Double Bass tailpiece position?

[eliascalles]

hi all!

happy holidays and happy new year!

quick recap I got my first bass recently which is a cheap plywood bass and though I bought it used, it was never setup (still has shipping string, very high action etc). I got my new strings (spirocore, not yet installed) and found a luthier to help me setup the bass, but he's not a DB expert (he's a flamenco guitar builder), and while he says he has experience with DB, I"m leaning all I can before I bring him the bass so I can know what to ask for etc.

my question today is about the tail piece position. the bass has a metal tailpiece and coated braided steel cable holding it to the endpin thing. I was watching a youtube vid from upton bass about adjusting the tail gut and I noticed that my tailpiece extends past the bottom of the bass, but the upton vid one does not. I am hoping you all might be able to educate me a bit on the ideal location for the tailpiece (with regard to the bottom of the bass) so I might be clear with the luthier about what needs done.

thank you all!

 

[james condino]

You can buy an adjustable tailwire and ferrule for approx. $15 from any of the supply places. 'Easy to get one, adjust the length a few times, and come to your own conclusion. I'd be more curious about the impact of a metal tailpiece....

 

[Greg Clinkingbeard]

I put an aluminum tailpiece and Spirocores on a plywood bass and thought it sounded like a giant banjo. Bright with sustain for days but it didn’t really sound like a bass. That kind of thing is personal preference and because the customer likes it I don’t argue.

My starting point for afterlength is 1/6 of the playing length. For 42” that’s 7”. If the bass sounds good and doesn’t have any wolf tones, I generally go with that.

 

[eliascalles]

You can buy an adjustable tailwire and ferrule for approx. $15 from any of the supply places. 'Easy to get one, adjust the length a few times, and come to your own conclusion. I'd be more curious about the impact of a metal tailpiece....

thanks! I think I can adjust it now as it is, I just need to get over my fear of messing things up and start...messing things up lol. I too am curious whether or not a replacement tailpiece made of wood might be a good upgrade.

I put an aluminum tailpiece and Spirocores on a plywood bass and thought it sounded like a giant banjo. Bright with sustain for days but it didn’t really sound like a bass. That kind of thing is personal preference and because the customer likes it I don’t argue.

My starting point for afterlength is 1/6 of the playing length. For 42” that’s 7”. If the bass sounds good and doesn’t have any wolf tones, I generally go with that.

thanks! This is my first bass so I have little to reference it to sound wise. I haven't yet had the bass setup or the new string installed. I've looked into replacement tailpieces and it seems there are some pretty affordable ones out there. I apprecaite the info on tailpiece location! cheers!

 

[Eric Hochberg]

I think I would install the strings first to find out what the bass sounds like with them before you make other changes. If you find it too bright, then maybe a wood or composite tailpiece would darken it. Different strings can also help. Spiros are known for brightness on many basses. Definitely get the braided wire James suggests.