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Double Bass Bass Adjustment
- Thread starter S4mu3l
- Start date
Well, there could be a number of causes. Obviously tightening anything adjustable and making sure parts aren't vibrating against each other are the first things to look at. Outside of that with a DB I'd be worried about cracks or things coming unglued.
You posted this in the bass guitar side of TB, not the upright side. You should ask the mods to move it for you.
You posted this in the bass guitar side of TB, not the upright side. You should ask the mods to move it for you.
Check for any open seams. Most common among the treble-side lower bouts.
Here's how. Stand the bass up on its end pin pushed in and screw tightened. Then firmly tap around the edges, on the purfling lines, with your knuckle as if you were knocking on a door. Circumnavigate the back and the front purfling lines. Any open seams will sound hollow, and maybe even buzz. I've detected open seams as little as 4" with this technique.
If no open seams, remove endpin shaft and screw. Stand bass on carpet or rubber pad and play it as if you're looking for the buzz. If buzz goes away, suspect endpin rattle. If endpin is old and feeble, replace it with a heavy duty unit. If it's a quality unit already, perhaps the cork liners need to be replaced. Also, could be as simple as a loose screw on foot.
Report results here.
Here's how. Stand the bass up on its end pin pushed in and screw tightened. Then firmly tap around the edges, on the purfling lines, with your knuckle as if you were knocking on a door. Circumnavigate the back and the front purfling lines. Any open seams will sound hollow, and maybe even buzz. I've detected open seams as little as 4" with this technique.
If no open seams, remove endpin shaft and screw. Stand bass on carpet or rubber pad and play it as if you're looking for the buzz. If buzz goes away, suspect endpin rattle. If endpin is old and feeble, replace it with a heavy duty unit. If it's a quality unit already, perhaps the cork liners need to be replaced. Also, could be as simple as a loose screw on foot.
Report results here.
Try and find it by process of elimination.
Take the endpin out and tighten, or take out, the screw that holds it in. Does it still buzz?
Then have somebody play the bass while you hold the tailpiece, at the bottom where the cable/wire meets it, then around the top where the strings lie in the slots. Still buzzing?
Then you might have an open seam, loose bass bar, or other internal problem.
Take note though that these noises can sometimes be deceiving about where they are originating. It's best to have someone else play the bass so you can move your ear around and zero in on the offending location.
I tapped around, and learned it was my pickup was buzzing against my tailpiece. Thank You!!
Voila!
Yes, anything mounted on the TP is suspect. You'll find that even the lead wires off pickups can be "microphonic".
