henrywillard

Thanks, TheG! Coincidentally the old pre-amp I used was an ART Tube MP too! I liked it, but I don't regret upgrading to my Radial Tonebone PZ-Pre, which is a beast of a pre-amp. I'm sure one day I will try a DPA again. The sound it reproduced was quite magnificent and pure. I can imagine blending would be fiddly and a bit of a pain for those smaller gigs that are perhaps a bit cramped and rushed (we've all played those gigs, right?!), in which case I may just stick with the Wilson K4, but for bigger stages I would be tempted to give a Wilson/DPA blend a go. Food for thought! Always great to hear other people's experiences of gear. Thanks so much for taking the time to reply Henry

The light in this photo doesn't show off the beautiful, deep wood grain in my Westbury bass, but I still really like this shot Taken at a Theatre in Dartford, Kent last November. [url="http://www.henrywillard.com"]http://www.henrywillard.com[/url] | [url="http://www.facebook.com/henrywillardmusic"]http://www.facebook....nrywillardmusic[/url]

I had a DPA 4099B a couple of years ago and could never get on with it. I put it through my old preamp as it requires external power, but no matter what I tried, tweaked, re-positioned or altered, I could only get a relatively low-level output before horrendous feedback, ALL the time. It was such a shame, as the actual sound was the best I have ever heard my bass amplified live, but I had to eventually sell it on as I could not deal with the feedback, and it helped fund my Radial pre-amp and Wilson K4. I have since kept tabs on the DPA 4099, and it's still getting amazing reviews left, right & centre, still claiming it's the best thing since sliced bread, with absolutely zero feedback problems, which to be honest baffles me. I think I asked the question on here 18-24 months ago, but I just wanted to ask around again and see what experience(s) those who own/have tried a DPA 4099B, have had. Here's the big question - I am tempted to try one again and blend it with my Wilson through my pre-amp which has two powered XLR inputs with blending ability. There is no way I can afford the £340 just to try one out again, as I know if it doesn't work out, I will not be able to recoup all of that selling it on, so would anyone who has a DPA 4099B be kind enough to loan it out for me to try? Big ask, I know, but I am very curious and keen to try one again, blended. (I'm based in Sevenoaks, west Kent). Thanks everyone

Hey, jrixn1. The [url="http://www.tonebone.com/pzpre.php"]Radial Tonebone PZ-Pre[/url] is such an incredible piece of gear for blending two pickups, [i]however[/i], frustratingly it only has 6.35mm jack inputs, and no XLR inputs, so blending a microphone or any pickup with an XLR connection proves problematic. I would also be interested in hearing if anyone has a solution to this? I have a PZ-Pre and would love to blend my Wilson K4 with a DPA4099B, but am not sure how to get past the XLR connector problem (sorry jrixn1, I don't want to detract from the topic of your post and your question!) It's worth looking around or trying to find out if anyone knows of a pre-amp similar to the Tonebone that has XLR inputs, to save you faffing around with a pre-amp and separate mixer set-up. If there is a high-quality pre-amp out there that allows blending like the Tonebone and has both jack and XLR inputs, that's your winner, right there!

I'm fortunate to have all three options, and the room to store the two hard cases. I have a Westbury padded soft bag which I use 90% of the time. It's light, has plenty of handles in handy places, and allows my bass to fit in the back of my estate at a diagonal without needing to rest it between the front seats. The only thing I regret is not getting the padded case with wheels, as carrying the thing long distances is a real pain! The hard foam G4M style case, I personally have never found as awkward as perhaps is made out. Yes these cases are huge, and you do need the space to store it, but it will fit through single doors no problem, it fits in my estate no problem with the top of the neck between the front two seats, it fits on a train or a bus in an upright position, although doesn't fit on the tube upright. I found that out the hard way! It does have wheels to drag it along like a coffin behind you though, so people have no choice but to get out of your way! I was extremely fortunate to come across a Kolstein flight case on Gumtree earlier this year at an absolute steal of a price, and it has served me well on flights this year. Extremely rigid, great wheels, although I have replaced the handles as the original rubber grips were killing my hands. The original Kolstein cases however are extremely heavy, and my case is literally at the sheer maximum of BA's 45kg weight limit, and that's just with the bass in, and nothing else. If I wanted to put my bow, any accessories or any gig clothes in the case (it has a built-in compartment complete with coat-rail for clothes!), it would almost certainly send it over the 45kg flight weight limit, and I believe BA are one of the most generous airlines when it comes to musical instruments and height/weight limits. Have a think which type of case is going to best serve your requirements, and if you do go for a hard case, as others have said here, make sure you have plenty of storage space for it!

I too am pretty hooked! I'll be going to their Brighton show, and hopefully London too. I'm not sure if Kate Davis will be joining them on tour over here (what a talent that young lady is, by the way!), but I really like Adam Kubota's playing. Such an incredibly talented group of musicians.

I used to swear by my Obligato's up until a couple of years ago when I thought I would give EP Weichs a go - Wow! Absolutely love them, and I certainly don't have any urge to move away from them or try anything else in the near future. Love the feel under the left hand, and they compliment my bass brilliantly. Another high recommendation!

Afternoon everyone, Much like strings and pickups etc, I know this is likely to be one of those topics where it may be a case of needing to heavily experiment with different brands and models, but I am interested to hear what amplification everyone uses for their double bass (not electric upright). I have a wonderful Westbury upright ([url="http://www.thesoundpost.co.uk"]www.thesoundpost.co.uk[/url]) with a Wilson K4, which I put through a Radial Tonebone PZ-Pre. Before taking the leap and purchasing the K4, I had read lots of negative reviews, however the Wilson is just fantastic for my bass, and by far the best pickup I have used to date after lots of experimenting with various others. As for the Radial pre-amp - This is one of the best purchases I think I have ever made. Up until now I have only had a Schertler Unico combo, which is neat and compact, but when I've played in bigger venues such as theatres, I've had to go through the front of house and I use my Schertler as a monitor, as it just hasn't felt 'big' enough as the main output. At the moment I'm playing a lot of country, pop, rock, folk and a bit of swing and blues, so I am often competing with drums, guitars, banjo's, piano's, violins etc. I am intrigued to hear what everyone else uses in terms of amps/cabs/combos, what really works for you, and any recommendations? Amplification is one area I will always admit to knowing very little about, and having little knowledge and experience of. I'm sure I speak for virtually all us double bassists when I say I strive for an amplified sound that's as natural and pure as possible. A sound that's 'woody', and 'real'! I am extremely confident that with my Wilson K4 and Radial Pre-amp, I am half the way there. I have had the pleasure of going through the front of house at a number of venues where the engineer has worked wonders and managed to produce a beautiful, natural sound out in the audience, and with seemingly little effort. Every new engineer I work with is always so, so impressed with the Wilson. What's really prompted me to post this is a gig I did in London last night where I went through someone's Gallien-Krueger amp head & cab. I don't think it was a current model as I cannot find it on their website, but although exceptionally powerful, the sound was horrible. I played around as much as possible, but no matter what I tried on both my pre-amp and the amp head, the sound was so 'electric'. I managed to mellow the sound out and give my bass some warmth to try and cover up the 'electric' sound, but the compromise was a bit of a muddy sound. I have heard good things about GK though..?? Any recommendations/feedback in terms of amp heads, cabs or big combos? Thanks for taking the time to read this, everyone. Henry

I know Malcolm Healey in Box Hill, Surrey had one or two of those hard foam cases he was looking to sell at a decent price, but I have a hard foam case, and I would not feel confident flying with my bass inside it, despite the thick padding. The bass just isn't secured in one of those cases at all. I too am making my first flight with my bass this Easter from Gatwick to Edinburgh (and back a few days later), and thankfully managed to pick up a wonderful Kolstein flight case on Gumtree a couple of months back. Fingers crossed my bass will be okay! If you weren't flying one-way, I'd offer to loan it out to you, as I'm only in Kent

[url="http://www.gear4music.com/In-Ear-Monitor-Systems"]http://www.gear4music.com/In-Ear-Monitor-Systems[/url] Gear 4 Music do their own budget IEM system for just £54.99, but at that price, and given it's a real budget system that they've obviously just shipped in themselves from China, the quality and reliability may be up for debate. The LDMEI systems that come in at £127, I have actually used before. Personally, I didn't find them great. The output was pretty poor, and to get any sort of decent level in your ear you had to compromise with lots of noise. From my experience, IEM's are one of those things where the old saying "You get what you pay for" quite heavily applies

I have heard other bassists who have had success with the DPA live, however I have probably heard slightly more unsuccessful stories, and unfortunately my experience falls into the latter category. I got shot of my DPA 4099 within 6 months of purchase, as it was just completely impractical for my live work. Far too much bleed/spill of all the other instruments, and huge problems with feedback in venues of all shapes and sizes through various desks and amps. It didn't take long for me to lose all confidence in the DPA, and I couldn't get rid of it quick enough. On it's own, it replicated the sound of my bass beautifully, like nothing else I have ever tried. However, I, like most other bassists like to play with other musicians, and this for me personally is where the DPA fell down. I could not believe how unmanageable it was. I would never go back. As mentioned earlier however, I have heard many mixed reviews, and some bassists have achieved success with the 4099 live, whilst others have experienced similar results to me. Hopefully some further replies to this thread may include some tips or advice for getting the best out of the DPA. Good luck!

I use Pirastro String Cleaner. It's around £5-6 for a small 50ml bottle, but it's pretty damn good stuff! [url="http://www.djmmusic.com/p-4622-pirastro-string-cleaner-50ml.aspx"]http://www.djmmusic.com/p-4622-pirastro-string-cleaner-50ml.aspx[/url]

Many thanks everyone for your input, I really appreciate it Can anyone recommend a particularly good luthier in or around Kent that could be trusted to do a good job on my bridge? I have previously used Malcolm Healey who was absolutely fantastic, but I spoke to him after he closed his shop, and I got the impression he wasn't doing too much repair/adjustment work these days. I most recently went to Malcolm Tysoe in Farnborough near Bromley, but I'd be interested to hear of any other luthiers in my area that people have used and had good results with.

Hi all. Hoping for some help with my bridge I have a 3/4 violin body [url="http://thesoundpost.co.uk/westbury%20double%20bass.htm"]Westbury bass[/url] currently with a non-adjustable bridge, fitted with my Wilson pickup and Evah Pirazzi Weich's. I feel my action is slightly too low as I find the E and A strings are slapping against the fingerboard a fair bit when I'm playing naturally, which is causing problems particularly when recording. At the bottom of my fingerboard, from the fingerboard surface to first contact with each string, my current string heights are as follows: E: 8mm; A: 7mm; D: 7mm; G: 6mm. Are there any experts here who would agree it sounds like my action is a bit too low? If so, I am looking into getting a new, adjustable bridge, however am a little confused about a couple of specifications. I am looking at a Dispau bridge, and on their website there are a number of customisable options: [b]1. [/b][url="http://chevalet-despiau.com/catalogue-despiau/index-en.php?act=rub&id=4"]They list four different French models - CT1, CT2, CT6, CT12, all slightly different in shape[/url]. [i]-How do I know which particular shape to go for? How does each shape affect playability/tone etc?[/i] [b]2. [/b]Heart position - Normal heart or high heart. [i]- Does this make any difference to the tone etc?[/i] [b]3. [/b]Fairly fine and regular grain, wood with less pronounced medullary rays [i]or[/i] Wide and fairly regular grain, wood with less pronounced medullary rays [i]-Is this purely aesthetic preference?[/i] [b]4. [/b]In terms of bridge size, their website specifies their 3/4 size bridge to have a distance of 150mm exterior leg width, and their small 4/4 size bridge to have an exterior leg width of 158mm. [i]-My current bridge has an exterior leg width of 154mm. Which should I go for? Would it make a significant difference?[/i] [i][/i] Any help on any of my above questions would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks!

I've had a 22mm Westbury soft case for a good four years or so now, used on a weekly basis near and far, and it is still going strong. I've never had any problems with the zips, the inner lining is all still intact, and the exterior has not torn or ripped one bit. Absolutely brilliant purchase. Wouldn't hesitate to recommend [url="http://www.djmmusic.com/p-5989-westbury-22mm-padded-bass-bag-w-wheels.aspx"]http://www.djmmusic.com/p-5989-westbury-22mm-padded-bass-bag-w-wheels.aspx[/url]

Jim Creeggan is the sole reason I first picked up a double bass. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EM9FojOdFaE

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1383907222' post='2270576'] I had one of the blonde Primavera basses and was not mightily impressed with the build quality. Though this was around 10 years ago and I suppose they might have improved since then. [/quote] You could well be right. If the UK distributors of these lower-end instruments are regularly going out to the factories in Asia to check the build quality themselves and feed back any problems, concerns or issues, then you would hope over time that the quality of the instruments slowly improves with each shipment. I know the UK distributors of Primavera are quite hot on ensuring the quality of their budget instruments is still very respectable.

I was Sales Manager for a reputable UK instrument mail order company for a number of years up until late 2011, and stringed instruments were my specialist department, so I was lucky enough to see and handle a lot of these basses such as the Stentors, Antoni's, Westbury's, Primavera's etc and regularly met with the UK distributors. Although we're talking a couple of years ago now, I never had much luck with the lower-end Stentor basses, and time and time again sent them straight back to Stentor due to such poor, poor build and finish quality, particularly the white rockabilly's. As far as playability goes, I've always found Stentor's entry-level basses quite 'chunky' and awkward to play, and just never felt comfortable with one. That however is preference, and there will be a lot of players out there who I'm sure feel comfortable with the feel of a Stentor. Although still not perfect, the Primavera rockabilly basses are in the same sort of price-range and I always found the build quality to be far better than the Stentor. Well worth checking out as an alternative. Hope that helps!

I also have a Hercules. Hercules products in general are simply fantastic. My first double bass stand was by Italian company, Proel - Big mistake, that purchase. Awful design, and poor quality. The Hercules does take up a fair bit of room, as the design of the stand means your bass is angled quite far back, so you have to have the stand positioned a fair way out from a wall to keep the head of your bass from making contact with a wall, but the product quality is second-to-none.

I have not tried the regular's yet, but I switched to Evah Weich's earlier this year after a number of years committed to Obligato's. I absolutely love the Evah Weich's, not only for the sheer comfort when playing, but they brought the sound of my bass to life, and are probably the first set of strings I've ever tried that have been almost perfectly balanced across the spectrum. Very impressed. Would highly recommend.

I currently have Evah Pirazzi Weich's on my trusty Westbury bass, and they're the best string I have tried so far. There are still many more strings out there I would perhaps like to try in years to come, but right now my Evah's, although not the loudest of strings, feel wonderfully comfortable to play, and are extremely well balanced all across the fingerboard. Very responsive, and my Wilson K4 also seems to love them.

It's received some mixed feedback in recent years, but for me and my bass, I have fallen in love with the Wilson K4. I have heard it on other basses where it has sounded very 'electric', and not very natural at all, however on my Westbury bass I have managed to get it sounding big, warm, well-rounded, and punchy, with absolutely zero feedback. I wouldn't trade it for anything right now. Absolutely love it. When it comes to anything double bass related, whether it be pickups, strings, bows etc, if you're truly looking to find the best possible combination for your bass and sound, you must be willing and prepared to experiment with different strings, different pickups etc, and potentially spend a lot of money doing so. It's just all about experimentation, and finding what works best for you and your bass. Reviews, feedback and opinions on strings and pickups etc are all very useful, and worth reading, but no bass is the same, so gather all the information you can, but then make your own decision, and just be prepared to not get the best results first time. When you do find something that works for you however, it is a mighty fine feeling

Completely agree. I used to swear by Obligato's, but when my Obli's started to lose their clarity, I decided to try EP Weich's having heard so many good things. I'm so glad I did! They feel so comfortable to play, they have a wonderful sound both pizz & arco, and although perhaps lack a boomy bottom end and a really fine top end that cuts through, they are a fantastic all-round hybrid string that I am extremely pleased with. I will certainly not be changing them anytime soon!