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Double Bass Should I get sound post postion marked?

T

theshadow2001

Jun 17, 2004
3,089
8
Ireland
#1
My new bass is in the last stages of being setup. Im just wondering if its a good idea to ask my luthier to mark the position of the sound post with a pencil or something incase theres any mishaps and it falls. Allowing me to get it back into its correct position myself.

He flip flops between here and america every year, so I can't always just bring it to him if theres a problem
 
#2
theshadow2001 said:
My new bass is in the last stages of being setup. Im just wondering if its a good idea to ask my luthier to mark the position of the sound post with a pencil or something incase theres any mishaps and it falls. Allowing me to get it back into its correct position myself.

He flip flops between here and america every year, so I can't always just bring it to him if theres a problem
Click to expand...


I'd say so as it certainly couldn't hurt. I also like the lower outside corner of the bridge feet marked by placing tiny dimples in the finish with a very small punch or the like.
 
#4
From anoher point of view, the position of the sound post is both transitory, and a matter of opinion. I move them around seasonally, as well as in the ongoing tweaking for tone and balance. The thing only fits well in a small range in any case, and so dictates it's position to a lrge degree. The bridge need no marking as it goes in a specific place which is easily seen by eye, assuming the bass is well set up; Centered on a line between the inside notches, and on the tops centerline. The soundpost is then moved relative to the stable reference. Occasionally a bass will require a different formula for a variety of rationals, but mostly not.

The place most players fall down has more to do with keeping the brdge standing square on it's feet, another thing that can be done by eye and which will make the bass and the bridge last longer, not to mention have a big impact on the quality of the sound.
 
#5
Indeed you might move them around seasonaly but, over here I doubt the weather would require such changes. Its just wet all the time. Any changes in weather would only last about a week if even that. Even so, with the two positions marked (the bridge and soundpost) at least I will always be able to reset the bass to how it was originally.
Even if its not the ideal setup for the sound post or whatever due to changes in the bass/wheather etc. It will be an arrangement that would suffice until I can get the luthier to look at it. As for just a general repositioning, well I imagine that would require a change to the surface of the post to match the curve of the bass in its new position which is something I won't be doing myself anyway, so it would be a matter of giving it my luthier and getting him to remark it's position
 
#6
mojoluthier said:
From anoher point of view, the position of the sound post is both transitory, and a matter of opinion. I move them around seasonally, as well as in the ongoing tweaking for tone and balance. The thing only fits well in a small range in any case, and so dictates it's position to a lrge degree. The bridge need no marking as it goes in a specific place which is easily seen by eye, assuming the bass is well set up; Centered on a line between the inside notches, and on the tops centerline. The soundpost is then moved relative to the stable reference. Occasionally a bass will require a different formula for a variety of rationals, but mostly not.

The place most players fall down has more to do with keeping the brdge standing square on it's feet, another thing that can be done by eye and which will make the bass and the bridge last longer, not to mention have a big impact on the quality of the sound.
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All true but still if a bass is to be shipped, marking the position will, at least, let the one receiving it know the position it was in when it was set up. A luthier, such as yourself, could and should be periodically consulted for tweaks. As far as the bridge goes, I really like having the barely perceptible dimples in the finish marking the position of the outer edge of the feet. They serve to provide instant reassurance.
 
#7
drurb said:
...As far as the bridge goes, I really like having the barely perceptible dimples in the finish marking the position of the outer edge of the feet. They serve to provide instant reassurance.
Click to expand...

+1. The dimple markers are a brilliant idea, they really helped me out.

I think I'll mark the soundpost position as well. How would I get at it, pencil on a flexible thre-prong "grappler"?
 

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