lowlandtrees

Just got hold of a new instrument. By coincidence my house insurance was due for renewal. They want an extra £100 a year to insure this one instrument....and that is only at home/damage etc ...it is not covered out of the flat. It is quite valuable but I didn’t pay anything like the valued number. Is there any other way of insuring instruments? Musicians union only cover up to 2k I believe? Has anyone tried specialist companies...particularly claiming from them?

That is not good news. I decided to go to a private consultant.....got an appointment the next day. He was not particularly optimistic but he could not give me a time frame. He described it as being like the head of the Hydra...if you remove a nodule then it will come back twice as big. His advice was leave it alone until it gets in the way and if I do have it treated it will return within two to three years. He also said that stretching would make it worse. My left hand is swollen for some reason....probably too much bass...but this has nothing to do with Dupuytrens. The consultation was less than 10 mins and cost £200! Ouch n ooya !

I have a friend who waited two years. Both her pinkies had completely contracted. They did one (general anesthetic) then she had to go back on the waiting list for the second. Mine is not as bad but since it is not life threatening you wait a while. I sort of agree with this...it’s not the worst thing to happen to man....unless your a musician!

Hi. Resurrecting this old post out of curiosity as to whether the contributors condition has deteriorated or improved or remains unchanged. My own disease seems to have suddenly worsened over the last month. Private surgical intervention is going to cost a bawhair short of £3000 so not something to be undertaken lightly! There Is also some kind of collagen injections which are available privately? The question from a playing perspective is whether to act now or wait? It may stabilise and the expense wasted or there may be a more positive outcome with early intervention. Gonna go see a consultant anyway. I am finally starting to get playing projects off the ground so this comes as an inconvenience to say the least but of course many people live with much worse in their lives.

I have been playing around 7 years. Recently moved to DB but then joined a rock band 6 months ago so have been playing a lot of ebass. I mostly use my thumb and forefinger. I can alternate with two fingers but find the thumb much more comfortable and fluent. I think Jamerson originally played DB and moved to ebass and used a lot more open strings? Yes a one off. Bet he never volunteered to do the dishes!

Thanks will try some of this stuff. I have a an Ibanez artcore short scale 5. The string tension is high and may account. I tried lighter strings but they seemed floppy to me. I like the feel of flats but not a fan of the sound. I might dig in too hard although I mainly notice the problem when practicing at home. Will take note at the next band practice. I read somewhere that old DB jazzers ...when they needed some lube on their plucking fingers mid set would rub said fingers down the side of their noses...presumably their own noses....I have tried this with some success....I don’t think that my own nose is greasy enough though....might have to bother the drummer

I have come to bass late but a practice a lot. However every time that I have a bath or do the dishes or get my skin wet for longer than a few minutes, it seems that my plucking finger hardened skin gets damaged and I go back two steps. I am in a new band that has a gig in a couple of weeks. I can definitely play one set ...we are only playing one but it is a right pain in the cheeks. I have started rehearsing with a plectrum which is ok but not the same. Been thinking about limiting my bathing but my wife is not keen.

Not sure of the reason but was close to breaking my knuckles on a brick wall...two broken strings must have made you upset for a couple of years

I have a C extension on my new double bass. Since I am a C extension virgin I got some advice on fitting a new string. Extended strings are more expensive. This was a £60 string. I took just over 2 days to take up the tension...you have probably guessed by now that it broke on the last turn......grr

Yes. I have a guitar rack processor thing and tried the double bass through it with a bit of reverb and it sounded dreadful. I don’t really want to invest in an expensive reverb device only for it to be dog poo (as the mods describe it). Next time I gig through a decent PA I am gonna try using the PA reverb. I am also on the look out for a used audio image amp. Might get lucky and source the model with reverb!

A full length mirror is very useful for posture check as well as admiring yourself for hours on end

I think that answer is no..... i would love to do this but have watched our guitarist learn and have come to the conclusion that it is a whole skill in itself. Timing is everything ...a millisecond out and the loop catches up on you. I still plan to try it.

Was watching a video of Dan Ben Ezra and he appears to be using reverb amongst other stuff but it may be the natural sound of his bass. Not really tried it, always on the lookout to improve my sound.

Been toying with the idea of getting myself a reverb pedal for my DB. Is this something that anyone does? If so which one? Thinking about Strymon blue sky or Digitec SuperNatural. Wary of the cheaper range. Maybe you don’t need that much and best to DI through tha PA?

I thought about an adjustable but concerned that it would lose sound quality and volume?

Not especially high at the nut, mainly the bridge.

Just got this double bass with a lovely tone but the action is set up for orchestral playing...I think...well really high. Fine for pizz with the right hand but murder on the left. My question is whether lowering the action would reduce the tone quality or volume? It has Medium Helicore orchestral strings on at prez. I mainly pizz with occasional arco but am going to twice monthly bowing lessons. It is a professional instrument so don’t want to do work that I would regret.

Thanks. Gonna at least have them looked at. Seems like no one else has had any problems. I hate the idea of it crashing on a gig. I always take a spare (Roland 100 bass cube) but still...

Absolutely. Very clearly...from one practice to the next, a week apart. We

That’s what I thought but definitely something going on. Never had any problems with the amp and love the sound...and expensive to replace. Not sure who to go to in Scotland.

Hi...OK, I’m not the brightest with tech and I am posting this here coz I am guessing that most people using an EA Doubler are using a DB or EUB. Since I started adjusting the top ‘screwdriver ‘ settings they do not seem to stay in place. Maybe they have worn threads or I am not using them correctly. Have read the manual but not much instruction there. Anyone had any issues like this? Can any electronic engineer do a service on these or would it have to go back to EA?

Yes...must look into the history of that company. They seemed to change marketing strategy from pro to stude. There is of course place for both and there must have been a reason...dare I say the word profit? It has a wonderful dark sound but ...I will understate this ....anguish... I replaced the low C the other day with a brand new Helicore and it snapped today as I tensioned up ...I nearly punched the plasterboard. I did everything right. Took two days over winding up. Damn and blast I repeated to no one in particular.

Yes... I need to complete the costume with some ginger/grey facial hair....has been done

Nice day today. This little fella has moved in...Hawkes Panormo copy. Hope he hangs around a while....all I need is talent

EUB great for convenience...rehearsal, tight spaces in crowded pubs...wouldn’t be without one tbh....but to learn to play properly from scratch it should be the real thing......I also did it in reverse with regret.