TheRev

Ouch.

I dislocated my right index finger playing video golf (story for another time) four days before a gig. I played the gig but I had to use my middle and ring fingers as my index finger had swollen to the size of a Lincolnshire sausage. It stayed that way for about 2-3 weeks, not helped by having to do a lot of computer work using a mouse. All in all I reckon it was about 3 months before I could play without any pain and possibly a year before I regained full movement

Like you, I had my finger yanked back in place almost immediatley, but the A&E nurse reckoned that the quicker it was put back in place, the less swelling there would be.

As for playing a DB gig in two weeks... I don't think you'll be able to do it, you just won't have the strength in your joints to stop a note and that's before you take into account the pain and possible further damage. If it had been your right hand, you could get away with just using your index finger for plucking, but unless you can play your parts with just your left index finger, I reckon a gig is out of the question.

Good point - it really is in the fingers. The's a Youtube vid of Chris Mhin Doky playing his SLB200 and it sounds amazing - but again, he's changed the pickup and electronics.

IIRC, a lot of the TB comments referred to early versions of the SLB200, which, as you've said, was intended puerly as a silent practice instrument. I believe that later instruments had redesigned electronics more suited for amplification.

For me it was really an issue of not having to faff about with the electrics. The Eminence had a reputation for sounding good straight out of the box, wheras the general concensus was that the Yamaha needed fettling to get the best from it. That's not to say that I can't make my Eminence sound sh1t....

[quote name='Beedster' post='986206' date='Oct 12 2010, 08:38 PM']Wow, are people negative about these instruments sound-wise (in fact there is a monster thread on TB in which the SLB is pretty much hammered by everyone, and I mean everyone, and it's been going for 10 years [url="http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=352752)"]http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=352752)[/url]. But I have no idea why?


Chris[/quote]


This was why I went for an Eminence over the Yamaha. I like the feel of the Yammy but the issues over the pickup/pre and the overall sound just put me off.

It's interesting that the Contra made such a difference - I'm seriously considering investing in one.

Have a look at Dave Mark's lessons on walking bass (www.davemarks.com). The lessons are based around typical jazz II-V-I progressions and really help to get your ears used to hearing where the bass should go. Once you've got the basics under your fingers, you can easily make it up as you go along.

To begin with, I wouldn't worry about which modes go with which chords etc, just get used to following the changes using root, third, fifth, seventh type stuff, then add in some passing notes on beat 2 or 4, then, once you're comfortable with that, start thinking about modes and fancy pants scales.

A lot of jazz isn't as complicated as you might think. If you have a copy of 'Kind of Blue', try playing 'all blues' - it's a pretty simple repeated bass part.

For what it's worth, I'm in the same boat as you - approaching 40, indie (which I still love) bands don't want you, I don't want to play blues or standard pub rock...so jazz it is!

Free or Cream. If I can't have those then Dark Star.

Has anyone swapped their stock MM pickup for one of the Nordstrand direct replacements?
I love the feel of my MM Sterling but have a hankering for a warmer & fuller bass end. Apparently the 4.2/4.3 does just that so, any comments?

Are you sure that going into the FX return doesn't bypass the preamp? I run my Platinum Pro into the FX return of my LMII and twiddling the knobs doesn't do a thing.

Anything by Johnny Cash, root-fifth all the way.

Love cats by the cure is a good one as it's a strong melody which, is probably already in your head and will help with your intonation.

That Ibanez is the whippet's wedding tackle - there's just something about semis with Darkstars. Yum.

Tempting...

Where are you based?

Dave

[quote name='walbassist' post='968667' date='Sep 26 2010, 06:31 PM']Ian's waiting on stock, so that'd be very handy if you would.[/quote]

Looks like 1/2 inch.

[quote name='Twigman' post='973844' date='Oct 1 2010, 12:46 PM']And we have the luxury of most of our gigs being fly aways to the Med for a Fri/Sat show, so we get a weekend away with the lads with someone else footing the bill and come back with more cash than we left with - could you do that with a covers band?[/quote]


Yes. I have done in the past and lots of people I know still do. On Tuesday I happend to run into a harmonica player who used to be in my (95% covers) band. Next week he's flying to Toronto with his function (covers) band, all expenses paid, to play a wedding for which each member will take home about £500.


I used to distinguish between my 'covers' bands and my 'originals' bands but my 'covers' band does a couple of original songs and my originals does a handful of covers...... Plus, the covers that my 'covers' band do tend to be pulled about & rearranged to the point where some of them sound nothing like the original wheras the covers played by my 'originals' band are straight carbon copies.

As has already been said, a good song is a good song and a good band is there to entertain an audience, not to stoke their own egos about playing 'their' songs. Does it really matter who wrote the song? Really? I could put together a set of original songs in a couple of weeks but they won't be very good songs and the fact that I wrote them doesn't elevate their quality above any other song.

[quote name='Clarky' post='971921' date='Sep 29 2010, 05:43 PM']What ever happens I don't think I will ever get near the Velvet strings you mentioned (from a quick internet search, £270 a set, good grief) [/quote]

That's what I thought and yet here I am with a set of Velvet Garbos. Worth every penny.

If you are going to splash out on a new set, you could do an awful lot worse than the Velvet Blues at a distinctly more affordable £120.

Welcome. You belong to us now....

[quote name='Clarky' post='971757' date='Sep 29 2010, 02:38 PM']All very helpful gents.

So if I were looking for a 'growly, plummy' type sound in a band setting, playing slow/medium-paced blues/ragtime type music (with piano, drums, horns, backing singers, guitar, vocals) which would be your preferred strings, Silver Slaps, Honeys or one of the others mentioned?[/quote]

If only it were that easy..... The quest for the 'right' double bass string is long, tortuous, confusing, expensive and often leads you right back to where you started. Strings that sound growly & plummy on my Eminence may sound lifeless on your Aria. Strings that sounded growly & plummy on my Aria might not sound growly & plummy on your Aria because we have differing left and right hand techniques. In short, prepare yourself for a bit of experimentation and expense (if you thought £40 for a set of Elixirs was steep - wait till you see how much a set of typical DB strings will set you back).

Anyway, strings to look at:
Helicore Hybrids
Thomastic superflexibles
Pirastro Obligato (v. popular synthetic gut)
Corelli TX (these get a lot of love on the Talkbass EUB forum)
Innovation Honeys.

Essentially you're looking at synthetic gut or orchestral strings. It's probably best to avoid the steel pizz strings (Spriocores) as they're a bit too bright on EUBs even though they sound the dog's doodahs on a proper acoustic bass.


My advice would be this: When your bass arrives, play it lots. If the sound works for you, leave well alone if you decide it's too bright then find out what the stock strings are and keep an eye on the 'for sale' section for used sets that will be darker/more flexible/synthetic rather than steel core, etc. Used sets are always a good way of trying different strings, as long as they're not totally dead.
I have a used set of Helicore hybrids (very nice on the Aria) and a mixed set of Helicore Hybrids with an orchestral G (stock issue on Eminence basses) that I will be putting up for sale soon. Otherwise, just put a shout out on the DB forum if you're looking for a particular set of strings as there's a chance that one of us has an old set lying around.

South Midlands would work for me, as would Hampshire/ west side of the M25. I'm desperatley trying to avoid spending some money on a real proper DB so I reckon a room full of the buggers should do the trick nicely

[quote name='Clarky' post='971692' date='Sep 29 2010, 01:35 PM']Thx Walbassist. I had a set of Weedwacker nylon strings on my DB a year or so back and found that they persistently went out of tune (they are supposed to take some time settling down but weeks later they were still stretching!) and they had very limited volume/sustain on the E and A strings (just a staccato, thin thud) - as Silver Slaps have no metal content would they potentially have the same issues or does the Kevlar core mean they behave like metal strings, only with lower tension?[/quote]


Weedwhackers are essentially fancy bits of clothesline, Silver slaps are a whole different pot of piscines.

I've used Helicore orchs and Innovation Honeys on my Aria when I had it. Both had a decent DBesque sound, particularly inn a band mix. The helicores had more sustain and definition, the Honeys had more thump and a touch more growl.

Of course, if you're feeling very flush you could try a set of Velvet Garbos - I have a set on my Eminence and they really are rather nice.

I have a heavy duty rubber mute that I don't use any more.

This one:

[url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/ultra_kontrabassdaempfer.htm"]http://www.thomann.de/gb/ultra_kontrabassdaempfer.htm[/url]

You can have it for the price of postage.

Dave

When you get your Aria, put a set of orchestral or, even better, synthetic gut strings (e.g. Obligatos or Honeys) to get a passable double bass sound.

[quote name='walbassist' post='967364' date='Sep 25 2010, 10:05 AM']Now [i]that[/i] is a great idea! Probably best to check with the UK distributor (SMART?) on the UK price before ordering from the US though. I'd be up for one of these too!

Update: I've emailed SMART to ask the diameter of the pin and how much they'd cost in the UK.[/quote]


I can measure the diameter of mine if SMART don't have one on hand to measure.

[quote name='Beedster' post='967335' date='Sep 25 2010, 09:15 AM']Thanks mate, yes, the Aria tends to spins away as well, hence this thread, I'm going for the full skeleton if Alan can do it, which he thinks he can but needs to have a good look at the instrument before giving a definite yes or no. What a lovely chap he is as well!

C[/quote]

Get yourself a Steadyfoot endpin as used on the Eminence basses.

[url="http://www.gelbass.com/bass/Eminence_parts.html"]Eminence steadyfoot[/url]

Totally spin free but you can still move & groove.

I honestly don't know why every EUB manufacturer doesn't have these on their basses.

You can buy the Yamaha frame separatley IIRC, but you'd have to be prepared to fiddle with it a bit to attach it to the Aria. Alan's extension just bolted straight on.

I raise my cabs for my double bass gigs - keeping them on the floor is a passport to feedback city.

I use a keyboard X stand, £45 from Thomann.

I got Alan from Bassix to make me an extended shoulder for my Aria - it worked much better than the bent bit of wire that comes with the Aria. Might be worth emailing him to se if he'll make another?

Hmm. I've ticked the 'I generally have trouble with feedback' box because if I'm with the blues band and space in stage is limited forcing me to stand in front of my amp, then Barbara is going to squeal like a piggy. BUT, If I have enough room to stand behind & to one side of my cabs, then it's much less of a problem and I can be heard above the harp player's fender Bassman (which is no mean feat...). I'll be rooted to the spot but at least I can be heard.

No problems with feedback with the jazz/soul band unless we're playing a function in which case the above applies.