Double Bass Baby Bass megathread

[Francois Blais]

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The S42 set is 4/4 size, medium gauge. (orchestra tuning)
The S43 set is 4/4 size, solo tuning gauge.

 

[65AmpegBB4]

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The S42 set is 4/4 size, medium gauge. (orchestra tuning)
The S43 set is 4/4 size, solo tuning gauge.

Much appreciated! Don’t I need 3/4 size though?

 

[DoubleMIDI]

The 4/4 Spiros have less tension on the same vibrating string length than the 3/4 Spiros.
The 3/4 Spiro Solo have a similar tension as the 4/4,Spiro Weich. In that case I would prefer the Spiro Weich because of more power in he lower strings.
Since in the USA the Spiros that are mostly kept in stock and sold are 4/4, S43 (4/4 Solo) are commonly used.

 

[65AmpegBB4]

The 4/4 Spiros have less tension on the same vibrating string length than the 3/4 Spiros.
The 3/4 Spiro Solo have a similar tension as the 4/4,Spiro Weich. In that case I would prefer the Spiro Weich because of more power in he lower strings.
Since in the USA the Spiros that are mostly kept in stock and sold are 4/4, S43 (4/4 Solo) are commonly used.

Thank you. As far as I know, cutting them is not recommended. Do people usually wind up the 4/4's all the way on the EUB's?

 

[DoubleMIDI]

You can simply fiddle more of the string through the hole and let the ends stick out of the pegbox. Not visibly nice, but the strings are reusable on a longer scale double bass, in case you want to sell them later for whatever reason.
You can cut steel strings, BUT you need to leave some silk wound part (I would recommend two inches or five cm) at the top of the string but secure the silk with a drop of glue at the end (a few mm are enough). The silk fixes the metal windings and prevents unravelling which would make a string unusable. Better have only a silk wound part in the peg hole, not the blank string, but this should not be a problem to do. The hard bending at the hole might break the winding otherwise.

I have cut Spiro Weich 3/4 for my EUB because the pegs are small. Ends fixed with elastic glue, no problems since several years. But since they were the wrong tension, it would be a bit hard to sell them since they are shorter now and might not fit a double bass any longer.
So don't cut until you know you definitely want to keep them.

 

[65AmpegBB4]

You can simply fiddle more of the string through the hole and let the ends stick out of the pegbox. Not visibly nice, but the strings are reusable on a longer scale double bass, in case you want to sell them later for whatever reason.
You can cut steel strings, BUT you need to leave some silk wound part (I would recommend two inches or five cm) at the top of the string but secure the silk with a drop of glue at the end (a few mm are enough). The silk fixes the metal windings and prevents unravelling which would make a string unusable. Better have only a silk wound part in the peg hole, not the blank string, but this should not be a problem to do. The hard bending at the hole might break the winding otherwise.

I have cut Spiro Weich 3/4 for my EUB because the pegs are small. Ends fixed with elastic glue, no problems since several years. But since they were the wrong tension, it would be a bit hard to sell them since they are shorter now and might not fit a double bass any longer.
So don't cut until you know you definitely want to keep them.

Great info and advise, thank you!

 

[65AmpegBB4]

You can simply fiddle more of the string through the hole and let the ends stick out of the pegbox. Not visibly nice, but the strings are reusable on a longer scale double bass, in case you want to sell them later for whatever reason.
You can cut steel strings, BUT you need to leave some silk wound part (I would recommend two inches or five cm) at the top of the string but secure the silk with a drop of glue at the end (a few mm are enough). The silk fixes the metal windings and prevents unravelling which would make a string unusable. Better have only a silk wound part in the peg hole, not the blank string, but this should not be a problem to do. The hard bending at the hole might break the winding otherwise.

I have cut Spiro Weich 3/4 for my EUB because the pegs are small. Ends fixed with elastic glue, no problems since several years. But since they were the wrong tension, it would be a bit hard to sell them since they are shorter now and might not fit a double bass any longer.
So don't cut until you know you definitely want to keep them.

Hi there! Quick question: just purchased and started putting on the 4/4 Spirocore Solos on my Ampeg bb, and noticed that the silk wound at the bottom of the string comes very close to being on top of the bridge - I think once I tune the strings to pitch there’s a chance that the silk could be on the bridge (or very close to it). Do you know if this would cause any problems? Thanks!

 

[dylanjohnson]

Hi there! Quick question: just purchased and started putting on the 4/4 Spirocore Solos on my Ampeg bb, and noticed that the silk wound at the bottom of the string comes very close to being on top of the bridge - I think once I tune the strings to pitch there’s a chance that the silk could be on the bridge (or very close to it). Do you know if this would cause any problems? Thanks!

No problems for me during 15 years of using them with the silk over the bridge.

 

[DoubleMIDI]

It does not cause problems unless you want to bow extremely close to the bridge (noisey overtones). The free, noise and contemporary music scene likes to do that. Pizz only or traditional bowing is no problem.

If it really bothers you you can remove a bit of silk (about 1 to 2 cm), but need to secure the silk below with some elastic glue around to avoid unravelling of the silk. But I do not recommend that unless you really need it.

 

[65AmpegBB4]

Thank you both - if it doesn’t affect playability (pizz only for me) then I’m letting it be. I was also surprised to see that when treading the string through the tailpiece hole, once it got to the bottom silk, it got to a point where I had to force the string through. I compared the end of the “A” (really G) string to the end of the others and they all seem to have a notch under the silk about 1cm before the ball of the string.

 

[DoubleMIDI]

The silk fixes the windings, but the windings are get stretched under the silk, so the string seems to get thinner and rougher/unregular under the silk. Maybe the windings go back close to the ball end which makes that part thicker again. That depends where the winding has started (but I guess it started at the peg end).

 

[dylanjohnson]

 

[65AmpegBB4]

Hi folks,

I just put on a new set of strings, and for some reason the bridge is leaning at an angle after I finished tuning it. Does anyone know what to do to prevent this from happening?

I made sure that the nut and bridge crown had lead on the grooves to ensure proper sliding of the strings.

 

[Francois Blais]

Give them some slack and push the crown until the bridge is at right angle with the top.
While you crank them up again, reset it as you go if needed.

 

[DoubleMIDI]

Strings lengthen when under tension. Put the bridge crown toward the tailpiece without tension as much as it leans towards the fingerboard now under tension. That should bring then bridge in position when tuned to pitch.

I'm pretty sure the strings won't slip by themselves over a metal bridge or the rubber on top of it without a lot of help.

 

[65AmpegBB4]

Strings lengthen when under tension. Put the bridge crown toward the tailpiece without tension as much as it leans towards the fingerboard now under tension. That should bring then bridge in position when tuned to pitch.

I'm pretty sure the strings won't slip by themselves over a metal bridge or the rubber on top of it without a lot of help.

This did the trick, thanks a bunch! It took two tries and the bridge is now perpendicular to the pickup base.

 

[65AmpegBB4]

Hi folks,

While playing my new (to me) Ampeg Baby Bass, and get familiarized with the instrument, I noticed that when I play the A and E strings, there's a quick crack/rattle noise that comes from the pegbox right when I pluck the strings. All the peg gear bolts are nice and tight, and so are the four tiny screws holding each peg in place - given their size and the fact that they screw into wood, I simply ensured that they are all the way in, but I did not want to force anything.

Has anyone experienced this? I am aware of the endpin rattle that has been reported/discussed; this is coming from the pegbox.

Thanks!

 

[Francois Blais]

Maybe a string overlenght that rattles on the pegbox or another tuner?

 

[65AmpegBB4]

Maybe a string overlenght that rattles on the pegbox or another tuner?

That was the first thing I checked...I didn’t cut the strings, but I did feel it through the peg then braided/wound about 1/3 of the silk onto the remainder of the silk so that after bringing the strings up to tune, there wouldn’t be any excess string sticking out. I’ll take a picture and post it shortly.

 

[65AmpegBB4]

Maybe a string overlenght that rattles on the pegbox or another tuner?

I am attaching a pic and a video of the pegbox - please note that that bit of excess string on the A peg does not cause the rattle; I tried pressing down on it while playing the string and the rattle was still there. I'm at a loss as to what could be causing the rattle.