SubsonicSimpleton Posted September 12, 2014 Share Posted September 12, 2014 I've been busy doing my homework on acoustic uprights, and although I haven't sorted out an instrument yet, I already have built up some contacts for a teacher and some local possibilities to go play various types of music with other people as soon as I can get a reasonable noise out of it. For the time being I'm only considering playing acoustically, so no need for pickups, preamps etc at the moment, but I could really do with some advice on items such as gigbags, trolley/wheel, bow etc as the price range for some of this stuff is huge, and without the ability to really check it out in person it is quite hard to make any sort of judgement about price/quality relationship of the products. Gig bags especially are confusing, with prices ranging from £50-£500 with really big variations in padding thickness, but no real way to ascertain how practical they are to use on a day to day basis, and especially in situations where the bass needs to be moved on foot or public transport. In terms of bows, Yita gets a lot of love on the forum, and I can save a few quid and keep my bow safe with a pvc wastepipe hard case - that was the only non-obvious accessory accessory I could think of, am I missing anything else important? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted September 12, 2014 Share Posted September 12, 2014 +1 for the Yita, I have not seen a good viable wooden one for similar cash, waste pipe tube is also good or a snooker cue case if you find one long enough. I would not rush out and buy anything else yet until you know what the bass you get comes with, I dont have a trolley or a wheel etc and my gig bag (body bag!) came free with the Gedo bass, its cheap but functional for now, it even came with a German wooden bow but its no Yita, and a pot of Pops Rosin. Rufus Reid's Evolving Bassist is the bible around here and maybe a metronome of some sort if you want to buy some goodies though, I have an Alesis drum machine and all that set up in my little room but I bought a little Korg metronome MA-1 so I can take it anywhere. Good choice anyway, it is great fun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLoydElgar Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 Bottesini method book and solo double bass vol 1 and 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owencf Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 Strings and rosin will bake your brain so many types varies with what your gonna do A stand for when the bass is at rest dependent on space, portability. I use a turtle case from Thomanns good padding and decent built also easy to pack the bass plenty of pockets...has wheels but straps do me if you have the physicality too hump the bass around. Ask your teacher/tutor what bow they would prefer you to use as some use French others German. If your going to be constantly using a bow better to get decent one. Im using a student brazilwood bow from Thomann though yita carbonfibers are rather popular. A comfortable stool if you can find one they can get expensive and awkward to transport. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarah thomas Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 A reasonable music stand that extends to a height comfortable for use when you're standing up. Mine's made by Hercules, came with a handy bag and cost about £20. Yita bows are great for the money too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassace Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 A piece of wire approx 150mm with the last 10mm turned up at a right angle to help you change strings. Costs nothing and saves a lot of frustration. Eventually a string winder but you can do without. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbie Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 A book on yoga (or a bottle of vodka -whatever you prefer). You will accumulate a lot of frustration in the first year and you will need a way to wind down... BUT you will love every single minute of it, it will fill up your life and (almost) nothing else will give you so much pleasure ever again... Best of luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatback Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 Clip on tuner! You can stick it on the bridge to check your intonation every now and again (some folks will be horrified, but it worked for me. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 A credit card. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbassist Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 [quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1410622663' post='2551373'] A credit card. [/quote] :-) I hear you on that one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatgoogle Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 A cloth to wipe down strings, small bottle of rubbing alcohol to clean strings if they get to gunked up. Small fine comb to clean bow hair with. A separate cloth if your hands get sweaty. A pencil and rubber. All fits in a pencil case which you can keep in your gig bag. A tuner and metronome app if you have a smart phone. And maybe a small hand held recorder like a zoom q2 to record your practice so you can review it yourself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 [quote name='bassace' timestamp='1410613824' post='2551271'] A piece of wire approx 150mm with the last 10mm turned up at a right angle to help you change strings. Costs nothing and saves a lot of frustration. [/quote] Go on, I'll bite. What do you do with it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 There will be basses galore to see up close at the Derby bass bash Oct 5th, straight down the M1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 [quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1410628246' post='2551445'] Go on, I'll bite. What do you do with it? [/quote] Lol, Obviously I know but I will let bassace fill you in......... I have not had the pleasure of changing my DB strings yet, just the Stagg ones and that went quite badly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyBass Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 Things I'd suggest you need (if you're not amping up): bow (until you're good, my experience is they sound and play broadly the same so about £100 max seems sensible especially if you buy used - though that's heresy to some), rosin (cheap as chips), bag (Hidersine one for £60 has done the job for me for a few years and is padded as owt). Everything else can be improvised (most phones can download an app for tuning for example) or you don't really need anyway. Trolley/wheel maybe if you have a bad back or something. Most of the players who'll inspire you won't have had much more than the very basics. That said it can be easy to become very acquisitive when it comes to bass gear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyBass Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 And the address of a decent luthier just in case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassace Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 [quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1410628246' post='2551445'] Go on, I'll bite. What do you do with it? [/quote] When you change a string, or a full set, it can get a bit fiddly up in the peg box. So a piece of bent wire will help you get hold of the string ends and feed them through the tuner holes. Some basses have peg boxes without backs which makes the job a lot easier but I suppose the trade-off is a loss of strength. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatback Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 Hat! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owencf Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 Like this Hat? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 [quote name='fatback' timestamp='1410694064' post='2551961'] Hat! [/quote] How did we take 18 posts to get to the most important thing?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurksalot Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 I have a hat Oh , and a DB , I could not believe how big they are , an essential is a decent size space to put the thing in but I am well and truly subscribed in here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 If you play a festival get a wheel or a trolley. Or if you play pubs within walking distance and you fancy a pint. Carrying a DB more than a couple of hundred yards is not much fun. Especially if like me you're prone to wrist tendon issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer of the Bass Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 Whichever bag you go for, this type of strap feels much safer and more confidence inspiring than relying on the ones stitched to the bag. When I'm not using my wheel I can carry the bass behind me with the strap over one shoulder and a lot of the weight across my lower back. It's a lot kinder on the wrists than using the handles on the bag. Mine isn't this brand, but a similar one: [url="http://www.contrabass.co.uk/shoulderstraps.htm"]http://www.contrabass.co.uk/shoulderstraps.htm[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinyd Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 [quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1410945127' post='2554836'] Whichever bag you go for, this type of strap feels much safer and more confidence inspiring than relying on the ones stitched to the bag. When I'm not using my wheel I can carry the bass behind me with the strap over one shoulder and a lot of the weight across my lower back. It's a lot kinder on the wrists than using the handles on the bag. Mine isn't this brand, but a similar one: [url="http://www.contrabass.co.uk/shoulderstraps.htm"]http://www.contrabas...ulderstraps.htm[/url] [/quote] That looks good - I'm not clear about how it attaches to the bass though, it. If I understand correctly, you put the bass in its case, slip the collar end of the strap over the neck, then attach the clip to the tailwire - is that it? If so, how do you prevent the collar end from slipping back up the neck towards the scroll? Or does the friction do the job? Sorry for the (possibly stupid) questions, it's just that the straps on my case are all broken and generally crap so this looks like what I need! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer of the Bass Posted September 17, 2014 Share Posted September 17, 2014 (edited) [quote name='tinyd' timestamp='1410962013' post='2555068'] That looks good - I'm not clear about how it attaches to the bass though, it. If I understand correctly, you put the bass in its case, slip the collar end of the strap over the neck, then attach the clip to the tailwire - is that it? If so, how do you prevent the collar end from slipping back up the neck towards the scroll? Or does the friction do the job? Sorry for the (possibly stupid) questions, it's just that the straps on my case are all broken and generally crap so this looks like what I need! [/quote] Friction, combined with the noose-like action of the strap and the length adjustment. On mine I added a small loop of cord to slip over the endpin as that seemed a better idea than trying to clip to the tailwire, and I have the length adjusted so the neck part of the strap sits a few inches above the heel. They're not great in place of handles for manoeuvring in and out of cars etc, but excellent for carrying the bass in a vertical position and walking with it. Edited September 17, 2014 by Beer of the Bass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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