Double Bass Carbon + Carbon puzzle (bow)

[LouisF]

I had a weird/interesting thing happened the other day -

I did some practicing (which is in itself interesting) with my Arcus carbon fiber bow. The bass sounded like mush, so much so that I thought something might have fallen in or a crack might have opened. Nothing... but I noticed I had a carbon fiber endpin with a heavy rubber tip in that bass, rather than the wood medal pins I usually use (don't ask; the Mrs thought I was destroying the floor with the other pins... anyway...)

The bass mojo IMMEDIATELY returned with the other pins (warmer with wood; more focused with titanium). Wow!

Reverse engineering: I put the cf pin back in (old Cameleopard model, so it's a good pin) and took out my Kolstein wood bow - and the bass sounded great again. (NB: the bass is strung with Jargar dolces, which might be a factor in the dampening)

I did the same test with my other bass (strung with Dominant solos). Same general result: carbon on carbon mushiest; carbon bow on wood or metal great; wood bow on carbon ok.

Anybody have anything close to this as an experience, or am I hallucinating?
Thanks
Louis

 

[notabene]

on a bass, everything affects everything. A reason to spend years learning to intuit possibilities, or find a luthier who has spent the time.

 

[LouisF]

I think that was my point.