Double Bass wheel adjusters and volume

[Fran Diaz]

I'm about to have my bass revised and I'm thinking about adding Wheel adjusters. One of the questions that have come to my head is how this will affect the volumen of the instrument. I've Heard that it might increase the volumen, which would be a good thing.

Choose an option and add your opinion, please.

 

[LowA]

Hi!

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Best, Thomas

 

[Andrew McGregor]

Since they let you absolutely hit the sweet spot height for whatever you're doing all the time, undoubtedly an increase if you use them right.

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

Hi!

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Great link!

Since they let you absolutely hit the sweet spot height for whatever you're doing all the time, undoubtedly an increase if you use them right.

Agree. I can't understand why anyone wouldn't want to be able to adjust their string height. It would be like driving a car that was built for "an average sized person" where the seats don't move.

 

[Fran Diaz]

Great link!



Agree. I can't understand why anyone wouldn't want to be able to adjust their string height. It would be like driving a car that was built for "an average sized person" where the seats don't move.

I certainly agree and seeing that aluminium adjusters might increase the volumen is a plus but, am I going to lose some lows and maybe quality of tone? that also makes me wonder if I might regret it.

 

[Eric Hochberg]

Agree. I can't understand why anyone wouldn't want to be able to adjust their string height. It would be like driving a car that was built for "an average sized person" where the seats don't move.

+1 From the study, it seems that if you want to keep as close to your current sound as possible, you should go with wood. If you want to brighten up your sound a bit, then aluminum. I don't know if the Boehm are still available as Henry got out of the bass business. If interested in those, ask Vince Jesse, (www.doublebassworkshop.com) "Vejesse" on this board, as he took over the shop.

 

[Andrew McGregor]

My view is that you won't lose quality of tone, but that the character can change slightly. It's a very small difference, whatever.

 

[robobass]

Agree. I can't understand why anyone wouldn't want to be able to adjust their string height. It would be like driving a car that was built for "an average sized person" where the seats don't move.

Good one!

 

[korotkov]

hi folks,

i seem to be the first one who voted volume decrease. I must say that i was very enthusiastic about the adjusters prior to installing them on my bass. there really is difference in both volume/projection and tonal characteristics, to me. I heard that this affects gut strings more than spirocore thing. I was using obligatos at that period if that matters. I also witnessed a bass tone improved slightly after changing the bridge to the one with no adjusters but that might have been just a setup issue.

if one's travelling with the bass and has to adjust the bridge due to humidity changes etc, that may be the way to get maximum tone from the bass. If youre not travelling why you would want to tweak it anyway?!

sasha

 

[Michael Eisenman]

...If youre not travelling why you would want to tweak it anyway?!

Humidity changes at home, too. I just had to raise mine to prevent the G-string from buzzing during bowing.

 

[korotkov]

Humidity changes at home, too. I just had to raise mine to prevent the G-string from buzzing during bowing.

how high is your G string? my g is around 8mm on a carved bass and i really didnt need to raise it through the year here in St Petersburg. Sometimes when it rains for the whole day\week, my carved bass starts to sound differently but i didnt notice the bridge go down too much to bother tweaking it. maybe i just got lucky with that bass

 

[robobass]

Great link!
Agree. I can't understand why anyone wouldn't want to be able to adjust their string height. It would be like driving a car that was built for "an average sized person" where the seats don't move.

Good one!

Since this thread has been revived I want to make sure that everyone understands that my response was in total agreement with Chris and not sarcastic or negative in any way. One needs to be careful these days.

 

[Michael Eisenman]

how high is your G string?

About 5mm. I keep it just high enough to prevent the open string from buzzing at high amplitude.

 

[Eric Hochberg]

i really didnt need to raise it through the year here in St Petersburg. Sometimes when it rains for the whole day\week, my carved bass starts to sound differently but i didnt notice the bridge go down too much to bother tweaking it. maybe i just got lucky with that bass

In higher humidity, the bridge (top of bass) would raise, not lower.

 

[drurb]

Dueling threads. Check here.