Double Bass Wolf tone come and gone...

[KSB - Ken Smith]

About two months ago I noticed a wolf tone on my open 'C' extension string on my Martini (Mantova, Italy 1919). As it bothered me more and more I called both Arnold and Jeff for their help in the manner. Fist I spoke with Jeff who told me all to look for including a bad string. Everything checked out and mostly I tried these things as well before hand. I then changed the strings and still had the problem.

Was it something inside then? The Bass was restored by Italy's best Luthier in 1999, Sergio Scaramelli. I didn't not expect to find a failing Bassbar and after looking inside and tapping outside all seemed tight as a drum and it was.

When Arnold returned my call he reminded me of the Neck/Fingerboard Joint which from the original soft Italian Oppio Maple Neck still in the Bass, was failing from time to time. The Bass came to me from Italy with 3 maple shims under the Fingerboard. I had Paul Biase (Biasie-Fantoni Violins NY, my old buddy) make a new Fingerboard and he removed the 3 shims. I supplied to him from my shop a single wedge shaped Ebony shim to replace not only the 3 maple shims but to make up for the wood removed on the Neck surface to get everything straight again before gluing.

The Fingerboard is a standard type Black Ebony (African or Indian, not really sure) with a brown spot here and there. The Shim we made here was Indonesian Macassar that we use here with our Basses which is actually harder and more stable than most other Ebonys but it has a dark grey/black striped grain. The edge was stained with a permanent marker to match the fingerboard.

All this was done to fix a long time failing Neck as the signs were clear from the previous 3 shims used. We just didn't see it that way and went for another Shim. Arnold has told me over and over again "the Martini needs a Neck Graft!". After all I have been through with this Bass between the first USA Neck Repair, putting new Tuning Gears on and re-cheeking the outside of the Pegbox, fitting an Extension afterwards and putting it up for sale to help finance the Gilkes purchase and restoration I was brain tired with this Bass and loved its tone.

I have been using the Martini mostly in recent weeks and last night saw the light. I mean really saw the LIGHT! While at rehearsal I looked at the Fingerboard from the low side around 1st position and saw light shining thru a small crack from the other side. I looked up and down the FB/NK joint and saw no less than 4 inches of separation. I tried some music paper but it was too thick to fit. After rehearsal I took the Bass back to the shop (10:30pm) got out the necessary tools and supplies, cleaned out 5 1/2 inches of a loose joint and re-glued the Neck to the Fingerboard.

This morning I cleaned up the remaining glue residue I missed last night and 'Frenched' the joint (French polished!), FB edge and Neck. The Bass is suddenly a bit more clear sounding and the low 'C' wolf is gone.

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Pics shown only for reference here of the FB/Shim/NK joint as this is my personal Bass and coming off the market.

Due to the history of this Neck and its past and current repairs, it is now and finally slated for a Neck Graft as soon as Arnold gets some space on his Bench. The Neck Block of wood to be used was already cut into to repair the lower Block area of my Hart Bass. This cut the usage of the Block from a full neck/scroll to a graft-only Block which I agreed to buy and have held for the Martini job.

They say that hind-sight is 20/20. This is so true. If I had seen this coming 3 years ago, I would have opted for a Neck graft then and saved all the time and trouble not to mention over 2k from the first NK/FB/Bridge repair/replacement. It's a good thing for this Bass that I like it. The value however will not be increased by this repair, but rather only brought back up to where it belongs.

 

[accutone]

Excuse my ignorance, but could you explain why you are doing a neck graft on this bass? I am no expert, nor even a novice at repair, but it looks fine and it sounds from your description that it plays fine. Is it a matter of authenticity?

 

[1st Bass]

Hey, Ken;

Same sort of question, a little more specific:

Is the neck graft because the maple portion of the neck is simply too thin, and is, of necessity, bolstered by the extra-thick ebony FB? It is certainly a beautiful bass-- it seems too bad that one could not add maple to the neck, with a carbon fiber truss inside, or something. (But, that's why I am lurking here asking ignorant questions. I really don't know, and desire to learn.)

Chet Bishop

 

[KSB - Ken Smith]

Excuse my ignorance, but could you explain why you are doing a neck graft on this bass? I am no expert, nor even a novice at repair, but it looks fine and it sounds from your description that it plays fine. Is it a matter of authenticity?

This Neck is made from Soft wood and has had many repairs between the Neck/Fingerboard joint from its previous failures. I thought that the latest Ebony Shim Job I did with Biase was 'the fix' but in actuality, it was only temporary.

Arnold told me it needed a Graft and would fail if left as-is. This latest event of the wolf tone and the Joint separating was proof he was right. Every time you clean out a joint you loose some wood as well as expand, swell and contract the glue surface of the joint. One day maybe sooner than later, the Fingerboard will have to come off and the Neck which is not a great piece of wood to begin with, will have to be trued all over again.

Most old Basses and just about every Italian Bass I have seen has a grafted neck. Why? Maybe what they used for a Neck was not that great! Most other times it has to do with breakages, String Lengths, Heel Stops etc.. On a Bass under a 100 years old and well made the Neck should be good if it was a good piece of wood. There are no damages to the neck itself other than a piece of wood just too soft to be a Neck. I guess the Italians enjoy carving this softer Oppio and the Poplars they have used for Basses but for a neck, it needs a bit more strength.

 

[accutone]

Thanks so much for that explanation. I have an old German (I think) bass that had a neck block installed along with a neck graft before I owned it, and I appreciate your explanation. I only wish your shop was here in SF, but the cost of workshop space would be just a bit higher than in PA.

 

[KSB - Ken Smith]

Hey, Ken;

Same sort of question, a little more specific:

Is the neck graft because the maple portion of the neck is simply too thin, and is, of necessity, bolstered by the extra-thick ebony FB? It is certainly a beautiful bass-- it seems too bad that one could not add maple to the neck, with a carbon fiber truss inside, or something. (But, that's why I am lurking here asking ignorant questions. I really don't know, and desire to learn.)

Chet Bishop

The Neck is thinner because it was way too thick to play for me after the new fingerboard and Ebony shim. I cut it down one afternoon before a rehearsal. Arnold touched it up with some matching Varnish afterwards. The Shim is pitched from 5mm-12mm at the end of the Neck and goes under the peg box line. The Neck had wood shims added before because even the full thick neck was bending under the Fingerboard. After many FB dressings, the FB bends easier with the Neck. When the FB is thicker and stiffer and can't bend when the Neck does, the glue joint just gives. The 12mm pitch of the Ship is actually part of the neck stand. When the new graft is done, the Neck will be moved out a bit and possibly a new higher bridge made. This is a highly arched bass top and back. The current Bridge with low string height (4mm/G-8mm/E-C) is 6 3/16 tall in the center. The old Bridge was 6" with much higher string height so it would have been maybe 5 7/8" at best with my set-up.

There is not enough actual Neck there to do the Graphite Inlay here. When the new graft is done, it will get the CF Graphite just like Arnold had put in all of my Basses.

 

[KSB - Ken Smith]

Thanks so much for that explanation. I have an old German (I think) bass that had a neck block installed along with a neck graft before I owned it, and I appreciate your explanation. I only wish your shop was here in SF, but the cost of workshop space would be just a bit higher than in PA.

Space? I own a 2 story 14,000 sq/ft industrial building with a 30 car parking lot across the street.

I was lucky about 10 years ago. I can't even afford this in Pa. now if I was moving here...lol