PedalB

It does sound as if your rosin could be an issue , even the jazz strings I use take the bow reasonably well. The lower strings should be taking the bow easier than the upper strings , afterall there's more for the bow to grip and the tension is a little lower. Check out the rosin first , if there's no improvement ,your strings or your bow or your technique will be at fault ( or some combination of them ). You may need to get 'diagnosed' by a more experienced player, it could save you time and a good deal of 'angst'. Good Luck

Although I have a solution to this issue ,I am posting it to see if others have run into this problem ,and learn what they did about it. I recently added another jazz V to my collection this time a mexican import model . I played it for a week or two with the standard round wound strings it comes issued with ,just to make sure it was ok and wasn't going back to the dealer and then as I prefer flatwounds started to fit a set of Ernie Ball flatwounds .The issue I came across was that the hole in the bridge through which the string has to pass is not large enough to take a 130 B string and the binding close to the eye . I got round the problem by reaming out the hole from about 4.2 mm to 4.9 mm still a very tight fit but acceptable. I have to say I was suprised and a little disappointed to be making alterations to a brand new guitar . That said other than this issue this mexican import model seems in just about every other way the equal of my american model.

Hi, could be any one of a number of things going on here , suggest you start by seeking the advice of an experienced player , let that person have a play on your bass ( both pizz and arco - important !). Failing that work by process of elimination and change the string first , be interested to know how you get on. good luck

Hi, Be careful -you need to make sure you get your sums correct on this . Looks like an old-(ish) French flatback to me (could possibly be German) this is the sort of thing a luthier would take a punt on to sell on again . The price the vendor wants plus what a good luthier is going to charge you to fix it will probably be 'all of its money', That being the case it might be 'safer' to buy one in better condition . I appreciate the attraction of getting a doer-upper in the hope of getting something really nice for less money,but it could end up costing more in the long run. good luck k

Hey Oggy - get yourself into Simandl not just for good bass technique,but also it will help the reading thing too. One thing I've not seen much mention of in this thread is the relative length of the 4th finger (the pinkie). On most Humans it only reaches to the 2nd joint of the third finger this limits its usefulness in the lower positions particularly on the lower strings unless some pretty unatural stretching is undertaken.Whilst the 1fpf method has its devotees,the double bass method 1,2,3+4 is more comfortable, adaptable ,and will 'get you through' some of those prolonged hard work bass lines in better shape . Cheers

Hi, Would love to be able to offer some fresh advice here ,but really the guys have said it all ,you and your bass need to be checked out by an experienced player , so many different points need to be looked at . For now as your pretty new to the DB don't be worrying about thumb positions , get the basic stuff sorted first . Good luck

Amen to that Velvetkorian- it is true that those who have learned to play from sight in a very structured environment often struggle for a while when the dots are no longer in front of them ,and they have to busk ,but its a sink or swim thing and most manage to swim after a while. One thing I forgot to mention for Oggy was that an easy way to work on reading skills is to get hold of some orchestral scores from your library and sit there and follow them whilst playing the cd ,if you can't stand Bach , Beethhoven ,or Mahler ,try things like Booker T's Green Onions - follow the chart and you'll find it performed with absolute precision ,even Steve Croppers guitar improvisations are rythmically and harmonically precise ,none of the approximations of the 'wing it by ear brigade' .

Hi Oggy, I can see this thread running on and on , here are my thoughts for what there worth- Firstly I have no experience of internet courses ,so can't really comment on there worth ,save to say you should be able to get your reading started with a basic level tutor book ,which I expect will be a good deal less expensive. I have no wish to offend anyone here ,and what I'm about to say relates only to my own experience of about 40 years as a reading bass player. Most of the non readers I have played with are fine with the basic content ,of basic rock/blues songs ,where the trouble comes is in the intros , endings and other places the song may deviate from the standard , it often takes far too long to get that kind of detail correct . Also with reading the notes comes the ability to count and put those shot notes in exactly the right place ,not just somewhere near the right place .There are many artists (succesful ones ) who still can't count and have to play to click tracks. In my own band the non readers can get quite twitchy about introducing new numbers until they had sufficient time learn thier approximation of the chart , we then reherse the number until they can play it reasonably,and only then do we set about putting our own stamp on it. In addition to bass guitar I also play Double Bass and Bass Trombone , for a number of years I was Bass Trombone in a large swing band , we mainly played original copy of the big band classics ,this is some of the most difficult music to read I have come across ,and takes musicians of a high calibre to make a reasonable job of it . In big band numbers improvised solos are called for ,(even occaisionally from a Bass Trombone) - however the chart will give the musician a chord sequence (usually complex chords) around wich the improvisation must be based,otherwise the soloist and accompanyment end up at loggerheads. This often occurs in amateur rock bands ,were some would be Jimmy Hendrix goes off like an unguided missile and the band is left holding the baby ,not even sure theyre playing the same number anymore. An earlier commenter said very few players that he had come across could read , clearly He'd not come across any of the session men who produce a good deal of what we actually listen to these days. Lastly learning to read will bring about a better understanding of musical theory ,chord structures and progressions , it will make your rehersal time far more productive ,and hopefully more pleasurable. Cheers

This is an interesting one ,and one I find quite topical at present. I play in a six piece covers band -the horn player the keyboard and I are all good readers ,the drummer , guitarist and singer do not read . As readers We we can just open the chart and play a new number,whereas it can take the others quite a while to pick up new numbers by whatever means they use , (usually sheer repetition ) . It can be quite frustrating for readers playing with non readers often it will be 2-3 weeks before the non readers are sufficiently up to speed so We can meaningfully reherse a piece. If your serious about learning to read then go for it big time , start with simple excersizes from a basic grade tutor- even open strings just to get your reading started ,as you progress you may need a little help learning to read more complex rythms- particularly if your heading towards jazz or swing , any competent musician should be able to give a hand (doesn't have to be a bass player). You should find that learning to read will actually improve your playing as your approach to your playing becomes more structured,and you can pick up new numbers much more quickly. Good luck

Hi, I'm posting a reply to 'bump' this thread , I too would like some views on this . I use a standard Jazz V and I really do think its the business , but this issue on the B string and its close proximity to the nut is one that needs a clear set of answers ,and I would think some of the Jazz 5 afficionados on this forum will have valuable experience to share . I use Ernie Ball flatwounds, the b string is a 130 and does need to be wound so that the outer winding is opening up on the tuning peg , the strings should take this without cutting themselves in two , but like you i have in the past had a new string snap whilst taking up the initial slack. cheers

Hi, Give your bass and bow to the conductor - ask him to demonstrate! . Unless you play in an ensemble that uses 'origional' instruments (ie voila da Gamba etc) to create the origional sound then apart from keeping your playing all 'neat and tidy' in the Baroque style there's little else you can do. Also if your conductor is so keen for the origional sound, ask him/her if the boat is organised to float you all down the Thames whilst you perform!.

Hi, Good to see someone starting out the rite way , Korg tuners and metronomes are pretty good,I too use them myself . Be aware that the calibration of tuners is not always that accurate- for sure they'll get you reasonably in tune ,but if your playing in an ensemble its sometimes a good idea to all tune from the one tuner.From time to time I recalibrate my tuner with a tuning fork I know to be good,its never far out -just far enough to make a difference (3-4 cents).

Hi, Just sold a BB414 , and kinda wish I hadn't , fact is I mainly play a Jazz V and just hadnt taken the Yammy out its case for ages.Took it out to check it over before it was picked up ,and was reminded what a bloody good solid bass it was -a real no nonsense instrument that will take the strain almost indefinatley ,more than you could say for some of the 'boutique basses' for sale these days at mind boggling prices. Even though I just sold mine the BB414 is one of a small number of models that would always get my vote. Cheers

I have recently replaced my old flexocors with honeys and am pleasantly surprised- no loss of tone- 'freindlier'strings to play on , take the bow pretty well to say they are primarily jazz strings,and at about one third the cost of the old strings its all good !. There is however a small downside , they don't as yet hold the tuning as well as the pirastros did,however this may be due to the synthetic core,and their relative newness. Nice sound through an ordinary Underwood pickup , wouldn't reccomend them for orchestral work ,but then thats not what theyre made for.My verdict would be good strings for jazz and small ensemble work,and great value for money.

Hi, interesting question,and one that very few people will be qualified to answer,as very few learned to play on a fiver.Whilst fivers have been around for a long time they never really caught on that much with orchestral players-many of whom use the low c attachment for the e string instead.Fivers are more popular with the jazzers many of whom go for a high c inplace of the low b. If youve been used to bass guitar, the neck of a normal DB is going to feel very thick ,and the neck on a purpose built fiver even thicker.There are a few five string DB players on this forum , hopefully one or two will respond to your question.