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Double Bass flatter or more arched top

kurt muroki

kurt muroki

May 6, 2004
318
4
New York City
www.muroki.com
#1
Hi y'all, just had a question that i've been curious about... what differences does the arching in a top make in the sound and playability of an instrument? Also, if someone could say if re-forming a top is bad for a bass? I have a bass that had a bulge down where the tail piece is, and the luthier i took the bass to said that it should be re-formed. The work was done a while ago. I'm curious...is this ok?

thanks,

Kurt Muroki
 
#2
kurt muroki said:
Hi y'all, just had a question that i've been curious about... what differences does the arching in a top make in the sound and playability of an instrument? Also, if someone could say if re-forming a top is bad for a bass? I have a bass that had a bulge down where the tail piece is, and the luthier i took the bass to said that it should be re-formed. The work was done a while ago. I'm curious...is this ok?

thanks,

Kurt Muroki
Click to expand...

Arching makes a big difference. It is thought that flatter tops create a deeper sound and more highly arched tops a sweeter sound. However, I've seen and heard so many exceptions to this "rule" that I don't really think it applies to basses so well. This may sound like voodoo, but I think the important thing is to match the arching to the type of wood being used and also to the style of playing the instrument is intended for. A softer top wood should probably have a higher arch and be carved a bit thicker than a stronger, harder wood. A solo or jazz bass should probably have a higher arch than an orchestral bass. But these are just my personal generalizations...I've heard lots of good orchestra basses with a high arch, and the opposite as well. As important as the height of the arching is the arching scheme--where and how much it slopes. The maker can tailor somewhat the sound he's after by assigning strength to certain areas with the arching as well as the thicknessing (graduation).
 
#3
Ken McKay said:
After the golden period after strad lets say, many violins were simply copied. This of course included the arching and as much as possible of the other things that could be measured. However, wood flexibility, density stiffness and resonance were not measured. It was difficult or impossible on an existing instrument without sofisticated equipment.
You don't need sophisticated equipment to measure/observe wood flexibility, density, and resonance. It's been going on for 300 years. However, spell check is a wonderful new invention; maybe you should try it.

Kurt Moroki- "re-arching" is a common repair/restoration technique. The lower part of the instrument, usually around the end of the bass bar, tends to sink over time. Having this area re-arched and stiffened is quite often the best solution for the bass' sound and overall health. It's not an easy technique, or inexpensive, and lots of shops wouldn't mess with it. Does your luthier want to re-arch the entire top, or just a localized area?


Is there any cracking in the area that is sunken in?
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