hubrad

.. aand skip on a while, they're in Keighley tonight! Just got tickets sorted, and looking forward to the soirée.

[quote name='highwayone' timestamp='1484775696' post='3218420'] Tinkered with guitar on and off for years and never really mastered it. Any tips on the best way forward,had some lessons but all the tutor was doing was learning me a new song every week but nothing else. Any good books or sites out there to have a gander at? Cheers. [/quote] For a start, find a better teacher! Plenty of teachers will look at where you are now and where you're aiming, and work accordingly.

If it has the 3 knobs plus 2 switches, it'll be the active (switchable) version. Excellent and reliable. A mate of mine has one, and I always enjoy playing it!

Scott Devine did a great interview with him, available on the podcast: http://www.scottsbasslessons.com/podcast/in-conversation-with-ian-king

That pic just shows a standard set of Strat knobs, deffo not original to the bass .. I bet if you look behind the plate only the one next to the jack socket has a capacitor. Vol Vol Tone is my bet, standard in 2 pup passives. Have you tried it plugged in?

My first DB was a Zeller, solid top like yours, and really got me off the ground both for learning and gigs. The K&K have a great reputation as pickups, so you have the gear.. enjoy! [size=4]Got a bow with it? Thoroughly recommended. [/size]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1483778543' post='3209984'] I heard Geoff Chalmers playing arco on a Yamaha silent bass at the double bass bash, sounded fantastic! I suspect the operator was helping in that department though My Stagg with Spiros doesn't like it at all. [/quote] Some EUBs are better than others in this regard. I remember trying a NS one years back, the model with 2 pickups. One pup sounded great plucked, and the other bowed. Could have done with a dual output and a blend pedal rather than onboard controls. I found the Stagg rather scratchy, and an older (prob about 15 years or more) Yamaha was massively improved with a Realist. My current Project EUB has a Realist, and it's ok, but I keep experimenting with different seats for the bridge to try and better emulate it sitting on an acoustic soundboard. The harder the body (or bridge seat) material the harder the sound, thus the scratchier the arco tone.

Did he use a pick?

Good luck to them, and i'm not their target bass player anyway, but I gave up less than 1/3 of the way in. It was too much like one of those Facebook posts preceded by 'If you can understand this you're in the top 2% intelligence' statements.

Going at least for a narrower feel, I'd have a look at Ibanez SR and perhaps Musicman USA Sterling.

[quote name='yorks5stringer' timestamp='1482416185' post='3200368'] There's a guy on eBay, a real guitar 'improver' who can turn a silk purse into a sows ear... [/quote] If it's the guy I'm thinking of, he's always 'improved' it!

I did it yonks back; shocked a few folks at the time, but it was my one bass for about 20 years, so it definitely worked superbly for me. It worked a treat, and I still have the same bass in headless form and rather nicely spruced up, if i say so myself: http://basschat.co.uk/topic/44673-ibanez-roadster-megacustom/page__hl__ibanez%20megacustom At the time, I used an ABM bridge with suitably adjustable spacing. Also used a Schaller 3D for a while. Done similar things with a Schaller 2000 series, which is excellent. Got it at 16.5mm spacing, which is actually rather comfortable. Obviously I had to use something else once it went headless..

This ^^ GJ.. if you're in Northumberland , have you come across Mark Mawby of Small Strings? He may be able to offer eyes-on advice. Plays fiddle , so he does have experience of bows.

Well, it's 'fully mounted', I. e. metal up the back of the frog. Usually at least a small step up from most basic at least. Can't see any name stamped on the stick near the frog. This possibly suggests nothing particularly flash. Did you buy it, or get it in an outfit, yourself ?

I occasionally get to play with this lass, who is fantastic on Northumbrian and Uillean pipes as well as various other instruments. . http://beckytaylor.info/yorkshirepiper/ireland-bridge-album-sampler/

[quote name='skej21' timestamp='1479546225' post='3177325'] From what I've heard, TC have changed distributors recently, which has resulted in a re-evaluation of RRP and retailer margins. Looks like they are really not working in favour of the retailers and with music retail the way it is at the moment, I'd not be surprised if some places stop stocking them going forward and concentrate on more retailer-friendly products. [/quote] Last time I looked , the UK trade price was pretty much the same as the street price in the rest of Europe .

Buy them both, and let us know which you prefer..

Yup, a well-balanced heavy bass can still be comfortable, while a badly-balanced lightweight bass will most likely still cause problems.