neilp

On 08/04/2025 at 21:05, Vaughan Redfern said:

I bought my bass from the Double Bass Room about 4 years ago and would recommend it. Very friendly and good advice and the opportunity to try various basses.  The luthier, as far as I know is Jerome Davies who sorted out my bass when a crack appeared.  Jerome is a jazz bassist and a generally nice guy. 

Jerome is also an absolutely brilliant luthier, and is currently building me a bass, which I confess to being ridiculously excited about! I'd recommend him over just about anyone

27 minutes ago, MacDaddy said:

On the Amazon, the first page of results for 'Double bass bow' has DB bows priced from £17.55 to £3,732.71.

 

Where's a good place to start for a tightarse beginner?

Step away from the computer! Telephone Thwaites, or Malcolm Healey, or Caswells, and talk to a person. Better still, go to Thwaites and give them a budget and see what they have

On 30/09/2024 at 22:05, NickA said:

Those kids in the NYO, who are better than I'll ever be, had evidently been well taught a particular style.  Given any kind of lyrical pizz line at orchestra I dump my bow and go jazz... not possible for odd notes and snatches due to clutching the bow whilst pizzing, so symphonic plonk it is.  I'd like to know more about different styles of pizz for different music tho. Eg I doubt Beethoven had heard of mwah or considered the concept of flowing pizz... Bernstein on the other hand...

I was one of those kids once upon a time! Did Mahler 2 and the Rite of Spring with NYO, among other things...

When you're playing in a section - even Bernstein - the discipline of being exactly together means there is almost no room for the looseness that other styles of music with only one bass might encourage. Even Bernstein has to be meticulously rehearsed so that the whole section feels exactly the same groove and applies the same amount of swing. Thats probably why its very rare to see an orchestral player abandon the arched hand above the fingerboard and go for the side of the finger down near the bridge! too much variation in tone to allow the 8 players to meld as a section. Bartok and Shostakovich had some interesting ideas about pizz, but that might be a discussion for another day....

In my youth, when I was seriously pursuing a musical career, my thumb lived consistently exactly behind my second finger. In my early 20s I had a car accident and broke the scaphoid in my left hand. Since then  the base of my left thumb has been slightly deformed and slightly less mobile, so my thumb has migrated to a comfortable position closer to my first finger. There has to be some flexibility in technique to allow for individual anatomy  - my long 2nd and 3rd fingers make thumb position interesting too - but try not to deviate too far from the "ideal", what initially feels good may end up doing you damage!

On 28/09/2024 at 12:10, NickA said:

Right hand not great either.   Manages to make a nice old( German?) bass sound like a thumpy laminate.

 

I'm not sure enough emphasis is put on the plucking hand.  Classical bass teachers seem to know nothing about it; pizz being "unimportant". My orchestra friends always pluck too low down the strings and straight across them, resulting in a thuddy "plonk".  I went to a National Youth Orchestra concert a bit back and their whole bass ection did the 90o across the strings pluck, but with two fingers and well over the fingerboard..probably this is the sound that classical composers expect when they write a bit of bass pizz into their symphonies etc; but it won't help us play Jazz!

 

Ron looks pretty good to me, both left and right hands; but his intonation on "piccolo" is awful, quite some hubris to release that.

 

Classical pizz technique is entirely different from jazz, and varies dramatically with the era of the music, not to mention the colour required in the music. A good classical teacher will absolutely spend time on pizzicato technique, but unfortunately good teachers are less common than mediocre ones....

On 25/09/2024 at 13:23, hpc364 said:

I do think it because people prefer reading and writing than listening, you listened a bit to what I did, so I really thank you.

We've got so many great players and instructors on YouTube, that's a chance.

It helps a lot.

Do you know him ?

He mixed all fingerings.

I would like to know your opinion.

 

He's obviously enjoying his playing, so that's great. If you're looking for a player to model your left hand on, please look elsewhere. His intonation is shaky, precisely because of the limitations of his left hand. He's clearly found ways to "play around" the technical issues, but it's so much easier to do a good job in a band if your tuning is secure. Absolutely the number one issue for bassists, me included!

From your videos, I can se you've made some really good progress, well done! Now might be the time to make some tweaks with the help of a good teacher, to solve some of the visible issues which will hold you back or cause problems later. Please don't react defensively, we all need help with left hand technique and from your comments I'd suggest you look again at Simandl and listen with a more critical ear. In the lower positions the intonation issues can easily go unnoticed! I wish you joy in your journey, and the best advice I can give is at least consider the advice that's given. 30 years gives a different perspective than 7 months!

When I gave up serious competitive sailing about 10 years ago, I turned my beautiful, highly competitive but elderly (relatively) Flying Dutchman dinghy into a new bow from Andrew McGill. Its a thing of beauty, and when I demonstrate to students the difference between an OK bow and the real deal, it always leaves them open mouthed. Do make sure you have anything you're considering on trial with something to compare it with, it took me 3 weeks for the McGill bow to grab me, but when it did.... It will never be for sale!!

Don't expect picking up a good technique on double bass to be easy. I've been playing since I was 15, studied at the Royal College of Music, played in the National Youth Orchestra, and I still find the bass far harder than any other instrument that I play. You can get by and have fun, by all means, but that's not the same as really playing. Don't be put off, but expect to put in the work (for more than 7 months) or accept a minimal standard of competence

McCartney. I love the Beatles, but when I listen to McCartneys bass lines, with a few honourable exceptions, I hear simplistic approach, ill considered note lengths, a lack of groove and precision. I think he was a better guitarist than bass player. The fact that he comes across as Mr Fake, and he's an arrogant prick in real life (I said good morning to him at a sailing club once, and he told me to f*** off and stop hassling him), probably doesn't help

On 11/01/2024 at 16:39, Beedster said:

I've owned a 4/4 upright that I bought as a kit from Germany in 2015 and which as such is my longest standing item of gear. Until that point I'd played 3/4, but the moment I played the larger beats I knew I felt more at home. This is nothing to do with my stature, I'm 5'11'', with quite small hands. It's not really something I thought about until recently when I started gigging a 3/4 for al the wrong reasons and in doing missed the larger bass.

 

Anyway, i was reading over on Talkbass the opinions of a regular poster and apparent expert on DB that 4/4 instruments are very much an anachronism, unnecessary in an age of advanced string technology, good quality amplification etc. He even suggested that owner of 4/4 instruments will not be able to sell them therefore their value is significantly below 3/4 instruments of equivalent quality. 

 

Seems that much like my affection for large and heavy 1980's Mesa amps my affection of 4/4 basses is out of keeping with the current zeitgeist? 

 

Not that I give a flying f**k really! But it did leave me wondering just how many folks her plays 4/4 and why?

Was that Ken Smith by any chance?? Ken knows everything, to the point of telling me that my beautiful and gorgeous sounding 19th century German blockless bass was utterly valueless and needed complete restoration, blocks fitted, new neck, overstand adjustment, conversion to shorter mensure and D neck, and even then it would be barely worth matchwood. This is a bass thats been appraised at £12-15K

For what it's worth, my bass has a string length just under 110cm, and an Eb neck. I bought it because of the way it felt and sounded, without even thinking about string length. The only slight issue for me is the higher string tension, which is mostly solved by using Kaplan Lights. Play what you enjoy and don't worry about what self-appointed Gurus say!

My Extension - which you can see in my avatar - was built by Pete Barnaby and fitted by Martyn Bailey. I love it, but not everyone gets on with mechanical extensions, so I'd suggest "try before you buy"! Mine has a hole through the scroll for the string, which is almost un-noticable but might not be the way to go if you have an 18th century Italian bass! Martyn did a fantastic job of fitting it, and the extension itself is a beautiful piece of engineering.

Jerome Davies looks after my bass when it needs work, and I'd highly recommend him for any work, including a fingered extension.

The Stones are now nothing more than a very average Rolling Stones tribute act. Coverdale can't even manage that, Madge is some kind of banned circus act and Bryan Ferry is just painful.

On the other hand, Springsteen and the E Street Band were incredible on the latest tour. Not like 1985 - or even 2013 - but still full of life and uplifting energy. And Robert Plant may look like he died 10 years ago, but the voice is still smooth as velvet.

I don't care what Jagger or McCartney or Coverdale want to do, I won't be subsidising their Zimmer Frame Tour, but the ones who can still do it and still have something to offer? Oh yes....

If anyone is interested I might be able to bring my DB - mid 19th century German 

@cetera - Charvel 3B, ESP Surveyor '87, Fender FSR PJ Precision, Hamer Impact, Italia Imola, Spector NS2, Spector Euro, Spector EuroX (Spectorbird), Spector Pulse II, Spector Dimension 4HP, Gallien Krueger 400RB & Legacy800 heads, GenzBenz Neox 2x12 cab

@TheGreek - All short scale this year - a @Jabba_the_gut scale 5er, Mini Ray, Short scale P bass

@Harlequin74 - Zoot Performer, Status Shark, Spector QV4 , Markbass TTE501 and Matching CAB. Maybe the Lehle Basswitch…

@Frank Blank - @Jabba_the_gut short scale fretted and fretless, JMJ Mustang, QSC K12.2, Grace Design Alix

@TrevorR - Mk 1 Wal, Wal Pro IIE, Aria SB700, Frankenjazz, pedals and MarkBass LMII & Traveler 2x10

@bnt - travelling light, probably a couple of pedals such as T-Rex Diva Drive, Orange KongPressor

@bass_dinger - 1999 Washburn XB500, 1994 Washburn XB500, Washburn XB925 in zebrawood, Washburn XB925 in bits, Boulder Creek 5 string (likely to be for sale, SWR Workingmans 12.

@greentext- 2008 Spector NS4-H2, 2015 Sandberg VS4, 2000 Trace Elliot T-Bass, my pedalboard and my tin of picks 😈

@prowla- Probably a couple of Rickenbackers and some interesting oddities. Amp-wise a Markbass EVO and a 1x12 (last year I bought some others to try and never switched them on, as the EVO sounded spot-on).

@SuperSeagull - Status S2, Feline P Bass, Modded Fender Lyte, Flea Jazz, MB Combo

@Merton - various short and medium scale ACGs, Zoots and Conway basses, Barefaced cabs, modern Trace Elliot amps

@MacDaddy Shuker (probably no3), Snapdragon Folding Bass, possibly a Rob Allen Mouse.

@neilp - matching pair of fretted and fretless 1980 Aria SB1000s, possibly my fretless Wal mk1, Ashdown ABM500/Ampeg 4x10, Tech 21 Bass Fly Rig

Everything that's distasteful and unlikeable about the current "music" business right there...... I listened for 30 seconds. 30 seconds of my life I'll never get back....

On 24/07/2023 at 19:01, StingRayBoy42 said:

That looks amazing... One for the wish list!

That's what I use - on my second now. It's great - vey comfortable

OK, what it is is less certain than what it isn't! It isn't Italian, and it isn't 1810. My guess would be it's a German/Tirolean factory bass, anywhere between 1900 and 1960's. It looks like the shoulders have been extended to give a longer string length. What is the string length? this will help determine what it is. If the timber is decent and it's not too heavily built, it might be very nice with a bit of careful repair and setting up. Nick and I totally agree on this - DON'T have it restored! Get what is necessary done to make it stable and crack free. Play it for a bit to see how it sounds and feels, then if you like it get a good bridge fitted and some nice strings and enjoy!

If he's 12, I'd wonder if he's big enough and strong enough to handle a 3/4? Sounds like a 1/2 would be a better bet for now. Take advice from his teacher, but given that he's likely to grow rapidly in the next year ish, a 1/2 size may be right now but not in 6 months. With that in mind, I'd suggest renting until growing has happened and you can go looking for a good student 3/4 to last him until music college looms. I have a good friend who has a fleet of nice rental basses of various sizes, she might be able to help, but she is in West Sussex! Let me know if you want her details

Neil

The verses are drums and guitar only, bass comes in in the chorus. Andy Fraser was know to play the chorus in either octave, sometimes changing mid chorus. Can't blame him for trying to make it interesting, it's a deeply dull song

I missed the narrow neck bit!

On 02/04/2023 at 23:15, Bloopdad1 said:

Don't forget that it's a blockless bass (no neck block). 

Saxon/Tyrolean/southern German around 1880

It's a decent old bass and once sorted should sound better than any laminate instrument. 

Providing as you said that the table is in good nick, the work described (bridge, post, tail piece etc) is reflectively cosmetic. 

It's defiantly worth the investment. 

Once repaired get a price to have it converted to standard construction from blockless. 

That's why the fingerboard is wider than the neck - to replace the neck from a 3 string width to 4, the  conversion from blockless will need to be done first. Then you can have a new neck grafted to the new block. 

One of my basses is blockless - it has an absolutely superb sound, better than many Italian basses I've played worth well over £80k.

That's why they are often called "blockless wonders" in orchestral circles. 

Word of caution - the fitting of a block and new neck is not cheap (circa £2K), and you're not gauranteed to end up with a better bass, whatever Ken Smith says. He has a vested interest in getting people to spend unnecessary money on blockless basses - it means that all of these relatively cheap basses become far more expensive, so bolstering the price of even ordinary blocked basses. If there are no structural problems, and it sounds good and plays well, leave the f...ing thing alone!! My bass is blockless, albeit rather earlier than this one, and sounds glorious in every register. Quite happily holds its own in the bass section of CBSO. In the 7 years I've had it, never had any structural issues related to neck or lack of a block. Get this thing repaired, put some strings and a new bridge on it and enjoy it!

On 27/02/2023 at 15:26, tommyjamesallen said:

That’s nice old German bass and would be well worth repairing properly. I’m pretty sure plenty of people would gladly offer you £1200 for it. 

This! I'd give you the £1200 right now, as it is

On 26/02/2023 at 21:49, NickA said:

You mày be right. It's better than I originally thought.  The table is pretty good, one mended split and no warping.

 

But until we spend a load on it we won't know.  Hopefully the orchestra coffers will get the end pin and sound post sorted, we'll get a better tail piece on there and then we'll see if it's worth doing the bridge.

 

Thing is, it total repairs go over £1200 we could have bought a decent 60s Czech laminate.

Even a "decent" 60s Czech laminate is a pretty unpleasant thing. Purely judging by the look of the timber and the finish, there is a nice bass there trying to get out

I think that bass deserves a little better than what you have planned for it!