razze06

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I'm interested in learning a bit of slap bass to help with some of the rockabilly and bluegrass style covers we might do, but i'm worried that i won't be able to set up my  bass to play in one style and not the other effectively. Any advice?

I've currently got both a mag and a piezo pickup on my bass, and i'm using spiro weichs (i think)

(free bump)

I have one too, see it in action here, through a PJB D400 and a CAB47 

I have succesfully doubled on DB and EB for a while using a PJB briefcase. Two separate inputs with identical eq and compression capabilities. The only downside is that the two inputs are not mutuallu exclusive, so I ended up uplugging one whe I was using the other. Also, you need to like what PJB has to offer, i.e. musical and clean tone but not much power

In the end I sold the rig for a smaller head+cab setup and a small pedalboard with an ABY switch and a separate preamp for the DB   

Yep I still have it. It's currently at the workshop getting a refret

I don't use it a huge amount, but I like to keep it because it's got a really unusual tone and playing position, and it's now the second oldest bass I own!

Here it is in action a few years ago

I ended up buying one of these:

https://www.fishingmegastore.com/holdalls/greys-prodigy-rod-ready-holdall~12928.html

On 12/07/2019 at 16:53, Duckyincarnate said:

Does the NS bag fit? Those are readily available.

I think the Aria is longer than the NS EUBs. If someone can take some measurements of the NS bag I could check

On 20/06/2019 at 22:55, stingrayPete1977 said:

Could it be worth messaging Thomann, they might have a stagg one knocking about? 

Thomann didn't really help. Since it's not in their catalog, they can't help me.

Stagg have been supremely unresponsive as well.

Should anyone know of another place I could try calling, please let me know. Also this:

I'd like to revive this thread by pointing out that a lot of manufacturers are bringing out small form 2x8 vertically stacked cabs

TC Electronic

Warwick

Trace Elliot

The TC looks very intresting at that price, but would it work for both DB and EB in a small gig with no PA support?

My Aria EUB lives in a long and thin Stagg EUB hardcase, which is very safe but very awkward to carry in and out of places. Does anyone know if and where I can get a gig bag the Stagg EUB comes in, or something similar?

The aria EUB is almost exactly identical to the Stagg EUB. In fact, I thin the Stagg is a copy of the Aria  

2 hours ago, BigRedX said:

What make of strings ave you got fitted at the moment? 

I had the same problem with the E on my Burns short scale bass until I switched to Newtone which made a massive difference to both the playability and the sound.

Dunno, they came with the bass and are probably more than 40 years old.

I wonder if there is a market for vintage strings

I'll check out the Newtone strings - any particular type?

While on holiday in Italy i ventured into a second hand shop, and hanging off a shelf was an Ibanez 2030, a short scale jazz bass copy from 1969-1973. It was one of those "loft finds", but of much lower value than a pristine fender jazz of the same era. Some guy inherited a flat from his uncle who used to play, and that was under the bed.

Anyway I bought it for eur 130, including its period correct gigbag, three spiral leads, and one period-correct fender shoulder strap. As you can see the conditions are good, although the bass has been played, and it bears a few scars, especially on the sides of the body. Ohm it still had on a set of semi-round strings from god knows when!

After a small amount of TLC it turns out that the neck stays in shape quite well, the very primitive bridge is doing the job admirably for such a simple piece of kit, and the neck pickup is loud and strong, with a throaty voice that relly appeals to me. Unfortunately the bridge pickup is dead, scoring zero ohms when measured. Another problem is that the E string is ultra floppy, and makes playign at the low end quite unpleasant both in feel and in sound. Perhaps it was tuned to A? 

So, questions:

 - What are the odds of finding a replacement pickup for the thing? Would it be worth it to have the pickup rewound? They are super primitive affairs, with just a lot of wire wrapped around a magnet (screws are for show, they just touch the magnet and don't really adjust)

 - What can I do for the floppiness of the the E string? Buy heavier gauge strings? 

https://www.thomann.de/gb/thomann_slim_line_double_bass_europe_1.htm

I am intrigued by a smaller bodied yet 3/4 scaled double bass, and this came up in my first online search. Does anybody own one, has played one, or has any experience of one?

Also, what other small bodied DB (not EUB, got one already) could I look at?

Up until last week I only ever played my own acoustic DB, a mid-1990's german plywood job. My tutor thought it was fine, and the luthier that set it up after I got it said he was relieved it wasn't a cheap and crap starter bass. So i was pretty content with its sound and playability, as I had nothing to compare it with.

Until last week.

I happened to be at a work social event that included a jam session, which I signed up for. Turned to be a jazz jam session, and, mediocre as I am, I gave it a go. The pro bass player that was running it kindly let me use his bass, and the instrument was _incredible_ Under the fingers it felt as playable as my Aria EUB, which feels like a toy in my hands after using my regular bass, yet it retained the response you expect from an acoustic bass. Moreover, its clarity was much better than mine, and the notes came through much more defined than i'm used to, and through a worse amp than mine as well. Since it was me playing both, I can't blame the difference in sound on my technique. The body size was small, but the fingerboard was regular 3/4 scale.

So the question is, what can I do to improve the playability nd clarity of my bass without spending £10k on a custom job like he did? I currently have some Spiro Weich strings on mine, about 6 months old. Any idea is welcome!

7 hours ago, Rabbie said:

Years ago I toured all over the U.K. with my bass in a Fiat Panda. All that close proximity and intimacy, with her neck resting on my shoulder whilst negotiating motorways and B roads made me develop a certain intimacy with my instrument. I’m not sure it resulted in me being a better player though, so I blamed her for it, said things I wish I didn’t say on a journey back from a remote Festival...so we split up after that, and I sold her....

get a bigger car, both you and your bass deserve some space!

My deal on my current car expires soon, and i'm shopping around for a new one thinking mainly of whether the bass and amp and cab will fit...

SOLD

Extremely good condition Sterling by MusicMan SUB Ray4, walnut body, rosewood fingerboard, maple neck (i think).

Original pickup and preamp have been replaced with a retro sounding AlNico pickup, and with a Stinger preamp. The sound is now much mellower and more controlled than before. I know you can never get back the money you put in in upgrades, but someone might like what i've done. Original parts will be included in the sale. The only other mod is the addition of a thumbrest (see picture), simply screwed in the pickguard. I prefer to play fingerstyle close to the neck, but that can be easily removed.

No scratches, dings, or any other blemishes.

The bass is located in Newhaven, Edinburgh. Happy to ship at cost.

1 hour ago, bumnote said:

Fair enough, they are significantly smaller

2 hours ago, ljbass said:

Worth a look https://soundelirium.wordpress.com/products-db-series/

Jan’s cabs are really well thought...

Very interesting, I shall research more, thanks. 

2 hours ago, bumnote said:

How about this. Similar to Fleabags but the C4 lites. Used at a gig last night in a pub in a 3 piece band. Very punchy and tons of volume.

 

 

 

My normal setup is that amp with a cab47. The c4 lites are significantly lighter than the cab47, but not much smaller. Love the rig though. 

1 hour ago, Marc S said:

Not heard a Crazy 8, but I've been intrigued by them - I wouldn't mind hearing one
Also - have you considered the Acoustic image "Upshot" - they're tiny, as the "cabinet" is round (not much bigger than the speaker) and are designed to be pointed upwards....
Again, I've not heard one, but folk rave about them. Now a Crazy 8 and an upshot is something I'd love to hear

EDIT: Just looked, and from the Thomann website, it looks as though the Upshot is no longer available.... hope this is not the case...

Acoustic image european website lists them at about £500 each. Prices as of late 2017, mind. And eu prices are lower than uk

I already have a CAB47 from PJB, which is a little bigger and a little heavier than the C4. Nice as that is, I would like something significantly smaller and lighter. So far the Crazy8 stays as the best option, but i admit i'm intrigued by the trickfish TF110. Quite a different in cost though!

The idea of a small PA speaker is also interesting, i shall investigate! Perhaps a single 1x10 passive speaker to be powered by my amp?

After selling my PJB briefcase because of lack of use, it looks like I might start needing a small amp for DB/EUB again.

Since I now own a PJB D400 amp head, what options do I have for a very small cab (and I mean small)? I am mightily intrigued by the Crazy8, yet i'd like to ask the opinion of the BC hive mind before I pull the trigger.

I'm not interested in combos, just very small cabs that could go well with the D400.

You mention trades, what kind of thing are you after?

That's some headstock on that thing!

3 hours ago, LukeFRC said:

Fat beams - as they age they stay playable for longer 

I've ordered some, i shall report back