Stentor Conservatoire. Advice Please 🙏

[JazzyJ]

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1238010064525230/

 

https://ebay.us/m/S5NwaJ

 

As an electric bass player for over 50yrs, I've never been down the DB route. Obviously, I haven't got a clue but nothing ventured, nothing gained.

I've done research on these but as always, everyone has differing opinions.

There are a couple of rockabilly guys around here who could possibly try it out for me, it's only 25 miles away.

I'm sure the price is negotiable, lots of variables I guess. Is it  worth a punt ?

 

Cheers 

 

Ian

 

Edited Thursday at 07:10 by JazzyJ
Ebay link added

[Burns-bass]

7 hours ago, JazzyJ said:

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1238010064525230/

 

https://ebay.us/m/S5NwaJ

 

As an electric bass player for over 50yrs, I've never been down the DB route. Obviously, I haven't got a clue but nothing ventured, nothing gained.

I've done research on these but as always, everyone has differing opinions.

There are a couple of rockabilly guys around here who could possibly try it out for me, it's only 25 miles away.

I'm sure the price is negotiable, lots of variables I guess. Is it  worth a punt ?

 

Cheers 

 

Ian

 

Hi Ian.

 

Stentor make good, reliable and affordable instruments from what I can tell.

 

I have one and it’s well built and sounds good. It’s limited in terms of the tone, but when someone with talent and skill (not me) plays it, then it sounds great.

 

The pickup here is a good one and the bass looks in good order. The bodies are small which can be a blessing if you’re not as tall as me, but you may find the sound isn’t as strong or loud as a bigger bass.
 

Set up is important. It may be perfect but more likely it’ll need a tweak so factor that in to your costs (and inconvenience).

 

Looks good to me.

 

If you want to play rockabilly on it I’d look for a more affordable and durable ply bass. 

[petebassist]

I don't think you could go wrong with this bass, as long as you don't plan to jump up and down on it mid-song like Lee Rocker.

These are fully carved I think, so if you want to use it for jazz & other non-slap styles as well as rockabilly, you'd have the tone you need with the right mic or pickup.

I used to have a Stentor 1950, ply back n sides, which was small bodied and light, perfect for tight gigs.

[JazzyJ]

Thanks for your input guys. I'll go and have a look at it. I've talked my D B player mate into coming along so will see how it works out. 

[Duckyincarnate]

I have this bass. It's a servicable student instrument that can be played for many years. I think it is a hybrid (despite what Stentor claim), with ply sides and back, and a solid spruce top. Though I have a much nicer bass (Bryant), I still take the Stentor out to plenty of gigs as I don't have to stress about it as much. 

 

However - I don't think this bass has been professionally set up. The finger board still has the original bevel and many luthiers would remove that when they do fingerboard work, in my experience. The bridge looks like the original one, and it has been made into a mess by someone trying to bring the action down. 

 

It'll need a set up for sure, possibly a new bridge too, which might run to about £300. The market value of a used Stentor like this would be about £1k-£1200 max, set up. So let that factor into your decision. 

[NickA]

That pickup is £300+ worth.  Go for it, but factor in a new bridge and probably a decent set of strings down the line ( another £250 )

 

It won't get you in the LSO but decent to learn on.

 

Nb: my own bass (£10k worth of antique German timber) has a fingerboard bevel. You don't need it but it's pretty harmless and I've never needed to get it altered - they were for bowing with floppy gut strings. 

[JazzyJ]

Ok, for better or for worse, I've done a deal at £900 subject to viewing on Saturday. I'll report back.

Thanks to all for your advice, I'm sure I'll be back for more.

All the best 👍 

[Burns-bass]

2 minutes ago, JazzyJ said:

Ok, for better or for worse, I've done a deal at £900 subject to viewing on Saturday. I'll report back.

Thanks to all for your advice, I'm sure I'll be back for more.

All the best 👍 

Seems really fair for a solid bass.

 

Now the fun starts!

[JazzyJ]

1 minute ago, Burns-bass said:

Seems really fair for a solid bass.

 

Now the fun starts!

Another bloody rabbit hole 😄 

[Burns-bass]

51 minutes ago, JazzyJ said:

Another bloody rabbit hole 😄 

It seems you’ve already have friends who play DB. Always worth getting some lessons to start you off.

 

It’s a completely different (and hugely rewarding) instrument to play.

 

Dont cause yourself any damage. Love to hear how you get on.

[jonnybass]

@JazzyJ I started in October after 30 odd years of electric bass. I’d echo what @Burns-bass said very different but hugely rewarding. When you hit a note and it just blossoms out it’s fantastic. 
 

enjoy!!

 

jonny

[The Guitar Weasel]

If you intend to slap it and play amplified rockabilly style (I do, and also have a Stentor) the strings are almost as important as the bass. 

[JazzyJ]

3 hours ago, The Guitar Weasel said:

If you intend to slap it and play amplified rockabilly style (I do, and also have a Stentor) the strings are almost as important as the bass. 

Thank you. Would you have any suggestions for that style. I get that string choice is personal but any guidance would be gratefully received.

 

Ian

[The Guitar Weasel]

18 hours ago, JazzyJ said:

Thank you. Would you have any suggestions for that style. I get that string choice is personal but any guidance would be gratefully received.

 

Ian

It really is in how tough your hands are and how tough you want to make it on yourself. 

 

Ideally everybody would be like Lee Rocker - and have a ridiculously high pain threshold and a devil may care attitude to the quantity of minced finger and claret spread all over their  bass. Because if you were like him - then you'd use steel strings and amplification without feedback would be so much easier  - as magnetic pickups (the less feedbacky option) only work on steel and steel core strings. 

 

For us mere mortals the options are down to some combination of nylon or nylon and a wrap. I have tried Weedwhackers ... which to my ears sound okay on G and D strings - but have too subdued a note on the A and E - They do a Weedwhacker Pro set which have an extra thick Kevlar core - but I haven't tried those. I took a friend's advice and bought a set of Rotosound 4000 strings and aside from bumping the set (A becomes the E string all the syrings move down one and a C for a 5 string is added as the G). To me this combo is ideal. Quiet for at home practise unamplified, and loud and rounded with a beautiful woody slap when amplified (I use a Shadow Rockabilly Pro preamp and pickups bridge mounted. It's an utter game changer. 

 

 

I have a set of Superior Bassworks 'Dirty Gut' synthetic gut strings I'm going to try on the bass I'm rebuilding ... I will let you know when I try them - but I suspect I will simply end up taking them off and put a set of bumped Rotosound 4000s on that bass too! 

 

 

 

[JazzyJ]

2 hours ago, The Guitar Weasel said:

It really is in how tough your hands are and how tough you want to make it on yourself. 

 

Ideally everybody would be like Lee Rocker - and have a ridiculously high pain threshold and a devil may care attitude to the quantity of minced finger and claret spread all over their  bass. Because if you were like him - then you'd use steel strings and amplification without feedback would be so much easier  - as magnetic pickups (the less feedbacky option) only work on steel and steel core strings. 

 

For us mere mortals the options are down to some combination of nylon or nylon and a wrap. I have tried Weedwhackers ... which to my ears sound okay on G and D strings - but have too subdued a note on the A and E - They do a Weedwhacker Pro set which have an extra thick Kevlar core - but I haven't tried those. I took a friend's advice and bought a set of Rotosound 4000 strings and aside from bumping the set (A becomes the E string all the syrings move down one and a C for a 5 string is added as the G). To me this combo is ideal. Quiet for at home practise unamplified, and loud and rounded with a beautiful woody slap when amplified (I use a Shadow Rockabilly Pro preamp and pickups bridge mounted. It's an utter game changer. 

 

 

I have a set of Superior Bassworks 'Dirty Gut' synthetic gut strings I'm going to try on the bass I'm rebuilding ... I will let you know when I try them - but I suspect I will simply end up taking them off and put a set of bumped Rotosound 4000s on that bass too! 

 

 

 

Thanks for that your reply 👍 

 

Well, it's home, very pleased with it and looking forward to the journey ahead.

A setup & strings, as mentioned in the  above posts are fairly imminent but I'm getting a decent noise out of it, as is.

[The Guitar Weasel]

Oooooo that's pretty - it's exactly the same pattern as mine shape wise - quite broad in the bum with fairly sharp C bouts ... lovely shape. 

My somewhat crowded music corner ... behind the Les Paul is my Promethean bass amp - and under my guitar amp (the tweed Peavey) is my 2x12 extension bass cab  

[The Guitar Weasel]

There's several bits of wisdom I'd give as someone who'd never touched a double bass till late last summer - and seldom ever a bass guitar before - that and now has the bass spot with a 30 year established rockabilly band. 

 

Do your own thing ... there really is no right or wrong if it sounds good. 

 

I listened to a certain YouTuber DB player who while great, is a bit of a stickler for technique, and pretty soon decided 'stuff leaving out one of my fingers for a lark'. I'd been using all four fingers since I started in the sixties (just) on guitar so screw changing now just because I was playing a musical wardrobe. 

 

In chess passed pawns must be pushed ... in double bass playing it's fairly easy to start to sound good but you must keep pushing yourself ... a properly double slapped walking R&R bassline blows punters minds ... but it's not hard once you get the technique down. It's easy to 'phone it in' lines ... I've been guilty of it. I learned the rhumba beat of Twenty flight  Rock ... but now I might start the rhumba phrase with a drag triplet (or end it with) it pushes you and makes you a more interesting bass player.  

 

Listen to Bill Black till your ears bleed - his timing was always awesome. Listen to new psychobilly players like Djordje Stijepovic of Tiger Army (and brilliant solo stuff) Listen to every doghouse player ... but be yourself!  

Edited 8 hours ago by The Guitar Weasel

[NickA]

I play electric bass one finger one fret as I can reach..though 1 2 4 would be more comfortable in lower positions. 

 

I play the double bass 124 with some back and forth extensions.

 

Really, they are quite different instruments with different techniques.  The only thing in common is the tuning of the strings.

 

Technique does matter if you want to expand what you play.  Lack of technique or a personally derived technique will likely limit you.  It sounds tedious and snobby, I know, and there's a lass in my town who plays in "Americana" bands by just clamping her whole hand around the neck at a root note..then up a string for a 4th, down a string for a 5th.works ok .but she's kind of stuck playing only that style.

 

Nb: that very nice " realist sound clip " pickup whilst excellent for jazz and for classical players wanting occasional amplification....probably not what you want for rockabilly.  Stick it up for sale and put proceeds towards that shadow system probably.

[The Guitar Weasel]

4 hours ago, NickA said:

I play electric bass one finger one fret as I can reach..though 1 2 4 would be more comfortable in lower positions. 

 

I play the double bass 124 with some back and forth extensions.

 

Really, they are quite different instruments with different techniques.  The only thing in common is the tuning of the strings.

 

Technique does matter if you want to expand what you play.  Lack of technique or a personally derived technique will likely limit you.  It sounds tedious and snobby, I know, and there's a lass in my town who plays in "Americana" bands by just clamping her whole hand around the neck at a root note..then up a string for a 4th, down a string for a 5th.works ok .but she's kind of stuck playing only that style.

 

Nb: that very nice " realist sound clip " pickup whilst excellent for jazz and for classical players wanting occasional amplification....probably not what you want for rockabilly.  Stick it up for sale and put proceeds towards that shadow system probably.

I don't really play electric bass - that's the thing that has 'idiot wires' on it isn't it? Oh sorry 'frets' 😉 

 

Oh heres a chap using that evil third finger ... 

 

 

 

Edited 3 hours ago by The Guitar Weasel

[Burns-bass]

33 minutes ago, The Guitar Weasel said:

I don't really play electric bass - that's the thing that has 'idiot wires' on it isn't it? Oh sorry 'frets' 😉 

 

Oh heres a chap using that evil third finger ... 

 

 

 

This is a completely different use of the third finger. Plus this guy is acknowledged as one of the world’s greatest classical players and learned the traditional way before developing his own unique approach.

 

People here are trying to help. If you want to play double bass consistently well for a long time it’s a good idea to learn the right technique.

 

If you’re using low tension strings that twang like a washing line, you’re fine to use whatever technique you wish.

It’s all music at the end of the day. But playing bass the wrong way can really hurt.

 

 

 

[The Guitar Weasel]

 

 

5 minutes ago, Burns-bass said:

This is a completely different use of the third finger. Plus this guy is acknowledged as one of the world’s greatest classical players and learned the traditional way before developing his own unique approach.

 

People here are trying to help. If you want to play double bass consistently well for a long time it’s a good idea to learn the right technique.

 

If you’re using low tension strings that twang like a washing line, you’re fine to use whatever technique you wish.

It’s all music at the end of the day. But playing bass the wrong way can really hurt.

 

 

 

 'Low tension strings that twang like washing line' your prejudices are showing old chap 😉

 

 

[Burns-bass]

Just now, The Guitar Weasel said:

 

 

 'Low tension strings that twang like washing line' your prejudices are showing old chap 😉

 

 

Not at all.

 

I use these when I play in a bluegrass band. The percussive nature and slap is all part of the job.

 

Having the right technique means I can play 2 gigs and day over a consistent period with no pain, problems or issues.

 

You can do whatever you want, but when you’re making recommendations to people who haven’t played before it’s always better to start with what’s considered the orthodoxy.

 

 

[The Guitar Weasel]

Do you know I really don't think I'm suited to Basschat - you have convinced me. Shame as folks seemed to be enjoying the bass rebuild thread. Those who want to continue to read about that quest can find it ob Fretboard forum. Take care chaps.  

 

[Burns-bass]

Just now, The Guitar Weasel said:

Do you know I really don't think I'm suited to Basschat - you have convinced me. Shame as folks seemed to be enjoying the bass rebuild thread. Those who want to continue to read about that quest can find it ob Fretboard forum. Take care chaps.  

 

I have no idea why you’re so upset?

 

We all agree you can do whatever you want when it comes to bass. 
 

But if someone asks for advice their opinion may different from yours. 
 

Anyway, it’s Sunday and I’m hungry. 

 

 

[jonnybass]

That took a turn I wasn’t expecting. Hope @The Guitar Weasel comes back. I’m sure no offence was meant. 
 

jonny