Double Bass Unusual idea in the Traeger book

[Eric Hochberg]

A client showed up a while back with 3mm thick cork pads under his bass' bridge feet. His strings had gotten too low so he had fitted these pads; also he claimed the bass sounded better with the cork there. Surprisingly, when the cork was removed (and replaced with well-fitted maple) the bass seemed to lose power and tonal complexity. I was dumbfounded, and put the cork pieces back. I can't explain why.

Frank Tate uses cork under his Hawkes' bridge and swears by it. I didn't hear his bass without it, but it sounded great with it.

 

[Jake deVilliers]

Frank Tate uses cork under his Hawkes' bridge and swears by it. I didn't hear his bass without it, but it sounded great with it.

Hmm - how thick is it?

 

[arnoldschnitzer]

Frank Tate uses cork under his Hawkes' bridge and swears by it. I didn't hear his bass without it, but it sounded great with it.

Bingo!

 

[bssist]

Hmm - how thick is it?

Ditto ?? What are the specs? I'd like to give it a try.

Thanks

 

[robobass]

Ditto ?? What are the specs? I'd like to give it a try.

Thanks

Read post #15

 

[bssist]

3mm, got it, thanks. How thick is the cork Frank Tate uses? Are all cork products the same or do they vary? Are they rated with a durometer or janka number?

 

[robobass]

Most cork you get from the hardware store is an amalgam of bits of cork bound together with glue. Hardness of course varies with the application. Flooring is harder than bulletin boards, etc. If I were going to try this, which I'm not, I'd get hold of some big wine corks made from solid cork (some are, some aren't) and try to make thin slices with an appropriate knife. Whatever glue is in cork sheets might not be so good for the bass top.

 

[powerbass]

auto supply stores sell gasket material that is part cork and rubber.

 

[Steve Swan]

I think that what the bass world really needs is a good comprehensive bass repair and luthiery book that is chock full of generally accepted, time-tested, and peer reviewed techniques and methods.