janmaat

Good point. That instrument is not too big, but defo too heavy for a little growing up boy. Looks like a sad story behind it like so many child prodigies.

Whatever small and portable you get, make sure it allows for an extension cab, you might well find some 15" speaker you can leave upstairs. Extremely happy with my ultra portable Minimark, but expensive. It will depend pretty much on the acoustics there anyway, if it is of the type low ceiling, carpet and loads of people you just might want to think about it differently then if it's got a big church sound. Can you not borrow some kit and try it out?

All these discussion about how useless acoustic bass guitars really are, how about balalaika? It is fretted but the size of a double bass. [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ln9MdfsZfDw&feature=related"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ln9MdfsZfDw...feature=related[/url] Anyone have one?

Looks like the headstock is indeed only good for two strings. Some bass balalaikas have only two strings. (Anyone have a bass balalaika??)

I believe the gear must fit the occasion. Posh gear in a pub makes you look like a twat. Can't stand all these guys rocking up with their amazing gear and then, not making eye contact with the audience. If you play tight and look into people's eyes, nobody's going to look at the gear. If I get comments on my gear, then my gear has stolen my thunder. Why take high end gear anywhere else but the studio? Unless, of course, it's a clean proper safe well paid venue, a jazz bar cum restaurant, in other words, an event to which I'd wear a suit. Maybe worth saying the gear should not be more expensive than the clothes you wear on stage??

Pitchblack: Mine is mute when engaged. Love it to bits, paricularly because of a _really_ legible display, its fast and solid. I use it to tune my double bass (wonky with fixed neck...!) even that works - sometimes, it indicates an "A" for the "E" string so seems to go for the harmonics - but thats a way to approach super low strings anyway (play the harmonic then tune that). Only issue I have with the pitchblack is that it is - well - pitch black. So when it's off, I can't find it in the dark, which is such a contrast to the great visible display when engaged...! Also can power other pedals- never used that option though. I will never part of mine.

Big fan of active here: because as I play and everyone else, I can adjust both tone and attack so it fits in with what else is going on at my finger tips. With passive basses, I can get the sounds I want as well but it's much less easy to get there, unless it's a one-trick pony and nothing in the set ever changes. And if you want that fat punchy bouncy tone, you need a preamp on- or offboard really - but that depends on the music you make. I was quite happy with that passive P bass and still am for what it does. But than, a bass is better than no bass! Some pickup settings like bridge pickups have a lot more range than you usually want, and have comparatively low output, so an active preamp makes totally sense to work these machines. On most my active basses, I have one prefered setting.

Hi, I recently moved abroad (Germany). We know there are lots of people who are resident on the continent on this forum. Wouldn't it be nice to have a local branch? Just a forum with a sub-forum for each country or language? That would be really helpful, as in finding local suppliers, luthiers, events and so forth. Cheers Jan

Guys you don't want to know how much the shop in London Stoke Newington charged me for a used double bass gig bag. If you are toying with the idea of ever getting a double bass, get this and start using it as a sleeping bag this summer just to start getting the feel of it... bump on me!

Hi, contacted Godlyke, their reply is that this has an oil finish only, and if I would be bothered I had to get it re-oiled by a professional luthier. Instead, I have made a nice scratch plate 'cause its the wear by the picks where I rest my thumb that bothers me. It is now hand-cut from a sheet of 1mm transparent plastic, and just some shiny paper underneath. Might get a laser-cut one properly installed, once I decide on the finite colour and shape. (I like the transparent idea, so I can basically change the colour of that scratchplate any time.) Also, I re-glued that Godlyke logo that came off a time ago. Photo attached. Cheers! Jan

Gear is the last thing I want to talk about after a gig. I would only do that if it has been broken! Gear snobbery and gigs - pointless. What counts is the show, the promoter, and the sound engineer.

Hi there my bass is losing its colour at places it is touched much, ie. around the pickups where I rest my thumb, but also the body where my arm rests, and most visible on the back of the neck. It is a Godlyke Deity so wouldn't quite exprect that - I almost believe it was an unfinished proto type. It is translucent black - but to me it seems the wood has only been stained, and not properly, and not been sealed with any lacquer. Does anyone have an explanation or a suggestion how to stop that process?

godlyke deity fretless 4

I like

BC's most popular pedal: EBS Multicomp. Just amazing, and simple. Really cool for other inputs too btw

When I was a kid, I was a Christian, then I became a Marxist, then an Anarchist... There is something in the change of believes and the change of tastes in music. Unless you die at 27, you'll probably end up accepting that nobody knows the full truth. We all start up considering ourselves progressive while being really really conservative in our "I am young and I like hard music" approach, as we grow older we tend to find these classifications less important altogether. Tastes and moods change with time, but I always knew there is boring stuff in any genre and great stuff in any genre too.

[quote name='Higgie' post='1256436' date='Jun 4 2011, 01:21 PM']What I'm building is actually based off of that design, with some small changes, like upgraded parts. A good friend of mine does the PCB's for me, and I do the rest A member of this forum already bought one of these off me to install into his OLP 5 string. He went away for a few weeks the day after he received his preamp so hasn't had a chance to fit it yet, but as you can see from Howard's review, they work great and sound "the biz" I can also build these into Stompboxes if anyone would like it in pedal form, and not have to modify their bass![/quote] Yes, that was me, I just fitted it into that OLP 5string and yes, thumbs up Higgie that's a cool pre-amp. Really happy because suddenly I can actually use that OLP. Was possible to stick it in without any other mods - not too much room in that cavity, but I fitted it all in. Great, many thanks!

Minimark and PJ are great since they're not square - so very easy to carry for a distance as say to the tube station; bass in one hand amp in the other - hence sought after by DB players.

Minimark user here - phantastic piece of kit. I have not tried the PJ myself. What I do like is that the MM can also take an 8Ohm extension cab, if you happen to have one (or the place where you gig), and then bob is your uncle. I am also totally happy with the dials the thing has - particularly if you play an active instrument, you won't need EQ. 10kg flat and right size for plane hand luggage. solid as a rock. Loud beyond believe and super discrete in the living room. I have no GAS for anything else, never had since I got this some years back. Expensive but worth every penny.

To the OP: some basses get better over time - they get modded

EBS microbass - expensive, but great.

After the conquista, the Spaniards actually forbid playing instruments to the indios, except spanish style instruments, which lead to the invention of the Charrango. - Not to speak of countless enslaved people who were not allowed to play, as in North America, or the West Aftican Slaves, who, using the rattling of their chains, created what is now known as Gnawa music. So if there's really somebody in the position to make playing instruments illegal - I don't think you could just "go to the lawyer".