Gareth Hughes

Hey Pete - Yup, I have one and I love it. Have a read on this thread. Check out post #17 for some detailed ramblings. http://basschat.co.uk/topic/162140-new-upright-bass-first-time-ive-bought-one-some-help-advice/page__p__1463175__hl__thomann%20gareth%20hughes__fromsearch__1#entry1463175

Yes. And I was skeptical too until I got a Squier Matt Freeman Signature Precision. It just plays so good and sounds like it should. I previously have owned a Fender Sting Signature Precision, a 2008 Fender American Standard Precision and a late 90's Fender Japanese 70's Reissue Precision. None of them were as inspiring in tone or playability as the Matt Freeman - and I am genuinely surprised by that.

Nope - don't get anything else. The reason it won't work well with your Innovation strings is that they probably don't have enough metallic content for the pickup to work. If anything you'll need to change your strings. This is from Bob Gollihur's site: [i][b][u][size="+2"]IMPORTANT[/size][/u][size="+2"]!! Please Note:[/size][/b][/i] Magnetic pickups require strings with a significant metallic content in order to provide a good quality signal. Double bass strings can contain a number of different non-magnetic materials, unlike bass guitar strings that are intended for use with magnetic pickups. Therefore, it is important that you consider that factor when choosing strings for use with this or any other magnetic pickup. Many strings are quite suitable, such as Thomastik Spirocores, Corelli 370, etc., but others and mixes of different manufacturer or model strings may result in uneven tone and response. For instance, Pirastro Obligatos may look like metal strings, but they are primarily a nylon core, with only a very thin metallic surface -- as a result their response is not satisfactory due to the lack of metal. You may wish to research the matter or inquire with the manufacturer as to string construction or survey other bassists who are using magnetic pickups to ensure that the strings are suitable. I will continue to survey new users and requesting responses from magnetic pickup users, and will list string types good or bad for magnetic use as they become known. The recommendations below are from other players using magnetic pickups, not necessarily my personal experiences. Strings reported to be GOOD for magnetic pickup use: [list] [*][url="http://www.gollihurmusic.com/product/1250-EUROSONIC_UPRIGHT_BASS_STRINGS_SETS.html"]Eurosonics[/url] [*]Pirastro Original Flexocore [*][url="http://www.gollihurmusic.com/product/1459-THOMASTIK_SPIROCORE_UPRIGHT_BASS_STRING_SETS.html"]Thomastik Spirocores[/url] [*][url="http://www.gollihurmusic.com/product/1452-CORELLI_370_UPRIGHT_BASS_STRINGS_SETS.html"]Corelli 370[/url] (I can vouch for these) [*][url="http://www.gollihurmusic.com/product_details.cfm?ProdID=1633"]Kolstein Heritage[/url] (thanks, Steve!) [*]Jargar dolce [*][url="http://www.gollihurmusic.com/Manufacturer/22-DADDARIO.html"]D'Addario Helicore[/url]-- (Note: though I have my concerns with the E string; seems as if its response is somewhat lower than the other strings, at least the Orchestra and Hybrids I tried seemed that way.) [/list] Strings reported to be NOT GOOD for magnetic pickup use: [list] [*]Pirastro Obligatos (minimal metallic content) [*]LaBella Supernils (no metallic content) [*]All Innovation Strings (no metallic content) [*]Gut strings (insufficent or no metallic content) [/list]

Nice one Mark. Amazon here I come!!!

Thanks for this - really enjoying the playing, the tune and the tone. All good!!!! Can you recommend an album as an introduction?

My SpideySense tingles when I see a low or zero post count on a for sale item. That's enough for me to be wary - but then I'm lumping the good in with the bad there.

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1329853328' post='1548628'] I refuse to comment on grounds that I might incriminate myself. [/quote] I wish I had that forethought To those that were a little surprised by my remarks and feel I should probably be in a different line of work - you're not wrong but I love playing music and I'm a stubborn git. I probably should have clarified that my contempt usually originates from some of the other people I'm playing with who you know are screwing you around and ultimately cheapening your dream of playing music. A lot of the gigs I do are with great people, playing great music to great audiences (and sometimes for great money too:) ) It's the other gigs where all of the above are absent that gives rise to contempt. Like someone mentioned earlier - it shouldn't come as a surprise that you can feel this way if this is what you do for a living. Music is my job and I love it, but the job part of it is just like any other job and who here doesn't have a sh*tty day at work every once in a while with an a**hole for a boss? My dad once said that part of being a professional means doing the best job you can when you feel like doing your worst.

To be honest - that's bogus that you're being asked to transcribe this. I've done my share of professional and amateur theatre gigs - probably around 40-50 shows - and not once have I been asked to transcribe the parts. It's the production company's responsibility to get you the parts or else get the MD to transcribe the parts. At the very least the MD should have the piano reduction of the show and should copy you the piano parts which you could then write a passable chart of either the notated left hand parts (adapted when necessary) or a chord chart. Either way you'd be able to chart out a workable arrangement.

I have one on an Eminence portable upright bass and one on a 3/4 size Hora hybrid. I like them a lot - more so than the Realist they replaced. The Realist was very dark in comparison and had a lower output. Having said that they're still still a dark-ish pickup and don't have a strong output. Here's something I've found that works immensely well for me and that I found by happy accident. I bought a Schatten RB wing slot pickup as a backup to the Apt-Flex should anything ever go wrong with it. I wanted to compare both pickups quickly so wired them through a Boss LS-2 Line Selector pedal for quick changes. I accidentally left the setting on A+B instead of A or B and then resulting sound was amazing - I got the thickness and tight low end from the Apt-Flex and the high end/string detail from the Schatten. The amazing thing about this was being able to get this sound without having to EQ the signal. Previously I'd been adding highs to the Apt-Flex or adding lows/reducing highs from the Schatten - it kind of worked, but it always sounded like the boosted frequencies were masking the flat frequencies. By mixing the two pickups I feel it results in a much more natural, organic sound - treating the Apt-Flex (underfoot) like a neck pickup of a Jazz bass and the Schatten (wing slot) like a bridge pickup on a Jazz bass. So, that's a long winded way to say that the Apt-Flex is a great pickup, but I feel it works even better when used alongside a wing or bridge top type of pickup.

[quote name='lockpicker1969' timestamp='1329934428' post='1550037'] i was thinking of getting a case. just bringing my db home from the shop where i bought it last friday and i knocked the bridge out of position. it was supplied with a padded case but this not protect it from this happening [/quote] It takes quite a whack to move a bridge out of place - just try moving it by hand on purpose.

Perhaps it's a headline/attention grabbing thing - we naturally gravitate towards the uber-talented or the nostalgic hero. Entwhistle, Squire, McCartney, Jaco, Stanley, Victor, etc all have many fans so those kind of threads get more attention. I definitely agree that there are too many unsung bass players out there of recent and not so recent times. So I'll throw my hat in the ring and say let's hear it for Martyn P Casey from The Triffids, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds and Grinderman. Great melodic and supportive lines that I could sit looping for hours on end.

[quote name='fatback' timestamp='1329920343' post='1549745'] I suppose you could keep children or pets in it? [/quote] True - and smuggle out that stash of body parts that's beginning to smell After many years of pretending to be a gigging musician my neighbours no longer question me taking large bags in and out of my car in the middle of the night. Bonus!!! In all seriousness - a good padded gig bag will serve you well. Not only does it protect your bass, but it makes for a great sleeping bag after laborious soundchecks. Just make sure to set your alarm well before show time so that the noise of the audience doesn't wake you up and you don't end up holding your bass, trying to remember how to tune it as your head is swirling in a heavy post gig fog and the artist you're playing with walks onstage and starts playing the first number. That kind of behaviour is frowned upon. Or so I've been told......

I've played double bass since 1998 and probably done about 1000 gigs on it. Never owned or used a hard case once or even contemplated getting one. Storage would be a nightmare!!!!

Or if you don't dig the Ampeg tone try the Tech 21 Leeds pedal, modeled after a Hiwatt head. I like it a lot - find it a lot clearer than the VT.

Good review TPJ. I'd take you up on the road testing offer but mine is winging it's way across the Atlantic right now. I used to use a BassMax - albeit a Double Bass Max with a pickup for each slot - so I'll do my best to compare the two from memory. I currently use a Schatten RB for my wing slot pickup so I'll give a comparison to that. Onwards!!!

I'd try something like Audacity so you can slow the track down and loop the section that's tricky for you. Once it's slowed down, sing the part repeatedly then once you're comfortable with that, then try tapping the part. Once that's good, then try playing it on the bass even slower than what you've just been tapping. Also helps to play the easier parts slower too as it gives you a good frame of reference of how the tricky part should sound in sequence.

Yes. Many many times, and pretty much all of those times it was wedding gigs. And it near killed me until one night I looked around the room at all these people having the time of their lives, and the other guys in the band were having a great night and it finally hit me that I was the only miserable c**t in the room. I figured I could choose to be happy or choose to be miserable. Happiness won. Having said that, a few years later I did quit a wedding band because I must have spent at least the first three songs staring at the back on the singers head and saying 'You're a c**t, you're a c**t' repeatedly. The world has a way of telling you things I believe.

I had the Classic 450 for about a week. The compression side of things I didn't notice (never pushed it that hard) but what bugged me was the lack of high end. I understand that TC designed it this way but to me it made it a bit of a one-trick-pony. If that hi-end ceiling could have been defeat-able I'd probably still have it.

Nice one. I'm well impressed. Thanks for posting.

The Proton is nice but, and this is probably more user error than any fault of the pedal, I couldn't get it to be as squelchy and nasty as Spencer does in his video. I sold it and went back to my trusty Mini Q-Tron - too big by design but does everything I want from an envelope filter.

I'd help, but I'm scared. Especially about the nipple bits.

Nice one. I preferred the Hurley. Ordered one a few days ago, really looking forward to it.

Sorry to hear that Clarky. My advice is take some time off, enjoy your family and when the fog clears you'll hopefully have a good idea of who you want to play with and where you want to go. When my original band of seven years split I was devastated but after a while I found something that I genuinely want to be a part of again. Good luck. And don't sell everything - you'll only end up buying it back!!!!

Oh, and nice tat's to the OP. Like it a lot.

[quote name='uncle psychosis' timestamp='1329437008' post='1542640'] Looks good. There's a music related tattoo I've been thinking about getting for a long time. But: 1. I think it will look silly when I'm old and grey 2. my wife hates tattoos. [/quote] My wife hates mine but she got over them. As for being old and grey - a great line I heard once for that was - tattoo's are only as permanent as you are.