TheRev

So [i]that's[/i] where the parts for the Iraqui super gun went...

Markbass LMII 2x BFM Omni10.5 cabs The cabs weigh about 23lbs each and the LMII is only slightly heavier than a gnats pube. The whole rig weighs less than my previous 1x15 cab on it's own and goes a whole lot louder.

Try the Thomastik acoustic bass strings - very mellow but with just the right ammount of top end zing.

Promise that you'll bring twenty mates who are heavy (but polite) drinkers.

If you've already played a decent DB then you'll befinitley be disappointed with a £400 plywood box. I haven't played a Dean Pace but I've heard them at gigs and TBH, they just sound like a fretless bass so I personally don't really se the point of them. What in particular didn't you like about the Stagg? The next step up is the Aria EUB or the NS Wav which, playability wise, aren't much different from the Stagg though they probably sound better . After that it's the Eminence or Yamaha EUBs but you're looking at £1.5K for those. In the same price range you could get one of the Christopher or similar Chinese made carved top DBs from Thomann - they're suposed to be pretty good for the money.

It depends on what you wan to do with it. Might be OK for slapping but for anything else it's proably pretty firewood. Sorry.... Like everything else in the world, you get what you pay for. At that price it'll be made of plywood (and probably not even a nice laminate but actual plywood), it won't have a particularly good tone and bits will probably start dropping off it relatively soon. If you're after a cheap acoustic double bass, then you should really be looking at the £1-2K price bracket for something that will actually have been built to sound good. If you've ony got £300 and want to get into DB, then I'd get a Stag EUB - it'll sound better. IMHO of course! Dave

Gar!! Avast!! I was forgettin' t'was talk like a pirate day today. I reckon it be down to all the sucrvy land lubbin' dogs in these here parts that talk like a pirate all year round.

I'm using a pair of Bill Fitzmaurice Omni 10.5s (or just one for quieter gigs) and they're just perfect. Of course you have to build them youself, unless you know someone who's a bit handy with a circular saw. If you want shop bought, I'd have a look at the Aguilar GS series 12" cabs or the Genz Benz 12" neo cabs. Both sounded great when I tried them with my electric upright.

Try Bob Gollihurs' site - a mine of double bass information [url="http://www.gollihurmusic.com/faq/1-STRINGS_CHANGING_STRINGS_ON_YOUR_UPRIGHT_BASS.html"]String changing[/url]

3 in me jazz/soul trio. I've almost always been in three piece bands - there's just something about the chemistry you get. Plus, it's easier to organise rehearsals.

The 25th is my other half's birthday. Arse. I'm sure she won't mind.......

[quote name='Shockwave' post='277861' date='Sep 5 2008, 02:31 PM']Next would be the Sterling, However i am a tall thin guy (6,3) And i am worried it would look like a toy on me. However i do have a bad back so a lightweight bass would be ideal. I would like a rosewood board to get some variation, The Bongo and SR4 have one, But the Sterling has a maple board.[/quote] You're welcome to come round and pose in the mirror with my Sterling if yer likes. If it helps, I'm a short, stocky guy and my main reason for buying a Sterling was because the Stingray felt like playing a coffee table. Dave

I think it's a 310 from the original series. It's basically the same as the 301 (which I have) but the active electronics would make it a 310. If you remove the control cavity plate, there should be a serial number on a sticker somewhere inside the cavity. Nice score - they're lovely basses. Dave

[quote name='BassManKev' post='262288' date='Aug 14 2008, 11:45 AM']nice bass dude! is that sparkle paint or just metallic? if its a sparkle what colour is it? looks like metallic blue pearl but i could be wrong...[/quote] Cheers Kev. You're right, it's metallic blue pearl but when I bought it I think they called it electric blue or just blue pearl. This was back in the day when they only offered Sterlings in five or six colours.

I play gigs without a drummer all the time. I find it helps to approach the songs with a 'camp fire' type mentality i.e. how would you play them if you were just sitting and jamming round a fire? Slowing things down a bit will help as will persuading your guitarist not to use all the effects and gubbins he normally uses. If possible have him play an acoustic as it'll slow him down a bit and encourage a more stripped back and rhythmic playing style. Finally, don't feel you have to play the songs the way you normally play them; open up, relax and have a bit of fun - I reckon an acoustic Sweet Child would suit a gentle swing beat..... Dave

Non-reverse Thunderbird?

I can't remember who's it is (Thebrokendoor maybe?) but somehwhere in the archives there's a white precision with a white pearloid scratchplate and a Darkstar pickup that I would kill my granny for. <edit> This is the badger.... Mmmmmm

Don't think we've had a spangly blue one yet, so here's mine. Bought in 2000 and I haven't looked at another bass since

Go ahead and buy the Stagg, it's a good an introduction as you'll get for £350! As for 'bad habits', I'd suggest booking a lesson with a sympathetic teacher (an experienced DB player will do - it doesn't have to be a registered 'proper' teacher) and have them show you the left and right hand basic techniques and a few warm up and ear training exercises. One lesson should provide you with about three years worth of practice material! You'll find that a proper DB playing technique will get the best tone out of your Stagg so you shouldn't fall into any bad habits once you get going. I'd also recommend buying a decent set of strings - you'll get a much more convincing DB sound and you may find the move to acoustic DB unnecessary.... Dave

[quote name='alexclaber' post='259740' date='Aug 11 2008, 10:05 AM']I remember trying out lots of Warwicks there - though when I came to buy one I got lucky and acquired an '87 Streamer for a song privately! I got my first bass and amp from the secondhand guitar shop futher along St Michael's Hill opposite Tyndalls Road (IIRC) which then moved to Gloucester Road and then mysteriously vanished. Alex[/quote] It's still on the Glossie road, it just moved across the street and down a bit.

[quote name='OldGit' post='259789' date='Aug 11 2008, 11:11 AM']Hey Watch it .. I'm a Gloucetershire bloke I just live here [/quote] Sorry... It's that Rich bloke - he stirs things up. Bloody Wurzel......

[quote name='bottomfeed' post='258325' date='Aug 8 2008, 05:10 PM']Wow!... the place opposite was 'Pro Music'.... now that was a long time ago![/quote] Ah, Pro Music, what a great shop that was - good gear and helpful and knowledgeable staff. I bought my first 'proper' bass there. Good times *sniff* The Welsh bloke's right though, there are a lot of guitar shops in Bristol for its size so we should be grateful for what we've got. No, you're not going to be able to try a top end Lakland or a Fodera or whatever but those are niche instruments and no music shop, outside of a bass specialist, could be expected to stock a handful of 1.5K+ basses on the off chance someone wanted to buy one. Could you imagine what would happen to a top drawer bass in somewhere like Reverb? Doesn't bear thinking about. Anyway, I quite like the chase of hunting down 'that' bass. What could be more fun that driving to somewhere like the Bass Merchant with a big stack of cash and all day to play whatever bass takes your fancy?

Afternoon. I've just bought a new set of strings for my Aria EUB and they're about 1" too long. Is it a terribly bad thing to wrap part of the (unsilked) string around the tuning post? Cheers Dave

[quote name='steviedee' post='255421' date='Aug 5 2008, 02:42 PM']Hi guys been watching this thread closely as I'm thinking of taken the plunge into the world of double basses anyhoo tried my first one today and I was really sh*te however it was great to try one.... I reckon it'll take a lot of practice. The bass in question was Chinese, which I've heard the odd bad thing about chinese basses but it seemed great to me admittedly I know nothing and it was a good price second hand, and the shop in question has a very good reputation so I don't think they would sell me a pup. Obviously its not gonna be the best bass in the world for under 500 but they will have professionally set the bass up. Are there any good no name chinese basses out there?[/quote] I read somewhere (probably on TB) that the Christopher brand basses on Thomann's web site are Chinese made. Dunno if they're any good but they look nice [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/christopher_db_304_kontrabass_34.htm"]Christopher DB[/url]

They were really, really cr@p guitars that used to sell through the back page of Kerrang and other music magazines in the late 80s. Only buy it if 1) They're selling it for 50p and 2) you're only buying it so you can smash it up on stage. Avoid, avoid, avoid - they're not even worth trying to mod, real turd polishing territory.