Duckyincarnate

Great minds! Saying that, if I won the lottery, I would be on the phone the same day to order one of Martin Penning's basses....

I also have a Bryant soloist and had the same work done as Bassace - some fingerboard work, shaping of the nut and a totally new, much larger bridge. According to Laurence, this is standard on any new Bryant. It completely brought my bass to life, night and day difference. Something to also consider - if your strings are new Spiros, then the first few weeks/months they will sound quite nasal with lots of overtones and a buried fundamental. They gain more fundamental as they become played in. Maybe that is what's throwing you off.

Very impressive result! That looks like a professional restoration. Well done! Now buy your wife something nice in the January sales...

I agree. And the scroll, which seems to be a kind of signature of the individual maker. But they can be grafted onto a new neck without much problem, it seems.

Lots of good advice. I would add that it is very possible, if not likely, that the cramps you describe could be aggravated by not playing in a relaxed enough position. We often hold far more muscle tension than we need to when playing, especially so after a couple of hours of playing. When playing, make a conscious effort to take focus on your breathing, allow the weight of your arms to do the heavy lifting rather than pushing down, shift your weight from leg to to avoid tensing up. It helps, not just physically but also with concentration on the music.

Very nice - and ambitious! Thanks for keeping us in the loop... I am just adding my own King bass for the hell of it: rolled out of the H.N. White American Standard factory in 1935. A Monster Bb rotary valve tuba with a recording bell. And it too has been refinished in its lifetime, as it happens.

Just out of interest, is it a poly lacquer or more of a traditional oil based finish?

Thomann lists the internal dimensions of all their cases on the website, so that’s worth a browse. Your friend might end up with a 4/4 sized case. There are custom case makers in the US if fit is important, but obviously ££. Nice bass.

This is the kind of thing that a good teacher is invaluable for. It could be any number of things: building up key muscle strength, the set up of your bass, bass height and angle, shape of the left hand, etc. There is a reason that people keep suggesting to beginners to find a teacher, and that reason is that this instrument can be very unforgiving. Most double bassists over their years of playing will have to deal with a playing related injury. Invest in tuition early on to develop a healthy approach, and you save yourself a lot of trouble and grief. I have been changing my posture with the help of a teacher in recent months (after playing for more than 10 years), and it has helped me to radically reduce the tension and strain of playing. But you really need someone to observe you playing, make detailed suggestions and correct mistakes before they solidify into habits. Just my 2p.

I did see that. Wasn't it an acoustic instrument?

No worries! Here you go: https://www.basschat.co.uk/forum/76-eubs-double-basses-accessories-for-sale/

Some cheap ones in the classifieds at the moment!

This. Also, have you looked at what those fibreglass cases cost?? I could just buy a new bass, really.

Sounds like a few lessons with a German bow player might be the ticket? There is also a course on the German bow on Discover Double bass, maybe worth checking out as well.

Saves on a gym membership though! But seriously, the only cumbersome bit are the stairs, everything else is just walking like you would otherwise do. Manoeuvring a bass with the Bass Buggie becomes second nature after a while. On the gigs I play (mostly straight ahead jazz), bandleaders would not consider hiring a bass guitarist. If I brought one, I'd never get the call again... So the temptation tends not to present itself!

Contrary to opinions above, I use public transport all the time, and so do many other double bass players in London. Indispensable in doing so is the brilliant Bass Buggie, which allows you to push your bass in front of you. https://www.gollihurmusic.com/product/2334-UPRIGHT_BASS_BUGGIE_BASS_TRANSPORTER_BASS_BUGGY.html I lift up the bass to avoid potholes and kerbs, done by a little flick of the knee. A good case is important. I have been doing this for years now and haven't had any trouble. Use lifts where available, and bring the least amount of stuff you can get away with. Carrying a bass up a set of stairs is alright once you get used to it. Avoid rush hour and know your way around stations.

I think that might be a plywood top, likely meaning the rest of the bass is plywood too. I can’t see the distinctive spruce grain you’d expect to see on a carved top. Nothing wrong with a good ply though! Fingerboard most likely ebony, yes, and likewise for the tailpiece. Looks decently set up - enjoy playing it!

Gut strings DEFINITELY do not keep their tuning like metal strings. In my experience even nylon strings are a lot better at that than guts. Gut is heavily influenced by temperature and humidity, particularly plain guts. They are a lot more fussy than other types of strings. I used Lenzner plain guts on D and G for about 8 years. I used to get about two to three years out of mine and they became more stable as time went on, but still they were very susceptible to e.g. bright stage lighting, outdoor gigs, big temperature changes from outdoor to indoor, etc. And of course there is the upkeep with oiling and clipping the 'hairs'. But if you want that sound, you'll probably put up with it!

I also use a walking stick ferrule on my endpin, which is one of these: https://www.thomann.de/gb/ulsa_chrome_plated_bass_endpin_35cm.htm?sid=818c18969e9e8ce67eece2892e41908a

I have used Helicore Orchestras for a few years - never had this problem. But if you are referring to the slightly satin-like coating the strings have, yes that does polish off after some weeks/months. For what it's worth, my new Spiro Weichs had an identical thing. It doesn't bother me.

It sounds like you are doing really well with the book. When I was coming back from my injury, it took about two months for symptoms to subside. Although caused by tension and not an inflammation of my tendons, there was still residual pain that took a while to disappear. The reason I knew the exercises were working was that the pain was getting less immediately after doing the exercises, and gradually diminishing over the weeks. When I do these exercises now, I can feel the temperature in my hands change very drastically. They go from a bit cold to very hot - and occasionally tingling. It feels like a restriction has been lifted, and the blood rushes into my hands. One very important additional help for me has been to focus on breathing from the diaphragm (like singers and horn players learn how to do), and really focussing on using deep in- and exhales to release tension. I do this during the stretches now.

I also want to chime in and say that your height is no barrier to playing a double bass. I am 5’6” and do just fine with the endpin out about 6”. I have known two bass players of no taller than 5’ who played the living snot out of regular 3/4 sized double basses, so you’ll be grand. If you do go that route, do your research on the DB side, as a lot more is involved in buying an instrument, and learning to play it. Don’t think of it as a bass - you’re learning a new family of instrument, with its own pitfalls and challenges. But it’s also incredibly fun and rewarding. Good luck!

Really useful advice, thanks! I have a fairly good carbon fibre bow (Col Legno) which I like, but I would like to have a quality wooden bow as the sound is meant to be richer. I am certainly not ruling out that I will be disappointed and find nothing that surpasses the bow I currently have, in which case I will keep on saving and try again in a year or two. I find it interesting that it is so difficult to find bows privately for sale. I know this is a niche sport but there is no shortage of basses on the market. With bows you really only see a couple of high value old French bows posted, often from about £4k. Where are the people upgrading from their quality pernambuco shop bows? Do people just keep hold of these as spares maybe?