ShergoldSnickers

[quote name='Mr Bassman' timestamp='1376784989' post='2179195'] Do you need the low B string? I'd think about converting it to four strings while you're messing with bridges and nuts [/quote] I don't [i][b]need[/b][/i] the low B - but it matches the tuning of my electric bass, so I'd like to keep it. Having it there is reassuring. I'll be taking the bass into Beverley Music Centre which comes highly recommended, and they can repair and set it up as they advise is best.

[quote name='oggiesnr' timestamp='1376676405' post='2177980'] Peter Elliott at Beverley Music is the guy to talk to. I've got his mobile number if you want it. Steve [/quote] That would be dead useful Steve - thanks!

Added some graphite to the string grooves on the bridge and nut. Helped restringing the B. Less of the creaking ship sound as the string passes over the bridge on tensioning. I'll get someone qualified to look at the bridge and seam repair, then I can ask them loads of annoying questions as well. Thanks for the advice everyone.

[quote name='Old Horse Murphy' timestamp='1376656308' post='2177447'] Looks like a Kenneth Williams Signature Model from that angle [/quote] Changes name from 'Matilda' to 'Matron'.

Incidentally, she's been dubbed 'Matilda', and is equipped with a low B rather than the high C that I originally thought. OK, first thing - bridge warp. I can sort this by careful steaming on both sides so it seems. Is this warp bad enough to require immediate string loosening? The focus is a bit awry, but you get the picture. The bridge also looks to be positioned too close to the fingerboard. Sprung seam. There is a gap in the bass side C bout where it meets the back. I understand any repairs must be done using hide glue. Is this a mandatory luthier repair, or something I could do? It's a 2mm gap at the maximum. The winding on the low B peg looks to be creating a nasty angle for the string, so should I rewind it? That leads me onto the string condition. Should they be replaced? The low B looks to have deteriorated where it bends over the bridge. The action at the nut is 3mm across all strings, and is 11mm at the fingerboard end on the low B, 13mm on the E, 15mm on the A, 12mm on the D and 10mm on the G. I'm confident in being able to file the nut and cut and file the bridge, but taking the bridge off risks the soundpost falling. Is there a knack to stop this? In general, the sound is quite powerful and projects well, and it holds tuning well. Once it's properly set up and repaired I'll see if I can post some sound clips.

[quote name='aonindy' timestamp='1376471779' post='2174263'] Really good score! ... matter of interest, what was the auction site? [/quote] It was on the [url="http://tennants.co.uk"]tennants.co.uk[/url] auction site. Doing further research it looks like it might have appeared in a [url="http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/20019/lot/186/"]Bonham's auction[/url] in October of 2012. Not sure if that's a good or a bad thing really.

[quote name='stevie' timestamp='1376406534' post='2173489'] What's wrong with the wheels - are they too small? I have 3" castors on my cab, and they're not great. [/quote] Smallish wheels reminiscent of skateboard wheels. Smooth surface... easy glide with no resistance Bumpy surface... the cab jolts about but it can still be moved reasonably easily. Just don't run. Very bumpy surface... carry it.

Oooooo..... not seen that Paul Chambers bass before, thanks for that.

[quote name='apa' timestamp='1376333118' post='2172357'] I really like that alot. The head is well carved. Has an Enigmatic quality Nice colour to. Good buy there. I'd be intrigued about its history with that sort of feature on it. A [/quote] Ah bit of research... here's the chap who made it, Steve Eggleton: [url="http://www.rowancroft.net/photo.asp?id=182"]http://www.rowancrof...hoto.asp?id=182[/url]

[quote name='Myke' timestamp='1376326915' post='2172197'] Them buttons confused me!! [/quote] Yes... sorry, those are screen shots from the auction site... no image copying allowed. [quote name='fatback' timestamp='1376326986' post='2172198'] Love the headstock A bit like the figurehead on a sailing ship but without the bosoms. [/quote] If it doesn't work out, I can always convert it into a rowing boat.

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1376330433' post='2172271'] What was the winning bid? [/quote] Estimate at £1000 to £1500. It went for £800, which I wasn't realistically expecting, but I thought it was worth the punt. It was.

I thought that having 5 strings might put a few off, so put a slightly cheeky bid in. It paid off. It's a risk as it's bought unseen in the flesh, although the many photos showed nothing particularly worrying. Really looking forward to getting to grips with this instrument.

Successfully bid for a 5 string double bass at an auction over the weekend! You might be seeing a bit more of me in here. More photos when I pick it up. Sound post is in position, minor scuffs/damage here and there, and the extra string is a high C, which makes most sense to me. Got to learn how to play the thing now.

[quote name='CalJock' timestamp='1375689782' post='2164177'] Thanks for all the advice so far! Those TKS cabs look very nice, but their standard 212 looks like it's coming in at £430, which means I'd only be able to run 1 of them. This is where I get confused, due to the specs one TKS cab them matches 2 bc212s in terms of power handling and impedance, but it has less speakers so is it then not going to be able to physically push as much air and therefore be quieter? Or am i just being dumb? [/quote] You are not being dumb - just asking the right questions. Higher spec cabs will use higher spec speakers. As well as increasing the diameter - and surface area - of a speaker, and moving from 10" to 12" speakers for example, the other way of getting more volume is to increase the amount of back and forth movement a speaker can make. If you increase this distance, you are moving more air. Cheap speakers tend to have only a small number of millimetres of pistonic movement available, and will soon horribly distort the sound when fed too much power. This pistonic excursion distance is known technically as the X-max value. Generally, the higher the better, although as it increases, the power necessary to make use of this capacity also increases. You need a bigger amp to take advantage. Given a particular diameter speaker, and an X-max value, the volume of air that can be potentially moved can be worked out. This is known as the Volume Displacement or Vd figure. The bigger that is, the higher sound pressure level you'll get. By use of quality speakers, it's possible to get a 2x12 cab that will shift as much air as a decent 4x10 or even a 6x10 that use inferior speakers. This is not a cheap option though, as using high quality speakers in a cab design will push up the cost. Speaker and cab design is a complex subject, and this is not the whole story, but it gives an indication of some of the factors involved. There are a few manufacturers who do design cabs properly, [url="http://barefacedbass.com"]Barefaced[/url] and [url="http://www.extendedaudiodesign.co.uk"]EAD[/url] are two that immediately spring to mind.

Some stunning stuff on here. Just stunning.

[quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1372437299' post='2125800'] Five weeks!? Wow, BF have upped their game. Mine was about seven months! :-D Enjoy [/quote] They've spent an awful lot of time and care sorting out the new CNC machine to properly take the ply they use apparently. I hope it really pays off for them.

Card 'thickness' is measured in grams per square metre. The higher the gsm value, usually the thicker the card. There is only a direct correlation when considering a particular sample of product though, such as Ivory board for example. Some card is textured, and will therefore be slightly thicker than a non-textured card of the same gsm value, providing the card used in each is of equivalent density prior to texturing. Then there is the way in which the card has been manufactured............. ever wish you hadn't bothered starting something?

[quote name='KevB' timestamp='1371204341' post='2111111'] Really makes you appreciate the effort that they put into Gabriel's Sledgehammer video [/quote] It certainly gives you an appreciation of the budget Mr Gabriel had to play with.

All very silly. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqXCzrw9kDA[/media]

This is like watching the intro to Thunderbirds in very, very slow motion.

Entertaining, poignant, informative and witty. Gem of a programme.

Desperately sad news. I was in a band with his brother Andy in the late 70s. I lasted two weeks before they moved on.

Great project with plenty to get your teeth into, and the Ripper is a classy shape. Good luck with this, and I'll definitely be keeping an eye on progress.

Who-da-funk-it Large Funktron Collider Fun Kit

There's quite a few of us from these parts.