Richard Jinman

1 hour ago, Oomo said:

Thank you for this post - as a lefty that occasionally gets the urge to try DB (and then gets frustrated at being a lefty with no instruments to try out...), hearing about what a pain it is somehow makes me feel a little better

Glad to be of service. I should add that there’s something about the degree of difficulty - no frets, no neck markers - that is addictive in a masochistic way. When you play something in tune it’s like winning the lottery. 

59 minutes ago, Richard Jinman said:

1. The strings are how much? I recall weighing up whether to buy a set of EB flats for £60. Peanuts! A used set of Spirocores for £110 now feels like a bargain. 
 

2. That neck. When Precision players talk about ‘baseball bat’ necks they’re having a laugh. If a P bass has a bat for a neck a DB has a drainage pipe.

 

3. The pain. Blister-callus-blister repeat. Numb fingers, numb hand. Back ache, neck ache. 
 

4. playing in front of the mirror to check left hand position can send you slightly mad.

 

5. DB’s don’t bounce. Drop an EB and you get a bit of mojo. Drop a DB and you get a £££ repair bill (if you’re lucky).

 

6. Age is all relative. Look at a 1969 Fender and think ‘wow, that’s really old’. Look at a 1950s Czech DB and think ‘well at least it’s relatively new’.

7. There’s a lot less GAS. Got a DB with a pickup and you’re sorted. Secondhand DBs appear in the for sale section at a fraction of the rate of EBs. I should be due for a new DB in about 6 years. Maybe.

 

8. You have to hear notes instead of learning shapes. Wait, all those EB patterns I spent months learning are redundant? Crap.

 

9. DB’s are portable in the same way telephone boxes are portable. 
 

10. I absolutely love the sound of the DB… so much so that points 1-9 don’t really matter. 

 

11. Thumb position. Wait, I'm supposed to fret the string with the edge of my thumb? Then fret the string in front of it? Blister-callus-blister etc...

59 minutes ago, zbd1960 said:

As a cellist I sympathise about the cost of strings. Fortunately you don't need to change them too often - a new C string for me is £125

Blimey ... how much is a full set? Not £500, surely?

48 minutes ago, Happy Jack said:

And you have to hear feedback (and deal with it) before the audience does. 😂

Wait, they feed back? 😉

59 minutes ago, lownote said:

I'm lucky in that, try though I might, I can't bear the sound of a DB. So points 1-9 simply reenforce my disinclination to buy one.

Heresy!😲

1. The strings are how much? I recall weighing up whether to buy a set of EB flats for £60. Peanuts! A used set of Spirocores for £110 now feels like a bargain. 
 

2. That neck. When Precision players talk about ‘baseball bat’ necks they’re having a laugh. If a P bass has a bat for a neck a DB has a drainage pipe.

3. The pain. Blister-callus-blister repeat. Numb fingers, numb hand. Back ache, neck ache. 
 

4. playing in front of the mirror to check left hand position can send you slightly mad.

5. DB’s don’t bounce. Drop an EB and you get a bit of mojo. Drop a DB and you get a £££ repair bill (if you’re lucky).

6. Age is all relative. Look at a 1969 Fender and think ‘wow, that’s really old’. Look at a 1950s Czech DB and think ‘well at least it’s relatively new’.

7. There’s a lot less GAS. Got a DB with a pickup and you’re sorted. Secondhand DBs appear in the for sale section at a fraction of the rate of EBs. I should be due for a new DB in about 6 years. Maybe.

8. You have to hear notes instead of learning shapes. Wait, all those EB patterns I spent months learning are redundant? Crap.

9. DB’s are portable in the same way telephone boxes are portable. 
 

10. I absolutely love the sound of the DB… so much so that points 1-9 don’t really matter. 

31 minutes ago, Clarky said:

Update: had viewing yesterday evening. The BCer concerned is sleeping on it and expects to come back to me with a yay or a nay at some point today

Good luck… hope it sells so I can stop looking at it and wondering what I could sell to raise the necessary 

Love the scars … electric basses don’t know the meaning of ‘road worn’. GLWTS.

That’s so red it’s hurting my eyes.

37 minutes ago, twodinners said:

Hi Richard

 

Just registering my jnterest, I'll pm you.

 

Kevin

Thanks Kevin

A recent foray into upright bass means I'm not playing my electric basses a great deal. This is the P bass I spent a long time trying to find. Firstly, because I was smitten by the natural ash with black scratchplate appearance, but also because the PB70 has a relatively narrow (40mm) nut. I believe this bass has passed through the hands of a couple of BassChatters who will hopefully confirm any details I omit (or don't know). But what I understand is that this is the non-export version which means it had US hardware and pickups etc. When I acquired the bass I swapped the original PUPs for Custom Shop '62s (brand new, professionally installed), but the original PUPs are part of the sale if you want to restore it to full original. The condition of the bass is extraordinarily good... excellent really. Particularly given its early 90s provenance. I can't find any marks or dings on the body. There is a miniscule indent on the side of the neck, but it has no impact on playability. I don't really have the kit to weigh it accurately, but every review of this model I've seen has it at about 4.2-4.3kg. The period correct tuners all work perfectly and it is strung with a very. new set of LaBella Deep Talkin Flats. It sounds amazing and feels amazing (to me at least) because of the extremely playable neck. Frets all in great condition. There's a Non-OEM hard case (pictured) which won't win any awards, but does the job. The bass is in South Somerset, but I do come to London fairly frequently so I could bring it to EC2. Alternatively, I will post it at buyer's expense (using a decent courier). Thanks for looking. 

It’s the nerves that get me. Stupid, because I’ve only ever played small venues to small groups of people who were there to see someone else. But walking onto the (tiny) stage always sends my pulse racing (not in a good way) and I’m convinced I’m going to make a mistake that everyone will remember. Feels good afterwards, but so does walking on hot coals (I’m told). 

Pm’d

A birthday bass for this 58 year old, but will have to settle for socks as usual.

Stunning…. 

A very capable compression pedal. It’s red and black and has switches. 

Anyone looking for a Kliq strap (£15) or brand new S locks (£8)?

Lovely looking thing in the best (IMO) colour scheme there is. GLWTS

17 hours ago, oldslapper said:

Absolutely!! One of my favourite colour combinations. Looks great and a bargain. 
Have more than enough P’s (sadly)

Lovely dark fingerboard too… 

Yeah, why is it still here? Looks gorgeous ... 

9 hours ago, Turbineclimber said:

If I had a J Bass you know what would be on that...

Yeah, but was hoping it was more interesting than that… perhaps not. Gorgeous looking bass in any case. 

Is there a story behind the ‘P’ on the guard? Would love to hear it.

Hi, I’ve been learning bass fairly intensively for a couple of years and am now keen to play with other musicians. I’m 58 so I have a suspicion the average band won’t want to play with their ‘dad’. Wondering if there are any age appropriate musos in the south Somerset area who are in a similar position and would just like to get together and play? I’m in Babcary about 20mins from Yeovil, but will travel. Cheers Richard

Bought a couple of Italia straps from Owen and love them… start of an expensive habit I suspect.

This makes me feel a bit insecure…