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Double Bass A string is very dull sounding

Rockabass23

Rockabass23

Mar 28, 2008
20
2
United Kingdom
#1
Bassist,

Every friday I play my double bass at my jazz ensemble at school. Last friday i notice that the A string on my bass gets lost in the amp and does not have the amount of volume and brightness as every other string does. It is like this with out an amp to too but the pick-up essentially "picks up" the dullness of the string. My teacher does minor repairs on basses and as far as he could tell today at my lesson the sound post, bridge, and tail piece are all set up correctly(shank's strings). I am using a david gage realist so i don't think that is the issue either. The bass, just so its clear, is a fully carved German bass and the strings have been on for a year (since i bought it) which i don't think is long for bass strings. does any one have any ideas what this could be or why this is happening? advice? sympathy? anything is appreciated.

Thanks alot,

Mike
 
#5
Not to be a tool, but it's tough to give good advice when you're not offering info in your profile about yourself. Assuming you are playing pizzicato, based on your screename, I think that the A string gets the hardest stress in any set. You get more leverage on it than the E and at least I seem to crank on it more than the D or G's. I can destroy a new Obligato A string in about 2 weeks without trying very hard, for example.

I love Pirastro strings, but found that most of them start to fail between 6 months and a year for me. Permenants for example (irony) would start to lose their goodness for me in 6 months of heavy gig schedule. I could stretch them longer, but replacing them was always like getting a new bass. Similar experience with FlatChromeSteels. I didn't notice a big decay over the year with Evah P's, but I never really liked them sonically that much anyway.

Spirocores in general seem to last quite a bit longer and Pirastro Jazzers certainly can outlive a year. I have the impression that various Helicores may have a shorter lifecycle, but I haven't ever spent a year with a set of them to say for sure.

If you're an orchestral player, I shouldn't even be trying to answer, there are better qualified people here. It would help to know. And to know which strings you were using.

It's also good to have your bass checked by a luthier too. You'll need to know one eventually. If may be cheaper to try a new A string first to see what result you get. Again, depending on a lot of things we don't know about you. I would likely either replace the set or at least the E and A together.
 
#6
I play both pizz and orchestral. but it is really noticeable when i play through the amp at college. and trust me i am playing the strings loud enough. I was taught how to get great drive by a jazz dude at an adjudication, its all full mechanical arm motion. I have the daddario helicore hybrids.

Thank you
 
#8
It's probably the string. D'Addarios are notorious for quality control issues. Replace the string. If the problem doesn't go away, give Mike Shank a call and get him to check everything out. I'm out in Pittsburgh and Mike is my go-to guy too. I'm betting the string crapped out though.

mark
 

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