Staggering on

I went from a Stagg to a Yamaha SLB 200 that I found in perfect condition for about 1/3 of the price of a new one and it has served me well for about 4 years of gigs and rehearsals with two bands. I have been using my DB for most gigs since I got it about two years ago but I usually rehearse with the Yamaha since it is easier to haul around and I still use it on gigs with limited stage space and I can usually dial in a good sound using its onboard EQ going straight into the PA. I love playing it but the DB looks better at gigs for the bands I'm in and is fun to play. I think a new Yamaha is overpriced by quite a bit but the latest model (300) might be worth it since it has fancy new electronics. If I were shopping for a new EUB I would be checking out the Italian MK basses, they get very good reviews and are reasonably priced and have several models to chose from. I have tried an Eminence and it was lovely to play and as mentioned above it is expensive but you might find a good used one. Both the Yamaha and MK have "wings" which make playing them more like playing DB, much easier to hold and play than the Stagg and some other EUB's. Good luck with the search.

Wow! There is also a video of them performing this live. The musicians on this, including Victor Wooten, are among the best at what they do and even if you don't like Victor's playing he is pretty amazing. Twelve keys and twelve time signatures apparently but I certainly couldn't follow them all. Check out the absolutely blistering version of Sleigh Ride that these guys do, not your typical Christmas fare. Thanks for sharing.

Me too.

Interesting stuff and it makes sense. I have often stopped working on something after the first time I actually nailed it and then have trouble the next time I try it. I'm currently working on some swing stuff (melody) on my DB and Slipped Disc is on my list, not bad slow but I always try to speed up before I can really play it from memory and it goes sideways fast. That article has got me going the slow and steady correct way before trying faster tempos. Thanks for the link. Just poured a coffee and now it's time to get back to the bass and learn to be patient.😋

Right you are, the Fm being the relative minor to A flat, same key signature of course. I was just referring to the key signature when I took a quick look at the chart but the song itself is in a minor key, I will try to be more clear next time, your post says what I should have said originally. When we play it we use a vamp over Gm7 as an intro to lead into the melody and that adds to the fun.

We do it in A flat, the tenor player likes it there. First chord in the melody is Fm 9. Good song. In the Real Book Sixth Edition it is in A flat.

I was in a jazz standards quintet playing EB with flats trying to sound like I knew what I was doing. The guitarist was a conservatory graduate who played classical, rock and jazz and had a good knowledge of all of these. He also was an excellent bass player and was usually first call for pit bands for local theatre groups and had written most of the bass lines I was supposed to play. They were very good but sometimes they were tough for me at the time and of course I made some terrible messes on some of his arrangements. This would be followed by a quick nasty look which made me even more nervous and sometimes at the end of a song he would say things like "what key were you playing in?" He was a full time guitar and bass teacher and I could have used the time in the band to learn a lot but he was so intimidating that I probably made more mistakes because of his attitude which meant I often kept the bass volume low(a dull thud) and just tried to get through the songs. A dozen years on I am a much better player and just before the pandemic hit we talked about getting together to jam a bit, I feel much more competent now and I think it would be fun, maybe that will happen soon when things ease a bit.

See my post above re Boss WL20. I have used it straight into my amp and also through a preamp(volume control only) into the PA, no problems yet.

Interesting video but by half way through he has ruined one unit so he will have to replace it(if he can buy one only), he has the thing apart which is tricky to do without damaging it and he has got to the battery which he warns will explode into flames if punctured. All this needs great care and some tools some people might not have. I am basically a frugal (OK, cheap) person but I would go for a new one, maybe the next generation or another brand, if it lasts 3 to 5 years I would write it off as an expendable like strings or get something that has batteries that are easy to replace. Edit: I just checked the Xvive site and they don't show that only one unit (transmitter or receiver) is available so it looks like if you botch the job you have to buy the whole system so be careful if you try it.

Probably not, the Boss WL 20 that I have is apparently the same according to some reviews. I guess the convenience of having no batteries to change or charge and no AC adapter to deal with is enough to offset the fact that the whole unit has to be replaced. I've only had mine a year or so and given the current situation I haven't used it on a lot of gigs, although I use it at home a lot. I wonder if the batteries "wear out"( I know nothing about electronics) or if they have a number of recharging cycles before they can't be charged any more, like some computer batteries. From reviews I have read this seems to be common with devices like this, some last longer than three years. Most of these wireless systems have not actually been on the market for too long so it will be interesting to see how it all works out. As I have said in previous posts, the Boss works great for me and I hope it lasts a long time and when it dies I will have the chance check out all the new gear and do some shopping...GAS...more toys...😊

I'll be 75 next year(I still can't believe that...it seems so old) but I hope to be gigging as soon as I can. The two bands I'm in haven't rehearsed or gigged since March but I have been working on all kinds of music on my DB including trying to work through some Simandl and using the bow. I don't play EB much anymore but I found some transcriptions of some ABBA tunes and I'm having fun reading them and trying to play along with the real thing. I have iRealPro to work with and have also been doing a bit of recording on my Mac using Garage Band. Gotta keep learning, I try to play every day including days when I play through the 200 or so jazz standards my two bands play.

Always the same...EUB and Double Bass, General Discussion, Off Topic and then a few others.

Sadly that is the same with my two bands. There is almost no live music in my area at all except for a few outdoor gigs and some attempts to try to get some indoor gigs at some point in the future but with limited audience sizes and a tightening of bar and restaurant hours in Ontario as of this last weekend as Covid cases increase I can't see much happening for a long time, well into 2021 I think. All of our gigs have been cancelled for the rest of this year. Some of us of rather advanced age are wondering if our gigging days are done but I am trying to stay optimistic and practice almost every day for at least a few minutes, but as all of you know it is hard to stay motivated with no gigs in sight.

One of the reasons I went for the Boss is that it is simple to charge. You plug the transmitter into the receiver(both are very small) and use a USB cord to charge both of them...easy, short cord and no extra pieces other than the small cord to haul around. You can use in breaks if you need to as suggested above.

I use a Boss WL-20 on my DB and EUB(Yamaha SLB 200) and have had no problems. Batteries are built in and not replaceable but it is quick and easy to recharge and will last a long time, I have played four hour gigs with lots of power left. A nice feature is a warning light which tells you when you have about 30 minutes left. I use it to go into my preamp which is mounted on my mic stand and then use a cable to the amp or directly into the PA. I move around a lot when I play and it is nice not to have a cable attached to the DB.

Yup, Canada is definitely 120V.

There is a good review and short video using this mute on an EUB on the Gollihur Music site where the listed price is $50.00 USD. The mute is available in different colours and foam densities, looks interesting and might be good on my Yamaha SLB 200. If I get one I'll post my impressions.

Great gig, I played in a big band and loved it, lucky you. Pretty much agree with most of the advice given in other posts, it is a common problem in bands like this. I would suggest that you might get a better result if the amp is raised up off the floor on a stand or even a chair or something else to get the sound coming out at the same height as other players in the band, it made a difference for me. It also depends on what sort of sound the band leader wants to hear, some want a dull thud and others want to actually hear the note so playing with your EQ as others have suggested is a good idea. Are you using flats on your bass, that's what I was using and getting EQ just right is important. Good luck, sounds like fun!

I have been retired for a year and a half now and have combination of pensions(private and government) and savings that allow me to live a comfortable but careful life without any debts. I am 74 and have been gigging since I was 16 and am currently in two bands and have played 15 to 30 gigs a year so it is not a big source of money. Like others on here, it costs me money to play in bands due to distance to gigs and weekly rehearsals but I love it. Right now I am not missing the money but the good times and social interaction with band members and audiences. I am filling the Covid time practicing almost every day and doing a bit of recording just for fun. Since I play DB, guitar, EB and EUB I can vary what I do each day but it is getting very frustrating with gigs being cancelled and no rehearsals although my playing skills are improving. It may be a long time before we get anywhere back to normal and at my age, even though I am in reasonable health, I know the clock is ticking. In many ways I am quite lucky and feel sorry for the full time musicians who are really struggling and are wondering just what will happen in the music world and how long it will be before things get back to anything near "normal". It will be quite a while I'm afraid.

I use D'Addario minis on EUB, DB, Guitar, Banjo and EB. They are small and simple and have long battery life.

As of the 17th over here most of the province except the big cities in the south are allowed 50 indoor and 100 outdoor for concerts/shows. No dancing and appropriate social distancing must be maintained. Wind instrument players and vocalists MUST be behind protective plexiglass shields and band members are to keep a reasonable distance away from each other. Both bands I'm in have horn players so it will be interesting to see how rehearsals and possible gigs work out, not sure if outdoor events require the plexiglass, the rules are a bit unclear on that but it may not be necessary.

I ordered one of those when I owned a Stagg EUB and was very disappointed with it, poorly made and not very robust. It was better than the soft case but I had to be almost as careful with it as I was with the soft case. I don't think the NS would fit in it. I just checked the Gollihur Music site and they sell a hard case as well as a replacement soft case and also a flight case for NS instruments. They are in the USA but ship world wide and provide excellent service, I have bought several items from them and had no problems with shipping across the border to me in Canada. They will answer emails promptly and figure out costs for shipping. I have no connection with them other than as a customer and as such recommend them.

I saw him in Toronto in the very early '70's and even though I was into folk music at the time I always had a soft spot for the big band/orchestra sound. I think I went to the concert alone because none of my cool friends would go to see him. Of course all his stuff sounds pretty much the same but that was the magic of it, and like it or not the arrangements he wrote were consistently very good and played by excellent musicians.

Gift certificate for Long and McQuade (music store chain in Canada) from my son. My handy little metronome died a few weeks ago so the timing is perfect...oops, sorry about that, I typed it before I realized where that was going.😊

Now that would be a great idea.👍