Silvia Bluejay

Thank you Sarah! I love both my uprights. I just wish I had the space to add a real double bass to my collection too, but that's a no-no at present.

I'm still getting used to it! As I said before, it feels more like a bass guitar stood on end than an actual double bass, so I'm still experimenting with standing next to it in different positions - at its side, behind it, etc. - and also with placing my plucking hand at different heights and in different spots on the neck/fingerboard. Loving it! And I'm happy that I also have the HB, which is much more like a double bass, even if it's thinner (I do use the spacing bar on it). Two different instruments, despite both being "electric upright basses".

[quote name='Gust0o' timestamp='1335451311' post='1631413'] I've got a Masters going spare, in that it's not used on a day-to-day basis. But, as part of the long learning process that is life, it has enabled me to afford many things - so, having sold my original basses to fund my BA, I am now a shabbier player... but own much nicer gear [/quote] LOL I guess that spending most of your youth at college and uni, as opposed to in a factory (or wherever) as an unskilled worker *is* good for you, and you should go for that option if your frame of mind and you/your family can afford it. That's not to say that those who either aren't attracted to that option or can't afford it and have to go to work at 15 are any less worthy than us poshies/swots/lucky sods or sodettes

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1335439042' post='1631045'] Sensible, but when I was the OP's age *rambles on about the war* I never listened to any advice whatsoever, and I doubt the OP will, either! Hooray! [/quote] *swot alert* I have two excellent degrees, which have served me relatively well, but I still think I could have stopped at one, and instead started playing bass when I was still at school, and been even happier with my life! Jokes apart, do your best with your degree, then splurge on the gear. Take it as a lesson in self-control and/or mental restraint - you will need a lot of that in life. All the best!

Anyone else? C'mon, join us

Welcome Joshua! Young, promising and a fellow leftie to boot! Keep posting and keep up the good work!

Link to my NXT album on Flickr! [url="http://www.flickr.com/photos/bluejay_my_photos/sets/72157629892313087"]http://www.flickr.com/photos/bluejay_my_photos/sets/72157629892313087[/url] There are 12 photos, I'm only publishing the first here, to avoid overloading this reply. Do you think the set is worth copying on to the Gear Porn section?

[quote name='bremen' timestamp='1335266313' post='1628210'] Beginning to wonder how to make it sound more double-bassey already. Obviously a lot is in the fingers so that'll come, but it can't be long before I'm looking at new strings, and I'm not sure exactly the sound I'm after yet so won't be in a hurry to spend £100+. [/quote] My HB has a tone pot that turns the sound from bass-guitar-like to double-bassy. The NS has that, plus a switch that allows to choose between Arco Mode and Pizzicato Mode. The instruction sheet reads as follows: Switch - up for Arco Mode, for optimal bowed and percussive plucked sound - down for Pizzicato Mode, for optimal plucked, sustained sound On my current practice amp I prefer pizzicato mode with a bit of tone pot tweaking on the bass, and bass turned all up, mid and treble turned 3/4 down on the amp (as recommended by the instructions, due to the bass having passive electronics) Obviously your playing style and the strings and cabs you use will make a difference, but i guess the first place to look is your own EUB and experiment a little.

[quote name='geoffbassist' timestamp='1335263861' post='1628122'] Great news Bluejay. Enjoy those low B's! :-) [/quote] Thanks Geoff! Loooving the Big Low B

[quote name='bremen' timestamp='1335266313' post='1628210'] Bluejay, what are the dimensions of the NS5 and HB neck? [/quote] At the nut, both the HB and the NS are exactly as wide as a 4-string and a 5-string bass guitar, respectively. The neck is obviously thicker to start with than that of a bass guitar in both cases. I've measured the NS's neck as 4.5cm wide just below the nut, same as my Corvette 5; its depth in the same spot, however, is 3.5cm as opposed to 2.5cm on the Corvette 5. Thing is, on the NS both width and depth increase rapidly due to the long scale! But I've found it relatively easy to play so far. In fact, I'm having more trouble with my plucking hand, as so far I can't seem to find a perfectly comfortable spot on the body or fingerboard near the bridge where to place my thumb. The HB's measurements at the thinnest places on the neck are 4cm wide and 3cm deep.

If they were all slapping at the same time, then yes, probably

I've finally received my lefty NS 5 upright and I'm in love. Despite having a massive neck (which I'll have to learn to negotiate), it feels much more like a bass guitar than a double bass. As a consequence, I'm very happy I also have the more traditional - if cheaper - Harley Benton, because the two uprights appear to be complementary rather than mutually exclusive. Will take a few photos and post them either in the Gear Porn section (if they are any good) or somewhere around here. So how are you guys doing with your uprights?

Should have told me a few months ago! What a fantastic excuse for a holiday in your southern hemisphere paradise... We should organise a long haul BC trip one day.

Iced Earth good, yes. At the time of that Wembley gig Megadeth comprised Mustaine and a lot of extremely proficient - but soulless and boring - musicians. And Mustaine's guitar sound was irritatingly full of treble and no mid or bass, and his voice sounded like Donald Duck more than ever on that occasion. But I still loved them!

They needed a "young" band to pull in the children and grandchildren of the original fans! They chose a crap one, though. When I saw Priest Feast, again at Wembley, they had a humongous lineup - Testament, Megadeth and Priest! I died and went to heaven

Wasn't that at Wembley? (I was there too.) And Lamb Of God are sh*t.

\m/ \m/

Thank you for sharing that, Phil. I wish I could have been in Manchester for the occasion. I was at the London Bass Guitar Show, but unfortunately only on the Saturday. I hope to see you play live on another occasion soon. Well done on getting where you are, and keep up the good work!

Welcome, Gustaf! There seems to be a sizeable Scandinavian contingent here on Basschat, as well as quite a number of members from continental Europe. Get stuck in, this is a friendly place.

I should have been there too! (at least for a short while). But I was having lunch with friends in a pub, in Chiswick too - the 'lunch' finished at 6:30 pm. (Don't ask...) If my upright 5-stringer arrives in perfect condition on Monday, I hope to be able to make the next W4 bass meetup, if it's still all right with you guys. It's a lefty, though...

I'm sure there are bands who feel the same and only plan to play in public at a much later date, with a set of well-rehearsed originals. Look for them, or put an ad somewhere.

Also, regardless of age, if you are or have been a student at a music school, they are usually happy to put you in touch with fellow students who want to form a band, although they might not plan to play in public immediately. I know that my teachers kept telling me to do exactly that - but I only play along records and for my own enjoyment, and so far have no desire to go on stage. (Joining a band is also a fairly big commitment, what with learning the songs in the set, rehearsing, getting all the gear etc. and above all being available when the band need you!)

[quote name='Dave Vader' timestamp='1334910320' post='1623218'] it's the diminished 2nd that most people hate more than any other.... [/quote] Nope, it's the augmented fourth/diminshed fifth, aka the Tritone. Ask Sabbath, Slayer and - er - most of the heavy metal community! We thrive on having people hate what we like Shell, look for a band right now, forget about age and inexperience - otherwise, you wouldn't even have picked up a bass guitar in the first place. You look fantastic, and being an actress you're not likely to be scared of being on stage.

Hello Litos, and welcome!

LOL The problem with pinning the tee at the back is that the name at the front appears too large across my chest. No matter how I posed, I was never able to display "Basschat" in its entirety. I had to discard a couple of shots I took before this, because it read "asschat"...