Shaker

You could also try Jerome Davies, who is based in Sissinghurst. Very good, quick and great VFM. [color="#009933"]www.[b]jeromedavies[/b].com[/color] Shaker

Bilbo I would like to be in a band called 'Inate Mistrust of Deferred Gratification'..I see it as fusion of Jazz, Prog Rock and Beer. Good luck with the horn:) Shaker

Bilbo Sadly fremiester and dlloyd are absolutely right, but there is light at the end of the tunnel...and it can come quite quickly...the light that is. I started on Alto and moved to Soprano a year or so later, inspired by Jan Garbarek, and here is what I learned. You play another instrument already, so the main 'problems' you need to solve are the physical ones...blowing, fingering and living with reeds, ligs and mouthpieces. You already know how music fits together, and reading and (hopefully) taste. 20 minutes a day every day (and twice on Sundays) for 6 months, and playing long tones (this is really important) will get you a long way forward, quite quickly...I'm not sure you can do it faster as your embouchere is the limiting factor. For this the smile/kiss exercise works well...alternate between each, holding them for 5 seconds each (but not in traffic!)...really gets the face muscles right. Finally, buy a good mouthpiece and canvas lig...it can make a cheap horn OK and a good horn great. I would liken it to the difference between a cheap tranny amp (from the 1970's) and a quality valve amp..the former constipated, unreliable and crap, the other warm, expansive and effortless. So, you might say, this is great advice Shaker, but you haven't explained why I can't take this excellent advice and apply it straight to the Soprano. That is a good question, and you could. However, an Alto is much more forgiving, especially on intonation, and you will learn the required mouth control with a greater margin for error...and the level of mouth control is much finer with the Sop. See it as drawing with pencils, then moving to pen and ink. A finally, you never regret buying a Yamaha:) Shaker

Paddy If I understand what you are saying...the endpin block inside has taken some damage which has caused the 'fit' of the endpin housing (inside the block) to get loose, resulted in the endpin (on the outside) not coming out square under string tension. Usually when this happens it starts to point towards the front of the bass. Have I got that right? If so, this happened to me a few years ago and the fix is simple (but you will probably need a luthier). He can either ream the hole a little larger and re-pack round the endpin, or replace your current endpin and housing with a larger gauge. The 2nd option is the better repair, but costs more, and is the one I went for as the original end pin was weedy. That said, if the bass isn't losing its tuning (a sign of ongoing movement) and it doesn't interfere with your playing, it is unlikely to cause the bass any problems..it has just found a new point of equipoise. Hope this helps. BTW. You use the same pickup and preamp as me...They work really well together. don't they? Shaker

Thanks Cairobill...I will try and get up there, but will call ahead before I do:) Thanks Cosmo...whenever your ready. Shaker

An upright bass bash. Nice idea. When & where? Shaker

[quote name='BassBod' timestamp='1330588479' post='1559690'] I had a bit of a shock when I got my Zeller hybrid set up recently. Completely transformed from a "so-so..not worth the effort" player to something that sounds like a bass should and makes you want to try and play it better. If you've not done it already, could it be worth a visit to good luthier before you start the expensive trade up trail? [/quote] Chris I was going to make the same point as BassBod. My 1960/70's Eastern European plywood DB with, oddly, an ebony fingerboard, sounds good and plays better. Since I got it (7 years ago) I have got the small hump on the fingerboard planed out, sorted out the nut slots, changed the strings (finally!) to Honeys, put bridge adjusters on and dropped the action. This was in my quest to get my 'modest investment' to produce something that sounded right but was playable...the action has come down markedly, the tension of the Honeys lets the instrument speak clearly. Each 'improvement' has yielded tangible benefits in playability. This instrument was never, and could never become a great instrument ( a DB playing friend compared it to a well set up Squier...fully functional, eminently giggable, and it sounds great recorded), but I don't need to (over)worry about knocks or carting around a high value instument to gigs and festivals. On the downside it is bright orange! You would be very welcome to try it out if you think it would help. Shaker

Hi Stag If I can't find a more local solution, and depending on the date, I'll try to get there. Any more local Ricky owners? Shaker

I should have mentioned, South London and East Sussex are OK too Shaker

As Chris says 'it's a horses for courses world'; it would be dull if we all liked and thought the same thing. Interestingly (for me, at least) it is that 'revelation' moment I am after...does it 'sit right' for me. Maybe it will, maybe it wont. His final paragraph also explains why I would like to try one owned (and loved) by a Basschatter...less chance of 'played a badly set up instrument through a crap amp in a store'. Shaker

Hi Matt I have sent you a PM Shaker

Any other local Rickenbacker owners who might be able to help me out? Shaker

Hi Cosmo Thanks for the offer. I'll PM you shortly Shaker

Thanks for the replies...all useful stuff that seems to confirm that I need to try one first. Any Kentish Ricky owners out there? Shaker

Thanks for the replies. I think I'm probably where Bassman2790 is, and the 'how it sits' and 'how it sounds' are the 1st issues to solve, and then as 4000 says, I need to find 'the one', or not. I'm trying to break it down into smaller parts...no point looking for 'the one' if you don't like the basic premise. I started playing in 1973...it was an awfully longtime ago:( Shaker Shaker

Hi All I think I 'need' a Ricky 4001/3. In reality I probably needed it in 1977:) However being a longstanding Stingray/P Bass type I am concerned I might not actually like it. Are there any Ricky owners in Kent (or South London and East Sussex) that I could meet up with to try one out? I'll bring biscuits:) Shaker

As you like the sound of the bass acoustically, it reasonably follows that the strings aren't the issue. You need to find the setting on the amp that most accurately produces the acoustic tone (that you like) but louder. This is what I do with my Double Bass, and it may help (or not). It is cheap and does no harm. You will need a quiet room and a cup of tea. Flatten all the controls (so they are neither cutting or boosting) on the amp and bass, and turn the volume (and passive tone) up on the bass and down on the amp. All you should be able to hear is the 'acoustic' sound. Turn the volume on the amp up slightly so it matches the acoustic sound in level. Adjust the tone controls ( on both amp and bass) so the (quiet) amplified tone sound the same as the acoustic tone. Take your time and let your ears (not your eyes) be the judge. If you think it is right turn the volume up so the amplified tone is a little louder...you can turn it back down if you lose 'your tone'. I find after about 20 minutes my ability to discern diminishes, so make a note of the settings and stop the 'forensic' listening. Come back to it the day after and see if you are still happy with the result. Adjust to taste. If that doesn't work then new strings, pickups, preamps in a systematic manner might:) Shaker