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Double Bass String Height Question

#21
Here is the one I have [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] My teacher is in his 47th season with the Minnesota orcchestra and he plays a bass made by Barrie Kolstein with this adjustable tailpiece.

As for the string height, I tried it at 7mm then 8mm on the E string only. It got progressively worse the higher I went. I left the G string at it's original height of 4.5mm. I like to play in the higher octives and the lower G and D height makes it easier.
 
#24
This is in reply to private e-mails from contrabasso_classico, whose posts (and their replies) on this thread were flushed by the moderator.

contra: Whereas your first e-mail seemed sincere enough, your second suggests you missed key parts of my reply, but I'm not sure, and here's why: Since you deigned to fill out your profile, you've used it as just another vehicle for horsing around, with the result that your credibility is fading fast; I don't know when you're jerking my chain and when you're not. And since you've been doing detective work on my reply, I'll put it out in the open.
I am not enrolled at Manhattan School of Music. I said that I study privately with one of the faculty. The bass faculty chair is/was Orin O'Brien. I do not study with her. The faculty of the entire school has a committee which represents it. The chairman of the school faculty was, and may still be, Linda McKnight, with whom I study privately. Her house is two minutes from mine. No student at MHM will know who I am.
How good I am I leave to others to say. I am an experienced jazz player trying to better my technique. In the process, I discovered how much I love orchestral playing, even though I feel like I'm over my head. I'm in RSO because Linda McKnight suggested it. A suggestion from Linda McKnight is like getting a suggestion from Tony Soprano.

As for tailpiece mass, you have it backwards. My luthier improved my Mirecourt sound by increasing, not decreasing, the mass. When you say you've seen basses with no tailpiece per se, only "cables", I don't know whether or not this is more jerking around, as with your profile. I do not know how or why mass effects sound, which is why I said "appropriate" mass. Arnold Schnitzer is out of town, so I can't ask him.

In another thread, it was pointed out that most of the nonsense which appears on TB, especially with BG players, is posted by people who have only screen names. The response from all the double bassists with screen names was to immediately post their real names.
 
#27
More "perspicacity". There you go again using those $2.50 words again.

I did find that link on Bob's web site. That seems to be the best site for links that I have ever seen.

Quoting Don-
"As for tailpiece mass, you have it backwards. My luthier improved my Mirecourt sound by increasing, not decreasing, the mass. When you say you've seen basses with no tailpiece per se, only "cables", I don't know whether or not this is more jerking around, as with your profile. I do not know how or why mass effects sound, which is why I said "appropriate"mass."

My stand partner plays a beautiful 5 string that he made himself. The 5th or 6th one that he has made. I the middle of the tailpiece he has a solid piece of cylindrical metal that is at least 1.5 in. thick and 2 inches long. I asked him about it last night and he said that it is to dampen the vibrations that are inheritant in a tail piece thus improving the sound. He knows what he is talking about, for the last 30 years he built or should I say,crafts, very large church organs from scratch, including the pipes.

Mark
 
#28
hey guys,
here´s another question about tailpiece vibration that´s been annoying me for awhile:
I got a set of Pirastro Jazzers from my luthier for a trial just a few day ago. I haven´t changed them yet, but will as soon as I have time...the question is that those strings are equipped with those round felt pads you sometimes see in the end of the strings, and I wonder what they are for...I mean I´ve only played Spirocores which have plain metal balls.
So, my humble quess would be that the felt pads are to prevent transferring the string vibration to taipiece. Am I right? And if so, why does that not have to be done always and with all strings?
And what will happen if I cut the pads off and assemble the Jazzers without them?
confusing...

R2D2
 
#30
Originally posted by Don Higdon
[

As for tailpiece mass, you have it backwards. My luthier improved my Mirecourt sound by increasing, not decreasing, the mass. When you say you've seen basses with no tailpiece per se, only "cables", I don't know whether or not this is more jerking around, as with your profile. I do not know how or why mass effects sound, which is why I said "appropriate" mass. Arnold Schnitzer is out of town, so I can't ask him.

[/B]
Click to expand...

Don,
I don't know who this conta guy is, or if he is jerking your chain but I do know about the cable thing. I had a chance to meet the new bassist in the president's own before he got that that job (Eric Sabo), and he did not have a tail piece, when I asked him why he told me it hleped to free up the sound of the instrument and relax tension. So at least that question has some merrit.

Scott
 
#31
a good way to think of it is to look from the tailpiece end, sight over the bridge and look where the end section of the fingerboard matches the curve of the bridge. This is a helpfull way to determine what shape your bridge should be in relation to your bevelled fingerboard. Does that make sense, er probably not, sorry guys, not to good at explaining stuff like that!!:confused: :(
 
#33
reedo35 said:
I wish I could draw a picture, because it's difficult to explain. On a beveled fingerboard, the bridge must be cut slightly asymmetrically to go with the different radius, which is different than a rounded fingerboard, which is,well, round and according to most luthiers I know, easier to work with because they don't have to adjust the string height for the beveled edge. All I'm really saying, I guess (Because I'm starting to confuse myself :o) is that the string heights on round fingerboards are just different than those on beveled boards because they have to account for the different radius.
Did I just say the same thing twice? :confused:
Click to expand...
I just read this thread and thought it was the best one to ask a question that I have as a newbie. Some of the Luthier Rants aren't working at this time, so forgive me if I am out of place. I have a rental URB and have pretty much figured out that it is set up for orchestral playing. It has a beveled fingerboard, and the action seems very high, especially closer to the bridge. I am trying to learn "slap bass" like Lee Rocker does with the Brien Setzer Orchestra. My questions are 1) Does the action have to be low in order to make the slapping sound correctly? 2) Is the set up for "Rockabilly" more like Jazz or Bluegrass? Or are they about the same? 3) Are gut strings the best to use for slapping and playing the jazzy swing kind of music that the Brien Setzer orchestra plays? Again forgive me for overtaking this thread. I really didn't know how to post it but wanted to stay in the newbie link. Thank you.
 

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