3below

Apart from my sudden taste for cheap Warwick Rockbasses (£150 tops) the G&L is my first choice bass, and has been for 22 yrs or so (if memory serves me right). Having tried Fender, Gibson, Rickenbacker etc etc in my youth, this is the bass I have settled on. I would not hesitate to have a tribute version.

You may get some mileage from a local machine shop - get them lathed to replicate the two you have. Stainless steel would look OK. You may be lucky and get them done at a fair price.

[quote name='gary mac' timestamp='1344438547' post='1764512'] The USA SB1 that I own is very very good. [/quote] Ditto, it just stays in tune and does a really wide range of tones. Get an early one and have the non pointy headstock

As I remember (if memory serves me) from my VBA, there are instructions for biasing stuck on the insides and it has test points. If you are electrically confident it is quite straightforward. If not seek help.

I would echo the advice, try, try and try them. Also take a look at where the P bass went afterwards - G&L SB1, mine is the bass I have kept longest in my many so far. It is a better bass than my 77 Precision was. You could save a fortune and just put a custom shop Fender pickup in your bass with the neck you like.

On my second BF now, first was Big One, swapped for current Dubster. Big One was best cab I have ever used - it needed a lot of watts to do it justice. Dubster is in my opinion even better. The gain in sensitivity is noticeable, and even though the high frequency response is limited I can get enough punch, twang or whatever. The 3015LFs can give serious volume without stress in this cab. The wheels are a super idea but they do not like the 'Dog & Duck' rough car park as mentioned earlier. The finish on newer cabs looks better, the plus is it can be touched up easily and a full refinish is a DIY job. I am currently building a 15/6 cab to replace my Big One for the smaller gigs, Dubster & 700W is overkill with double bass.

At the other end of the scale, nice bodies, necks and pickups are available at very reasonable prices. Apart from the name build your own for a fraction of the proposed prices. There are a lot of very good low cost basses about and when combined with good amp /speaker setup is the extra financial cost now being mooted matched by the gain.

Thanks, based in Stone, Staffs and it is a (fairly) sane trip from 'Mid' Mid Wales.

Having played my double bass a lot this week (in France) I think it needs a better setup or some fettling - uneven string response is the main issue. Any suggested luthiers, I will have to travel from Mid Wales. Thanks, hopefully.

Be grateful, am unable to get my daughter (nearly 14 now) to interact with basses, guitars, harps or keyboards. Despite being an excellent clarinet player with really good sight reading she just gave up. I keep suggesting start a band with friends, look you can use one of my guitars and amps. However despite these offers of good kit, no enthusiasm whatsoever. Looks like I will not be supported by multi million rich daughter in band lol, just have to keep day job.

Get yourself an Eminence 3015 or 3012HO, from the USA so way better price than UK. Checkout Eminence website for designs. 12mm plywood (birch), then get cutting and glueing. Best bang per buck I think.

Two non musical events. At uni, a friend had crash, hit in back of head by AA book of road from rear parcel shelf. Not good. Many years later I had crash. Spare starter motor in back of VW estate, by seat bases, so well out of way (not). It went out of back side window, ended up well away from car. To this day I thank whoever, no one else hit by it or me. Surprise, surprise I always lash kit down these days.

Showing my age, Route 66, so simple, so powerful, is just a great song.

Met Nick today, good chat about kit. Bought Em 3015 from him. An excellent guy, and he will go the extra mile. Best regards. Francis.

I thought I was doing well with the £130 Warwick rockbass corvettes (TI flats cost £50 on the 5er, worth nearly 1/2 the bass). However now seriously undertaken in the low zone. Nice basses are nice, but I veer to the Robin Trower philosphy, if it gets nicked, stolen, broken, whatever I want to be able to replace it easily (and in my case affordably).

In a similar but related scenario. I had a BF Big One, loud with Peavey tour 700, about 500W to 600W into Big One. Yes I know Watts does not equal loudness, I am a Physicist / Engineer in day job. I always felt I wanted a Crown/QSC 2KW power amp with Big One, low, loud and clean. Moving on, courtesy of Rasta (excellent chap) I came by a BF Dubster. The second 3015LF makes a noticeable difference. Yes the amp gives more power - 700W at 4 ohms, but the whole setup just seems to give more. Has stopped feeling the need for 2KW power amp. Incidentally, Alex's website states Dubster lacks treble, I do not find this so, seems to have plenty of twang and clank if I need it. Two Eminence 3015LFs or 3015 in correct cab - bass players dream.

Started aged 13/14, real cheap crap bass bought Gibbo EB2 by 15 from gigs failed A levels spectacularly but played 4 nights per week aged 16 to 19 peak playing period aged 19 to 27 career intervenes dabble to age 46, bolloxed wrist, for while thought was all over, however start again now playing and am much better now than I was then, more 'musical' less technique lol currently aged nearly 54, so 40 years experience and still learning biggest problem is memory, have never been good at remembering complex chord structures in songs greatest laugh, can afford expensive kit but best bang per buck, warwick rockbass corvette £130, nuts good for the money. Biggest regret(s) - Hiwatts, Marshalls, Acoustic 370 etc amps owned, many good basses as well, if kept, what an investment. Hindsight, perfect and useless.

4 ~ 5mm just fine, but I am a hard hitter on strings and double bass playing has made this more so. I also find that as you lower the strings at a certain point the tone just drops off. In my youth, when low action was aim of the game, my Fender precision was just amazing. Have never got a bass that low since but am no longer bothered.