Double Bass sound post

[bassguy001]

Hi guys,

Can anyone tell me if the diametre (16mm or 19 mm)of a sound post affect the sound, or the position of the sound post is more important?

Many thanks

Bassguy001

 

[wiro]

First of all: I'm no luthier, but a bass-player. So I'm just speaking from the few things out of my personal experience.
Once I saw a special about upright bass on the French TV station Mezzo. A part of this program was about a bass player and his luthier re-adjusting the soundpost. It appeared to make huge differences in sound. Not so much better or worse. It's more a matter of taste: How do you want your bass to sound? There was no explanation what the relation is between the position of the soundpost and the sound. And this is what I'm curious about before doing this experiment on my own bass.
I guess the diameter and the material of the soundpost will also affect the sound.
Here is a link to some explanation for the violin. Which might bring some light to this subject.

Link Removed

Any one out there who can tell more?

 

[Zachary Martin]

Both are important. 3/4 and 7/8 basses require a 19mm post. A small 5/8 or 1/2 size would require the smaller. Taking a 3/4 bass: a 16mm post could damage the top due to the smaller radius over a larger area. A smaller post would also cause sound to be lost and the quality of sound to be compromised.
Sound post placement; how it fits, where it sits in relation to the bridge and bassbar... This all effects tone and responce. A good luthier can assist you in getting more out of your instrument and explain what is being done. If you can learn to explain what your looking to improve and change, much progress can be made.

 

[wiro]

The day before yesterday I was so frustrated in not getting the right sound out of my upright that I layed my bass down, very gently that is put some lights around it, made me a soundpost adjuster and replaced the soundpost quite a bit to the north. It took me about an hour to do the job. Now the sound is brighter and much more transparent. Also the wolf tones (somewhere in the range E-F# on the D string) are a lot less. You can hear this even better when amplified. Yesterday during rehearsal the sound was better than the day before. I suppose the wood needs time to settle?