malcolm.mcintyre

Was gearing up for a bit of soldering, but buying the cabs cut and glued together by Speaker Builder, but ve just priced up the complete build cost to me for a fEarful 12/6 and it comes to almost the same as a built Barefaced Big Baby. Difficult to see the point in self build if these cabs are sounding similar, but there is only a few quid in it.

Has anyone had the chance to compare these? I suppose the most direct comparison would be between both makes three-way lightweight cabs with the 12 inch woofer. The uncertain long wait times for the Barefaced cab, makes the prospect of an immediate CNC cut kit for the fEARful an attractive proposition, and I almost never sell gear on, so the resale value difference doesn't bother me. The US forums are all over the fEARfuls, but Barefaced rate highly here.

Trace Elliot 4x10 combo. Weighed a ton. Cost me a fortune new. Sounded so bad I thought it must be broken. Terrible after sales from Trace Elliot at that time. I never went near Trace Elliot again.

Thanks. I have listened to quite a few (admittedly mainly on You Tube) and most sound more like standard distortion pedals to my ears. I'm wondering if it needs an actual valve or two to get the desired effect. So the Dave Hall looks interesting. Particularly as I'd like to buy British to avoid import duties. The EBS valve effect pedal sounds good on the samples too.

Don't know about you, but increasingly the gigs I'm getting just call for my little Mark Bass rig, rather than my valve behemoths. The Little Mark does a job, but I'd like a simple pedal to just give some tubey sounding warmth (like a vintage Ampeg SVT would be nice). I am NOT looking for actual distortion. Many are advertised, but do any actually sound any good?

Feedback often makes my onstage life a misery with acoustic bass. I doubt if it's all your amp's fault, but as it is brand new, the speakers are likely to be very stiff until played in. I have been very surprised but how just much the apparent output/volume of bass cabs can improve after a good few hours use. An extension cab would also help, and I just don't believe you would need more amp power. However, the only real answer is to go through the PA, and just use your amp for your own monitoring.

I want to really thank you for your posts. It never occured to me that I could get my DB in my car (Saab 93 ), but neck down in the foot well, front seat wound back, headrest off, and it fits! You have save me from buying an estate, which I didn't really want.

Chris Kelly Could you PM me your details if you are taking on pupils thanks Malcolm McIntyre

Wow, that was quick. PM on it's way, thanks.

Hi, any double bass teacher recommendations for Bromley/Bexley area? Jazz tolerant would be great. thanks Malcolm

I don't see why the cello needs to an octave up from the DB, as the string length must be similar to bass guitar? My mother sold my nice old cello without me knowing, and probably for pence, when I moved out because "you never played the thing".

I had one from new, but the neck developed a length-wise twist which caused buzzing, and no-one could sort it out. Traded it for a new pre-Ernie Stringray and wasn't sorry.

I have started to use in ear monitors for rehearsals now. This allows me to run my bass amp quietly and if the others want to hear me THEY have to turn down too. Drummers don't seem to get it though do they?

Well the Microcube is a LOT cheaper than the PJ Briefcase, and the briefcase only does 1 hour on its battery, so I think I might go for the budget option. When you advise head-height, can it go on a mic stand?

Running them in series will work with any amp, but be prepared for them to sound significantly quieter than one cab on its own. If you want the two cabs to be louder, you need to run in parallel from a 2 ohm amp. I bought an Aguilar DB751 for that very purpose.

One of my bands has got it into their heads that they want to go on a busking tour!! Alright for them with their bloody fiddles and guitars, but I'm going to need an amp. Is the "briefcase" the way to go, and does battery-power actually work?

I think the main problem was with the TE cabs. I used TE amps into Electrovoice cabs in the 80s and they were ok. Then I changed to a TE 500w 4x10 combo, which was the worst sound I've ever had, although my current MarkBass traveller 115+210 is pretty awful too. I have to use the compromised MBass lightweight cabs now because of what the Trace combo did to my back.

Exactly the setup that I am looking at, thanks. As you know, for the bigger festivals you don't get much time to talk to the sound guys if they are rushing for a quick change between acts. Are they normally o.k. to give you a monitor feed xlr lead for the Fischman? I only have experience of them taking an xlr DI feed from me. It looks like the Fischman lets me adjust the balance from my direct bass output into it, with the monitor feed from the desk.

Just had a nightmare gig using a semi-acoustic bass at a big outdoor gig. Organisers insisted I use the supplied backline, and that they would DI from that post-eq, so "don't touch that either". Couldn't choose where to stand either. Result; impossible feedback from the backline unless literally turned off, monkeys on the desk couldn't give me anything through the monitors without feedback. As a result I had the whole gig without hearing any bass, on a fretless without markers, Scary. Aparently the sound to the audience was great. Although I haven't had any intonation complaints (yet) it was all too traumatic to go through again. I think I need to go for in-ear monitors, probably wired rather than wireless as I don't run about much. Anyone got experience.

Can't resist the name drop. I've met them all quite a few times over the years, stayed in the same hotels and have even stood side of stage at Hammersmith during a gig. Nice guys.

Just back from my first gig with the Takamine TB-10, at the Half Moon Putney. The main thing is that it sounded brilliant DI into the house PA. The sound engineer loved it. I lost count of how many people came up after to talk about the double-bass like sound. Far closer to a double bass sound than any semi-acoustic fretless bass guitar that I have heard. Less good was the on-stage monitoring from my own MarkBass amp and 1x12 cab. I couldn't get it loud enough to hear properly over the drums without feedback. Even using my Fishman Plat-pro between the Takamine and the MarkBass it was a problem. I think I'll need to fit a magnetic pickup for loud gigs, and have asked Aaron Armstrong what he can come up with. The onboard Takamine preamp has a spare high impedance input and a control to blend this with the piezo bridge. The audience were also totally fascinated by the look of the thing. Again many people wanted to talk about it after the gig, one even asked if it was an antique period instrument! I've never had so much attention as a bass player. I have tried playing it upright and horizontal for prolonged periods, and finally opted for fitting a strap button on the neck heel and standing with it on a strap. I like the mobility on stage, and can play much easier and faster in that position. I reckon an hour is about my limit like this though 'cos my back starts to ache. It is quite a heavy bass. If I was going to play upright, I'd prefer to use my double bass (apart from getting it in the car). I am really pleased with this purchase and see it getting me work, as it sparks so much interest. p.s. It comes with flat-wound steels, but I have just got a set of black plastic Rotosounds to try.

Great idea about the cable ties! I only need a magnetic pick-up in case of a feedback-emergency back-up for one festival gig this summer, and didn't want to drill the board. Simple, but I didn't think of it. thanks

In my experience, you might get some hum from using the mains transformer, but if so, this can be completely eliminated by putting a ferrite bead-type choke on the wire between the transformer and the pick-up.

Agreed that it takes more effort to play than a regular fretless bass guitar, but the sound from the combination of the fingerboard, body and transducer in the bridge, is so much closer to an amplified DB than any other 34 inch scale BG that I have heard. I am really getting on well playing this sitting in guitar mode, although strangely it sounds better in upright mode. I don't see how it is more difficult to play than a DB. Certainly a lot easier to play than mine! It is quite expensive for a Takamine, but the finish and quality is top notch. The UK price of about 2K GBP compares better than usual with the US prices I've seen. Can't see the need for permanent fretlines or dots, but have certainly used a few pencil marks on the side 'til I'm used to it :-)

I have been considering on of these for months as I have two new band projects on the horizon that need an acoustic bass sound. I am a bass guitarist, and although I also have a cheap double bass am pretty hopeless on it as I find it too physicaly demanding an instument to dip in and out of. I also find double bass fingering much more tiring when trying to play fast. I couldn't find much info about the TB10 so thought I would add my impressions. I initially looked at various EUBs in "proper" 40" scale, liked the Yamaha SLB200, certainly easier than my acoustic DB to play. Then I saw the Takamine TB10 on the web. I liked the sound clips I found on the Thomann site. Couldn't find one to try in the UK, so eventuall bought it untried on the internet. I am very impressed. The sound from the cool-tube pre-amp is great, much more double-bass like than my actual DB from its Shadow pick-up. The look and finish are excellent, provided you dont mind the very Takamine satin laquer look. The neck is very deep, and quite DB in profile, and I think this is what gives the good tone. Action is high, like the Yamaha SLB, with a very radiused fingerboard. Again this allows a more DB playing style, getting more energy into the stings for the right sound, but intonation is much more intuitive for a regular bass guitarist. Takamine say you can bow it, but while I found it just possible, the bridge radius and body cutaways make it very difficult. I don't think I could bow it at a gig. The design is clearly directed to upright playing, like an EUB, but I have found no difficulty playing it sitting in guitar mode, and actually prefer it that way. I am going to fit a strap button to the heel of the neck, because it feels like it will balance ok, and the body isn't too bulky. Having said that, this is a BIG bass guitar, the case looks plenty scary when you first see it because it is so deep. Unplugged it is seriously weedy sounding, and I don't see any application in this mode, apart from bedroom practice perhaps.