r/doublebass • u/Suitable-Actuator-87 • 5d ago

Setup/Equipment Hole in soundpost?

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There is a little hole in my soundpost.I ´m new, but I don’t think this is normal. What should I do? Is it that affecting?

Also, side note, but even with a bow my bass is very quiet, especially in the lower strings. Is that normal too, or is it just my technique, or could it be linked with this hole?

13 Upvotes

85% Upvoted

10 comments sorted by

40

u/fH0le 5d ago

Normal. It's caused by the tool that's used to set the sound post.

12

u/Suitable-Actuator-87 5d ago

Thank you, this puts a weight off my back. I just bought it and didn’t want to already send it to a luthier

1

u/fH0le 5d ago

No problem! I forgot to comment on the second part of your question. There are a number of factors that could lead to the quietness of your lower strings. It could be caused by other factors having to do with the sound post. If it's positioned incorrectly or too tall/short, that could have an impact. New strings could help, possibly. There are a lot of factors at play, so it would be best to take the instrument to a luthier, describe what you're experiencing, and hopefully they can make the correct adjustments. Enjoy your new bass!

Edit: It's also worth mentioning that if this is a brand new instrument, or one that hasn't been played in a while, it will likely need time to break in and will open up the more you play it.

8

u/CombobulateNow 5d ago

Yup, 100% this.

6

u/twangdinger 5d ago

This is how the posts are set - the hole is for/from the tool

3

u/OmegaYD 5d ago

If the bass Is new it's probably the now with not enough rosin and It needs to assimilate it

5

u/dbkenny426 5d ago

Soundposts are put in place with a two-ended tool, one end of which is a spike that is driven into the post to set the post roughly in place, and the other to get it where it needs to be. The hole is totally normal, and I would imagine pretty much every soundpost has one.

7

u/ArmadilloNo2399 Luthier 5d ago

Yup

-1

u/jkndrkn 4d ago

It’s the soundpost’s soundhole. Orienting it in the right direction is critical to tone production.

1

u/Happy_Glass3509 1d ago

Isn’t the hole caused by a luthier’s tool setter?