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Double Bass Marvin Wire Tailpiece

#22
Calvin Marks said:
do they still make the old one? do you know if the new one has any actual sonic improvements? i heard that the dampener addition was to make it look more "normal"...if anything it just makes it look more ugly.
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I can't tell any difference it looks the same as the old ones I've seen, Just to clarify the felt is put on by you, so you can choose to omit it, and the colored felt you could choose to buy yourself and put on.
 
#25
well i'm a sucker or this kind of thing and i just ordered one ( why is there always some cat early in a thread like this who complains that the $80 is too much and cant he steal the idea and make it himself...BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T THINK OF IT AND IT AINT YOUR IDEA...but whatever) I ordered one today and Kevin who seems hardworking and honest told me that Rufus Reid has them on his basses... Rufus always has the latest improvements and thats good enough for a trial...
Looking forward to the trial.
Generally I just love innovators, cats who think up something new and let it rip.
 
#26
flatback said:
well i'm a sucker or this kind of thing and i just ordered one ( why is there always some cat early in a thread like this who complains that the $80 is too much and cant he steal the idea and make it himself...BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T THINK OF IT AND IT AINT YOUR IDEA...but whatever) I ordered one today and Kevin who seems hardworking and honest told me that Rufus Reid has them on his basses... Rufus always has the latest improvements and thats good enough for a trial...
Looking forward to the trial.
Generally I just love innovators, cats who think up something new and let it rip.
Click to expand...

That would be a recent addition, when he was at the Richard Davis conference in April he had an ebony one, at least on his Busseto bass, which oddly enough had a wooden peg endpin coming out at a weird angle a la Rabbath/Laborie. The notable people that have them, at least to my knowledge are; David Murray Professor at Butler, Volkan Orhon Professor Iowa, and Anthony Stoops Professor Oklahoma.
 
#30
Thank you everyone for the kind words and great reviews. It is good to hear the feedback about the preference for the zig-zag buffer. I also prefer that buffer but had a lot of input to make the tailpiece look more traditional. Therefore the old buffer is coming back as an option.
Because of current job commitments I have not been able to spend as much time developing this tailpiece as I would like but, hopefully, that will change this fall.
My local newspaper wrote an article about the tailpiece several weeks ago. You can read it online at:
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Sincerely,
Kevin Marvin
www.marvinUSA.com
 
#34
toman said:
A tailpiece made of wire. Why shouldn't a guy try it himself. Or one of wood, metal, glass, or anything else. Not all people feel the need to pay others to experiment with funky ideas!
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sorry dude,
its just that every time some cat innovates and tries to make a little bread, there is someone who thinks that since the idea is out there it is free. i just really like to support the innovators as much as i can.
 
#35
"Its just that every time some cat innovates and tries to make a little bread, there is someone who thinks that since the idea is out there it is free. i just really like to support the innovators as much as i can."

Nice sentiment and I agree. And putting together that collection of aircraft cable is going to cost money too.

Cable, clamps and rings in three different places scattered around town.
$20.00 in materials, $20 in gas plus 2 hours driving.
A couple more hours to figure out what you want to do and how and you're getting close to the purchase price.
2 more hours and $20.00 more gas getting your bass to the luthier after you drop the soundpost. :)
Subtract the money you didn't earn doing what you're good at for 4 hours.

I had a kid bring in his violin to the store today because he dropped the soundpost while changing the strings. Long & McQuade charges $12.00 to change a set of violin strings - or he could have called and asked for advice......
 
#36
toman said:
A tailpiece made of wire. Why shouldn't a guy try it himself. Or one of wood, metal, glass, or anything else. Not all people feel the need to pay others to experiment with funky ideas!
Click to expand...

Go for it. I personally don't like experimenting with do-it yourself projects on my instrument which pays my rent. I'd personally pay 80.00 then have a luthier install it and make sure everything is sound. To each his/her own.
 
#37
This tailpieces seems to be just what I need to get a better response from my bass. I play Bluegrass and while most want to just hear the BOOM. I would like more definition in the sound, but volume is always a problem, not to mention Wolf tones. I would like to say I have a 200 hundred year old carved bass,but It an inexpensive ply wood. I wish some one had something bad to say about these tailpieces, but I have not found anyone who as of yet. Maybe the Bluegrass bass world will
take to this. I'll let ya'll know how it works out


John
 
#38
Doley50,

It sounds like you are close to putting a Marvin TP on your plywood and I'd appreciate hearing from you and other ply owners your experience with this tailpiece.

I have a ply Eberle and my issues are the same. Need a strong fundamental and volume for old-time, bluegrass and celtic.

The stock Eberle tailpiece hanger is the "coat hanger wire" style and one of the first things i plan to upgrade. I was planning to go with the cord style, but it looks like on the Marvin TP the hanger is part of the tailpiece(?) Anyway, from all that has been described it looks to me too that this TP could do good things for laminate basses.
 
#39
I first saw Mr Marvin's Cable Tailpiece at the 2007 ISB convention and when I got home I measured my Bass and ordered one.
It only took a half hour to install, anyone could do it, and the difference it made was worth far more than the $80 -$90 he's asking for them.
The resonance and depth of sound added were amazing, and a wolf tone was tamed as well.
Also, this tailpiece gave my Bass a much smoother sound and maybe a little more volume and projection.
It made such a difference that I ordered another tailpiece and installed it on my other Bass with similar results.
After hearing the difference in my bass, two other local Bassists have also made the switch and several more are interested but haven't got around to it yet.
I'm convinced, and for the price I don't think you'll find a better upgrade for yor Bass.
 

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