cello, hard pass for me. Thanks, oh wise and sagacious responder.
I’ve been drowned out by a spinet piano playing a quarter size Kay.
A 1/4 size double bass will be much louder then an acoustic bass guitar and it can be played unamplified in a small acoustic group. Sound is weaker then an 3/4 double bass.
Many years ago a society band I was with had a periodic sub bassist who sometimes played a regular 3/4 and sometimes a 1/4. He was a big tall guy so I'm guessing it depended on loading, which car he had, etc.
Amplified, as upright basses are pretty much always in the big band, it sounded dandy. I don't have any idea how much trouble he'd gone to, to get the pickup/preamp/amp combination to get a good sound out of it.
OP, I'd guess the question is "what would you expect to use this 1/4 for?" Or, maybe, you just want to mess around with it and see if it has utility for you or not. Nothing wrong with that either. I note you mention pickups on your 3/4 so I'm going to guess that pure unamplified playing is not a major priority for you; as the 1/4 surely won't deliver near as much sound unamped.
Amplified, as upright basses are pretty much always in the big band, it sounded dandy. I don't have any idea how much trouble he'd gone to, to get the pickup/preamp/amp combination to get a good sound out of it.
OP, I'd guess the question is "what would you expect to use this 1/4 for?" Or, maybe, you just want to mess around with it and see if it has utility for you or not. Nothing wrong with that either. I note you mention pickups on your 3/4 so I'm going to guess that pure unamplified playing is not a major priority for you; as the 1/4 surely won't deliver near as much sound unamped.
You're not the first to think of this, Joe, and more than a few players are working with 1/4 basses, particularly in the Americana field. The earliest band of note that I know of was the Ink Spots, which started with cello bass and moved to 1/4. You'll want to plan on amplification, and spring for a pro setup to get the most out of the instrument. String choice can be a challenge.
Interesting. I've never played an acoustic bass guitar. That's a handsome Kay you have. I like mine a lot, the only reason I'm even interested in the 1/4 size
Oh yes, always always amped. 200wt 1×15 Traynor is plenty for my purposes.
A 1/4 size bass seems to defy all the laws of acoustics, physics and tradition that lead to the evolution of the standard sized bass to enable notes of these frequencies on these strings to resonate with minimal effort.
I'm not sure what effect amplification has on tone, but without it surely you're in tea-chest territory.
I'm not sure what effect amplification has on tone, but without it surely you're in tea-chest territory.
It's worse than that: My understanding is 3/4 and 4/4 basses are not large enough to actually support the range of the instrument...but they are closer to the required size than a 1/4.
I think I'm unclear on the concept. Say that a different way for us less gifted folks please.
Look at it as a bass guitar. With the right amplification I don't see why it wouldn't do something bass like. You could also string it up higher for a piccolo bass...
I am not a luthier, physicist, or engineer--so double check my beliefs.
When you have an enclosed volume of air with holes, it forms a Helmholtz resonator. An example is bottle. Blow over the hole of an empty bottle and it will create a pitch. Add some water and the pitch goes up.
The amount of internal volume, and also the size and depth of the F holes determines the Helmholtz resonance of a bass. I found a paper that discusses the output of double bass and it mentions a resonance of about 60hz. Below this resonance the output of the bass will drop dramatically. AN IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS OF THE DOUBLE BASS TO STAGE FLOOR CONTACT (akutek.info)
With a smaller bass, it's likely Helmholtz resonance will occur at a higher frequency, which will reduce the amount of power the instrument can make in it's lower range.
I believe the resonance of the front an back of the instrument are also factors...Smaller panels will resonate at higher frequencies and the impedance between the panels and the air is higher...meaning less transfer of energy.
Why the resonance frequencies of the panels could matter. I have seen some articles that discuss tuning the panels in intervals. When you have two frequencies you get a sum frequency and also a difference frequency. The sum frequency will be much higher and the difference frequency will be a bit lower. For example let's say the panels are tuned to the open A (110hz) and the open D(147hz)> The sum frequency is 257hz. The is about a minor 10th higher...between B and C. The difference frequency is 37hz, which is just below the fundamental of the open E. So this sort of tuning should reinforce the D string, A string, and E string.
The frequencies are made up...I don't know how basses are tuned, and I am not saying this theory is used with every bass...but apparently some builders do use it.
