CoolCat

Pirastro string cleaner fluid works well for me. It is basically nail polish remover further distilled.Quite cheap from a violin shop. Just don't spill on the varnish because it will eat it away.

[quote name='teej' post='884228' date='Jul 2 2010, 06:46 PM']CCB? [/quote] Cheap Chinese Bass.......I think.

[quote name='BigBeatNut' post='880522' date='Jun 28 2010, 11:39 PM']If you think that's 'ewww' check the TB stickied thread on [url="http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=72489"]making new strings sound dead[/url] ... goes way beyond nose grease and fried chicken into NSFW territory. My favourite link from the thread ... anyone want to [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNJ1g18fmwg"]try this on upright[/url] ?[/quote] My previous post was just for comical effect (I think you gathered that), however BigBeatNut, thanks for the link above, all looks delicious....and the chicken is probably not bad either !! Belinda I am not being very constructive towards your question however hand cream works for me on healing dry skin on sore fingers. Good luck. Let us know how it went.

If the calouses are not formed I found that softing the skin helps if you need to play.I would say, wash your hands in nice warm water, dry them , moisturise with your favourite "extra strong Norwegian Fisherman Hand-Cream" and rest - drink water, keep yourself hydrated. On the day, grease your playing fingers by rubbing them on your nose (if you have a oily one) or by eating a bit of chicken " a la Jaco" (yes laugh now but you all will be trying that later on). If you have irregular calouses then just rub your fingers lightly on smooth side of a fingernail file or other fine grain surface to smooth down the skin (Ron Carter...enough said) If this advice does not work on you, them take two panadol based tablets and just bleed for your music....is just the way it goes... ps:...avoid spicy chicken, although it tastes better,it tends to burn on blisters and unprotected flesh.

I forgot to add on my last post, on the G4M Deluxe the tailwire WILL go! It gets rusty inside the tailpiece and just crumbles after a couple of months out of the box. So just get the one recomended earlier on the tread (steel cable) and replace the original one when you change to the better strings.It will save you a fright and is easy to do. Also get the new strings before bridge and soundpost placement or before you do any adjustments yourself (if you are handy with tools) so you will have a good ball park for the string elasticity (they do vary). To add fuel to the fire, I just could not stretch my budget to a Archer or a Stentor (those are realy nice starter basses) but I do love my orangy box. If you can try before you buy second hand instruments go for it before ordering online. Good luck.

I have the G4M Deluxe you are considering and for first double bass it suits me fine. You get a case (light wiht velvety lining), bow (decent sintetic hair) and rosin delivered on a huge box. Sell the case on your favourite auction site to recoup some money. Buy cheap gig bag. Out of the box you need soundpost placed and probably bridge height adjustment (unless you like to play 2cm away from the fingerboard). After that obligatory new strings. Select something like spirocores,honeys,obligatos or evahs ... I am partial to evahs light. And you are ready. Later you can play with soundpost placement, smoothing the fingerboard,better bridge, pickup, replace endpin for carbon one (my bass got louder), better bow, better rosin...etc.

Kudos to you, it looks very good considering the initial state of the beast. The nut job (no pun intended) is quite simple considering the work you have done already. Just place a business card below the strings for clearence to the fingerboard and use round or neddle files on the slots until the strings touch the card. Sand down for a perfect finish all the excess material from the top of the nut until the slots are deep about half of the string height.Lubricate using a soft pencil back and forward on the slots a few times to coat the slot - good on the bridge slots as well. Well done you. Sound clips.

I have heard/seen you playing bass from "Fear of Fours" to "Manchester Road" on various occasions and in part I finally bought a DB inspired by you and your presence on the Manchester Jazz scene. That is a bass with history and can only hope it sells well and goes to equaly good hands. Cheers for all the good music.

[quote name='steviedee' post='854682' date='Jun 2 2010, 11:48 AM']I t just sounds like a right palaver but I reckon anything will seem enjoyable after deciding to strip the varnish off the scroll![/quote] It is not as hard as it seems although you will have to detune, adjust soundpost, adjust bridge position (don't forget), tune, play for a few hours, detune, adjust soundpost, adjust bridge position (don't forget), tune,play for a few hours, detune, adjust soundpost..... you cycle a few times with this until is to your taste. As a rule of tumb, sundpost initial placement should start like described before, below the right foot of the bridge (looking from the front) by a soundpost thickness and as perpendicular to belly and back as possible. The soundpost itself should have the wood grain perpendicular to the grain of the top of the bass for resistence - look at the top of soundpost for correct placement. Usually soundpost top and bottom are shaped to match the curvature of the bass.Try to keep it snug.Tight - you may damage the bass, loose - you will hear rattling when playing. Tone wise, from my observations on my own bass: Moving from start position towards the bottom or towards the centre you get more bass or more bass and less volume. Moving soundpost towards the outside (f-hole) or up (under the bridge) you get more treble and more volume. Try moving the soundpost small increments and on x axis first then y axis if start position is centre or zero of the axis. Results will most probably depend on your taste and combination of strings, bridge placement (try to keep the same at all times) and bass build caracteristics. The soundpost alters dramatically how bass sounds and that is why is called "alma" or "soul" in the family of string instruments. My soundpost is at the moment a soundpost thickness to the right of the starting position and it works well for me balancing the darkeness of Evah strings with good top strings definition when trying to do jazzy walking bass runs.... - I can't really - but evey so offten they work and that is enough for me Barbecue forks can be a out of trouble tool, however you can invest on a proper S shaped setter from the auction site of election.You just cannot buy patience. There is plenty to read on the web and youtube videos on placement inside cellos - it is the same - just a "petit" frame body!!

I am sorry, but I cannot stop smiling thinking about the moment someone went: "Right ! I will wedge this bit of biscuit on this neck crack, screw it - and it will be like new!!" Obviously is not a bit of biscuit and I don't intend to be disrespectful towards your bass. I love a project myself. Technically you refer to the fingerboard as "banana" shaped - it should have a smooth arc ! ...somewhat less exagerated - because otherwise the strings will buzz. See it like the "neck relief" you adjust with a truss rod on electrical bass/guitar.Too much and it will be hard to press the strings. As long you are confident the neck joint is solid and wont snap on you, leave it and enjoy the bass. It takes luthier's experience and tools to refit and make it work as new. However, you can file those nut slots down (maybe even change the nut: ebony piece=£5 ) and the bridge needs immediate slot attention. All those deep slots are grabbing the strings !! Have fun.

A new meaning for "playing my box": [url="http://www.edencompanies.com/bogdon/audiovideo.html"]http://www.edencompanies.com/bogdon/audiovideo.html[/url]

[quote name='lobematt' post='807256' date='Apr 15 2010, 03:55 PM']Hi there I've been playing electric bass for 10 years and want to move into upright bass as well. I've decided to go acoustic over electric (which I was toying with for a while...) and I don't have a very big budget. Probably less than £500. As far as I'm aware there aren't any shops stocking upright basses by me so don't really have a chance to try out any basses but I have found this bass/case/bow deal on the internet and was wondering if anybody could tell me if it's worth getting this one or hanging on for something else? [url="http://www.gear4music.com/Woodwind-B...s-and-Case/1O1"]http://www.gear4music.com/Woodwind-B...s-and-Case/1O1[/url] Thanks![/quote] If you are in the UK you should be looking at this page instead: [url="http://www.gear4music.com/String_Instruments/Double_Bass.html"]http://www.gear4music.com/String_Instrumen...ouble_Bass.html[/url] I have the Deluxe + Evah Pirazzi Light strings (around £500 all together) and sounds quite alright and is playable after some tweaking of bridge,nut and smoothed the fretboard.I get a good pizzicato sound and my teacher does make it sound very good either with bow or pizzicato.As ever is not so much what you have but what you do with it, however you MUST bin the original cheap strings and buy a good standard set immediatly Spirocores/Evah/Honeys/Obligatos (that is another quest). There is a forum member with the Archer + Obligatos and he is quite happy and the bass looks good. (just do a search) Going for something more expensive, as other members already pointed out, could mean better sound and playability but all depends on your goals.Are you intending to play live and carry the bass around a lot? are you playing just in your bedroom? Are you recording in studio or just having fun on garage band? You can always sell the bass - either expensive or cheap - as there is always someone willing to start on db or looking for a better bass. For me the orange box will do for another couple of years or until it breaks in half. If it does break, then I had plenty of fun and I am in a better position to choose a better bass - finances permiting. If you can, save some money for a couple of lessons with double bass teacher. Have fun on your journey. ps: EUB are ok also, however you lose that lovely rumble against your body, and you can't annoy your neighbours with late night bow practice !!

....time for the old measuring tape.... How is the new bridge to small? Height or foot spread? Some instructions below to help identify the correct size for your bass. [url="http://www.gollihurmusic.com/product/1158-3_4_UPRIGHT_BASS_ADJUSTABLE_BRIDGE.html"]http://www.gollihurmusic.com/product/1158-...BLE_BRIDGE.html[/url] If is short uncut (you know you have to trim and fit the bridge right?) you may have the correct standard size but you fingerboard may be at the incorrect angle with the 3/4 size body(it is 3/4 right?). If you are handy with tools you can fit some aluminium adjusters (just check the web how to) to adjust the height - if the foot spread is correct. If ebay cannot help (there are ok-ish chinese bridges there) then take it to a pro for bridge work pay and forget about it....

[quote name='owen' post='778126' date='Mar 17 2010, 11:20 PM']Cordes Lambert Tell me more! Where? How much?[/quote] Sound samples and ordering email on link below. Just send a email asking for payment details and proceed with order via paypal. My strings arrived 2 days later from France. Brilliant service! Around £50 depending on the exchange rate. [url="http://www.myspace.com/cordeslambert"]http://www.myspace.com/cordeslambert[/url] They are fun, once you get used to the bouncy feel (compared to metal strings).