saxobass

Thanks Guys. A lot of wisdom in there. I think that any gains from this `deal` might be quite slender. I`ll think on!

Mine is an old Japanese Jazz Sound from the early eighties. It`s as good as any Fender, and certainly much better than my old Mex Jazz. In fact Fender took them to court over the issue! I`ve improved(?) mine with a more solid Wilkinson bridge and nice warm sounding Bartolini p.u.`s. It`s fretless, and I`ve never played a nicer feeling instrument. O.k., it`s heavy because it`s solid and beautifully built, but I wouldn`t be without it!

Hi all. I`d like to buy a Godin A4 bass from Canada at a very favourable price. Has anybody had any experience of taxes due, (customs etc.) especially as this is a commonwealth country?

Have you looked at the Kala U Bass? weighs a little over two pounds and has a 20" scale. Sounds like nothing else out there!

If you really think you need it, and if the others will o.k. it, then the smallest, LEAST VISIBLE, and probably the cheapest answer is the Roland Microcube. It uses batteries, which may suit the type of gig you`re playing, and will push out enough sound in that kind of setting for you to hear yourself.....which I think may be at least part of the problem. I often play DB in a folkish setting sometimes involving quite a few musicians (10 or more) and they can always hear me.....although I can`t always hear myself as much as I LIKE, which is why I bought the Roland! You may find some on the front line in that kind of setting who object to amplification, by the way, and they may not even notice the Roland stuck quietly away under a chair. Just don`t talk about it!

Thanks all. I just spoke to Tony Houska (Contrabass Shoppe) and he agreed to let me have one of his remaining C.F. endpins at cost (probably less, in fact, I think they didn`t prove a good seller). I am expecting it soon and will report back. Thanks especially for the offer Jennifer.

Hi all. Health problems (rheumatoid arthritis and coronary heart disease) mean I`ve got to try and lighten my bass as much as possible. Thought I`d start by replacing my steel 10mm endpin with a carbon fibre rod. (Understand this might also influence the sound????) Has anyone done this, and have any advice to offer?

[quote name='TheRev' post='821591' date='Apr 28 2010, 10:10 AM']The String Emporium plywood basses (RM-100) have a good rep over on TB and are generally considered superior to the Shen basses. They website says they'll ship basses to you - you could give them an email and check they'll ship to this side of the pond? Closer to home, the Thomann Kontrabass 22 is very nice (although it's a hybrid).[/quote] Many thanks.....I am checking that one out. The instrument (RM-100) looks pretty good.

Hi all. Rheumatoid Arthritis makes weight a problem for me. Plywood instruments can be very good indeed (witness the Samuel Shen models available in America). Does anyone know if such an instrument, (light and ready to be well set-up) is available here?

I understand these to be potentially excellent and some times outstanding instruments when properly set up...as is the case with most Romanian instruments. I have had two Reghin basses and one Andreas Zeller. All have played well and sounded very good indeed. Also, don`t be put off if you discover yours to be a laminated instrument. Possibly the nicesr bass I ever owned was a German `blonde`...all laminated and superb both to play and listen to (wish I still had it!). People talk nonsense about ply basses......they are not necessarily bad and can have many virtues.

[quote name='keeponehandloose' post='801817' date='Apr 10 2010, 01:34 PM']I have some of these. They are brass and are actually very good. I was dubious about them so,,,,,,, I bought from a renowned luthier some high quality machines for just over £100. Quess what,they were EXACTLY the same as the Ebay ones for 35/40 quid. Cant remember the luthiers name ,but even after VAT etc ,I bet I coud've saved £40 or so buying from Ebay.[/quote] Many thanks. That`s very helpful. Were they the single machine heads or the normal paired doubles?

I will try to get more info. Like you, I`m sure that copper alone is far too soft.

E-bay is carrying several lots of machine heads made in China. The single type are described as made from copper. Not sure how likely, or desirable, this is. Does anyone have any information or advice about such products?

Well now......the bass guitars I play and like the most are a Vintage VB940FL (someone mistook it for a Warwick the other day) and an old `82 Tokai that beats my previous Fender on all counts. Interestingly my favourite double bass is a no-name 1950`s German `blonde` plywood job....cheap and supposedly inferior, but it plays like a dream, has real character and gives out at the low end like there`s an earth tremor coming!

[quote name='markbass555' post='742804' date='Feb 12 2010, 08:39 AM']Hi, I have the very same bass and up until recenty I used the black nylon rotosound strings and they were fantastic. I have since changed them to round wounds because the project i am doing at the minute need a brighter sound to it (more zing). But the bass sounded at its best with the nylon rotosounds. Highly recommended!![/quote] All interesting stuff so far. Many thanks, and hoping for more. Markbass.....I see that you have both a Tokai Jazz Sound and a Vintage Icon Jazz fretless: how would you compare them (since they stem from the same inspirational source)? I`d like a fretless jazz and am borrowing a Tokai fretless. I like the latter and would like to buy it but am not sure whether the owner will part from it. If he doesn`t, I`ve been wondering about the Vintage since I really like and rate my VB 940FL.

Have just bought and defretted a Godin 4 string Acoustibass about 15 nor so years old. VERY nice. I have put on D`Addario flatwounds and don`t much like either the feel or sound of them. Soundwise they are very clear and piano like, but I`m trying to approach my upright bass sound and wondered if there was a better alternative. I`ve heard that tape (Plastic?) wound are mellower, and I believe that there is some kind of nylon alternative. Does anyone have any experience or advice, please?

I have stripped back several blacked up f/boards in the past, but they were rosewood and rather nice as a change from ebony. You could try applying a black leather die to the f/board after stripping it of the original finish and carefully preparing it for playing action etc. Next try a trick that bass guitarists doing a `Jaco` seem to favour: apply a coat of super glue very carefully having masked off the remainder of the bass (try spreading methods on a piece of spare wood first.) You`ll probably need at least four coats and each must be `cut back` using wet and dry paper of a fine grade (400 down to about 1200 grit). If well done you should obtain a hard surface finish closer to that of ebony in tonal quality. Finicky and needing some practice, but cheaper than a new fingerboard! A hard clear satin lacquer, (or perhaps even yacht varnish?) might also do the job but would wear in time. I`ve just finished converting a Godin bass guitar to fretless and been very impressed by the toughness of super glue, but there are many formulations and I would do some homework first.

[quote name='lowfer' post='726307' date='Jan 27 2010, 01:35 PM']there is infact an article of how to do this in the latest Guitar and Bass (i think thats what its called). Pop into WH Smiths in your luch break and have a gander[/quote] You`re talking about my `library`. Will do!

Just a thought....my 60 year old, `no name`, German `blond` 3/4 bass looks lovely and plays with a full rich tone using Helicores, pizz and arco....and it`s a full laminate! Yes it`s been lovingly set up and cared for, but they sometimes come on to the market quite cheaply (and they seem to be bomb proof.) So don`t dismiss laminates out of hand, there are some beauties out there. Good luck.

[quote name='henry norton' post='723895' date='Jan 25 2010, 10:23 AM']Are you looking for new or used? Either way you might find it a bit tricky finding an unlined fretless Jazz - even for Fender Japan money. It's all Jaco's fault! Like Absolutpepper said, maybe you could go the Warmoth neck route - you could get a body off fleabay and add the pups & hardware you want then. You might still have change left from what you'd have to spend on an 80's Tokai Jazz. I had one for a while and yes, they're very good indeed.[/quote] Really like the Tokai, even though it needs a bit of work, and would probably benefit from a new bridge instead of the original. I would really like my buddy to agree to sell it to me, although I don`t know what a good price would be. It`s the `82 or `83 version- a little dinged here and there but basically sound and quite smart. It has Bartolini replacement pickups, although he still has the originals. The defretting job could be improved, although its a lot better than some I`ve seen. I like it! If I have to look beyond the Tokai I would be content with a decent second-hand job for defretting since I`m quite competent with jobs like that and have completely rebuilt several double basses from semi wrecks. Incidentally, if I have to defret what filler material would anyone recommend for a seamless finish on the average rosewood board? Thanks everyone for the messages so far.

I`ll endorse that, again. The V 940 FL is among the nicest basses I`ve ever played. At that money I`m amazed that so few seem to realise just how good they are.