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Double Bass Velvet Tailpiece Cord
- Thread starter Ben Rolston
- Start date
I've had one for ages. I remember it opened up my bass quite a bit when I first got it to replace a metal hanger. Since then I have changed the tailpiece to an MPM one and the endpin to a graphite rod one from Norton Customs before Brent went outta biz (speaking of which, has anyone heard from him?). Each part opened up my bass. Sounds pretty good now, esp since I think I finally discovered that my bass doesn't like tension at all. It's very loud with the Spiro Solo's I have on it.
I stuck one one mine recently a few months ago to replace my crappy clothes hanger type arrangement and it really did make a noticeable difference. Much better projection and tone. I can be pretty deaf when it comes to the subtleties and nuances of sound and tone but I definitely heard the difference the chord made.
And its nice and cheap too!
And its nice and cheap too!
I agree. The tough synthetic rope tailpiece "wires" really do make a difference. It's louder because the tailpiece is freer to vibrate.
But the brand is irrelevant. I've got a Velvet cord on one bass and a no-name one from Jonas Lohse on the other bass and they both sound good. The Velvet was very pricey, and the Lohse was about $10.
But the brand is irrelevant. I've got a Velvet cord on one bass and a no-name one from Jonas Lohse on the other bass and they both sound good. The Velvet was very pricey, and the Lohse was about $10.
However, they stretch and stretch...
I just switched FROM one to stainless steel airplane control cable. That's almost as flexible, much stronger, and has no perceptible stretch. Fine gauge yacht rigging cable works just as well, but the plane stuff was easier to get hold of since I know more people in that industry; mine was an offcut from re-rigging a Yak, and cost me nothing. Sound is fractionally brighter, and just as loud.
I just switched FROM one to stainless steel airplane control cable. That's almost as flexible, much stronger, and has no perceptible stretch. Fine gauge yacht rigging cable works just as well, but the plane stuff was easier to get hold of since I know more people in that industry; mine was an offcut from re-rigging a Yak, and cost me nothing. Sound is fractionally brighter, and just as loud.
I installed the Clef Hi-Tec tailgut from Upton on my bass, and the only stretching it did was due to the tightening of the knot when the strings were tuned up. Allow for about 1/2 " or so with the Clef and you'll be set.
The Clef is very inexpensive also.
The Clef is very inexpensive also.
