Double Bass Change in Bass's sound

[wks52]

Hi all

I've got a bass with a weird problem.

I'ts a nice old Viennise instrument dated 1912. I picked it up during the summer.
When I first got it it sounded wonderful - I only paid £3950 (about $8000) so I was well pleased!

The problem is the sound seems to have died.

I only play classical so I need a dark, warm bassy sound. over the last few months the instruments sound has become more and more mute, and at the same time brighter and brighter - the fundamental note doesn't seem to speak but I get tons and tons of overtones. This is accompanied by a strange resistance to the bow. It almost seems like an electric bass, the strings vibrate but the body doens't seem to respond. I've had the bridge and soundpost moved around a couple of times which seems to partially cure it for a few days, then it dies again.

Does anyone have any idea what may be causing this as it's baffling me, my colleagues, my teacher and our local restorer, not to mention driving me insane!

I'd be very grateful for any help.

Will

 

[MingusAmongUs]

Did you have a luthier do the soundpost adjustments?
I ask because if not, have it looked at. It's possible that your bass bar has come unglued, or is coming unglued. Others will hopefully have other ideas (less expensive ones).

Or maybe: seams are opening or the soundpost is too small now that the weather is turning cold and the wood is contracting (assuming you're in the northern hemisphere).

 

[Thomas Stone]

Where do you live Will?

Where did the bass live before you took it?
Ie local private sale or through a dealer.

I'd regard my bass as a winter bass. It's just coming into it's own again now where through the summer It is a real fight with the sound.
Maybe yours just prefers the summer

 

[wks52]

Hi

I live in the UK. The dealer I bought the bass from said it came from eastern europe.

I had the soundpost adjusted twice, admittedly the first time by an pro player, but the second time by a well regarded luthier.

The bass is full of cracks, some of which don't seem to have been repaired very well.

Thanks for your ideas guys, I'll have the bassbar looked into.
It was a fairly hot summer we just had over here and it has gone pretty cold just now so climate might be an issue, but the sound has died so much I guess I'm just looking for major things to have gone wrong!

 

[jallenbass]

I have an 1880's Tyrolean that was very tight sounding when I first got it. After having the top taken off and all cracks correctly repaired the sound opened right up.

 

[Nils Ö]

Maybe this is a stupid suggestion (please ignore it, then), but have you tried changing strings? I ask, because some strings really get a new "life" - very temporarily - when you release the tension (which you probably did when moving the bridge etc. around)

 

[KSB - Ken Smith]

Hi

I live in the UK. The dealer I bought the bass from said it came from eastern europe.

I had the soundpost adjusted twice, admittedly the first time by an pro player, but the second time by a well regarded luthier.

The bass is full of cracks, some of which don't seem to have been repaired very well.

Thanks for your ideas guys, I'll have the bassbar looked into.
It was a fairly hot summer we just had over here and it has gone pretty cold just now so climate might be an issue, but the sound has died so much I guess I'm just looking for major things to have gone wrong!

The cracks could be the source of the problem. In the summer when the wood swells cracks seem to be tight and sealed well. In the winter when the weather dries up, things shrink, cracks open up and sound is lost thru all the openings and splits.

The Bass would probably benefit from a new and complete restoration. If you have such a huge difference from summer to winter then I think adjusting a soundpost is like dressing a corpse.

 

[Silversorcerer]

Where do you live Will?

Where did the bass live before you took it?
Ie local private sale or through a dealer.

I'd regard my bass as a winter bass. It's just coming into it's own again now where through the summer It is a real fight with the sound.
Maybe yours just prefers the summer

Open cracks can't be helping, but if these have not changed noticeably I am inclined to agree with Mr. Stone, that it is probably a result of seasonal changes. Over three summer seasons, I have noticed my carved DB tightening up a bit in the winter. Invariably it sounds louder and more responsive in warm slightly humid weather. I do have two soundposts, although the difference in length is very slight, about 1/16 inch, and for the past two years I haven't changed them because the bass still plays pretty well and the weather here can get to the mid 80's even in January. My bass doesn't change much and it certainly has no cracks, but right after a sudden cold snap, I get the same symtoms you describe;- stiffer response played arco, really hard BB and EE string, and a tendency toward a nasally tone when played arco. With my DB, it tends to straighten out by itself as the temperatures even out. I guess the sound post shrinks eventually also? Just a guess, and I'm not challenging Ken's diagnosis, but with your bass you may need a winter sound post fitted. It couldn't hurt to try that when you take it to get the cracks properly repaired.