EssentialTension

Very nice John.

[quote name='JayPH' timestamp='1334944395' post='1623971'] Do flats sound ok on a jazz bass? [/quote] Yes.

I hate mayonnaise.

I like Pyramid Golds too.

[quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1334870310' post='1622817'] You should tweak your truss rod whether you change to a set of higher or lower tension strings if you want your bass playing at its best. Surprised nobody had mentioned TI (Thomastik Infeld) Flats! My favourite strings on a P by far, got some LaBellas on there right now but planning on switching back at some point. [/quote] I've used Thomastik flats a lot and I do like them but hooked on La Bellas at the the moment.

[quote name='Clarky' timestamp='1334327809' post='1614673'] These are excellent - Minotaur from Greece - about £30-40 and arrived within a few days. Top quality and able to deal with heavy basses (I have a dodgy shoulder and back) [url="http://minotaur.gr/catalog/index.php?cPath=28&osCsid=kea90j8ah0o229867kdh25ar02"]http://minotaur.gr/c...229867kdh25ar02[/url] [/quote] They look good.

I usually have them off but I can play with them on if needs be, I do like the look.

Very nice - but you need to put it in the For Sale forum.

[quote name='gjones' timestamp='1333815539' post='1606927'] ... if you ever go through a PA be aware the sound engineer will more than likely EQ them like roundwounds and make them sound woolly and indistinct. [/quote] That'll will be the guy looking at the knobs rather than listening to the sound.

La Bella 760FS.

[quote name='Hutton' timestamp='1334782528' post='1621330'] ... I've often heard that Flats sound great on a MM ... [/quote] That's what I thought too.

[quote name='Hutton' timestamp='1334766240' post='1620936'] The other thought is with having five basses should I have them all with Flats? [/quote] I've got flats (although different kinds) on four basses.

[quote]... The monarchy was shaken to the core in 1977... [/quote]

[url="http://liutaiomottola.com/myth/perception.htm"]http://liutaiomottola.com/myth/perception.htm[/url]

[quote name='fingerz' timestamp='1334660511' post='1619197'] Try a tapered string. This is a string that is thinner at the point it runs over the bridge saddle, meaning you have to raise the saddle and that the pressure point is smaller on the string itself. Both will increase tension slightly. [/quote] Tension is dependent on three things only: 1 String length from bridge to nut. - you can change this by buying a bass with a different scale length. 2 Mass per unit length of string - you can change this by using different strings. 3 Pitch to which the string is tuned - you can change this by tuning to a higher or lower pitch. Other than those, you cannot change the tension in a string. Differently manufactured strings do however have different amounts of compliance and so feel more or less elastic under the plucking fingers. Also, lengthening the amount of string beyond the bridge and/or the nut or improving the break angle at bridge and/or nut may have a [i]very small[/i] effect on compliance. None of that can have any effect on tension.

You'll need to amplify it if you are playing with anyone else, even with a single acoustic guitar. What's the budget?

Roger Miller - King of the Road - on the upright: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kat8xKP4PYU&feature=related[/media]

It's on the Warwick website: [quote][list] [*][b]Available as 4-, 5- and 6-string[/b] [*][b]4 & 5-string available as fretted, fretless, left-hand* and fretless lefthand*; 6-string only available as fretted and fretless version*[/b] [/list] [/quote]

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1334603012' post='1618421'] What about a nice bit of Level 42 for one of the 80's ones? [/quote] ... on the upright?

I know we can't afford it but surely this fetches more than $16,000: [quote] [b]1952 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop [/b](Est. $14,000 - $16,000) No serial number, Trapeze tailpiece, tuners have been changed to Grover’s, pat. Pending with original case. This is one of the very first Les Paul guitars produced. The back of the headstock is hand signed, “Les Paul.” The guitar is pictured on page 238 of Paul’s autobiography [i]Les Paul In His Own Words.[/i] [/quote]

[url="http://www.juliensauctions.com/auctions/2012/les-paul/index.html"]http://www.juliensauctions.com/auctions/2012/les-paul/index.html[/url] Some of the estimates look on the low side.

Now what this makes me think is the gold Casady ought to have the black pickup and pickguard.

[quote name='oggiesnr' timestamp='1334592344' post='1618158'] IMHO the best acoustic sets are where you don't just rehash your electric versions with acoustic instruments but revisit the whole arrangement and instrumentation so a djembe instead of a full drum kit, a mandolin instead of guitar in some places, that sort of thing. It's also fun to do but then I'm an old folkie rather than a rocker. [/quote] I agree with this. My amplified acoustic band (which has never been an electric band) mixes acoustic guitars, jazz bodied electric guitar, lap steel, mandolin, ukulele, harmonica, kazoo, and our drummer (who unfortunately has recently left us) had a small kit but would mix things up by playing, for example, only kick drum, snare, and maraccas, or using beaters or brushes. Meanwhile I mix up fretless electric, fretless acoustic, and upright, depending on the gig. But one way or another you will need to amplify at least the bass.

I play in an acoustic band and we all use amplification. So, that's my recommendation.