LENNYX

Make one out of Brass or Aluminium it won't break ,and you'll end up with the right size if you're any good at metalwork! (Or find some one to make one if not)

Please excuse the typoes in the two essays

Hi Chris, Good news on your Bass,Your in a good spot for getting some lessons i'd try students from the Royal Northern, and a book i can recomend is Double Bass Solo Book1 by keith Hartley,(Oxford university press) This has melodies from the orchestral reortoir and starts off nice and easy so your getting to play melodies form the off, along with the SIMANDL bass methods, (These give you the technique on scales and exercises but i must confess i skipped a lot of thhese) The Associated boards scales and arppeggios booklet is well worth getting its a fraction of the price of other books and gives you two types of fingering options. And if anyone out there is strugling on Walking jazz bass lines, I can recomend "Jamey Abersold's Maiden voyage Volume 54 " from the play along series together with the BASS suplement transcribed by Freddie Boden, you can see (and hear on the CD) how the Bass players modulating through the chord changes in an actual performance, when i was learning how to play walking bass i couldn't find books that covered this ,i would write bass lines out after working them out playing them on bass gtr and then have to learn to play what i'd put down on paper because i knew it was going to work

Hi chriissgriff, I bought a full size fully carved from Gedo,last year id, have to look up the exact ;price and model but around £1500 gedo will supply the better strings and adjustable bridge on request included in the same price,the bass i was after was advertised on ebay but they had made a mistake (none in stock ) the one they offered me was around £160 more but they let me have it for the price of the one advertised.(i had to Google the item No.on their Geman site and use info in German and translate it the best i could with PC Translatiing thingy bob ) I play in an orchestra and jazz i have a circ 1900 German bass,i was looking at new ones as iwant to have work done on the old bass, So whats it like ? action is heavier than my OLD db and bowing doesent sound as nice , But it is new and needs loads of playing with the bow then it might start sounding better i took it on a jazz course having just set it up two or three days before (strings are on but bridge down whe receifed ) it sounds great through the amp so i was well pleased and one of the other bass players has the same type but half size. If you receive it damaged Gedo will pay for repairs done in uk (so they said) Some things to think about and the other guys have gave you sound advice are If your going for an old Bass try and get one prety much structually sound ,stay away from cracks splits on the front table near the bridge and also neck breakages it may or may not have had a good repair , an old bass will generaly increase in valuewhere as a new bass will drop in value. If your a new player i would advise going for lessons you'll learn proper fingering positions and playing with a bow will develop a good sound and intonation also your teacher may go with you to try basses and advise on your intended purchases. Plywood basses (or laminated as they like to call them) will stand up better on the road and when your slapping the hell out of it but are prone to warping over the years.Good luck I think, ideal with Tomanne aswell things are often cheaper ,delivery is good gauranteed for three years good after sales, Regards Lenny