AndyBass

Anyone got any experience of the cheap gut strings from Nottinghammusicshop on eBay? Whilst I'm sure you get what you pay for, I just want to get a feel for a D and G paired with some Lamberts or Innovations on my bass (played that setup on someone else's and sounded/played really good) and don't have cash to throw around on better quality strings. So are they worth a go as an entry to guts or are they figuratively, and possibly literally, dogs? Just to reiterate I know they won't be great, but I don't have money for better just now. Alternatively if anyone has a gut d and g they'd part with for a reasonably modest sum, please let me know!

+1 again! Merry Xmas one and all. Had a great year gigging my DB, talked myself into buying an EUB thanks to various forum posts (which has proven great for 3am practice sat up with the baby) and thanks to the forum again I also found my bass teacher who got me through my (straight faces please) grade 2 practical and grade 3 theory, so at 35 I'm now as advanced as most 8 year olds...!

Just an update on this for anyone ever trying to do the same thing. I got my "leftified" Stagg back today, with flipped bridge, nut replaced with properly-filed ebony nut and new holes drilled on for the main rest (the one against the body), and generally tinkered and tidied (I have no talent for the practical, so got a local luthier onto it). Gotta be honest, I really like it. The fingerboard feels weird and a bit rubbery, but that aside it plays well and sounds pretty cool for slap and pizz. Gonna give some arco a go tomorrow. I actually like the stock strings. I can do slap stuff on them I can't get near on my Jargars, they're ridiculously low tension for steels. Am I an EUB convert? Nah, I doubt I'll be using it for gigs (though I am played the smallest pub ever on Friday, so maybe I should...), but at £280 for a fully lefted EUB I can use for practice when the bairns asleep, taking on holiday etc, I'm pretty pleased. Totally recommend Staggs for ease of conversion should anyone else ever want to try.

Yes it will. Neck between the front seats, back seats down, and you can still fit at least one passenger in.

So I'm intrigued to know what bands all you fellow bassists play in, not least so I can check you out if you pass by Sheffield but I always wonder how many of the class bassists I've seen at gigs are actually also people I've met on here unknowingly. So how about a thread saying what bands you're in if that doesn't already exist?

So a constant thorn in my proverbial side when it comes to slapping is playing fast notes. I can double, triple and drag slap between quarter notes til the cows come home, but if I'm playing a lot of eighth notes (with or without slaps between), my hand claws up, my fingers tap the fingerboard and my slaps go off time as it just sounds rushed. I've found a way around this, which involves changing my usual hand position to only using the index finger, sort of hooking under the string and slapping with the inside edge of that knuckle. I can do pretty rapid fire slap like that, but need to change back to do most other stuff. So my question is does anyone change hand position between "fast" and "fancy" slap, between the body of the bassline and eighth note runs? And if so does the position I mention above sound familiar? Trying to establish if I've just created a new bad habit to get into or found a solution to my problem. Not helped by a lot of bassists I've seen not changing position at all, other changing but to entirely different ones to me, etc. Appreciate there's no rules, but there are things that work much better than other things!

When I wanted to try one out I booked a lesson with a local teacher. I figured that way I'd get to have a go, but also learn some of the (very) basics right from the off. There's plenty of teachers in Sheffield if you're ever round this way, don't know about Huddersfield I'm afraid.

Bought a Stagg EUB from Mike - nice bass in great condition at a good price, met up with him at his work as was more convenient for me, quick to respond to mails and stuff - couldn't ask for more really.

I'm in a hired Astra at the minute and its fine with the bass in. I have the neck come through between the front seats, just needs a little adjustment to how you change gears. But that gives you the front seats with plenty of room. If I had a choice I wouldn't hire an Astra anyway for non-bass reasons, so I'd go for the Golf of the two (which would also be fine on the same basis as above). Or an estate if you don't want to have the neck poking through...

Got my Stagg in all its sleek black weird-looking glory. Probably stick with the stock bridge for now, so just the hiss to sort out, the nut to replace, bridge to flip and sort something with the rests and we're sorted. Quite enjoying the challenge of playing right handed again for now though!

Deal done on a Stagg bass. Will report back as to ease, cost and effectiveness of conversion once its done, in case anyone cares!

Thanks for the advice. Yeah, had been wondering about the Stagg and looking at the thread about them. Reckon I may just give that a go!

Yeah, thankfully am only talking about an EUB here (hijacked George's thread about proper DB briefly!). Am thinking it'd be a more viable cheapo option for EUB to get a cheap used one and mod it as the cheapest proper lefty models are £1000. Long since realised it would be far more cost and hassle than its worth to do it for DB!

As I've mentioned in a previous thread I'm toying with getting a cheap EUB and "lefting" it, which I assume predominantly involves a new bridge and nut, but then also potentially drilling holes for those brace bits and such. Firstly, anyone got any recommendations of easy to convert EUBs (ie ones with the least asymmetry)? And any opinions on whether those brace bits are needed or if you can do without? Portability is key so recommendations of ones that are or break down small are also welcome! And finally, are they really like proper DBs to play? Could I make up for practice I miss on my DB on an EUB? Thanks y'all! I've only even seen one once so am totally ignorant about them.

I can probably summarise the answers you'd find spread across various forum posts as follows: Don't buy a Gear4Music bass, they're not any good (not a personal opinion, never played one, but its the overwhelming view I've come across on forums) If you're going to buy new and mail order and on a budget, Thomann and Gedo are reliable, good to deal with and sell decent instruments, though the cheaper ones are made in China and less well regarded as such (due to quality control mainly, you can still get good ones) Ebay is a risky business if you don't know what you're looking for, you can miss spotting costly flaws/shoddy repairs, etc. But it can pay off if you do your homework first (ie trawl forums to understand the reputation of the maker, what flaws to look for etc) Buying used off here is great if you can do it, as people are generally open to letting you try stuff first, but if its nowhere near you then it can't be helped. But it may be worth the petrol cost to get something just right as you'll probably be spending a lot of time with your new bass. Also maybe put a post up in here and in the classifieds for a budget bass wanted in South Wales. And of course the final one is that pretty much everyone will tell you you're doing the right thing as double basses are great and every home should have (at least) one. As I say, the above isn't my experience in all cases, though I got my first bass off Ebay and mail ordered my next one in from the people who supply Thomann. Good luck, Andy

GeorgeB - let us know what you end up going for and how it works out for you. If you're based anywhere near Sheffield you're welcome to come by and have a go on mine if its any help.

Thanks for the info, Bluejay! Sounds like its worth a word with a luthier to cost up a conversion then, as the cheapest LH models seem to be £1100+. Will let you know how I get on if I pursue it in case its ever useful for you in future!

If I remember rightly, Thomann branded basses are mainly Strunal (many threads on this across TB and DBC forums), which I can vouch for having owned two. Bluejay, sorry to digress but did you convert your Harley Benton to a lefty? I'm after a l/h electric upright as cheaply as it can be done and wondered how easy it is to convert an EUB. Don't get to practice at home much now I have a baby and I could cart an EUB to work and practice at lunch!

Yep, Thomann sell basses from Strunal and other makers in their lefthand section. Gedo also do left handers and seem to have a good reputation nowadays. Duke Bass in germany also made a run of left handers. I had Strunal make me a 50/4 left hander and they were great to deal with. My experience has been looking at ply basses, any of which would be fine for jazz, but if you want carved then Strunal, Thomann and Gedo are the options I'm aware of, though a few other companies will make lefts, I seem to recall them being more prohibitively expensive.

A good bit of context for the evolution of bass in jazz is the book Pops Foster: New Orleans Jazzman. Although some of his versions of events are contested, he not only gives an interesting acount of the development and spread of New Orleans jazz, but tells some good stories along the way.

Couple of pics with my lovely lefty Strunal 50/4

I usually take a banjo with me. As we've now got a v young baby though and the amount of "sitting inside" time on holidays has increased dramatically, and as you can only play the same handful of banjo bluegrass standards so many times, a collapsible EUB may be the ideal next investment...

When I first started lessons I remember I'd played a decent paying gig the night before, then at my lesson looked at myself in the mirror as a bearded, tattooed adult struggling to bow "The Teddy Bear's Picnic". A healthy sense of humility always helps. Good luck with it!

I'm having lessons (with the excellent Mandsheff) and am starting pretty much from scratch at 35. I've no real knowledge of classical music and no great desire to play it, but most of the pioneers of the kind of music I like had the versatility to slap, pluck or use the bow so I figure that should be my goal. I see grades as a great way of gradually building my know of theory, improving my intonation and arco technique and putting more subtle expression into my playing to a progressing, demonstrable standard. And maybe I'll learn a bit about a different musical genre on the way. I'm enjoying the process a lot, just wish I had more time to practice!