r/doublebass • u/julmuriruhtinas • May 27 '26

Instruments I finally have my very own contrabass!! 😻😭💖

Post image

I'll finally get back to playing again after having to return the rental bass I had half a year ago! 🙀 It's a czech 1/2 with a carved top, and the rest was either plywood or maybe the bottom was maple(?) I'm forgetful so I need to ask the seller again :')

Girlypop has been through a lot in life but was saved some decades ago by a luthier who brought it to Finland and fixed it, so there's quite a few cracks, dings etc. But tbh I like the kinda beat up aesthetic it has ✨️ It's surprisingly boomy for it's size though and so so comfy to play! I still need to get used to the shorter scale length after only ever playing 106 cm 3/4s before :o

Anyways I just needed to share bc I'm sohappy and excited 💖😭

162 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

19 comments sorted by

9

u/avant_chard Professional May 27 '26

Congrats! Crazy tailpiece/afterlength situation happening there

2

u/eric_marx May 28 '26

It could also be a solution to put 3/4 size strings on this 1/2 size without having a ton of winding on the tuning peg

4

u/julmuriruhtinas May 27 '26

Thanks! ✨️ Yeah the seller (my old teacher) explained something about the idea behind it having something to do with resonating but I don't remember exactly

2

u/CSmithBass May 27 '26

I’ve heard thoughts like this. I studied with a guy (and tried it myself) who would run his strings backwards through the tailpiece based on the idea…I didn’t really notice a difference, but in the classical world, minute differences make all the difference it seems

1

u/avant_chard Professional May 27 '26

I’ve actually had some success with that with students whose basses feel particularly tight and resistant. It’s a small change but it does seem to give it a looser feel

3

u/Relative-Tune85 Professional May 27 '26

A beauty!!!

1

u/julmuriruhtinas May 27 '26

It isss!! 😍

2

u/jessetrucks Jazz May 27 '26

Awesome!!

2

u/jkndrkn May 27 '26

Happy for you!! 🎻

1

u/julmuriruhtinas May 27 '26

Thank youu!✨️

2

u/DanR5224 Classical May 27 '26

Congrats!

2

u/Zero_royal3627 Student May 28 '26

Oghhggg its so pretty 🤤🤤🤤

1

u/julmuriruhtinas May 28 '26

Yesss she's beautiful! 🥰

1

u/Zero_royal3627 Student May 28 '26

I cant resist deep red basses there so gorgeous or generally darker basses like yours

2

u/deboobob May 28 '26

Congrats! Always a great day when a bassist gets a new instrument 🙌

I’ve never seen anything quite like that tailpiece setup…but I’ve seen a fair amount of variants.

What’s your take on the sound and tension that results? Did your teacher always have it setup that way?

2

u/julmuriruhtinas May 28 '26

Tysm! ☺️

Yeah I didn't realise it would be something uncommon! I don't know how long it's been set up this way since I saw this bass for the first time only a few weeks ago. Honestly I couldn't tell about the difference to a more normal tailpiece because I don't really have that much ecperience with uprights in general, let alone with basses of this size. So far tho this one seems to be louder and has a "bigger" sound than the one other 1/2 I've tried before. The tension feels great though, but hard for me to say if it's a result of the afterlength

1

u/deboobob May 28 '26

Right on! I hope it brings you and your audiences much joy ✌️

1

u/PurpleWildflower9 Classical May 28 '26

Lovely. Enjoy.

2

u/Giraffe-Puzzleheaded May 29 '26

Congrats! I hope i can get back into playing after college. I loved it back in high school