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Double Bass Very loud D string

C

cricketbill

Aug 4, 2008
1
0
www.elkvillestringband.net
#1
Hello everyone, I am a noobe here but I need some advice on a problem I am having. I play an Englehardt bass, mostly Classic Country and Traditional music. I am using Eurosonic medium strings that have been on the bass for about 4 years and I use an adjustable bridge. For some reason the D string, in the last couple of months, has become very loud compared to the other strings. What could cause this and any advice on how to fix it. Thank you.
:confused:
 
#2
Hey Bill. Welcome to TB.

I'm sorry to say I don't actually have an answer to your question. But I do have a similar issue w/ my bass. I sort of figured my instrument just really likes to resonate a lot on that pitch. The open D is almost like a cannon w/ Spiro mediums, but the same pitch on the A string doesn't boom quite the same way, so maybe's it's something about the open D. It kind of freaked out my luthier the last time he looked at it. I think it's always been that way though, not a sudden change in my case. So my situation sounds like it may be somewhat different than yours. But I thought I'd bump your thread anyway and see what happens.
 
#3
FWIW ....... I slit a small diameter piece of Tygon tubing and placed it under the D string at the bridge on my '40 Kay. It seems to tone the D down and now the string volumes match up quite well.
 

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#4
My luthier did the same thing using the small clear plastic tube thing that he said comes w/ Spiros, which apparently I never noticed. He said they are supposed to go on the D string up in the pegbox to prevent the string from getting worn down where it crosses over the peg for the G string. I am not sure it helped much in my case, but if it worked for you then it's worth a try.

I wonder if dampening the afterlength of the D somehow would help too perhaps.
 
#5
I think it's common for the D string to be the loudest one on Engels, mines the same way. If this just started getting worse recently you may want to try a new set of strings, 4 years is a good long time on most strings. (except Spiros:))

Hey Bob, what kind of guts are those on your bass in the pic there? They look really nicely finished. Also, what E string are you using there?
 
#9
Jake deVilliers said:
Okay I'll bite - why the Garbo and not an Anima? :)
Click to expand...
Good Question ...... Which I can't really answer ..... Never tried an Anima. I know superman and Mike Ramsey seem to like the Garbos for bluegrass on old American plywoods so that was good enough for me. I thought I read that the Animas had a thinner silk core and would speak a more complex language for jazz and arco. I guess I assumed the Garbos would give a more fundamental thump for bluegrass. Oh well ..... doesn't matter .... I'll probably try an Anima E someday ..... Especially if you dig in your string cache and send me one out tomorrow :D .
 

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