Staggering on

Is it just me or is there something odd here?I always like a bargain but it seems that at least half of the people who order these tuners have had some sort of problem with delivery or performance or both.What do you expect for the price?I can't imagine having instruments worth thousands, not to mention other gear, and using such "iffy" tuners. Isn't being in tune important?

I have a Korg Pitchblack Advance and several D'Addario tiny unobtrusive clip on tuners and as long as the batteries are OK they are great, never had a problem and I use them on my EUB,BG,acoustic guitar, banjo and mandolin.They weren't cheap but they always work well and are reliable, I don't want to have problems tuning at gigs or at home,I have enough issues just trying to play the right notes!I also like the fact that I don't have some big piece of plastic clamped onto the headstock of my instruments but maybe that's just me.

Sorry if this seems like a rant but I've been following the topic from the first post and can't stop wondering why anyone buys these things when there are so many bad experiences with them.

I heard an interview with the guitar builder on CBC(the Canadian version of BBC) a couple of weeks ago and he sounded sincere about this project but as I listened to him I couldn't help but feel a little creepy about the idea and was wondering who will buy these things.The Hendrix family situation never occurred to me,I was trying to picture what the guitar would look like.We in Canada have also seen guitars made from many bits of hockey sticks that were used by famous players so I guess we have a bit of a history of this sort of thing and it seems pretty weird to me but I imagine things like this are going on all over.Could cricket bats be turned into fine guitars?Hmmmmm....how about oars from the Oxford crew... 

I think your last sentence is a great summary and can be used when others claim that reading music destroys their creativity.I have a friend who is a fine guitar player but uses that excuse constantly and I don't want to argue the point with him too much and perhaps harm our friendship.Ironically, the other half of the folk duo he is in(his wife) is a good musician who can read well and could teach him if he wanted to learn.I guess whatever works for you and this is not intended as a put down for those who can't read music,I can't read TAB.

I am so lucky!I live out in the boonies in northern Ontario and my nearest neighbour is over 1/4 mile away and it is dense forest between us.I can play anything at any volume at any time and not bother anyone.So whether I'm listening to something loud or playing I can do what I want.Paradise...real estate information on request...Canada will welcome you!

Assuming my travel plans work out I will be there to add an international presence to the affair.Looking forward to a good time and I am already looking to book accommodation in Bicester or vicinity, currently looking at B and B's in the area.Any suggestions?If things go as planned I will arrive in England on 12 April and head to Bicester area(train) and stay  until the 15th...and even though I am just one of those rough Canadian colonials I know that it is not "BYSESTER",but I had to look it up to be sure.

Looking forward to lovely spring and a good time at the bash.

Bob

Vibraphone-definitely bad vibes for me, very cold sounding.I can appreciate the skills of the players but the sound is, for lack of a better word, bland, and does nothing for me.

Well done Brother Malvis!Sounds like a good time.

Bob

I love it! It would be a great instrument to have over here where the Canadian weather plays havoc with basses.

I guess shipping and duty would make it out of reach financially for me but I hope you manage to find a buyer.I will be in England in April but I'm sure you will have moved it on by then.

Just in case I get crazy...how much does the whole outfit weigh in the hard case and what are the dimensions of the case?

Good luck!

Bob

Getting closer to booking a flight and checking out places to stay.At this point I'm OK for the 14th,can we all assume that will be the day?I am flexible now but once the flight is booked it will be harder to change things.Really hoping to make it to this event and enjoy the spring in England but my SLB200 will be home in Canada so I will be bassless in Bicester.

Bob   

I'd go with EUB to start with for all the reasons in your post.In addition I would add that they are easier to haul around and less fragile in terms of temperature and humidity which can be problems with a DB.I would love a DB but with the climate we have in Canada I will stick with my EUB for convenience and portability.I started with a Stagg and moved on to a Yamaha SLB200 that I love.I use it on all my gigs and although it isn't a DB it sounds great in my jazz quartet and septet and I have learned to ignore the few bass snobs who tut-tut about it not being a "real bass" and like to hear the good comments and questions about the EUB.I rarely use my amp at gigs,I just go straight into the PA.As said above the EUB is great for small stages.

Whether you go for the DB or EUB you will have a lot of fun and will find it a new challenge and a whole new world of bass playing.Go for it! 

Happy New Year from across the pond!

It's been a c-c-c-cold holiday season here in Northern Ontario-at 6:00AM today it was -32C and the high is forecast to be around -19C so I might not get out skiing today.It will be a bit warmer by mid week but this is unusually cold for this time of the year.

I guess I'll just have to stay inside and work on some tricky bass lines that need some attention.

1 hour ago, fleabag said:

NB : Pete

When my pal gets his MAC back from the laptop hospital, we can get going again on recording, and i'll have a go on the NXT and see how i get on.

Last track i did with a  regular fretless  ( excuse the  annoying midi drums  )  but this is too tricky for me to have done on the EUB.

https://www.soundclick.com/html5/v3/player.cfm?type=single&songid=13670504&q=hi&newref=1

 

Nice bass work, the EUB will be great for this.Welcome to the world of upright.

Lots of info on this topic on the Stagg mega thread on TalkBass.When I had a Stagg I used a piece of soft foam but others have tried everything from small stuffed toys(really!) to bits of cloth to various sponges.It does make a difference when you get the right material in the right location.My Yamaha SLB 200 came with a foam mute(from Yamaha) but I replaced it with a sturdier piece of foam with cuts in it to hold it on the strings.The depth of the cuts make a difference and it's easy and cheap to adjust.

Good luck. 

1 hour ago, grandad said:

Yup + 2 folders of music - Jazz quartet.

Same thing in my jazz quartet(close to 180 songs) and septet(60+ songs).

Season's Greetings to all from Canada!Winter has truly arrived here in northern Ontario with the daily high temperatures in the -20C range and nights to -30C for the next week or so...brrrrr....lots of snow so winter sports are well underway.

I'm starting to plan the trip to England in April and looking at dates to book flights and accommodation and I'm wondering if the double bass bash dates and location have been finalized as I hope to make it part of my itinerary.Any news?14th?15th?Other?

Thanks

Bob

I would go for it,I knew nothing about EUB's when I got started.

It looks like a version of the Stagg and the Stagg was a great introduction to upright bass playing for me.It will be a great learning experience and playing upright is just plain fun and you will feel like a "real" bass player once you get the feel of it and start to move with it.I gigged with my Stagg for a few months until a super deal on a Yamaha SLB200 came up so I sold the Stagg on.It won't sound like a DB but you will have fun once you get the very long fretless neck figured out.There are lots of online lessons and resources for DB that will be really useful to get started or maybe find a teacher to get you playing correctly.

What type of music do you plan to play on it?There are EUB demos and reviews that show them being used for everything from classical to jazz,latin genres and rock.I play in a couple of jazz bands and use the EUB almost all the time with only occasional blues tunes on EB when I need that punch.

Do it!

Good advice about renting and resources in the previous post.There are many online resources that cover just about everything about DB at different levels although a teacher would be a good idea if you can find one so you can get off to a good start and have someone to answer your questions.

For a variety of reasons(space and transport  and the Canadian climate) I went to an EUB instead of DB and got a Stagg and then moved on to a Yamaha SLB 200 and I love it.It is not a DB but it feels like one and can sound pretty close to an acoustic(save the discussion/arguments re DB vs EUB).I use my EB on a few songs but play only EUB  on most gigs with my jazz quartet and septet.

As many have said on here it is an instrument that just gets to you and you feel like a "real" bass player when you start to play.It is harder physically to play than an EB but it is so much fun that you want to work at it all the time, and it does take work...and then there is the bow to work with too!I started upright in my late 60's and now I'm almost 72 and if I can do it anyone can.

Go for it, and if you can borrow or rent first that would be the best route that will start you down the slippery slope of long necked fretless basses and into a whole new world.

How about some more encouragement from other upright players...let's go guys, he's ready to join the club.

I'll be 72 next May and play in two bands,a quartet that plays mostly jazz standards and a seven piece swing band that also plays a few Dixieland tunes.I average at least two gigs a month and usually two rehearsals a week in a practice room that is an hour from where I live.I also drive at least an hour to most gigs and that can be interesting in the middle of our Canadian winters.I play mostly my Yamaha SLB 200 EUB(standing up,I can't play sitting because I like to move around too much)but also my Yamaha electric bass and I play tenor banjo on some Dixie tunes while the bottom end is taken care of by a tuba player.Great fun and playing with really good players has improved my skills immensely, especially reading since some of our material is legit arrangements and the parts have to work together and the other members are great readers so I have to keep up.Band members ages are from 32 to me at 72.

I intend to keep playing and learning as long as I can which I hope will be a good while yet.I played my first gig 56 years ago and I have no plans to quit, even after some angioplasty and stent work on my heart in October .I missed one rehearsal but no gigs.

Keep going, it's easier with modern equipment as the OP and many others have pointed out.I still love playing gigs and in the bands I'm in a rehearsal is always a learning experience.

We are so lucky to have music in our lives!

2 hours ago, tinyd said:

+1 . On the other hand, if you want to keep the whole acoustic look-and-feel and you decide that you can live with amplification after all, you could always get a Ukulele bass. I tried one of these out recently and I really liked it - https://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/Laka-VUB60EA-Electro-Acoustic-Bass-Ukulele-Mahogany/1LLY

For portability you could match it with one of these https://www.roland.com/us/products/micro_cube_bass_rx/ and then you'd have a setup that you can take anywhere and even busk if it takes your fancy.

I agree with this,I assume the bass uke referred to above is a knock off of the Kala U Bass that comes in several versions and price ranges.A friend of mine just got one and plays it acoustically when she and her finger picking guitar playing husband practice their folk/pop songs.Obviously they are not very loud but they have found that it works for them.I have tried their U Bass acoustically and through a small guitar  combo amp and it sounds great and is a lot of fun to play.They will put it and the guitar and vocals through the PA when they gig.The U Bass also comes with a choice of strings and it would be worthwhile trying both before you buy, my friend settled on the wound strings instead of the very odd feeling plastic/rubber/whatever strings.There are lots of videos of the Kala U Bass and you can see it played in many styles from bluegrass to jazz.Based on my somewhat limited experience it's what I would choose for your situation or as others have suggested get a cheap EB or EUB and small combo amp.

I know you folks over there have been experiencing some winter weather recently but here in northern Ontario we are having a real Canadian winter. We have about 30cm of snow now and it was -23C last night but it has already warmed up to -17C and will be a balmy -8C this afternoon.It will be a cool and slippery drive to the gig tonight and we will be getting more snow.

Bob

Two things:
1.Often taking a break from working on something you find difficult and then trying it days/weeks/months/years later seems to work for me as the OP suggests.
2.Most important for me is to RELAX and not try so hard.I'm pretty hyper and getting more and more tense and trying really hard usually ends up badly with loads of frustration and finally just giving up on the thing I'm working on and assuming it's impossible.But if I think back to all the songs or licks that I thought were impossible over all my 57 years of playing it puts things in a better perspective, sometimes I amaze myself at what I've been able to figure out and play.Of course there are virtuoso bits that only a few talents can play but with work a lot of things are possible and as others have said sometimes you just have to simplify a bit to make it work for you.This also has worked for me in my amateur athletic endeavours(ice hockey-I'm Canadian,and showing horses)where relaxing and going with the flow works well and thinking too much and trying too hard can cause problems.
I know at rehearsals if I feel a lot of pressure to get something new perfect too soon I start to get tense and nervous and it all falls apart.A deep breath and realizing the world hasn't ended really helps, but it does take time.
End of sermon,I'm going to play some bass.

Or schedule it for a week later to avoid a weekend with 2 events that may thin the attendance for both?I'm still hoping to make it there for the bass bash but haven't booked a flight yet. Looking forward to meeting you folks and can work around any date since my late April gig was cancelled.

Bob

Thanks for your support and encouragement.You are a lovely bunch.

Bob

I had a bit of a jolt last Tuesday when my cardiologist decided that he should perform an angioplasty and insert a stent in my heart.Until a test two weeks earlier I didn't even know I had any heart problems.It all went well and I spent the night in the hospital.
When I got home the next day I was feeling pretty good and played my EUB(Yamaha SLB 200) for a while and did a few other things.Then on Saturday(4 days after the procedure) I drove(alone) to a gig about an hour and a half away in the wilds of Northern Ontario and we played a couple of sets that added up to almost 3 hours and then I drove home feeling great.We played well and had a good crowd.
I have been practicing a lot and although I don't feel any different physically I am having a lot of fun working on new material for both of the bands I am in.
Just a note to say that I am 71 and have been working full time as a farrier(including last weekend) for the last 26 years,I eat carefully,I go to exercise class,I am a skinny little guy and try to take care of myself and I still ended up with a heart issue-I guess you can't fight genetics.
Anyway I'm off to a rehearsal an hour away tonight and I'm getting ready for another angioplasty/stent session next Wednesday and then on to more music and more gigs.
Right now I'm going to plug in my new Traynor SB112 amp(love it-made in Canada!) and work on a few tunes.I am so glad to have music in my life!
Take care of yourselves everyone... and keep playing, it's good for you!

Bob

I tried the hand exercisers for a few weeks and found that using them aggravated my carpal tunnel problems so I decided that like Burns-bass I would get more benefit from playing my EUB more and it worked-physically and musically.

Most of my gigs are at least an hour's drive away and I take advantage of that time to get into the right mood for the gig.Since the band members are in different areas we all travel alone and that gives me the chance to mentally run through the sets and individual songs without distractions and make sure I know the material.I am also the frontman/MC for our band so I go over the intros/comments/humour aloud.I may look pretty silly to other drivers as I babble or sing to an empty car as I'm driving but it really helps doing things aloud.I suppose people just assume I'm on the phone hands free.By the time I get to the gig I'm pumped and ready to play and feel more confident that I really know the material.
This may not be a good idea in heavy traffic but up here in the boonies the highways are lightly travelled and it works for me.