Double Bass Question on String Volume Balance

[eriksd]

Hello Everyone. I have an older, WWII era German 'enigma' plywood bass. It has a nice mature sound for a 5/8 laminated bass and speaks well in the upper positions. That said the A and E are lacking in volume and timbre. Both thin out and lose character. I'm sure the smaller body has a lot to do with it, but I've also noticed that the D is substantially louder than the other strings. Interestingly even if I play a D on the A string, it gets louder. I'm curious if there is a way to balance out the sound and get a more even tone across the strings? I'm also curious if there are any tricks to increase the volume of the A and E strings?

Thanks for your help!
Erik

 

[Badener]

Hi!

I would use harder strings with a higher tension to increase the volume of the A und E strings. Many facturers offer their stings in different gauges - soft - medium - hard - so I would use soft strings for G and D and medium or hard for A and E.

And don't forget to look if the soundpost is in the right position.

Thomas

 

[swingingoodtime]

And don't forget to look if the soundpost is in the right position.

+1. Good positioning should result in an even, resonant sustain across all four strings. Detune enough to loosen pressure on the soundpost but not enough that it can fall over on its own. Tap the soundpost (little, gentle taps, top AND bottom! Too big will knock the post over) towards the A & E strings a couple of mm at the most; retune & see how evenly the strings sustain. Repeat as required, smaller amounts as required. Just be aware that as you move to the centre of the bass, the gap between the belly & back increases, so you don't have to detune as much; too much = dropped post. Really big movements (a post-width or more) may require a new longer post. Watch your vertical orientation (ie, move the same amount top and bottom) in both N-S and E-W directions and don't let the post rotate, or the chamfer at either end (which accommodates the curve in the plates) will be out of alignment. Use a mirror on a stick to check your belly placement; I marked my original position by drawing around the post using a pencil on a stick to provide a reference point for positioning (on both plates). Good luck!

 

[arnoldschnitzer]

Trying to coax bottom out of a 1/2 size ply bass can be an exercise in frustration. I say 1/2 size because I have never seen a 5/8 size German ply. What's the string length?

 

[eriksd]

Trying to coax bottom out of a 1/2 size ply bass can be an exercise in frustration. I say 1/2 size because I have never seen a 5/8 size German ply. What's the string length?

Thanks for the reply. String length is 39.5". It's probably 1/2 size given its likely age. I think what I'm really after is a balance across the strings. Though it'd be nice to have more bottom, I don't think the body can move enough air to do that acoustically.

 

[eriksd]

+1. Good positioning should result in an even, resonant sustain across all four strings. Detune enough to loosen pressure on the soundpost but not enough that it can fall over on its own. Tap the soundpost (little, gentle taps, top AND bottom! Too big will knock the post over) towards the A & E strings a couple of mm at the most; retune & see how evenly the strings sustain. Repeat as required, smaller amounts as required. Just be aware that as you move to the centre of the bass, the gap between the belly & back increases, so you don't have to detune as much; too much = dropped post. Really big movements (a post-width or more) may require a new longer post. Watch your vertical orientation (ie, move the same amount top and bottom) in both N-S and E-W directions and don't let the post rotate, or the chamfer at either end (which accommodates the curve in the plates) will be out of alignment. Use a mirror on a stick to check your belly placement; I marked my original position by drawing around the post using a pencil on a stick to provide a reference point for positioning (on both plates). Good luck!

Thanks! I'm not sure I'd feel great about moving the sound post. To be honest, I wouldn't know which way to go to begin getting a better tone. I'd most likely drop it...

 

[Hector Wolff]

If you move the sound post, you will also have to reshape the ends to maintain good contact with the inner surfaces of the top and back. Sound posts are fitted for a given position. (On a flat back, you'll only have to deal with the top end.) That is something I would leave to a double bass luthier to do.