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Double Bass My first carved bass

G

Gabor[]

Nov 24, 2009
20
0
Hungary, Budapest
#1
Hi everyone!

I bought a 30-year-old carved bass, which was manufactured in Romania. (but no label found inside it)

I just love it's sound, it is full and deep, it's color is like dark chocolate, but I have a problem.

First I noticed it only at nights, when the temperature was changing, so I said to myself: "Oh, just because the temperature change, don't worry."
But lately the little cracking noises can be heard nearly all of the time.

I think worms are having a party inside. :mad:

I'm about to see inside, maybe I can see something.

I don't know how could I rock them out.:bassist:
The sounds come from the left upper bout.
 

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#4
Well, I just started learning the II/III. position, when my ulnar nerve started to flip over a bone in my elbow.
It happened 7 weeks ago, and this is the third week I'm having a rest, so it will be a long time to make a demo :hmm:

But I have my bass at least. :D ;)

The bass was resting on it's side at the wall on the left upper bout.
Maybe there are no bugs at all. :)

"Let me have it." oh, yes, of course :D I just e-mail it to you. :D
 
#7
Rest the bass in a corner of the room with the upper bouts resting on the walls and the strings facing the corner to even out the force on the top table and protect the bridge from bumps. I put a towel between the bass and the wall to avoid marking the wall. I keep a hygrometer and thermometer on the wall next to the bass. Changes in humidity and temperature will cause different parts to swell and shift which may open up cracks or loosen seams. For example, if it gets too warm (T>25 C) and humid (relative humidity > 70%), I get a rattle when I play an A. To solve the problem, I run the air conditioner to dry out the room. There are products, like the Dampit, that work well so compensate for dry conditions.
 
#9
In the last two weeks, the bass was kept in the same corner (you can see it on the picture) facing the wardrobe, with three resting points: two points of the upper bout and the head.

I hope there are no worms. That would be the worst case I think.

I try to debug it... :D (I'm an electrical engineer)

I will buy humidifiers (those green, tubular ones), and a measuring device.
What do you think?
What kind of sounds can the humidity change make?


And I'm trying to cure my elbow.
 
#10
Gabor,

If you are worried about wood worms, I would vacuum out the inside and look for any evidence of new sawdust appearing. Nearly 30 years ago I had an infested armoire that came from England. It took several applications of a very smelly petroleum product to get them all killed. I was worried about these critters getting near any of my spruce topped instruments at the time, so I kept them stored in the music store that I managed. It was about 60 days before I felt secure enough to bring my instruments home.
 

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