Maude

Could be a wait for these, I haven't received them yet

Here's another one of me with the Harley Benton, I really like the light in this one, just a shame about the cheesy smile [attachment=142882:Photo1.jpg]

[quote name='Lfalex v1.1' timestamp='1378061633' post='2195367'] I won't. EUB all the way. Why? [/quote] One main reason why ............ the spectacle of it . I went through all that before I bought a DB, trying to find a real reason why I needed one over the EUB, there weren't many. But it's the best thing I've ever bought, though sadly the EUB hasn't been played since I got the DB. Also no reason you can't jam along using a gadget, I practice our set with the bass and my phone plugged into my Line 6 pedal board, and while it's plugged in I am tempted into using effects . But yes, the feedback thing is a big disadvantage.

I went for the HB because I felt it would be more like a real DB to get to grips with as it's inevitable that the real deal will follow. The HB has a tighter radius to the fingerboard (I think from research, I haven't played a Stagg), a taller DB style bridge with adjustable feet and a longer afterlength of string, all of which help to make it feel and play more like a DB than the Stagg. The neck is also angled out away from the body like a DB but not quite as far which if bowing seated will help it feel and play more like a DB, also the body is chambered which help give it a more 'woody' tone. It's also a little more DB shaped with it's flared bouts and scroll top. I didn't like the on board pre amp so I just bypassed it by soldering the two wires from the peizo straight to the output jack and it's loads better, lots more low down thump, I can just plug straight into my Ashdown mini-rig and it sounds really good but some amps will need you to use some sort of pre to sort the impedance problems of peizo pickups. All that said, the Stagg appears to be a mighty fine instrument and has lots of good points, I'd imagine you'll be happy with whichever one you go for. There was a side by side comparison of the two on youtube which was helpful when I bought mine. I'd also ignore a lot of the 'common problems' with both instruments as the Stagg doesn't seem to have any of the old 'issues' and my HB didn't need any of the 'online fixes' doing so it would appear QC has improved or something. I lowered the action at the nut on mine which seems to be the norm on any new instrument which hasn't had a proper set up, and I also bent the decorative scroll of wire on the tailpiece as two bits of wire are resting against each other but not fixed, this could be the ringing down there that alot of folks talk about, I did this before even playing it as it just made me feel better knowing they couldn't vibrate, it may not have been a problem. Anyway, enough waffling, go for whichever one you fancy, there's not a lot between them.

I don't have any gig pictures of the DB yet so a EUB pic will have to suffice ................... no hat either, very poor I realise [attachment=141809:photo_11.jpg]

Your best bet is to let me have it cheap and let me worry about selling it, save yourself all the agro

Update time! I sanded the brown finish off the front of the body back to the light plywood and sanded the fretboard down removing the black paint. No pictures of the body, sorry, as I went straight ahead and put a coat of dark wax on it. I sort of knew the wax wouldn't work as I left some of the sealer coat on the plywood but I thought I'd try it and see what happens, it can always come off with some white spirit. As I smeared it on it made a fake wood grain of sorts which from a distance looks koa-esque . A couple more coats may darken it up enough to get away with but we'll see. Some shiney new black tuners turned up and were fitted after reversing two of them to get a 2+2 headstock. Reversing P tuners is really easy, just undo the screw on the back, remove the screw, gear and plate underneath, take out the 'elephant ear' worm drive and flip over, then refit the plate, gear and screw. [attachment=141687:160820131092.jpg] [attachment=141688:160820131093.jpg] [attachment=141689:160820131095.jpg] As I can't use the ferrules to take the strain off the tuning posts I fitted the lower two with the post resting against the lower edge of the headstock slots and the top two are fitted so that a piece of dowel can be slotted through the original tuner holes to take the strain off of them. I don't think it was needed as the strings are very low tension but better safe than sorry and it was an easy thing to do. [attachment=141690:160820131097.jpg] I've got some strap buttons on their way which I will screw through body into internal braces to take the strain of a strap, it's not heavy so should be fine. I think the neck strap button will have to go onto the back of the headstock to balance it, it will have massive neck dive in the conventional position. I have a new nut to go on once the fingerboard is done, I'm just trying to decide what to fit into the fret slots before refinishing the board in black. Laminate shims or just fill them with a sawdust/glue slurry. Shims will be neater as the edges of the slots are a bit untidy. The slots look worse in the flash of the camera but should be ok if shimmed and then stained black again. [attachment=141691:160820131098.jpg] That's it for a minute, as I said it won't be a thing of beauty but it should be functional and quirky . As time allows I'll do some more and update. Oh yeah, nearly forgot, I've just ordered some black Pahoehoes from Road Toad Music in a longer scale to fit the slightly larger than Ubass neck/body. These are what are fitted as standard to the Kala Ubasses. See you all next time on 'Lets bodge a Bass up!'

Ok where shall I start? Firstly how competent are with manual tasks? Don't take that the wrong way but if you're not a hands on type then it might be best to take it to someone. Secondly, if the white is flaking then it hasn't been prepped properly and will all need to come off or you'll be fighting a losing battle. Thirdly a proper candy paint is not something you can really do yourself with rattle cans, it consists of a metallic base coat (usually silver or gold) with a tinted lacquer built up over the top to give you your final colour, the amazing depth of colour is achieved by building up layers of lacquer. As the translucent colour is in the lacquer it needs to be be applied in very even coats or it will look patchy, something which aerosols don't do well. Also because aerosols harden by the solvent evaporating as opposed to adding a chemical catalyst you run the risk of the finish never hardening properly, the many layers of a candy will just harden on the outside and not let the solvent underneath evaporate. You could choose very metallic or pearlescent paint which could be applied by aerosol easily with a couple of coats of lacquer which would work fine, there are some quite crazy colours out there that are standard 'clear over base'. Painting it shouldn't affect the sound really as it's already painted, you'll be removing the old paint and replacing it with fresh.

[quote name='bluejay' timestamp='1376415048' post='2173656'] I think that what we were talking about here was the C extension that can be added to a (4-string) double bass, to reach the low C, not about a high C string. Or did I get the wrong end of the stick? [/quote] In all honesty, I've no idea, I just assumed he meant a high C, but I assume lots and I'm also wrong lots . It does look cool though

[quote name='bluejay' timestamp='1376349542' post='2172778'] Click on the photo, it will open in an enlarged view - the bass definitely has 5 strings and 5 tuners, so I imagine it's a low B that's needed here, not a low C PS Welcome, defcom! [/quote] Low B or a high C, personally I'd rather have the high C. As for action, that seems about right, if it doesn't have an adjustable bridge then I leave it.

The glue's on it's merry way

I have an old Hohner Arbor Series P bass (read cheapy) with what looks like a rosewood board and has been strung with rounds for at least 10-15 years, has signs of wear but very minimal and doesn't affect the way it plays at all.

Thanks for those two replies, I'm going to go with the Pahoehoes as I really don't want white strings, although Road Toad haven't bothered getting back to me with a price.

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1376220179' post='2170853'] I don't play DB but... I admire them from afar and I lurk sometimes [/quote] Just admitting that in public is the first foot on the slippery slope

[quote name='spinynorman' timestamp='1376152958' post='2170331'] Also, I've seen mixed reviews of the Thunderguts strings - sticky feel, too bright? Any thoughts on those, before I lay out £25? [/quote] I'm building a Ubass and would like to know peoples preferences on Thunderguts or the stock Pahoehoe strings. From my research it seems the Thunderguts are higher tension and a tad more trebley, while the Pahoehoe have more thump but are stickier, Road Toad who make the Pahoehoes state that the short scale, even lower tension ones feel sticky, I don't want that but I do want black if I can. Do folks feel the standard one the ubass comes with are sticky at all? Sorry for the hijack

I have no association to the sellers of these but saw them on "the other site " and thought they looked quite cool if you're in the right sort of band. I want the flame ones but using small LCD screens so the flames actually flicker . [url="http://www.gfx-solutions.com/f_hole_bass_covers"]http://www.gfx-solutions.com/f_hole_bass_covers[/url]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1376150364' post='2170285'] Just packing mine up for tonights gig, the audience love it almost as much as me [/quote] Love the bass as much as you love it, or love the bass as much as they love you?

That looks really good Pete. I may have to copy that and make a pair to keep in my bag, luckily no feedback problems yet as I normally go through the PA but we have a big venue to play soon and it would be nice to know they're there just in case. Where do you get the foam sheet from, a craft shop? Lovely looking bass BTW, I have one just like it .

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1376129183' post='2169955'] Wow, really? Thanks very much! [/quote] That's quite alright, it'll only go to waste and I'll be due some good karma afterwards . Message me your address and I'll get it sorted, it'll probably be Monday now though as Cornwall shuts for the weekend.

I had to re-glue the fingerboard on my doublebass and looked into different glues, it seemed the only real option was hide glue so it can be seperated in the future if needed, also hide is much more 'creep' resistant than pva. It looked a real pain to do all that mixing up and cooking the glue, too high or too low a temperature and the joint is weaker blah blah blah, then I found Titebond liquid hide glue, just use is like normal pva, clamp and leave for a 24hrs. The cheapest I found it was a deal for two 8oz bottles, it has a sell by date of next August and I'll never use it all by then, send me your address and I'll post a bottle over to you, just leave me a bit of nice feedback in my feedback thread .

[quote name='yorks5stringer' timestamp='1375950699' post='2167706'] I may be having a fire sale soon, anyone want a Stagg EUB, Godin A5 and Squier VM 5?! [/quote] Yes all of them, but I only have one half of a Twix and the green Tic Tacs from a carton of orange and lime ones to offer you ................. let me know

We do it with our acoustic band. Amazing reaction when you get the groove going on double bass and cajon and the audience still aren't 100% sure if it is, and then the acoustic guitar drops in with Niles riff, it gets 'em every time and they love it . It's just such a feel good song.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1375911329' post='2167452'] That's the thing with db, everyone will watch! All those years as the anonymous bassist are over even with the stagg so I know they will love the db. That's some long set btw. [/quote] We've done a couple of open mic nights to get some interest going in a different area and I usually leave the bass in the van until we go on as it's just in the way, but when you have to make your way through a crowd with a DB above your head it kinda draws attention , I actually got a cheer from the crowd at one venue as I went in, hold on folks you haven't heard me yet . The open mic nights are working for getting gigs though. That long set is with two different bands, but it's still a long evening, can't wait. Go for the acoustic gig, you'll be amazed at the response. I've been gigging for years with big electric rock bands but I'm blown away at the response we're getting with the acoustic band, people just love something that's a break from the norm. Go for it and let us all know how it went .

Gig it A.S.A.P. There's nothing to motivate you to improve more than making a pigs ear of it in front of an audience. The panic sets in and your face starts to burn because you just know that everyone in the room is looking at you. The fact is that nobody really noticed but it sure makes you commit to practicing more. I've already done several gigs with mine and we have a big one at The Eden Project at the start of October, 1 1/2hr set with the double bass and 2hr set with the electric bass, achey arm time me thinks .

[quote name='tauzero' timestamp='1375707078' post='2164495'] I bought a new Palatino EUB (the Harley Benton is a rebadged Palatino) which was sent in a huge box sandwiched between two moulded polystyrene slabs. The neck was broken off. So it's not perfect protection... [/quote] But the polystyrene slabs were better protection than the polythene bag the OPs Warwick came in, which was my point. You can package something all you want but you can't counteract the actions of an idiot courier. Telebass' new Bareface cab turned up with a hole right through the side of it from a forklift fork I seem to remember. Sometimes a reinforced steel case won't be enough.