JoshJ

Hi Scott, just had a really quick look at the tutorials, they look good but I can't read music! I know I really should learn, so I won't be offended if you say no, but it might be an idea to write out the pdf in tab aswell for idiots like me. Also the first time I opened the pdf I forgot to middle-click so I lost my place in the video, it's only a daft little thing but if you made it open in a new window it might save people a few seconds finding where they were up to. Josh

[quote name='TheRev' post='959450' date='Sep 17 2010, 02:04 PM']Barbara. No idea why I've called her Barbara as I'm not of the habit of naming inanimate objects but as soon as I saw her I knew her name was Barbara.[/quote] That really does look like a Barbara! Good choice. [quote name='TheRev' post='959455' date='Sep 17 2010, 02:07 PM']If you want to go with a Flintstones theme, then your bass is definitley a Wilma.[/quote] I like it, but Betty is fitter... I'm starting to think maybe Patricia, after [url="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_WQ538VXcbuM/SksRzzCkILI/AAAAAAAAAMk/Tkgi_l4FIwo/s320/509877.jpg"]Patricia Day[/url]

[quote name='fatback' post='959366' date='Sep 17 2010, 12:51 PM']Mine is Nigella. Self-explanatory, really [/quote] Because it's such a great cook?

I just got my first double bass a couple of weeks ago and I feel like I should give it a name... Since the make is Antoni, I am tempted just to call it Anthony, but I think it should be a girls name really as "playing with Anthony" sounds a bit homo ([i]edit: Not that there's anything wrong with being homo, it's just not the look I'm going for [/i]), especially since my crotch occasionally gets fairly close to his waist when playing. I thought about "Antoinette" but that's too frilly and makes me sound like a French Duke. ([i]edit 2: Not that there's anything wrong with being a French Duke...[/i]) My girlfriend's grandma calls my bass Bazooka, which I quite like but it's still not very feminine. Another idea we had was to call it BamBam, since our cat is called Pebbles, but I'm a grown up and that's a pretty stupid name... Any ideas? Has anyone else named their bass, and if so, what's it called? Include pics if you think it's necessary.

[quote name='4 candles' post='957983' date='Sep 16 2010, 08:28 AM']Im trying to upload some pics to my for sale advert but the file sizes are too big, therefore I cant post any pics.[/quote] I put my pics on google's storage thingy "picasa" and that seems to automatically resize them. If you just want an easy way to change the size though, open it with MS Paint, click Image - Stretch/Skew, and put in whatever you think for the size e.g. 50%, 25%... obviously put horizontal and vertical the same if you want to keep the aspect ratio.

[quote name='fatback' post='950085' date='Sep 8 2010, 11:23 PM']The only youtube info I can find is either about violins or has folk disagreeing and calling each other idiots.[/quote] [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8UsIwa-BhQ"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8UsIwa-BhQ[/url] Don't know if you've seen that already, I have no idea if it's the right way to do it but she seems like a nice lady.

Bumped because I've been hogging the top spot lately. I definitely would have wanted see this if you weren't so far away but I had to go for convenience in the end

[quote name='High5bass' post='955069' date='Sep 13 2010, 05:26 PM']Hi Josh, Colours aside I think you've fitted the strings the wrong way round in the tailpiece - the strings shouldn't appear from behind the tailpiece. Take a look at other images elsewhere on the web. Always happy to be corrected though. Cheers, Andrew[/quote] Yeah they are backwards, I wanted to try them "balls out", following this advice: [url="http://doublebassblog.org/category/jeffweisner"]http://doublebassblog.org/category/jeffweisner[/url] (about halfway down under Double Bass Socialism Part 2) It's supposed to put more pressure on the bridge and therefore improve the tone somehow... but I realised afterwards that it says to only do the "upper" 3 strings (that does mean ADG, right?). I'm going to swap them back as soon as I can be bothered anyway 'cos I want to see if I can hear the difference, but unfortunately I'm incredibly lazy...

[quote name='TheRev' post='954806' date='Sep 13 2010, 02:27 PM'][url="http://www.quinnviolins.com/qv_stringidsearch.shtml"]http://www.quinnviolins.com/qv_stringidsearch.shtml[/url][/quote] When I put in either blue or black at both ends, that site tells me I have Thomastik Superflexible strings... but maybe that's just wishful thinking. Sorry about the size of these pics but do you all agree on the colours? Here's the whole thing (with a bonus picture of me and my girlfriend) I'm sure it hasn't been played much if at all because in 1 week I'm already destroying the "ebonised" finish on the fingerboard, this was perfect last Monday. That explains the buzz on my A string!

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='954074' date='Sep 12 2010, 09:39 PM']Tight, really? I thought they were supple... If it's too loud to practice at home maybe look at getting a rubber practice mute[/quote] Well maybe it has more to do with the high action or my playing technique, they're fine playing normally but they really ping off the fingerboard when i play slap (it actually sounds ace but so so loud), and I think the dull thud I'm expecting from weedwackers would carry through the walls a lot less. [quote name='thisnameistaken' post='954074' date='Sep 12 2010, 09:39 PM']The buzzy A string sounds like you might have a little unwanted blip somewhere along your fingerboard. The sort of thing a professional could sort out if it's problematic.[/quote] Yeah that's what I was thinking... I'm going to leave it for as long as I can get away with not lowering the action any more, but eventually I guess it will need shooting. Don't think I'd attempt that myself though as I didn't even know they had a ridge until I got this one haha.

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='952961' date='Sep 11 2010, 06:12 PM']If anyone's interested he did buy the gumtree bass[/quote] Yeah, it turned out to be an Antoni, but not the"Debut" hybrid one, it's all laminate. Sorry for not posting an update but it's going really well, my dad had a go at carving the top of the bridge yesterday and it's now a lot easier to play. The only problem is it's developed a bit of a buzz when I play around the 1st and 2nd "fret" on the A string (not when I play it open though), any ideas what that could be? The action could still do to be a bit lower for slapping, especially on the D and G, and we didn't touch the feet which are a awful fit, but we'll have a go at that another time. I'm not too sure the bridge was on the wrong way, because the profile of the top seems to match up the ridge in the fingerboard, and the flat side being at the tail end means it's tilted against the string tension rather than towards it. Also when I tried it the other way round the strings sloped even more in the wrong direction. I'll post pics some time to check but it seems fine for now anyway. I also swapped the crappy wooden tailpiece and plastic tailwire for a Wittner adjustable stainless steel one that I got with the bass, and I'm pretty sure it's improved the sound a lot, I've put the strings on "balls out" which I heard can improve the sound (but forgot you're not supposed to do the E string... I'm going to put them back the other way tomorrow and see if I can tell the difference). Next jobs I think are to get a nicer endpin and maybe try some weedwackers as the steel strings on it are quite nice (I think) but a bit tight and too loud to slap in a basement flat. Thanks again for the lift and your expert eye, Kev, and feel free to come and have a look at the new improved version any time.

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='943448' date='Sep 2 2010, 02:51 PM']I can at least tell you if there's anything obviously wrong with it and what bits you might want fettling, who could do it for you and what it'd be likely to cost.[/quote] You might be my new best friend haha. I'll send you a PM

Thanks for quick replies [quote name='bob_pickard' post='943298' date='Sep 2 2010, 01:02 PM']or plug in a couple of hundred quid extra and get this one - perfect [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=92709"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=92709[/url] worse case it's a great ply bass but you might even end up with it being hybrid or full carved... if only I hadn't just bought one [/quote] Yeah I've seen that one and it's very very tempting... this one is aswell [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=81001&pid=776185&st=0&#entry776185"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=...mp;#entry776185[/url] I'm expecting a bit of inheritance money fairly soon so could probably afford to stretch to the first and maybe even 2nd, but transport is a big problem since I don't have a car. I'd also be slightly worried about hurting one of those since it's my first bass, although I'm guessing they're fairly tough if they've lasted 50+ years already. [quote name='thisnameistaken' post='943288' date='Sep 2 2010, 12:59 PM']I'd be happy to come along with you if you want an opinion, I'm on Bootham so not far away.[/quote] That would be a massive help (assuming you know what you're talking about! ). I live just round the corner on Gillygate and was planning on walking to Holgate at some point if you're up for it? That's if I don't get talked into getting one of those lovely old B&H's!

I've been after a double bass for a few months now, mostly to play rockabilly/psychobilly slap type stuff. I have read loads of posts exactly the same as this and the usual answer is "wait til you can get a good old one", but like a lot of people I am getting bored and impatient, and like everyone else buying a first bass I only really want to spend around £500. I've done a lot of ebaying but haven't seen much around my area (York/Leeds/Hull). I've played a bit of guitar and electric bass, but have never even laid my hands on an upright, so obviously wouldn't be looking for a top quality instrument, but I am fairly serious about learning (preferably without a teacher) and would want something which could take me up to a reasonable standard, or at least something I can sell on to buy a better one. Can anyone advise me on this? [url="http://york.gumtree.com/york/03/63756203.html"]http://york.gumtree.com/york/03/63756203.html[/url] It looks cheap and nasty to me, but it's within walking distance and I can afford it, so I'm wondering is it really THAT bad? The guy says it's about 6 years old and has just been sitting unplayed, which I guess means it probably won't be very well set up? Assuming there are no obvious cracks/splits, none of the strings buzz, the tailpiece isn't broken or jammed, the fingerboard is ebony, and there are no obvious neck repairs... is it worth around £300? Or would I be better off with a brand new Thomann like these? [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/thomann_kontrabass_111.htm"]http://www.thomann.de/gb/thomann_kontrabass_111.htm[/url] [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/thomann_kontrabass_111e_bk.htm"]http://www.thomann.de/gb/thomann_kontrabass_111e_bk.htm[/url] The other one I've got my eye on is this [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/4-4-Stentor-1950-Double-Bass-Bow-Gig-Bag-Extras-/220662146357?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Sting_Instruments&hash=item33607d2535"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/4-4-Stentor-1950-Dou...=item33607d2535[/url] but would a 4/4 be too big? I'm about 5'11". Thanks in advance, Josh