AndyBass

Not really after growliness on double bass, just the old “my bass but louder” chestnut. Weight’s not really a factor, everywhere I’d go would be in a van and once there it’s only a few minutes of heft to the stage. Saves a trip to the gym 😀 I use my own gear mainly, but that’s a good idea to investigate for occasions when it isn’t practical. I think I need to educate myself a bit more with this stuff because all this talk of fdecks and preamp pedals is alien to me. I’m still in the world of instrument - amp - noise. In the meantime I think I’ll just get another Hartke and keep it simple!

I vary, Fonokraft piezos or Schaller or Krivo mags. I’ve never understood impedance stuff very well and have only just to to grips with output impedance and matching cabs. I am, to quote Skynyrd, a simple kind of man. I’m assuming using a preamp (I always use a K&K) addresses this issue as I’ve often just plugged into whatever’s available in studios/at gigs and it’s never been an issue? I may just have been lucky though! Certainly an interesting point on the ampegs though - no mention anywhere.

My amp having recently breathed its last, I’ve seen a few Ampeg PF500s and an Svt450 knocking about which would pair with my cab and have the output I need. But are they good for db, or are they “growly” and colour the sound too much? Any views welcome!!

Hi folks, thanks for the ideas so far. Unfortunately it sounds like there’s no one commonly known easy fix. Damn. Anyway I couldn’t say if it’s the lacquer or what, definitely not residue. Think it’s likely UV exposure fading/darkening the wood or the finish from what I read, though I never gig this bass and it mostly sits in the dark. Might actually try taping it off and using a UV lamp on it. As if it wasn’t going to be hard enough to sell a lefty bass, now I gotta sort this first!

So for whatever reason I decided to put this big Posada sticker on one of my basses. I kept checking under bits of it that fading was even etc but then sure enough I removed the whole thing today and there's a clear, brighter shape where the sticker was. I've seen luthiers work some magic over scratches with varnishes etc - anyone know if anything can be done about problems like this? It's a ply Strunal, if that makes a difference. And "go back in time and don't be an idiot" isn't helpful advice 😀 Cheers!

I love my 3500 - in part because I know if it dies I can replace it for about £120. But it has been taking a beating on the road so was hoping to mount it in a gator 2u case I have. The rack ears I have are too wide, so does anyone know of a make of rack ears that would fit a Hartke 3500 into a standard 2u case? There are older threads here asking the same but they reference to the samsontech site and they're discontinued on there. Or anywhere that could cut and drill my existing rack ears to fit? Thanks folks!

Just to perpetuate this massive thread and do justice to the LowLifes, I now actually really like them and have kept them on my bass after all. I'm finding some of my tricksy slappy stuff a bit difficult as I'm used to playing strings the width of a finger, but it'll come. Its quite exciting to have some sustain on notes after all these years. And now I have a brand new set of Prestos sat around for when I fancy a change...

I played without anything on it for ages because I got so sick of trying things (one of those Wolf jobs that was too small, various rubber bits and bobs including nicking door stoppers from various places). Finally found a supply of walking stick ferrules that go on and stay on from Ebay. Can't understand why it had to be so damn hard to find something suitable for a fatter endpin when people are falling over themselves to overcharge you for any other bit of double bass related kit!

Well, decided they’re not for me in the end (sounded great and worked great with the Schaller, but just cannot get on with the feel and gauge of steels) so they’ll be up on the for sale board soon with one more gig on the clock.

So I bought knicknack’s strings and have just put them on today. Quite like them - was a bit worried they’d be like my old Jargar Dolces when i saw them in all their cheesewire glory but they’re nice and flexy, especially the D and G which I thought would be unusable for me. Slap nicely, sound good, all good so far. No basis for comparison vs other mag-friendly strings but they’ll do the job for me!

I recently scored a schaller on EBay but given I might want to switch it between basses and I don’t like the idea of drilling holes in stuff, I took an idea from an old Talkbass thread of turning the schaller upside down and attaching it with the same monster velcro as the Krivo uses. Seems to have worked a treat - rock solid. For anyone expecting anything else, it sounds nothing like a double bass, but that’s the compromise, innit?

Haha simultaneous posting! Sorry they didn’t impress. Maybe they lowered standards for us UK customers!

Good to hear you managed to grab some Low Lifes in time - no problem for me as I’d already decided to go Presto 😁 That’s really good of you to offer me a try of the whole setup! Unfortunately between family, work, gigs etc I get so little time to play with set ups that I think I’ll just take the plunge and hope for the best. Really appreciate it though. Of course if you decide those spares are taking up too much cupboard space and want to sell strings or pickup just give me a holler 😉 Cheers all!

You guys with your choice of basses and your reasonable budgets. Pity us poor left handers 😭😭😭

Thanks mate - appreciate it. I reckon I’ll just get myself the remaining prestos and go with them as the cheapest option (now, thanks to Clarky) and as BC have already sold out if lowlifes. So anyone coincidentally selling a Presto A and D or a Krivo shout up 😁

Just a quick follow up to this - Blast Cult now have these in stock within a day of my moaning about them not doing. Clearly I’m more influential than I thought 😁

Thanks for the replies to this thread! Though I’m still keen to try the Blast Cults one day, I’m now happily sold on giving Prestos a go. Hadn’t realised when I posted this that Blast Cult had set up their all-new UK store listing a load of stock they don’t have. So yeah, thanks very much to Clarky I’m now two Prestos off a set and I’ll see how that turns out. Cheers all 🤟

Cheers Clarky - I have a Presto E I like actually, just hadn’t realised they were mag-able. That could well be an option!

I’m after some floppy low tension strings that will work well with a mag pickup. Currently use SBWs on my basses, so ideally I’m after a similar lack of tension. Checked out a video of someone using blast cult’s lowlife strings and they look similarly flexible, anyone with experience of them? Leaning toward them as they’re nice and cheap too

Hi, I’ve been looking at a Marshall 3530 recently and was wondering if anyone had any experience of these or similar amps for double bass? People generally seem to like them and their ilk for a crunchy Rob Wright/Lemmy sound, but whilst I’d like that for electric, anyone know if they can get loud and stay clean for DB? There’s never been a Marshall in any backline Ive used (maybe that says something) so just wondered if people had any experience of Marshall for DB.

Yeah that’s similar to the solution I used yesterday - pair of £3 flip flops cut to shape with a Stanley knife. Can’t get the top and bottom right tho so just masking tape those bits. Played on a cramped stage next to a big amp with no PA support last night and deafened everyone with no feedback. But maybe I’ll upgrade to a better home-made solution when the kids are grown up and i have more than 5 minutes peace, so thanks for the tips 👌

Thanks for the input folks. Yeah I think feedback and botched home made solutions have got me to the point where £65 seems ok, unfortunately the gent who makes f-it’s has a notice on his site saying he’s too busy with stuff at the minute. Maybe I’ll botch more home made solutions until he’s back up and running then

Hi, my second f-hole related post in a row...having found I got loads fewer feedback issues when I stuffed my f holes with foam, does anyone recommend/make something a little more sophisticated (ie as effective but not as rubbish looking)? I see they have some on Thomann but £55 + postage seems like a very costly solution for something that still needs you to cut it to size yourself. Decided against going mag as blocking the holes did the trick and I don’t have the cash to mess about with new kit, so that’s not really an option. Thanks for any suggestions