The bass is the largest member of the string family and an integral part of the symphony orchestra. It has four strings, producing the lowest tones of the string family. The instrument is commonly associated with classical music, and is primarily found in orchestras and string quartets.
The bass is made in full and fractional sizes. While determining the appropriate instrument size for violin or viola can be fairly simple (being basically a function of arm length), proper sizing of a bass is more complex, being a function of arm, leg and body length.
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Strunal Model 5/35 Advanced Intermediate String Bass
Student Bass:
Student basses are designed for beginning students and are often produced by machine. Maple is sometimes used for high friction parts (pegs, fingerboard) and dyed to resemble the more expensive Ebony, which is found on most instruments. These basses are excellent for the early stages of development and are priced to easily fit into most budgets. Teacher-Recommended Student Basses
Intermediate Bass:
Intermediate basses feature better quality wood and workmanship, most (if not all) of which is done by hand. The result is an instrument that sounds better and will accommodate a more advanced player. Pegs and fingerboard are usually made of Ebony. Extensive hand graduation of the top and back of the cello results in a more refined sound. If the wood is good and the craftsman has paid attention to the necessary details, some intermediate basses may even approach the professional level of performance. Recommended Intermediate Basses
Professional Bass:
These are basses made from only the finest woods and built with near-fanatical attention to every detail of construction and appearance. Because of the relatively few craftsmen skilled at this level, the number of hours required to produce an instrument of this caliber, and the cost of select, premium wood, the price of these instruments is considerably higher than an intermediate basses. Recommended Professional Basses
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Strings, rosin, a practice mute and a sturdy case are great accessories for bass players.
Hand Crafting:
Hand-crafting a stringed instrument is an art and a science. Manufacturers employ crafters at different levels of experience. The least experienced crafters typically work on the less-expensive instruments. The opposite is true for high-priced instruments.
Set-Up:
Manufacturer’s employ “set-up” technicians to prepare the instrument to play at its highest potential. Detailed shaping and shaving of components, fitting the bridge, precise fit and finish of pegs, adjusting proper depth and shape of the notches at the bridge and the nut, and fine tuning are all responsibilities of the “set-up” technician.
Flaming:
Flaming is a popular technique to enhance the visual appeal of a stringed instrument. However, this technique does not necessarily enhance the quality of sound produced.
Book-Matched:
Most instrument backs are “book-matched,” or constructed from two pieces of wood glued together. This process gives the instrument a uniform appearance, but does not necessarily improve the sound quality.
Lamination:
Basses may have a laminated top, basically a thin piece of plywood. This process strengthens and stabilizes the instruments.
The single most influential factor (after players’ skill) of sound quality produced by a stringed instrument is the choice of strings. There is no absolutely correct type of string for all players under all circumstances. Each type of string has qualities that make it more appropriate for different situations (i.e. solo vs. orchestral performance; country vs. classical performance). Other factors such as cost, the players’ individual preferences, and the way a particular string sounds on an individual instrument also come into play.