Basic Anatomy
Upright Citizens
In terms of shape, size, and composition, the upright bass is the most varied member of the violin family. As with its cousin, the bass guitar, most of the upright’s variables evolved to the tastes and demands of players and composers—but in the upright’s case, it has happened over the centuries. Some differences affect the sound, some are “landmark” issues, some are structural decisions, and others are simply style points. Learning the instrument’s anatomy is a great way to begin understanding how these characteristics affect playability and sound production. Let’s begin with a brief introduction to the basics of upright bass shapes and construction methods.
Gamba vs. violin corners Originally, there were two separate styles of upright bass building: the violin-style construction of Amati and Stradivari, and the viola da gamba style of the Viennese school. This bifurcated influence probably explains why there is such structural variety among upright basses. Gamba (Fig. 1a) and violin (Fig. 1b) corners are evolutionary remnants of these origins; violin corners protrude farther from the body than gamba corners. The two corner styles don’t affect the sound differently, but they certainly look different, and a bass with violin corners is more susceptible to transportation or bow damage.
Flatback vs. roundback The instrument’s back is another important variable; it can be either round (Fig. 2a) or flat (Fig. 2b). Besides obviously affecting physical appearance, the greatest difference is how “flatback” and “roundback” basses are constructed. A round back is shaped either by being carved from solid wood or by pressing a laminated piece into shape. The resulting arched shape gives the back extra structural support. While flat backs are easier to make, the builder needs to add crossbars to counteract the back’s tendency to flex and crack due to humidity changes and string pressure. Consequently, flatback basses are heavier due to the extra wood of the crossbars. There are too many variables to definitively state how the two back styles affect sound; however, I feel that a flatback acoustically projects to the back of the hall better, while a roundback is easier for the player to hear.
Shoulders The shape of the bass’s shoulders, which extend outward from the neck joint, affects access to the fingerboard’s upper range. Most players find it easier to play in thumb position on an instrument with sloping shoulders (Fig. 3a) than one with broad shoulders (Fig. 3b). Curiously, a musician who plays a bass with broad shoulders may find it difficult to adapt to an “easier to play” sloped-shoulder bass because of familiarity with broad shoulders. Indeed, we are creatures of habit! Generally, broad-shouldered instruments are larger in size and consequently often have a larger sound.
Neck & Overstand Playing in tune is a major challenge, and “landmarks”—structural features that physically cue the player to locations on the neck—are crucial aids to successful intonation. One important landmark is the location of the crook of the neck relative to the note a player gets on the G string when his or her thumb is positioned at the neck butt. That note is either a D or an Eb, which gives the neck its name: It’s either a “D neck” or an “Eb neck” (Fig. 4). The D neck is also called a French neck, while the Eb neck is called a German neck. After numerous shop surveys, I’ve found they are equally common.
Fig. 4 also illustrates another critical landmark: overstand, which refers to the distance between the bottom of the fingerboard and the top of the body at the neck joint. If the overstand is too low—say, less than y"—it becomes more difficult to shift your hand over the shoulders. I feel that a 1q" overstand is ideal for smooth shifts into the fingerboard’s upper registers, or for thumb position. In conjunction with neck angle and bridge height, overstand can greatly affect the instrument’s sound and feel. To maintain the ideal overstand, I might adjust the bridge height or neck angle, although altering any of these elements can change the pressure applied to the bass’s top.
The upright continues evolving today as creative luthiers work to resolve ergonomic issues and meet the tonal demands of today’s players. In upcoming columns, I’ll document specific repairs and sound adjustments that well-known upright bassists have requested in the search for optimum tone and playability.
