philw
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Everything posted by philw
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All, I have more basses than gig bags and since my original Wal hard case fell apart years ago (wish I'd kept it now, even though it was trashed), I could do with something good but inexpensive to carry the the old girl around in. So, can somebody a good, cheap(ish) gig bag. Thanks Phil
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Don't know about books but I'd certainly get a few lessons from an experienced double bass tutor - a decent arco technique and bow grip is unlikely to be something you'll invent without help. Lessons will also help ensure that you don't end up with a left hand/wrist injury (keep that left elbow up!). As far as a bow is concerned, I just got one of these: [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/alfred_stingl_by_hoefner_as_34_bf_carbon_bassbogen_34.htm"]http://www.thomann.d...assbogen_34.htm[/url] It's French I know but there's also a German version (my original tutor pushed me towards French, saying that a decent relaxed grip comes more naturally, he may of course have been talking nonsense, but a French grip certainly looks less awkward to me). I use it with both my NS CR4 and my "proper" DB and I'm really pleased with it. Vast improvement on my old fibre-glass thing. Phil PS. I suspect you might find arco on a 5 string NS bass significantly more difficult than on a 4.
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Veillette Paris Fretless 4 (Price reduced again – £1200)
philw replied to philw's topic in Basses For Sale
I know I promised more pictures, but the weather hasn't cheered up enough to take some shots outside. However, here's a youtube clip that'll give you a good idea what a Veillette Paris sounds like (when played by somebody that knows what they're doing - not me then). http://youtu.be/OfIJrlTaMaM Phil -
Veillette Paris Fretless 4 (Price reduced again – £1200)
philw replied to philw's topic in Basses For Sale
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All, It's time for me to invest in a new Veillette demo bass so the "old" one has to go. This is a decidedly unusual Veillette Paris Fretless 4. It's a piezo pick-up only instrument so is aimed fair and square at the "acoustic" vibe end of the market (think Rob Allen or Rick Turner instruments). And it does the job brilliantly - a lovely warm rounded singing tone but with some bite if you play up by the bridge. It has a poplar body with a maple neck, and a pau ferro (rosewood) fingerboard, tailpiece and bridge. The bridge has an ebony saddle insert. Unusually for an instrument of this type, the bridge is height adjustable. The neck is slim and very fast and the bass is uncannily resonant. It really does sing. Currently it's fitted with LaBella nylon wrap strings but it'll take conventional strings if a brighter tone was needed. Electronics are a Fishman piezo with a D-Tar Wavelength 18v preamp. Controls are simply volume and tone. Weight is 7.5lbs and it balances perfectly on a strap. The bass is around two years old and has been played only occasionally. It's never been gigged and it's in as-new condition. A new bass of this spec would now be around £2100 but, just as a Basschat deal, I'll let it go for [s]£1600[/s] £[s]1400[/s] £1200 including a nice Veillette branded gig bag. I'll get some more pics up in the next few days, but if any questions occur please PM me. Phil [attachment=97974:Paris Bluebass.jpg]
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All, I'll be setting off from sunny Brighton a bit later to drive to Cambridge for a live session with the band (The Galleons) on BBC Radio Cambridgeshire (about 9.15 apparently). We're going to get to play two songs, so that's 236 miles driving (according to Google maps) for around 8 minutes playing. Or to put it another way, 29.5 miles per minute of music. Now I'm sure, in the grand scheme of things, it's nothing too exceptional, but it got me wondering what's the longest anybody's travelled specifically for the shortest single performance? Phil
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And why are Eko acoustic basses now so cool? Back when I was selling mine on here a few years ago I could hardly give it away. P
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[quote name='grossey' timestamp='1323264301' post='1461192'] I may be getting involved in playing some worship in prisions in the new year. [/quote] Given the context, can I just check who you'll be worshipping? The guy upstairs or the one downstairs? P PS. Get a Double Bass.
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Pete, through the bass he made for me back in 1983, undoubtedly and fundamentally shaped my life making music and news of his passing is really very sad. My beloved Mk1 fretless custom sitting in the corner as I type suddenly looks just a little bit more special this evening. RIP Pete.
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Looks like I should have a look at the LS-2 then. Thanks guys. P
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All, I've come up against something for which I can't find a solution so I wonder if anybody has any suggestions. I regularly use two instruments at gigs: a Steinberger CR4 EUB and a fretless Wal. Up till now I've been using an ART Coolswitch to switch between the instruments and it's been absolutely fine. The trouble is, on a couple of songs I've started to use both instruments (arco on the on the EUB and then immediately fingerstyle on the Wal) with very little time (or brain power) available to remember to stamp on the Coolswitch. I also really need the sustain from arco notes on the EUB to play under sections played on the Wal (and no it's not a prog band, it's an "alt folk" band!) The Coolswitch has a "Y" option where both inputs are connected simultaneously to the output, but as the thing is a fully passive device, the two instruments are then effectively connected together and both their tone and output level suffers. So, what I need is an active switch box with two inputs (actually I'd like three but that's really, really unlikely) and the facility to select input 1, input 2 or both. As far as I can see, no such thing exists, but I may be wrong. Anybody? Phil
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Brian Barrett at The Low End had one for sale recently. Pics of it are now in his sold gallery here: http://www.thelowend.net/gallery/viewtopic.php?t=5597 Phil PS. If you suffer at all from GAS be very careful when browsing The Low End site. Keep your credit card locked away.
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I'd say don't worry about lines. Dots on the side on the "fret" positions will be enough to get you in the right ball-park and then it's down to how much fretless playing you do. Fretless technique is also not really about planting your finger at the right point on the fingerboard and leaving it there. The freedom to slide notes a little, add vibrato and generally shape the expression of a note means that the nominal "correct" intonation isn't always as clear cut as you might think. P
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[quote name='M-N-Y' timestamp='1321388583' post='1438657'] A Manne bass from Italy like the one in the photo below. [url="http://www.manne.com/pict/acoustibass.jpg"]http://www.manne.com...acoustibass.jpg[/url] [/quote] I had a Manne Acoustibass for a while. Nice bass but it had a decidedly dark tone and was somewhat a one trick cliché as a result. Not quite up to the build quality you'd expect on a boutique bass either, but we're talking a good few years ago so things may well have improved. Phil
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Anyone Out There With a Wal Fretless With a Coated Fingerboard?
philw replied to AndroWal's topic in Bass Guitars
Strikes me that even Wal owners that expect to be buried with their bass, like me, are aware of its value. Value that epoxy on the fingerboard would undoubtedly destroy. I am going to get a vinyl roof on my Ferrari though. Phil -
Wal MK1 Fretless 1983 - 1 owner from new - SOLD pending
philw replied to paulbkeeves's topic in Basses For Sale
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Sold my Squire 50s Precision to Mel. Wouldn't hesitate to do so again, although that would be weird, a bit Ground Hog day. Phil
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AER Amp One - The best amp I have bought - EVAR !!
philw replied to The Dark Lord's topic in Amps and Cabs
Yes, the Amp One is completely brilliant. I reviewed it in the late lamented Performing Musician magazine here: http://www.performing-musician.com/pm/jul08/articles/aerampone.htm And ended up buying the review sample. I still can't get over how much like a Wal it makes my Wal sound, and then how much like an NS EUB it makes my NS EUB sound. -
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