bassace

[quote name='thinman' post='878792' date='Jun 27 2010, 01:22 PM']I was worried about phantom power with my amp too. OBBM, who posts on here, suggested the following that works well and is about as cheap as you can get: On a XLR pins 2 and 3 are both at +48v, i.e. common, relative to pin 1 ground. If you simply disconnect pin 1 there's no circuit for the phantom voltage any more (and it also cures any earth loop issues). The signal out is carried by pins 2 and 3. I made a short tail lead with pin 1 disconnected and it does the trick nicely.[/quote] Thanks thinman, that's excellent advice. I've been on to OBBM and he has explained the science and is making me up a 1m tail, suitably modified.

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='878068' date='Jun 26 2010, 11:58 AM']Yeah best thing to do is make sure your amp is loud, then, so you'll pick softer. Can't guarantee it won't hurt at first though. BTW (as was recommended to me only a short while ago) you really shouldn't be picking an upright the same way you pick bass guitar. You should be using the side of your fingers really, with your hand more parallel with the strings than perpendicular. Hold your hand like you're auditioning for a zombie movie, then butt it up to the side of the fingerboard and you should have it just right![/quote] Try and find a Ray Brown YouTube and you will see his right hand technique. That's a great example to follow. Good advice to up the volume on your amp although, other things being OK, I generally like to pluck hard. When I first started there were no amps for DB and I had to work quite hard. I used to wrap Prestoband round my first and second RH fingers. I don't do it now and wouldn't normally recommend it any more, but if you have problems you could use it as a short term 'band aid'.

Thanks for the replies, guys. I asked the question because the band I play with is doing a lot of jazz festivals at the moment and set up time is very short - line check if we're lucky but no sound check - we are following the last band on. We don't use our PA but whatever is at the gig, usually supplied by 'professionals'. So I'm usually in a 'plug and play' situation. One way and another there is a chance that phantom power might be sent back from the desk to my amp DI, and I'm sure this may have happened before, but I want to control the risk if I can. Thanks for the well-meaning advice but of the three amps I regularly use - EA, AI, GK - none of their manuals mentions much about the DI socket, less so about phantom power. I emailed Acoustic Image and they sent back advice to the effect that the DI on the Clarus is designed to accept phantom power but they've been having a few failures recently so better not to(?!) So I'll either get an outboard DI on or put a mic onto the double bass.

[quote name='Mr Bassman' post='870669' date='Jun 18 2010, 12:16 PM']Well done Geoff How did you get on with the Paul Bryant bass?[/quote] Yes Geoff, how about the Paul Bryant?

It's generally understood that they are particularly useful in US where there are quite noticeable climate variations. If you are lucky enough to get your string height right first time over here you'll never need one. This will come from experience and IMO plus or minus 2 mm should not make too much of a difference. If you are a relative first timer and you have the opportunity of an adjuster go for it and play about. Remember there are other ways of altering string height by small increments. You may find that an unencumbered bridge will give a purer sound.

If I take a XLR cable out of my amp DI and it goes to a PA desk that is sending phantom power out will there be a risk of damage. Any advice gratefully received.

There is only one. OBBM

[quote name='Bilbo' post='861892' date='Jun 9 2010, 10:55 AM']Don't be fooled. Its crap. Captain Smith and Pochahontas? What the hell is THAT all about [/quote] Oh c'mon Bilbo, it's not complete crap. The changes are a tad subtle and it's not that easy to play right first or second time. There are plenty of first time 'jazzers' that are not so demanding - 'My Baby Don't Care' for one. I bet the bass line in Fever turned a lot of young guys on to the double bass in the sixties in the same way that some very good jazz guitarists of today were hooked on Barney Kessel's riffs in 'Cry me a River'.

There is a great video of a Thomas Martin bass being made, with Tom playing an arco sound track. Worth a look/listen on this link. [url="http://www.thomasmartin.co.uk/double_bass_video_gallery.asp"]http://www.thomasmartin.co.uk/double_bass_video_gallery.asp[/url]

I broke a DB tail wire on a gig some time ago. That was really impressive!

I don't know if this is in any way helpful but I have shortened the steel endpins in my basses to the length that I actually need. This has reduced the weight significantly, although what happens if a real tall guy gets hold of my stuff one day........................ There is a really lovely guy who is a bass player and dead jealous of my Upton, which is quite big. Problem is he is a bit, er, vertically challenged so the endpin thing won't be a problem when he gets my bass. I've told him he can have it in my will!

In the sixties I regularly played bass with pianist Dave Price. When Bill Evans was in UK he wrote to Dave and sent him the chords for Waltz for Debby, handwritten on a piece of Foolscap (twas the seventies!). Bill Evans played with Mingus. Does all that count?

What a lovely bass. They should all be that size! Good luck with the sale, you must be replacing it with something very tasty.

I hope this link works, it shows MK's bass player's twin Ampeg rig. The tour diary posted by keyboard player Guy Fletcher is worth seeing. They have just done the States and have come home. Although the glory days of the Straits have passed by the guys still manage to do it in style, although to smaller audiences. I am interested in Guy's progress - ex Cockney Rebel, ex Roxy, ex Straits - I last 'met' him at Butlins Minehead when he was 2 years old. I was there with his dad's band and he naturally came to. Dad is Ted Fletcher who is the compressor guru amongst other things. Bloody good guitarist too. [url="http://www.guyfletcher.co.uk/index.php/getluckytour2010/30th_May_-_4th_June_-_London_-_RAH"]http://www.guyfletcher.co.uk/index.php/get..._-_London_-_RAH[/url]

[quote name='OldGit' post='853244' date='Jun 1 2010, 08:34 AM']Sometimes I do have a "oh no!" moment when a really nice gig comes in that I can't do due to a dep booking but that's just how it goes...[/quote] Interesting, that. I've got an 'oh no!' moment this Sunday. We're playing in darkest Essex in the evening and a nice gig came up for me at Bisham Abbey mid day. So I could do this one on the way to the evening gig. Trouble is I'm giving a lift to the sax player from my house at 4 o clock. Yes, I could dash back home after Bisham but I won't have got home the evening before until 5.00 am from Weatherby. And I'm nearly 70 for crissake. So on this occasion common sense has kicked in - still doesn't do that very often.

[quote name='OldGit' post='852427' date='May 31 2010, 10:53 AM']How so?[/quote] First in the diary won't work for me because I have agreed to give priority to two bands. We do a lot of gigs, we record and we even rehearse sometimes. That means the bands need to go out with their regular lineup wherever possible. As I originally posted, these bands book well ahead so clashes are usually avoided. But when I accept a booking with another band well in advance of the gig I tell the guy that I'll take it assuming nothing comes up from bands A and B in the meantime. They're usually cool about this. Some bands have an '8 week' rule. I've just finished my 2009/10 accounts and see that I worked for 15 bands last year so it seems to work OK. If you're a total freelance, first in the diary is fine.

I have regular comittments with four bands. Two of them book so far ahead that I don't find a problem - we're well into 2011 already. The other two know that the main bands have 'first call' status. When there is a clashing problem - surprisingly rare - they put a dep in. It seems to work well. In answer to the question, be open and transparent. If you can have a first call arrangement so much the better. First in the diary can lead to chaos IMO.

[quote name='jakesbass' post='849505' date='May 27 2010, 03:53 PM']In some of the circles I have worked in, the words 'he's a lovely guy' is one of the most damning condemnations of a persons' musical abilities that can be uttered. [/quote] Second to that is 'he doesn't get in the way'. I've heard this uttered as a compliment!

[quote name='steve' post='849142' date='May 27 2010, 08:34 AM']bring back the Old Grey Whistle Test [/quote] And Jazz 625

Try some nice walking lines. Start with a 12 bar blues - look at the Major's Boot Camp in the Theory posts. Vary the lines you take and you will get a nice feel. Play in Bb, F, Eb and C - you will see how easy it all falls to hand. Much easier that the sharp keys - G,D,A,E in my opinion. Then find the chords for 'All the things you are' by Jerome Kern ( Musos tend to call it 'All the Chords There Are') for a real walking work out. Use a metronome. See Jakesbass for lessons. Keep at it and enjoy!

[quote name='endorka' post='836785' date='May 14 2010, 04:27 AM']It would certainly help for the really serious stuff, but you can do a lot with normal tools. Off the top of my head, things I've done are; Saddle repair Nut filing Cut the bridge properly and adjusted string spacing Fitted bridge height adjuster wheels Soundpost adjustment Open seam repair Steel endpin replaced with carbon fibre Afterlength tuning Removal of varnish from back of neck There are probably more but my brain is hurting! It's all good stuff and there is a lot of potential for tweaking many factors on a double bass to get the optimum sound. Jennifer[/quote] And I bet you can do car maintenance and household plumbing too! Good on yer.

I have the greatest respect for any guy who does session work - of any genre.

Just as a post script to the volume thing, I was playing a freebie outside Hook Norton library this morning. With a fiddle player and guitarist, each of them going through a Headway acoustic amp. Started with a nice balance, we all heard each other - then the bloody bells started up next door. Turned out it was a visiting team and they were booked for three hours. Grrrrr

[quote name='mrcrow' post='837384' date='May 14 2010, 04:51 PM']kenny ball chas mcdevitt aker bilk ted heath johnny dankworth 'hump' chris barber monty sunshine..petit fleur oldies[/quote] Bit dodgy, some of these?

[quote name='gcordez' post='837086' date='May 14 2010, 12:50 PM']Im only selling it to pay for ££££ Schoeps mic....[/quote] That Larry Grenadier's got a lot to answer for!