randythoades

[quote name='Bloodaxe' timestamp='1400282194' post='2452693'] Could you post (or PM me) a shot of your CSB-450's controls? I'm gently compiling a set of schematics for Arias as & when 'factory stock' pics (like yours) turf up. So far I have schematics for RSB-1, RSB Deluxe-5, RSB-800 (Rev-Sound), SB-900 (Series 1), SB-1000 (S1), & my passive SB-1000 mod. I suspect that the RSB-1 schematic will apply to most of the single pickup models, so it'd be useful to have a list of basses it applies to on it as well. Pete. [/quote] Hi pete, i no longer have my CSB450, despite my profile pic, sold it a few months bsck and got another 380. From memory though when i cleaned it up, the pots and wiring were exactly the same. The pickup is a slightly different model though and i preferred the one on the 380.

Right, just checked mine and it is exactly the same as the RSB schematic above and same cap value. If this works, there should be a photo or link below of the control cavity, pickup wire coming in from left (black cable) onto volume control and the wiring for the jack socket goes off to the far right. [URL=http://s843.photobucket.com/user/randythoades/media/E3489006-CE5C-4F63-8595-5D02729CFD95_zpsry2ng43z.jpg.html][IMG]http://i843.photobucket.com/albums/zz351/randythoades/E3489006-CE5C-4F63-8595-5D02729CFD95_zpsry2ng43z.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

An old thread to resurrect, but I have 3 of these basses. Brilliant basses for the money, not too heavy and really good neck. Especially good for pick playing as the string spacing at the bridge is not as wide as Fender basses. I do think 3 is maybe too many now I don't gig. If anyone fancies on let me know... I could be persuaded to part with one!

I have 3 CSB basses, I will also do a schematic and post a photo (or I can send it direct if you pm me with your email). As far as I can remember though, it is the same as the RSB bass schematic listed above...

I am only a real newbie to this as I have only been playing a year, but I also enjoy playing this sort of stuff at home and occasionally play rock on the DB with my regular band (where I would usually play bass guitar). I play an EUB with piezo pickup and I used to use the Innovation Honey strings which did give me the more "electric" sound but I swapped to the cheap Superior Bassworks Nylon strings off ebay and the lower tension slightly rattles on the fingerboard. It is annoying when playing unplugged, but when plugged in the rattle actually creates a very mild distortion though amp when I play in a fast psychobilly way (although I don't do slapping) that sounds really good to my ear. I use it a lot for playing along with Johnny Thunders, Dr Feelgood, The Meteors, The Blasters etc

I would have recommended the Zoom too! I have the older Zoom H2 (no N) and have been using it for years to record both rehearsals, lessons and even done some acoustic demos on it with no problems at all. Maybe you should try a different memory card, I had issues with 2 memory cards using my 24 track studio. I did have an Olympus Dictaphone too before and the quality was good, battery life excellent but I started using the zoom because of the bigger card capacity.

There is a good looking Hondo medium scale in the classifieds for just £130. Hondo make some great basses. Similar to my Aria CSB medium scales. Definitely worth a look. [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/234049-fsft-hondo-ii-professional-price-drop-l130/"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/234049-fsft-hondo-ii-professional-price-drop-l130/[/url]

I got a Bassix EUB from a BC'er for £400. I had to spend about another £70 getting it set up right for me, but with outboard pre-amp and either nylon or Innovation Honey strings it sounds great (and very convenient for late night practice. It has a foldable neck and detachable skeleton frame which is brilliant for transport. Recorded, it sounds pretty much like an acoustic bass, but not quite the same to play... I have to say though, I am in the process of buying (well looking) an acoustic bass now for the full DB experience.

I played heavy metal on my strat with vintage pickups. I get much better gain with low output pickups and boosting gain on amp, certainly enough for Motorhead, Zakk Wylde, Megadeth etc. I have had Korean BC Rich Mockingbird and Warlock Platinum Pros. Good guitars overall, although i found the Mockingbird to sit on the strap slightly off centre and harder to play.

Thanks to all for your comments. I think I might have to get in the car and try a few out. I can play my EUB with fewer issues than playing electric bass possibly due to the angle of my wrist in comparison to playing guitar, but just thought it may help to have a slightly shorter scale length, but it appears to be a very grey area! As several suggestions point out, there is nothing better than trying out in person. Especially when the cost is so much more than a cheap guitar!

Thanks Buzzy. I was actually looking at either the Thomann or the Gedo ones. Hmm, maybe my EUB is a large 3/4 size then. It has a very long after bridge length for the strings so I need 4/4 strings but fingerboard scale is only 3/4 length. With my end pin out about two thirds, the nut is level with my eyes. Maybe a 3/4 will have to be the one. I think I need to go and play some!

Thanks Bilbo, but I was thinking about getting a smaller bass rather than a 4/4. My 3/4 EUB is a pretty good size for me physically so I am concerned about looking like a c**k with a smaller one. The photos I have found online seem to show very little difference in the bulk of a 1/2 size to a 3/4 size but the shorter scale length is an attractive proposition to my aching knuckles. I may get a cheapy 1/2 size to try out scale length before springing a lot of dosh on one, just to help me decide, or see where my nearest school string stockist is just to have a go.

Brilliant, thanks for that. I still intend to keep my EUB as perhaps my main bass, purely for convenience, but it was more to play at home without needing to plug everything in and also for some low key acoustic jams to save me lugging my amp around too. I may give it a try. Thanks

I know I will probably be ridiculed here but I had a question to you experienced DB'ers. I am only a recent convert to upright bass and bought a 3/4 size EUB which is great for silent practise and very convenient for home as I can take it to pieces and stow it in a corner. I am now having a longing for an acoustic bass both for home and to take to low key rehearsals ( I don't gig at present but could amplify with my Fishman pickup and preamp). My question is this really... Are there any major disadvantages to a 1/2 size vs a 3/4 size bass? This may sound silly, but is a 1/2 size that much smaller than 3/4 size as the scale length is only an inch or so shorter? I get arthritis in my hands at the moment which is unlikely to improve as time goes by, so a slightly smaller scale length would help for longer jam sessions or rehearsals. Plus, a slightly reduced sound could be an advantage when playing acoustically at home but would necessitate amping up a louder sessions. Problem is, I am 6'4" and don't want to look like a twit playing a tiny bass on a long endpin. I have looked at the photos online but difficult to gauge the general sizes in relation to things I am familiar with. My initial thought is that I should get the 3/4 but am curious to the other option. Thanks in advance.

I also use a 15w amp (Fender Super champ X2) with Eminence Copperhead. We don't play that loud (rockabilly) and I have never found it lacking and have rarely turned it up past half way. Not sure it would compete on a heavy rock gig though. I used to do a heavy rock / classic rock band using a Peavey Classic 30w valve amp. Perfect for rehearsals and although it was fine volume wise for a full on gig, it didn't have enough clean(ish) headroom for me at ha volume so I went to the floor effects into PA route.

I used to subscribe to Guitar and Bass, being a player of both instruments myself and always found it better than BGM or Guitarist and the content and price was always good. But I did move away when it seemed that there seemed to be a hole in the middle ground content where I suspect a lot of us here live. That middle ground of intermediate semi-pro players who couldn't justify a £3k instrument but wanted something more than a beginners guitar. I know that magazine publishing in particular needs to be quite formulaic but I got a bit fed up of reading almost the same articles month after month. Maybe some general articles on recording or PA's etc would have ben helpful too. I ended up not really reading it much so stopped subscribing. Maybe I should pick it up again and try!

A couple of years ago now I had a big case of GAS, and wanting to support a new local music shop I went down in my lunch hour with £500 of cash in my wallet, fully intending to buy something. Asked the guy what he had without a tremolo even though I played heavy rock at the time, I just don't get on with a trem, and told him my budget. He just pointed to a mex telecaster which I wasn't interested in. Anything else? He brought out a second hand custom guitar (with a trem) that he wanted £800 (slightly outside my budget) and a Jackson super strat with Floyd rose trem. I wasn't even encourage to plug them in to try, he was more interested in talking to his mate. I left empty handed and disappointed. That afternoon spent the £500 on ebay on a PRS. They closed about a year later. Retail is hard. I own a shop. But you have to offer what you can't get online: a friendly service, personal interaction and suggestions and the ability to close the deal there and then, a customer walking out happy.

I have 3 Aria Pro II CSB basses and they are excellent. They have a bit more growl than a precision and quite responsive controls. I have had 2 TSB basses too but foolishly sold them on a Fender Crusade... (on look out for another TSB350 - if anyone happens to have one for sale...). The medium scale suits me well and also, as a pick player, the fact that the string spacing doesn't increase much at the bridge really helps.

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1394197860' post='2389048'] Can you split the head from the cab? I wouldn't want to have to cart that whole rig about in one go! [/quote] Maybe a lightweight neo cab would be the best option. That looks like a beast. You'd need a special truck to shift that in and out of pubs.

I think you have just won the award for the world's biggest microphone!! Awesome.

As a new learner myself, I went down the EUB route (a decent one), which, as you point out, is great for portability, and for silent practice at home. BUT, as hinted at by others, I now yearn for a "proper" DB to play acoustically and think that perhaps I have wasted a lot of time and money with the experience. Granted I can use EUB for practice / backup / somewhere with limited space, but it is honestly a bit of a faff to drag my amp etc to a jam in someones living room where I could just take the acoustic or have to set everything up in the office for a practice, which kind of works against the portability and cost arguments when you take into account your amp head, speakers, cables etc rather than just a DI box. Plus, try as I might, I just can't get it to sound "right"...

Bought an Aria bass off Stuart. great communication and efficient delivery, well packed. lovely instrument at a good price, Thanks!

I bought a Fishman upright bass pickup from Dave. Great communication and delivery. Good product at a good price. Recommended.

Great thread for GAS sufferers.... Now I am doing more bass than guitar, I only have 2 partscaster Strat / Tele hybrids left that I made up from aftermarket hardtail bodies, fiesta red nitro paint and Fender 62 reissue MIJ necks. Lovely. Apart from that I have a beautiful Aria Sandpiper acoustic. The only acoustic I have managed to get on with, nice arched back and relatively thin body (the cat plays well too...)

[quote name='chaypup' timestamp='1391772611' post='2361074'] Ok so it's expensive and the stickers need to go but yeah baby this is nice! [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Greco-GOB-1200-electric-Bass-with-case-Ref-No-31998-/171224485630?pt=Guitar&hash=item27ddc64efe"]http://www.ebay.co.u...=item27ddc64efe[/url] [/quote] Definitely! On all counts...! Never seen one of these before.