Paolo85

54 minutes ago, sandy_r said:

 

I don't know if any of my experience might relate...

 

I wanted to try for a low-cost EUB that was light and easy to play, so I had my Sinsonido converted to fretless, removed the top half of an old mike stand and use the upper bout of the guitar only, to rest it against me. The mike stand takes all the weight and requires almost no support of the guitar neck

 

So it's a bit similar to the Stagg on a stand - but presumably a lot cheaper?

 

Now that's a cool idea! I mean, ultimately I'd want to have a full 3/4 size, but I have a cheap fretless, already butchered as I was experimenting stuff, currently not used really, which I may decide to drill on a stand just to see how it feels to play upright. The completely flat radius of that fretless may be a big issue though.

Then maybe I'll wait for any cheap EUB to come up for sale at a time that suit my finances and do what @Paul S did!

19 minutes ago, Downunderwonder said:

The Stagg hip prop is made of aluminium so it can be customized to you. It can't twizzle if it's on your hip.

It wasn't my experience but maybe that's just down to lack of technique

Right, I apologise because obviously I am not talking clearly

4 minutes ago, NickA said:

The usual EUB issue is that they tend to twizel around whereas the dB stays locked to your body as you kind of wrap yourself around it.

Yes that's the problem I am talking about. I at no point was meaning to discuss plucking technique.

If the pressure of the left hand (for a right-handed player) moves the EUB around, the left-hand thumb has to kick in to stabilise. This is not what is recommended as a safe DB technique in all instructional videos I have watched.

So what one has to buy for a stable EUB? Yamaha silent bass? Just buy a stagg and attach it to a good stand? Would the Warwich Triumph hold stable?

Weigh may not be the correct word. What I meant is explaiend here 

Bottom line, it seems you don't just squeeze strings between the thumb and the other fingers as in an EB. The DB is stable (leans on you) and you use bigger arm-shoulder muscles to play. From memory, some instructional videos describe the effortless nature of the movement as using the "weigh" of the arm. Maybe they just describe a feel, but the slight angle of the db may allows for some contribution from gravity (from a quick google, but don't hold me to it, a 15% angle would allow to transfer 9% of the weigh of the arm. A 10% angle though would not be sufficient to transfer anything).

Regardless, and EUB for me would need to be either on a properly solid stand, or be designed so that it leans on the body well. The little metal "arm" of the Stagg did not work for me, I was always keeping it in balance with my thumb.

The cheapest options I see on Thomann that from the picture seem to fit the description are the warwich triumph and the NS Design WAV4c. Just wonder how both feel in therms of balancing for those who tried them and if there's a cheaper option

Hi all,

So, I tried a Stagg EUB a while ago and it did not really work for me. I have a history of tendinitis. I understand with a DB one uses the weigh of the arm and shoulder to play on the fingerboard. Without squeezing strings between the thumb and the other fingers, which could cause injury.

I understand "stick" shaped EUBs make this very difficult.

So I wonder, what's the cheapest I can go to get an ergonomycally safe playing experience? It does not have to feel like a proper DB. As long as it keeps the risk of injury at minimum.

Hopefully, something without a lumpy fingerboard (my Stagg's was not very good really) would also be good

Thanks

24 minutes ago, Waddo Soqable said:

This piqued my interest, so I just measured my Squier cheapo PJ (the type that's being sold currently btw)  it certainly doesn't give the impression of a chunky or baseball bat neck..

Now, depending on where you're taking measurements from.. the actual with of the plastic nut itself is 39.82.. The wood of the neck at this point is 40.93

 

I had that (still have it, but the neck had issues and I had to replace it). Honestly, once filed the multiple bumpy frets and the very high nut slots, it was the most satisfying neck ever. My impression was that it was proper P width, but the thinnest of my lot back to front. I wonder if it was too thin for the cheap wood they use and a number of them are bound to be unstable or become warped over time. When I'll have money to throw away I'll get sombody to build me that neck but with quartersawn maple or something

54 minutes ago, ezbass said:

The specs say 42.8mm, but no matter how many times I measure mine, it's 40mm on the nose.

Ha! I wonder if it's part the reason why people, knowingly or not, find them so good. I had a P with 40mm and it was great

I did not realise they were 40mm nut width. That makes them unique for sure!

Hi all, as per the title, do you know where to buy high-quality truss rod nuts of various sizes?

I have this Ibanez SRF700 with a not-yet stripped but fairly rounded nut. I'd like to replace it before it's too late. But the setup right now is ok and before taking it off (assuming it just comes off) I need to be sure I can find a suitable replacement (likely metric for Ibanez it seems)

Thanks

10 minutes ago, Beedster said:

 

Anyone have any suggestions re this? 

Unfortunately I looked into it just a couple of times some 12 years ago. This article does not look too bad

https://buffer.com/library/background-music-video/

Just now, Newfoundfreedom said:

Can't you just use something in the public domain?

 

Any old classical stuff, Beefoven and the like, is usually fair game. 

 

I think there's copyright on the recording. You are right though, some are not copyrighted (and not anymore), but quality may vary for those

There are libraries of songs that can be used for these purposes. I have not looked into it in ages but I think they can be priced fairly well, and they can be good - as background tracks.

13 hours ago, BassAdder60 said:

Some say the Vintera series are better built but I think they are perhaps set up better from new but quality is very similar 

Interesting thought. I often wonder, given that not everybody gets their instrument setup after purchase, how much of an instrument's reputation is based on stuff like that.

6 hours ago, greavesbass said:

This. Ive recently began studying cello. If there is anything to kill GAS permanently it's learning a classical instrument cause its all about study and practise practise practise....Sure you can get a better instrument but it'll be just has hard to get the notes right as the beginners instrument. I now see my bass playing in a completely different light as well....that its so darn easy in  comparison.

I am in a somewhat similar situation without a classical instrument. Lately I have decided to give walking bass a proper try (I am useless at it and all previous attempts failed), and I play a lot of fretless (also useless at it).

No amount of money spent in gear would make the **** coming out of my amp when I play acceptable so no point in upgrading.

Still, I think that, if at some point I'll say "I am done buying gear for good", that would be because I have switched to DB, and found strings with a good feel.

DBs would be too expensive and bulky and not modular enough for me to go down the rabbit hole.

Basses are more tempting because with the cost of a Thomann student DB (which I imagine would also require professional setup) one can buy something like two/three good basses, or maybe one bass and two pream-DI pedals and so on...

Well, nothing would prevent me from putting in the same stuff from the 50s that I listen to on Spotify. Knowing me there's a chance I would not listen to 1985 stuff untill 10 years later when it's easier to tell what was meant to leave a mark.

But who knows... there was proper good stuff back then. So maybe I would be different. If I bumped into it, Virgin Steele's Noble Savage from 1985 would get a lot of listening. And so would Megadeth and Slayer's debut albums.

3 minutes ago, casapete said:

So they do eventually dull after plenty of use then. I assumed this might be the case as the metal

will surely show signs of deterioration (like rounds do), but just not so soon.

The problem is defining "dull". If I remember correctly, this guy's bass has had TIs on since 2012 or something like that. 

They most certainly sound less bright and growly than they did when new. Is it a problem, or an improvement?

Some people put hand cream or vaseline on their new flatwounds to make them age quickly so they lose brightness and get more thumpy (I have done it myself). The whole point of flats for many (most?) is to have that thumpy sound, and flatwounds do not really get to their best sound before a certain amount of time.

I suppose there may be a point where they have aged too much, but the threshold for that is down to personal taste

Luckily my GAS levels are fairly low. I am not 100% sure but I seem to remember prices started going down already a few months after launch. Not Thomann sells them pretty much at the price of an Affinity PJ. I suspect they were not as big a success as Fender initially expected. Maybe this is down to all that gold - it's a personal taste but I just find them ugly.

Still, if I could buy a bass now I would buy one of these Ps

As much as needed. To me, they matter in terms of sound and playability as much as the bass, and they are a cheaper way to get there.

Luckily, I for the most part I have no interest in fresh and bright sets, else money would be more of an issue and maybe I would have other ideas.

I seem to have settled on D'Addario tapes for the fretless (I'd prefer the thicker labella tapes but I'd have to work through some finger pain issues), and old D'Addario NYXL for the P bass. Then DR Hi-Beams for the Cort "musicman-inspired" bass. While long lasting, the DR maybe could be replaced now. But I use the other two basses way more so I am in no rush.

...there you go http://www.audereengineering.com/FAQ_PUMag_Gnd.htm#:~:text=If you are getting noise,a new wire to ground.

Different pickups alone may not solve the problem

17 minutes ago, neil___lien said:

Funny.. the couple that gave it to me are French. My only other friend who knows about the brand is French. And Audiofanzine, where i found a couple of very negative reviews, is also a French forum (i believe)... 

 

It's not a bad bass, in fact, after all the work i've put into it... The neck is super nice, frets are super shallow, which is new to me, but happy to report there are no pokey ends... There is one thing i hate though, which i've only had with one other bass before: It's that i really need to be careful not to touch the pole pieces when i am playing or my ears regret it instantly..  

 

Is a pick-up upgrade necessary?

For that, to my understanding clear nail polish at the top of the pole pieces would do. With zero impact on the sound. I think it means that the pole pieces are not grounded, somebody else can correct me and/or explain better

To me, it sounds rather good! Can't go wrong with a P!

On 29/08/2023 at 09:20, Geek99 said:

Not at all - improvising is much easier than you think. I’ve got small children and get to a jam night once a month max. I’ve not practiced in years as kids and diy mountain don’t allow. At @How1 also 
 

I got thrown in the deep end by a rude OM night host (just this Friday gone) who wouldn’t even tell me what song was next. I had to work it out, google the chords and come up with something, really quickly.  Luckily there are sone basic rules about what works and I swam, sort of, rather than sank. I expected to sink, as you do. If you read my started threads, the story is there
 

where are you located ? Either of you that is? 
 

 

 

Well, I guess it all depends on personal skills, regardless of practice time. And also confidence and interests. I guess stakes at a jam night in a pub are not high but I am not sure why would I spend my limited free time putting myself in a situation I do not want to be in - such as the one you have described.

That being said, I get the point many have made that some jam nights may not be as intimidating as I expected. Maybe in the right situation I could manage to put some roots and fifths in a simple chord progression or do something more if i know/learn a few songs.

A friendly BC member suggested a couple of jams here in Bromley that I will check out as soon as I get myself to do it

I am of very little help as I never tried a Vintera but I have a Pickup from a Fender Classic 50s, which is described as very similar or sometimes almost identical to the vintera. It has a lot of very "dirty" 50s' growl. Somewhat bright although it also has a punchy bottom end. Truth to be told, it's bit too much. Too much personality, if it makes sense. I love it in a way but prefer a more "neutral" precision sound in practice

...let me say though that the odd pictures and the grumpy description would make me feel uncomfortable about that bass.

Cort's offering has changed a lot over the years, so not impossible, I believe. I have never seen that. If the seller was to provide a picture of the serial, you'd get the year of production from there which may make the search easier