geoffbassist

I've not played one but he has a great reputation as a trusted luthier who's instruments are used by some top players. His basses look to be beautifully made so he's certainly worth considering.

In the last year or so Musical chairs has had a small number of sellers passing off poorly made, modern basses as older, 'named' instruments. So, I would approach that route with caution if you are unsure, but there's also lots of genuine basses/sellers on there. It's a shame as there's traditionally been some great basses on MC. Like buying from eBay etc you just need to get checks done when buying older basses. I would also highly recommend Martyn Bailey if you are considering a modern bass. I can't say enough good stuff about his repair/restorations and his instruments are incredible. + Golia and Penning are superb. There's a lot of great options for new instruments! Enjoy your search :-)

[quote name='benbastin' timestamp='1446116335' post='2896968'] I use D'addario Zyex. I love them. They are a slightly louder version of the evah pirazzi's. Think evahs with a hint of spiros [/quote] +1 that's exactly what I thought. Very nice string.

I love their bass guitar and double bass strings. Great prices, easy to get hold of and well made. I'm a fan!

Another +1 for Evah weichs. I also love the Belcanto, but didn't manage to get good results when amplified so I don't think they would cut it for a big band gig. For me and my bass Evahs are the best hybrid choice by a long way.

I have nightmares about such things :-)

I've been mixing things up and my newest video is a string review. Evah Pirazzi Weich but with an Oliv G. I'm really loving the gut G but am not sure which I prefer yet...it was surprising how easy the Oliv is to bow, it's very similar to the regular Evah G in that respect. It's also a lot thicker gauge...possibly even bigger than the Evah weich D, but it's very easy to play and the set blends really well. My main concern is that this experiment has been feeding my gut string GAS! Here's the video if you want to hear some playing pizz/arco playing examples. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnuwVonqIwU

Hey Steve, congrats on all the great work you are doing. I was just reading your thread and wanted to recommend some great classical lessons on Youtube that you might find helpful if you are looking for some new material. Lauren Pierce is fantastic. [media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWg_C_WY9Ls[/media] Andrew Anderson's videos are also superb. [url="https://youtu.be/gZ4ctFAe7r0"][media]https://youtu.be/gZ4ctFAe7r0[/media][/url] I would also recommend trying out the orchestra as soon as possible and I've heard the cobweb orchestra is really friendly from a few friends who have been going to one near me. Best of luck with it, cheers Geoff

Hey Iain, I would recommend the EA 12 Wizzy Mline, it's the best cab for upright I've tried and the electric tone is decent. I think it's a good trade off if the upright tone is important to you...if that's less of an issue I would go for Aguilar, Bergs etc...and get an awesome electric bass cab that would also work well for upright.. I do more upright so went with the Mline, but if it was the other way around I would probably go with Aguilar or Berg.

[quote name='deepbass5' timestamp='1440449033' post='2850908'] As an electric only player, I did go down the 2 x 12" Mline route, so i would have a flexible rig for big band jazz and function band gigs. As Geoff is suggesting I found 2 x 12" Mline OTT for function band as at volume the bass was too pronounced I couldn't get away from it or EQ it out. mine were both 8ohm. I love just the one for jazz low volume but now have 2x12 Berg for function band gigs. so to sum up the porting works as designed to allow a small combo to hear the acoustic bass at low volume but not recommended for electric high volume gigs, Geoff may get away with this as only one is Mline. hope this is useful [/quote] I agree with this and I would love a 2x12 berg for function work on bass guitar.

[quote name='TheG' timestamp='1440435306' post='2850709'] Hey Geoff what is the difference between the normal 12"Wizzy and the Mline? I've got a Wizzy 10" with an EA Doubler for double bass. I really like the sound. Its nice and punchy. [/quote] The Mline has a slightly larger enclosure and is different porting. It's got side vents and it makes a big difference, it's a lot softer and less mid focused than the regular 12. That's still a great cab, but I find the Mline really suits acoustic instruments. I would LOVE a 10" or 8"Mline for smaller gigs!

Thanks Tim, I really appreciate that and I'm glad you are enjoying the lessons :-)

When I was teaching double bass in schools the endangered list seemed to open up the odd pot of money for helping students get started with upright and I think they pick a different instrument each year to highlight. I've seen funding of fractional size basses or free lessons etc...There's certainly a lot of challenges such as lack of specialist tuition due to low student numbers and low student numbers due to the challenges of getting access to a playable instrument. It is a hassle to get started, but once you get theres a TON of playing opportunities. It's amazing how few upright bassists there out there, but I've noticed a lot more adults getting into it recently. I think a big problem in this country is access to an affordable + playable instrument, although there are a few import options such as Thomman etc who seem to be doing great stuff with making sure they are set up properly etc. If you consider how good/affordable the entry level bass guitars are now compared to 20 years ago I would love to see similar progress with the double bass. ....all that said they are still worth the effort of getting started. I put it off for a few years as I couldn't find an instrument etc....and I wish I had started earlier!

[quote name='TheRev' timestamp='1438182043' post='2832351'] Cheers Geoff - I suspected that it wasn't an easy thing to do. I've oiled/lubed the worm and the gear and fiddled about with the screw that attaches the gear tot he roller, but the E tuner is still stiff and creaky. Are there other parts of the machine that I can oil up or loosen in some way? I've seen the Baker machines before and much as I love to have a set, they're about 60% of the vale of my bass - and that's before they're even fitted. My luthiery skills are minimal and hampered by lack of time and patience! Although I'd rather have plate style machines, I wonder if the single machines like these would be easier to fit? [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/rubner_doublebass_machines_4_string.htm"]http://www.thomann.d...es_4_string.htm[/url] As long as the holes in the pegbox are big enough for the rollers, then it would be a simple matter of four small holes per tuner, no? Cheers Dave [/quote] I'm afraid I'm rubbish at this stuff. Hopefully a more skilled Basschatter will be able to throw some ideas out there. :-)

Hey Dave, I chatted recently with Martyn Bailey about the idea of retrofitting tuning machines and he suggested it was a job for a luthier as there's a ton of variables...I guess if you have some luthier skills it may be worth trying yourself, but double basses are all so different that I think it would be worth getting them fitted by a luthier.....and of course first trying to improve the function of the ones you have with some oil etc...especially as it could get quite expensive fitting new machines once you add in the labor costs, but I would recommend checking out Martyn's if you want some really nice ones. They are certainly the best I've used. http://www.mjbl.co.uk/doubl-bass-machines.html That said I've never actually tried to do it myself and it may be something you could do easily...but I would expect it's more likely to be a tough thing to do.

[quote name='dove' timestamp='1437897070' post='2829744'] Thanks for the comments guys. When you say "[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]For all upright gigs the Mline is always enough" Geoff do you mean Mline 4ohm and just a Clarus head,or is the Clarus a combo?[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]I also like PJB 5" speakers and an alternative for me might be a Super Flightcase (300watts),same price as a pair [/font][/color][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]of wizzys, and I was pretty happy with my Fightcase (150watts) just needed more volume occasionally.[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]I don't play electric bass at all so my focus is on DB.[/font][/color] [/quote] It's the single 12" 4ohm Wizzy Mline cab and the Clarus head. It's a really loud small rig and covers everything I do. I would just like a slightly smaller/lighter cab for drummerless gigs so the crazy 8 sounds like it's worth me checking out. I've also heard very good reports of the PJB gear so I would consider adding to that rig if it's working of you tone wise, I love the compact form.

[quote name='dove' timestamp='1437816402' post='2829215'] . Thanks for that Geoff ,after some of my own research I have come round to the Mline 12"as you say. I recently bought a AI coda series4 which sounds great but I need more volume/power. I was thinking of buying an EA wizzy 12 Mline 4ohm version. I figure that with the AI combo sat on top this would give more watts although I may be making a mistake mixing ohms like this .I realise the wizzy would be doing more work than the AI cab but this may not be a bad thing.The AI cab to me is only usable for acoustic gigs without a drummer,it sounds sweet at half volume but struggles as you turn it up.I could then add a second EA wizzy 12 4ohm and just use the AI head for bigger gigs as the AI should deliver 650 watts into 2 ohms (i.e. 2x 4ohm EA wizzys).This would in effect give me three setups.Having said all that I open to any advice on offer. I bought the AI combo rates at 350 watts but it sure don't feel like it at a gig,I have been using a PJB flight case rated at 150 watts and there not much between them…..!!! I'm also not sure whether the AI speaker outputs are series or parallel or what difference this would make…..??? AS for the crazy 8,looks interesting but would really want to try first,most reviews seem to be from builders rather than users! [/quote] I've got a regular 12 wizzy and the Mline with a series 3 Clarus and it works great at 2ohms. I run both cabs for electric bass function band work. For all upright gigs the Mline is always enough. The regular wizzy is a touch smaller/lighter and I use that on its own for small bass guitar gig, but it's the m line for all upright work. I had the same experience with the AI speakers and 10" wizzy. It's such a shame EA don't do an 8 or 10" Mline cab as I would love a smaller cab for very small duo gigs etc.

...sorry I've just re read the OP and spotted you are referring to the 10".

One quick side note on the EA wizzy cabs is that the 12" Mline is far superior for upright than their regular 12" wizzy IMO. I've got both and the regular is a great cab, but it's all about the Mline for me and I'm sure the Eden wouldn't be comparable due to the difference in cabinets. The Mline has some crazy porting. I've also heard great reports of the crazy 8 and would love to try one.

Hey Andy, congrats on the new bass and I hope you enjoy the lessons. Cheers Geoff

I like the look of their handle placements, they seems really practical. http://www.db-bass.com/db-bass/Handle.html

[quote name='zero9' timestamp='1436360128' post='2817467'] I have the Obligatos on my Stentor and they're a great string for pizz, very stable, great tone. Similar in tension to Spiracore Weich's. Can't compare them to the Eva's though. If your bass is really that quiet, get it checked out, as suggested previously. It depends on the 'acoustic setting' though, as DB can be difficult to hear depending on who you're competing with. [/quote] I'm a big fan of Obligato and also love Evah Weich which I would recommend. It's such a tough thing as strings do tend to feel and respond differently, but those and D'Addario Zyex light would be my preferences for a set which meets you goals. The Velvets are very different from what you have which may be a good thing, or perhaps a bit too different.... they do feel too different to me and so far I've not taken to them, but tons of great bassists use and love them.

wow, I'm listening to Mark Ronson's version of Valerie at Glasto and the bass is incredible. Jay has such a great groove and his playing is really tasteful!

Thommann sounds like a good option, but I would also second the advice to check out luthiers in your area, both Tim Toft and Turners may be worth a trip. I would be wary of buying from Ebay unless you are able to get the instrument checked by someone, but basschat would be worth checking to see if there's a suitable second hand instrument.