hubrad

The term Soapbar covers several different sizes.. what dimensions are the current pickups, what's the string spacing, and are you looking for passive pickups only or also considering active?

Also is your bbg completely passive or does it have an active (battery powered) preamp? Some people find its the preamp they don't like and the pickups are fine.

Just saw this thread. I got a custom build from Overwater a couple of years ago, 33 inch scale with the express intention of a low B and as much attack as possible. 

Bloomin' great is what it is! After much discussion with Chris and Martin I ended up with Ash for the neck, ebony board (did I mention it's unlined fretless?) and through body stringing, and I supplied the EMG pickups and eq and the Roland gk-3b.

So not actually a SD, but similar, and the low B is fine!

Personally I have a couple of wall hangers, some hanging stands and some body support stands, and I like them all. I notice more difference in necks for not playing the basses and the atmosphere they've been kept in than for choice of hanger/stand/case.

I used to sell these.. these set neck ones punch well above their weight, and id say 100 for this has to be a stonking bargain for the quality

Glwts, Milty!

I have the DC in at least one bass; can't remember just which model is in the neck position,  but the overall effect is gorgeous, for my taste at least. I may even have changed the neck pickup once or twice, might be a P5.. that's one of the interesting things with the shape: if you fancy experimenting later you have many options available with no routing.

For the few quid difference I'd definitely go for the active EMG over the HZ.

53 minutes ago, goingdownslow said:

In the 18v Thumb that I have, although the two 9v batteries are in series the active pickups run from a centre tap so they only get 9v.

Hmm.. that suggests +9V, 0V, -9V

Hopefully someone more into preamp technicalities will be along soon!

If you're getting the octave harmonic it could be you're moving the bow too quickly or lightly, also perhaps try a softer rosin.. my first good rosin was Pops, one of the stickiest going. 

Give it a try.. they're different rather than one being per se better.

I prefer German myself, but the teacher I used to go to didn't like German at all. Hey, if it's good enough for Gary Karr..

I noticed you can get more easy finesse from the French, as you have all the flexibility of your fingers at work, but more easy power from the German. 

Back on topic, series doubles the voltage, which is what you'd want for increased headroom. This is the purpose of running EMG setups at 18V, which they are buit to handle.

Parallel keeps you at 9V, doubling the capacity, i.e. battery life. Your preamp will still just take the current it needs, so no effect on your sound.

If the MEC gear you have will definitely handle 18V then go for it, otherwise I'd leave it safe and working. 

You mean this one? 

https://images.app.goo.gl/c18AM6dvbF5LZ1358

Enjoy the fretless ride, Chewie!

If you're chasing a more DB tonality, then flatwound strings, or even better black nylon tapewounds, get you that bit closer. 

If you're *really* after that DB tonality, then get a double bass! My only regret with such things is that I waited probably 15 years longer than I might have done, thus denying myself an extra 15 years of fun. 

Mind you, that was 15 years of getting better on fretless, so nothing actually lost..

Vastly underpublicised brand, IMHO.. when I worked in a shop we sold various items of the range, all excellent. I still have a few different ones, including their wall hanger which I still consider to be the best I've ever used.

I noted at the time that K&M never seemed to get into any of those 'Best stand of 20xx' magazine articles.. maybe they didn't buy enough advertising, or maybe I never quite read the right magazines.

GLWTS!

1 hour ago, molecule said:

When I am released from house arrest, I plan to visit guitar shops to find a P/J bass that suits me; I don't have a P/J or a J/J in my modest collection at the moment.  But yesterday, the thought occurred to me: should I be looking for a British made bass to help kick start the economy?

So can anyone recommend any British bass builders?  I am aware of the luxury end of the market like Wal, Overwater and Status Graphite, but are there people building basses for the ordinary player, without exotic woods and sophisticated e.q. systems?

I have to confess I'm a big fan of the good folks at Overwater! 🙂

The thing with going to an actual custom builder is that you can choose to have, or not to have, things like exotic woods and sophisticated EQ systems. They'll put just as much skill and attention into building a passive alder slab PJ as a bells-and-whistles bass. You're the client.

Of the companies who import, I've heard several good reports of the Bass Centre models which I'm pretty sure are Korean made. Someone on here just got a Guy Pratt Betsy in the last day or two.

Quite unsettling if you're thinking of either of the originals at the time!

Brilliant editing, mind.

I think it's personal taste.. a fresh set of flats actually has its own brightness, which fades as you'd expect. If the sound you're after doesn't include that brightness then wait and they'll be good for ages. 

If you like bright, spoingy roundwounds you'll be changing far more often than if you prefer them partway down or even fully dulled off.

Any of the above may or may not suit a particular bass on a particular day, depending also on your mood at the time. 

Fun, isn't it?

13 hours ago, visog said:

Well his Status looks nicer than this...

 

What a cracking sig bass! I may be getting the power tools out and the thinking cap on..

Nothing looks immediately obvious, but one thing springs to mind.. if a bass has been sat idle for an age, the jack socket and pots can oxidise inside, and as we all know it doesn't take much to interfere with the sound. Try lacing the jack socket with switch cleaner/lubricant such as Servisol Super 10 (other brands are available, and it's great for scratchy pots) and repeatedly insert and remove the jack plug. Something as simple as a bit of a dirty contact might be enough to stop the switching part of the jack socket working, hence no active circuit or LED.

All practice is good.

As above, the only difference is muscle memory, and speaking as a player of 3 lengths of unlined fretless plus the DB I reckon you'll get the 3/4 muscle memory back once you have regular access to it again.

Onwards and upwards!

These are too small for my DB, but if it helps anyone, when I had my first one (Zeller by Stentor) the vibrating string length was 103.5cm and at least in Savarez (Corelli) book that classed as top end of 1/2 size. 

IIRC they worked on 105cm for 3/4, and mine these days is 108cm which fell into 4/4, and at the time Savarez didn't do a 4/4 Corelli set. The Savarez strings came with dire warnings about premature failure if the unsilked part of the string went over the post of the tuner, and you obviously don't want the silked part going through the nut slot. 

Bob Gollihur, who initially made me aware of Corelli strings, has a bit further apart sizings: https://www.gollihurmusic.com/faq/2-SIZES_DOUBLE_BASS_SIZING_FAQ.html

Trickier to hunt down the info at D'Addario, but click on the Learn More tab on RHS and there's plenty of good reading in there..

https://www.daddario.com/products/orchestral/bass/helicore-hybrid/helicore-hybrid-bass-string-set-12-scale-medium-tension/item/daddario-helicore-hybrid-bass-string-set-12-scale-medium-tension-3646/

average 1/2 is 97.5cm, 3/4 is 106. They don't even show 4/4.. probably so impressive that it breaks the internet. Of course, DB lengths are nominal, and string length also depends on distances behind the bridge and above the nut. 

I just looked at one of my spare 3/4 Helicores, and ballend to silk measures 139.5cm.

Confusingly enough, 3/4 D'Addario work fine on my 108cm. They sound great for me.. GLWTS, Pete! 🙂

1 hour ago, casapete said:

I’m way more offended by the curtains......

.. Same here, but I quite like the curtains! 😉

That headstock is kinda post-pointy, isn't it? Quite acceptable if the bass is good.

Yes please! PM incoming (not Johnson).

12 hours ago, Andyjr1515 said:

Superb and utterly professional job

I took the time to fully read through the thread rather than dip in and out and every aspect - starting with your own judgement, @rk7 , that playing this bass was more important to you than leaving it in its original form to the stunning quality of work - fills me with awe and admiration.

Best modification job I've ever seen and, in my view, the only one I have seen that breaks the rule I always caution enquirers that "all mods reduce resale value".  I have no doubt in my own mind that this has actually enhanced the value, not that this matters as it's clearly and rightly a keeper.

Over coffee, I'm going to read the whole thing again, if not simply for the perfection of that heel recarve!

I suppose if the work is done by the makers then it's official work rather than an ordinary mod.

A keeper indeed, on so many levels. 🙂

Fantastic! The Overwater team is just so skilled with all the wood and wire stuff.. I have a couple, which are nothing flash in terms of the whole range but are absolutely spot on in looks, sound and playability.

Glad yours has a new lease of life, and glad you're still around to enjoy it!

For reference,  here are the D'Addario and Rotosound ball colour charts. 

That D'Addario set is on a bass.. no silks, albeit they are rounds.

The Rotosound pack is still sealed, so can't say just now re silks.

Iirc Picato often (but not always!) were made silk-free.

On 11/04/2020 at 13:20, Silvia Bluejay said:

Could be worse... upright bass strings! Both D'Addario and Innovation Silver/Gold Slaps, to name a couple, have a different-coloured silk on each string!

Thing is, I love that in DB strings, as it's an identifier. If (when) we experiment, it's gonna be for months at a time so this way we can remember which set is which. As for Pirastro, with the different colours up at the head, that's for when our failing eyes can no longer tell thick from thin..

There used to be a useful chart of DB silk colours somewhere, possibly Gollihur site.