Paolo85

6 minutes ago, Yan_Huriey said:

UPDATE...put those Rotosound flats on my P bass, I've got to say, I'm liking them a lot.  Neck may or may not need shimming to counteract the tension, too early to tell, love the feel of them, loving the sound. Thank you everyone for the advice.  I might put flats on another bass now.

I may be totally wrong but I am not sure a shim would necessarily work out fine. Higher tension strings do not change the neck angle directly. They do so by adding relief/bow. If you have no room to counteract that with the truss rod, a shim may reduce the string height at say the 12th or 17th fret, but you'll still have a significantly higher relief than you were used to, which means the overall playability is not as it was. Consider string height is discussed in terms of 1.5, 2.5 or 3.5mm. Relief is discussed in terms of 0.1mm meing low, 0.5mm being high. Granted, you may be ok with a higher relief. But there may be an argument for lower tension flats there..

In my opinion,somewhere near the P position. Then you tame it with tapewounds, tone rolled off, a mute, and playing near the neck. I was very happy with the results on a P.

For DB you need punch and clarity.

I have limited experience of pickups closer to the neck bit yes, so far my impression is thet you lose something 

I have basses with both. You'd expect the latter to create less confusion when you switch from fretless to fretted and viceversa. Strangely, I find it's the opposite

12 minutes ago, Linus27 said:

What's the tension like on GHS Precision Flats? 

I would say perceived tension more than rounds of the same gauge but not a lot more. Less than LaBellas (excluding the LTFs)

Some notes I wrote somewhere else:

"Thomastick Infield –  Small gauge, extremely low tension. Very soft on the fretting hand but may require higher action depending on the quality of the fretwork as they are more prone to buzzing (in general that’s always the trade off wirh lower tension/gauge). They reportedly last forever (you hear of people that hsve them on for 10 years or so) and have very strong high mids for being flats. So unlike most flats they tend to stand up in the mix a bit more

Labella – I have tried the Jamerson, the 44-104 and the low tension flats. Low tension flats are my favourite, they are surprisingly thumpy compared to the gauge. The round core in my opinion makes them more “bouncy” and expressive. I am a for lowish gauge strings in general for similar reasons. Other Labellas are stiff relative to their gauge (as most flats are, not exceptionally stiff). LaBellas apparently are the go-to strings for a vintage thump. They have both the thump and to my ear also an element of pronounced top end. To my ears, they sound a bit unbalanced unless the gauge is high (the E is too thumpy and can at times disappear, the G has that top end and not enough thump so may sound tinny with the tone rolled up). But that’s me, they are the most popular flats and maybe my ear is funny

Dunlop flats – they have a thin core and are rather low tension, and a bit like the TIs have a somewhat roundwound zing. I prefer the TIs

-GHS precision flats – I have tried 55-105, 45-95 and 45-105. The 45-95 are my favourite flats alongside the TIs. Not properly low tension but more pliable than LaBellas. 45-95 and 55-105 have unbalanced tension, with e much sofer than the G (and the 55-105 are hard work for me) – but I like a beefier G so it’s worth it. A bit less thump and more clarity than LaBellas in my opinion. Still, we are talking proper vintage thump, nothing like Dunlop or TIs. They take a long time though (weeks and months) to get to their best sound. At first they have some zing but not necessarily in a great way

-D’Addario tapewounds. Not properly flats but, even more than flats, tapes reportedly last forever. They are strange in an interesting way. The tape wrap dampens the sound so they sound “weaker” than flats. Also, it gives them a double-bass like attack with string initial attack and fast decay. There is some thump to them but inside the nylon there are actually some quite zingy rounds. The result to me is similar to newish nickelwounds with the tone rolled of a fair bit (but with the different attack). The perceived “weakness” mostly matters in isolation, alongside other instruments they sound just fine. The G sounds a bit tinny to me though

– LaBella tapes 60-115 A bit like the d’addario tapes but less zing and way more thump"

Hi there, that's very kind many thanks! However, it turned out the truss rod is double action so I cannot get the nut off. Also, fortunately, it turned out thay my local tech says the nut is not rounded really, is fine, the allen key's wiggle is within acceptable and possibly it's the allen key I have at home that is a bit worn. False alarm!

I was very interested in plucking with three or four fingers right when I started. At the time plucking with more than two fingers, much like playing a six string bass, was seen as really cool among local metalheads. I quickly found that using three fingers was a very easy shortcut for galloping in Iron Maiden songs. Playing straight sixteenth notes with three fingers also seemed a reasonable option. The 1231231 you are describing. But then I found that for all things that involved more than one string, three fingers were creating new problems in terms of coordination. In the end, while I admired Billy Sheehan, I ended up thinking it was not worth the effort to develop the technique for my purposes. Over time, my index and middle got fast enough to play what I needed to play, and I abandoned plucking with three fingers completely. Most of the exercises then were aimed at bringing the left hand up to the speed of the right one - which I never managed, and got injured in the process.

17 hours ago, Paolo85 said:

Meet the UEB - upright electric bass.

 

Just to report that the UEB is working after all. I taped a small balloon ribbon roll (yes) to the back of the upper horn. It sticks out and rests exaclty on my sternum as I play, and that keeps it fairly stable. The stand now just keeps the bass up, and prevents it from twisting.

Agreed with @Burns-bass that that's not the real thing. Still, fun to use and keeps me away from the temptation of a short-scale EUB. After some playing, no sign of pain in my left hand, wrist or forearm, so I have good hopes that I have some aspects of the upright technique figured out. But the back of my shoulder is all stiff so maybe I am not doing it too well yet 

Meet the UEB - upright electric bass. Stuck on a tattoist arm rest, set up with unnecessarily high action to make the experience more vaguely realistic.

To be honest it is a failed experiment. The bass is very heavy (it's a cheap Fazley that competes with the heaviest Harley Bentons). I did nof feel like chopping the wings and having to redo the electronics.

The center of gravity would really be on the neck. Obviously I could not screw it to the neck.

Result? It wobbles a bit when I play.

To make it work, I should probably find a SERIOUSLY sturdy stand. However, I am tempted to just cut my losses. It was meant to be just a bit of fun. It's ok to play one note per bar, maybe try a slow two feel, see how far off my intonation is (a lot!), experimenting with using upper arm and shoulder muscles to play on the fingerboard, and see if it's painful or not. That should be all I need while I wait for the right time to buy an EUB to come 

EDIT: let me at least celebrate the acoustic sound of this, which with the superhigh action and plucked like an upright does sound more  "uprighty" than I expected!

29 minutes ago, Beedster said:

That’s how I see it, a few folks above appear to know what’s going on but are being a little opaque, could someone just explain in simple language what has happened? 
 

My spidey senses were pricked by the ‘sellers’ inability to take PayPal which of course would have facilitated an easy refund. But who knows…..

Right, I have been thinking this through and I thought it was worth writing a summary, with a question for the OP

-The seller gave their bank details to the @theplumber

-The wife of the OP typed the bank details for the payment

-Both the OP and his wife doublechecked the bank details

-The bank details typed were matching those provided by the seller, this was confirmed ex-post

-they made the payment

-the money went to to a different bank account. Now, the question for @theplumber. When you say that the money went to a different bank account, you mean different sort code and account number (as was my initial understanding), or just different name and address from that provided by the seller? If the former, that's not an APP, just because it does not match the definition, and it's hard to imagine how the seller has any responsability. If the latter that's definitely a scam, a pretty straightforward one, and it should be looked into it closely by the mods I believe

35 minutes ago, Beedster said:

 

'Problem' with PayPal account followed by a diversion of the bank transfer, the coincidences are mounting  

My thinking would be that if somebody was able to change the bank details manually typed and doublechecked by the OP and his wife in their heavily encrypted banking apps/websites, that would mean

-that they have the OP wife's phone or computer hacked, or the bank hacked

-that they are very skilled, so they would probably try to sell a Fodera, not something that has been reduced to £95

19 hours ago, JoeEvans said:

She's 16 and fairly tall so no need for short scale. Some good suggestions there, thanks! Interesting to see the universal love for Harley Benton.

Well, it is a miracle to make well built, good sounding basses for 100 pounds. But I am going to play my usual role of reminding that some have quirks (eg being stupidly heavy and/or bad balance). Over the past year I have read of plenty of people here that did buy one and then sold as they did not want to put up with it. For a beginner it could be a pity as it could discourage from playing altogether.

I'll join the chorus of those saying that a good setup is key. Maybe more important than the bass.

23 minutes ago, Rosie C said:

 

I could have written this post. I bought a "Gear 4 Music" branded EUB which looks much like a Stagg one. The only way to play it that I could find was squeezing with my LH thumb - something my teacher called "strangling the goose" or something, and said would cause tendon problems. I bought an NS stand from Thomann and fitted that - it was better, but still not the same as an acoustic upright. In the end I sold it and now have a cheap 3/4 acoustic which can be played in the recommended "pulling from the elbow" way.

 

I wish I could do that! The problem is that I mostly play late at night

Does anybody have good ideas on hi

ow to stick a heavy P bass onto this? https://www.gear4music.com/Drums-and-Percussion/Heavy-Duty-Cymbal-Stand-by-Gear4music/1J60

Or maybe @Paul S , @sandy_r would you be happy to show how yours attach to the stand?

Thanks!

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