bassace

I have developed the Bassace range of clamps (yes, really) but because my photo attachment skills are rubbish I have a customer base of one - me! I've had one of Jonas's clamps through my hands at one time and it was very good indeed.

Will you be taking a Transit, Clarky?

In the double bass sense, with today's players so into Simandl and Rabath you could say that many of the old school payers' technique wasn't quite up to snuff - but they sure were great players. Re bass guitars, well I don't see or study too many examples but I am seriously bothered by Dave Swift's playing. That awful thud he gets from using right hand thumb. Sorry, doesn't do it for me at all. The drummer's not much cop either IMO. But what do I know.

[quote name='RichF' timestamp='1352932522' post='1869625'] very sorry if this has been posted before - dear god, magic. [media]http://youtu.be/kcMWov0_TAE[/media] [/quote] Thanks for posting, it's great. Incidentally, if you open the clip in YouTube and look at the selections on the right hand side there is a great Bill Evans Jazz 625 from 1962. It shows not only what great jazz programmes we used to have on British TV, what a good young(ish) presenter Humph was but also how well Chuck Israels picked up the baton from the recently deceased Scott LaFaro. It was during Bill Evans's '62 visit to UK that a pianist friend of mine wrote to him at Scotts and asked for help with the chords of Waltz for Debby. Bill scribbled them down on a piece of paper and put them in the post, with a friendly letter.

[quote name='mtroun' timestamp='1352629373' post='1865236'] I believe Mark Knopfler's URB man is Dudley Phillips, a very nice guy and terrific player! I used to have lessons with him at the Welsh College. I've played double bass through an SVT and 810 and quite liked the sound, very rich and smooth down to the low end. I guess the main reason double bass players aren't often seen with stacks of speakers is the overkill factor on most gigs. [/quote] Glenn Worf is touring with him at the moment.

Yes, lots of trombone parts. Getting out recommended.

Well done, Nige, an uplifting thread for the weekend. So pleased you're happy with the band; I've heard some clips, Clarky's as well, and you have every good reason to be pleased with the performances. I'm a bit happy too. For years I've been a cynical old freelance bassist doing good gigs in UK and Europe and playing with good semi-pro bands and having a good time - mostly. A couple of years ago I was approached for help by a couple who live in the same village as me; he on violin and she on guitar. We formed a trio doing jazzy/folky stuff from Django to Coltrane and called ourselves Fiddlebop. We then took on another guitarist and after a few low-key gigs here and there we're starting to snowball with a gig in a Kings Road restaurant up coming, plus a lot of other stuff as well. It's fun to have started off from the ground floor, as it were, and see it all happening at last. I still do all the other stuff but Fiddlebop puts a spring in my step.

Great stuff, Paul. I've been carting my bass round the freelance scene for the last 50 years and work with about 15 bands each year. I've got four gigs just next week and the phone still rings after all this time. Each call gives me a buzz and I never ask about the money because the gig comes first and I know I'll get the best wedge that the fixer can afford. There's an interesting and lively topic going on in this forum about reading. I couldn't do the work I do without being able to read off charts - I don't mean tabs - I'm amazed that folks hold them in such high regard. I'm used to a front man passing me back a (sometimes) scruffy piece of paper with some hastily written chords and I make the best of those. Oh, and big ears and a love of good tunes. As you say, what a pleasure.

[quote name='Clarky' timestamp='1351763262' post='1854979'] This is a big problem with upright bass if you don't practice regularly, along with losing calluses on finger tips [/quote] How right you are, Clarky. I've been off gigs for four weeks due to illness. I had my first one last night after not much playing in the meantime. I'm now looking at two large purple blisters 8mm dia. I now feel like a complete novice. If only I had done a bit of regular woodshedding in the meantime.

[quote name='Fitz666' timestamp='1351249721' post='1849200'] I really enjoy GD but am getting a tad fed up of the ecomentalist types, I want to see some originality and proper design, not fecking straw and recycled bottles..... [/quote] Too right.

The latest Grand Designs is rather good. Two completely daft wacky projects costing millions. Nice bit of escapist stuff for the coming winter. Hopefully no more barn conversions for a while. Anyone else a GD fan?

As an upright player I found this all very entertaining, so well done guys. As someone who went up to London in '62 to buy a Fender Jazz for less than £100 and came away with an EBO, I don't deserve to have a BG opinion so I'll refrain.

[quote name='Clarky' timestamp='1351061448' post='1846670'] You'll all be sorry if I stop selling gear on BC! [/quote] Yes we will!

Just to bring something else into the mix, I'll mention the Underwood that I like very much. It is quite a bright pickup, which is a good point to start from and it can be eq'd down a bit with a PlatPro or FDeck. The Bassmax can be got from Thomann for just under £100 delivered. Usually this single pickup will slot into the E wing of the bridge but on my Kolstein it is better on the G wing. So I have put a second one in the E just to get a little more bottom and the two are mixed in a two channel Clarus amp. Of course your bass will sound better with a mic but don't be in a hurry to go there. You will encounter initial expense, feedback probs, more expense and you'll finally get there after even more expense but at the end of the day the object is to get an an acceptable sound out there and enjoy your bass - which I've done for a few years now with a PU.

A lot of the 'big stage' guys seem to use SVTs. Mark Knopfler's URB man uses twins. Not too sure where this finishes and FOH begins.

[quote name='Mr Bassman' timestamp='1350549853' post='1840274'] I'm surprised that the Kolstein is 5 3/8 when the Eminence feels thicker at 5 3/16 [/quote] Yup, remeasured at 5 3/8" Profile could differ up the neck, I suppose.

I've got to go looking for my other two but right now the Bryant and Upton are 5 3/4 and the Kolstein Travel is 5 3/8.

Great result; well done Colin and everyone.

I like to stay fingers-down as much as poss, but for a particularly fast piece nothing wrong with going more perpendicular. Also raking helps in places plus two left hand stops per one rh pizz (surely there's a technical term for that). Mix your shots to the best advantage and don't over-analyze.

[quote name='silverfoxnik' timestamp='1349007845' post='1820550'] Hi Folks Wow! What a great day.... ( Lastly, have to mention those that couldn't be with us yesterday for a variety of reasons: Happy Jack, silddx, Clarky, Bassace, Stingray 5, Merton, johnnylager and Jakenewmanbass.. You were very definitely missed - despite it being a great day - but hopefully, we'll see you next year.. Nik [/quote] How kind of you to think of me. I had previously got in touch with Colin to say that I may have difficulty getting there due to a previous commitment ( a helicopter flight over the Olympic Stadium no less) but what I didn't expect was to be ambulanced off to hospital with pneumonia. All adding to my annus horibilis. Great to see all the photos of the event and so pleased you all had a good time. Always a landmark in the BC year. Next time, hopefully.

It'll be the same this year as all the preceding ones. The German Blonde (laminated) will stay in its cupboard in the garage. That will go a way towards insulating it from changes in temp and humidity - and it is a ply. The others will stay upstairs in a room that doesn't have a rad and with the curtains drawn. And that's it. If your bass has to share a room with a rad I'd suggest getting a humidifier or I've heard that a bowl of water placed in the room will mitigate the drying out effect of the central heating - which is your bass's biggest enemy. And as has already been mentioned, avoid any extreme changes. I've only ever had one disaster - and that was a biggie - when the first bass I had, a ply, was kept in a storeroom at a club I played at. Trouble was, the club was by the side of a lake and the mists used to come in every morning. I turned up one evening and the bass was literally a kit of parts, all the glue had gone. I repaired it with resin glue (ouch) and it never sounded any good afterwards. Thing is, I can't remember what I did with the soundpost - perhaps there wasn't one after my repair. Ah, the ignorance of the young!