iBudd

4 hours ago, PaulThePlug said:

^ cocktail sticks... check depth glue em in, just below the surface... attach the machine heads with the holes that align...

Use electrical tape across the machine head to avoid scratches, and drill thru the machine head holes to try and stop the drill wandering... i would use an old style had drill for 'feel' and less likely to snap the little drill bit in the wood... Some dry bar soap or candle wax on the little screws to lube the threads....

this is beautifully concise btw, thanks man.

Thanks guys, looks like I know what I gotta do.

4 minutes ago, neepheid said:

You're in the situation you're in now.  Suck it up and fill/redrill the holes you need to.  You've spent all this money on new tuners - don't halfass it because you're feeling a bit aggrieved.  The screws will go in at a weird angle and will look like you halfassed it.

 

At least you only have to do half the holes?

True that - though I'm slightly off-put by the idea of filling and then re-drilling on almost exactly the same spot. What does one fill with that doesn't then immediately tear out when you drill?

The Hipshots were also expensive. If I'm redrilling anyway I might be more tempted to send em back and pick up something more realistically priced that needs four new clean holes and no messing about.

I just picked up a set of Hipshot HB7s to upgrade an old Fender Jazz that has one slightly bent machine head - measured multiple times to ensure they were the right tuners, supposedly a drop-in replacement. Of course, now they've arrived it's clear that the holes don't - quite - match up. The two on the small side are perfect but the other two are a fraction off. Swapping out the old bushings to the new Hipshot ones makes negligible difference (although without the bushings in I can sort of finesse the hole line-up to the point where the deviation for each hole is minuscule, but what help is that?).

My question is, since I can see some of the hole, should I just brute force these?? The temptation to do so is enormous. Filling and re drilling is exactly what I'd hoped to avoid by sourcing the (quite expensive) Hipshots.

Tips, tricks, advice, cautionary tales and horror stories all gratefully received.

On 10/11/2021 at 09:37, EssentialTension said:

I asked my son, who I am afraid to say is more widely knowledgable about music than me, if he was familiar with Piero Piccioni. Of course he was, and then also recommended the more contemporary El Michels Affair ...

 

 

Love El MIchels. I don't know his new one but 'Adult Themes' got heavy rotation here.

22 minutes ago, lowdown said:

 

Yes, his writing and arranging skills were terrific. His Big Band stuff was good too.... Oddly enough, at around 3:15 of that video, it sounds like the same Bass player in style and sound.

If you listen through headphones you can quite clearly hear it is an Electric played with a pick. Very much the sound and style of that era. 

 

The more you listen to Piero Piccioni, the more you become a fan of his music and start hunting down more of him. His music was very catchy.

 

It is difficult trying to track down the musicians on his sessions. A few in this link but unfortunately, not the Bassist.

 

https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/piero-piccioni/colpo-rovente/

 

 

Yeah the bass on the track is quite similar. I'm going to keep going with a Jazz bass and pick approach, I'm still finding it hard to quite nail that deep-but-twangy tone, I think it's the depth that suggests double bass. I suppose it's not surprising - these guys had amazing spaces to record in and any number of now-classic preamps and compressors - not to mention producers and engineers that knew what they were doing!

1 hour ago, lowdown said:

Yeah, thanks for posting...

To me, that sounds like a Pick and flats, played near the neck. The extra edge might be because it's a Jazz Bass?

 

 

On another note, Piero Piccioni composed some great film scores back in the 60's and 70's. His string arranging was beautiful and very romantic. Great voicings..!!

That is lovely string writing. The man could really mix it up - this one does a lovely 180 flip about 3 minutes in. I just wish we knew more about the personnel on these Italian cinema cuts

1 hour ago, paul_5 said:

Microphone placement. Unless I’m mistaken that’s a double bass.

1 hour ago, EssentialTension said:

Thanks for posting, I really liked it. I'd say could be double bass too.

I really hadn't considered that it might be double bass, how interesting. The articulation feels so solid to me that I assumed I could hear frets, but I'll listen with fresh ears.

Apologies if this is in the wrong section, but I'm trying to nail a particular bass sound for a spot of recording, and I'm going round in circles. I've tried plectrums, mutes, flats etc and I'm not quite getting it. It's the tone from this Piero Piccioni cut - am I mad or is there some spring reverb on it? Is that what's giving it that trebly edge? I'm sure someone here will have some insight - any advice gratefully received!

A friend has passed me a 70s/80s? Hondo II P Bass, (the type with a split single coil pickup) which needs a bit of tlc. I was wondering for anyone that has/had one, since it seems to be drilled for ashtrays, did these ever actually have chrome pickup covers? And are these specific to the Hondo or will Fender repros fit? . Cheers!

[quote name='timmo' timestamp='1427962873' post='2736271']
I will be interested. Always nice to know how companies respond to difficulties. I would like one of those Vikings myself. I wanted an Epiphone Jack Casady, but can`t get left handed, so that Viking is the next choice
[/quote]
Well while we're waiting for the Hag to be returned, I can tell you, I really like it! After I put chrome flats on it and set it up I could barely put it down for the first couple of weeks I had it. The short scale length take less getting used to than you think, in fact I played it so much that long scale Fender started to feel weird! The differnet pickup options are nice, it's got a range of throaty and thumpy tones in it, all quite sixties sounding, so if that's your bag, thats great. But really the 6-position switch is overkill - it would be nice to have a 2-position toggle switch there to go humbucking or single-coil and just roll the volume up or down on each pickup. I think the original Concords might have been laid out like that. Perhaps I'll make that change one day. Trans Cherry finish is very nice, it's taken a few minor knocks that I though would mark it but no, so it's tough! There are a few fit and finish issues - volume/tone dials are a little cheap and plasticky, sill no poblem to swap those out for more authentic witch hats. Also it naturally suffreed from loose output jack syndrome - a little clear nail polish on the washer took care of that! This issue with the tailpiece has been more of a pain - but hopefully the fix will be done well and we'l be up and runing again soon. I miss my Hag!

I chickened out and returned it for repair! Thomann have made that easy so points for them. If anyone's interested I'll let you know what the repair is like in a few weeks...

[quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1427797728' post='2734278']
I take it it's new, so still under warranty. Judgement call required - if you try and fix it yourself you can (probably) kiss goodbye to assistance from Thomann or Hagstrom (although companies have been known to turn a blind eye with a little "don't do that again" - thanks Gibson for getting me out of jail). Toothpicks/cocktail sticks might work, after that you're looking at drilling the holes out, filling with hardwood (not pine/softwood) dowel and re-drilling new (small-ish) pilot holes. After that, it's same again, but longer/bigger screws. After that, it's probably time to give up
[/quote]

Yep that's where I am - and thinking about THAT scenario I'm feeling more inclined to send it back and get it done there, even if it means the hassle of shipping it.

Hello chaps
I got this Hagström Viking before Xmas, and I do like it, but it's developed a problem - the screws that hold the tailpiece down on the heel (One of which is also the strap button) seem to have worked loose and so the tailpiece is moving away from the body under string pressure - pic attached. Bit annoying. Tightening the screws only seems to have made it worse.
So my question is, do you think it'll respond to the old strap button fix of toothpicks and white wood glue, given the fact the the tailpiece obviously takes quite a lot of pressure? I'm quite capable of administering that sort of fix myself. Otherwise it can go back (to Thomann) but that seems like a lot of faffing. And if they get it fixed for me, how are they gonna fix it? Toothpicks and wood glue.
In case you're wondering, I had it strung with D'addario ECB81s, which are almost the same tension as the stock strings (I emailed Hagström to double check) - only needed a 1/8 rod turn. So I haven't been abusing it tension-wise.
Grateful for any thoughts.

Thanks.

Thanks Dudi - I emailed Hagstrom and they say they ship with 34"! Perhaps both work...

Hi all - apologies if this has come up before, I can't seem to find a definitive answer.
If I want to put D'Addario chrome flatwound strings on a Hagstrom Viking bass do I need set ECB81 long scale (up to 36.25") or set ECB81M medium scale (up to 34")?
Hope someone might know, thanks!

[quote name='BetaFunk' timestamp='1412011318' post='2564846']
As you say these were made in 2012 but dealers were still selling them in 2013. The suggested UK retail price was about £850. How much they really sold for is anyone's guess. They looked really nice basses though and much cooler than the subsequent Warwick editions IMHO.
[/quote]
They're still on the Warwick site as part of the current range but it looks like they didn't get much exposure in the UK - I can't even find a review in English.
The dude is rocking some nice palm muting in this German vid though. [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMQELW5JfMU"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMQELW5JfMU[/url]

[quote name='TheSiberian' timestamp='1412009834' post='2564830']
I have a vintage 1969 Framus Caravelle BL-16 semi hollow bass in a "time capsule" state, original thin strap, tear drop case and keys included.
Absolutely gorgeous bass.
It's a pitty Warwick didn't reissue this specific model.
Best
[/quote]
That's a good looking piece of kit. If we wait long enough, everything'll get reissued!

[quote name='yorks5stringer' timestamp='1411944176' post='2564265']
A Warwick Star Bass is still available, double cutaway and 32" scale as a 4 string. Visit the Warwick Lounge for more photos or look to the left of this post....(actually mine's a 5)
[/quote]
Not quite what I had in mind, but nice. Interesting that they should use the same name for two quite differnet basses.

I've been looking at picking up a short scale semi-hollow for more '60s sounding stuff recently. Just stumbled on the Framus Vintage Star Bass 5/150 2012 reissue but information seems pretty scant on them. I'm guessing they came and went and I missed them. Anybody pick one up? What are they like? Any left anywhere??
They're still on the Warwick website: [url="http://www.warwick.de/en/Framus---Products--Guitars-and-Amps--Instruments--Made-in-China--Vintage-Serie--5-slash-150-Star-Bass--4-string--Pictures.html"]http://www.warwick.d...--Pictures.html[/url]

I thought this deserved an update. I've had two sessions with said student since this exchange, and I think we've boiled down the problems with the Rockschool Rhythmic Recall rhythms into two ideas: Firstly they're just not musical. If I clap or play a more musical two bar rhythm, he has no trouble at all recalling it. Secondly, the examples are really slow. They're quarter and eighth notes played at 80bpm and if you speed them up - even double them - they feel more like an actual phrase and become easier to recall. The trouble is we're stuck with the material as it is, at the tempo it is! All the mnemonic, fruity stuff was bit hit and miss... I think the only solution is probably practice.
Thanks everyone for your thoughts.

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1408491608' post='2530792']
Could I then repeat the question..? How do you know it's a second bar..? What happens if you rub out the bar line between, and treat as one (longer...) bar..? I presume (I may be completely wrong here...) that we're talking bars of 4/4..? If so, how do you get on with 2 bars of 2/4..? Just as problematic, or not..? Genuinely curious, and trying to understand...
[/quote]
I can't speak for Bob of course, but with my student, he'd find a single bar at 60 bpm with a variety of semiquaver rhythms just as hard as two bars at 120 bpm with quaver rhythms. It's the length of the phrase that's the problem - by the time he's listening to the second half it's overwriting the first half in his memory.
But I think I'm going to try Bilbo's fruit mnemonic and see how far that gets us, there must be a liguistic way of recalling a longer phrase. I'll post back my findings.

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1408454469' post='2530302']
How does he know if it's one bar or two..? Try just one bar, but make it slightly longer each time (2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 5/4 etc...). If it's the whole phrase he's to 'get', turn it into a sentence (could be nonsense, could be a line from a poem or similar...), so that it can be 'spoken'. One can learn some quite long phrases with that. This is how children 'learn' nursery rhymes ('Here we go gathering nuts in May, nuts in May, nuts in May...').
Hope this helps.
[/quote]
Thank you Douglas, I think the linguistic approach is a good one.

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1408445563' post='2530146']
I am not a teacher but I hear some use language as a means of focussing the mind of the student. For example: 2 beats is Apple, 3 is Banana, 4 pomegranate and so on. COuld this be varied to meet his needs?
[/quote]
That's not a bad idea. Perhaps creating some sort of phrase around the rhythm could work. Thanks Bilbo.