Homatron

Looks like a cool bit of kit. I never would have thought of pairing something like that with double bass!

What's the mysterious one on the left?

Thanks for starting this thread. Very timely for me! I've just started playing DB and have been recording a few bits on a handheld Tascam recorder as a practice aid. I'm currently getting a very "roomy" recording, so I'll experiment with some of the positioning and room control suggestions above to see if I can get better results.

I've been dreaming of picking up the double bass for a long time, but had been writing it off for various reasons. So imagine my surprise when my wife organised this for a big birthday this week! Currently renting for a few months to see if we can live with it, but I now can't imagine a world without DB... it's so addictive and rewarding! It seems playing cello as a kid, and fretless bass for a long time has helped get me started, but there's so much to learn!

It's one of those things you just forget about until it goes wrong! At which point it destroys everything.

I just had a quick check with mine and found I could get some odd readings by pressing the up arrow on the right. I'm sure they're settings to be used for different tunings but I could get it to read "A" whilst playing an open G. All without changing the reference frequency. Pressing the up arrow several times until the indicator LED got back to "Chromatic" took me back to normal tuning. Might be worth checking how it is set.

Just imagine the soothing tones emanating from that oil-infused bass... Dreamy.

Thanks for the input folks, it's good to hear a range of views and things to consider. I hadn't dwelled too much on the fault gamble aspect. In the past I'd jump in, soldering iron in hand, but time is short these days! For now I've managed to contain my impulsiveness but I'll report back if there's a GAS leak.

A clean-looking Trace AH300-7 has come up locally but I have no clue if it is a good buy (currently asking £150). What are the Trace gurus' thoughts on this model? Some of the finds in this thread make me think I should hold out for a real bargain!

While I imagined it would be how to *"Make 'em pay" for not learning the material beforehand. *In Cockney gangster voice, fist raised menacingly.

Would Time Bomb by Rancid suit the vibe?

Sorry to hear of your injury and hope it isn't impacting daily life too much! I've broken a few bones in my time on Earth (including my collarbone) and for me the key is to remember the physiology of healing, and not get frustrated and do stuff which would make recovery slower. It's normally 6-8 weeks for bones to knit back together, and perhaps a couple more months to get back to full strength*. There are lots of great bass skills to learn without picking up an instrument. Stuff like rhythm, ear training, active listening and various aspects of theory could keep you busy for a couple of months (or a lifetime!). It's likely there's materials on your learning platform for all of this. Don't stress about forgetting what you've already learned. You may feel rusty after a few weeks away from the instrument, but it'll soon come back! *I'm not a medical professional... seek a professional opinion.

Kudos to the mods, but how on earth am I going to contact Alaskan Airlines now?!

Now we're talking. Take my money!