jrixn1

Can you identify your strings here? https://gollihurmusic.com/string-identification-chart/ Once you see the prices of strings, you'll want to find a single... A 3/4 acoustic upright is around 42" (unlike bass guitars, there isn't any particular strict measurement which define the size of an upright bass)

Sold to basslondon with fast payment and no problems. Thanks Craig!

Can you paste or screenshot the instructions Thomann sent you for the collection?

Before the Shuttle + Big Baby 2, in fact I too had a Streamliner + Barefaced Compact (but no Midget T or any other second speaker with a tweeter), which sounded quite good for some specific things (Motown) but not so great for others. There was basically no high end - turning the high EQ either way made pretty much no difference. I was happy with the Genz Benz brand and quality, and a friend happened to be selling the Shuttle + Big Baby 2, so I just moved on that. So it was not a deliberate decision - but a great discovery that all my tone could come from a pedalboard and that the amp and cab could function specifically just to make it louder, transparently. Then after a while I moved to powered speakers (RCF 732A, QSC K12, etc) and never looked back; the additional advantages are that the power amp and speaker are matched, better dispersion, all the benefits of DSP, built-in wedge option, more compact to transport and store.

I've not had a setup based around a power amp, but for a while I was using a Genz Benz Shuttle 9.2 and a Barefaced Big Baby 2. It was a flat setup (Shuttle is flat with the EQ set neutrally), and I used the DI in pre-EQ mode so that any EQ was just for the stage. When I switched to powered speakers, I had an MXR M81, a clean DI which I used similarly in pre-EQ mode. Is there a reason you want rack gear? It's large and heavy...

Which Barefaced cabs do you have, and what type of venues are you playing? I have a pedalboard setup into an active PA speaker for my stage monitoring, and the same signal DIed to FOH. I used to have that extra step where I could tweak my EQ independently of FOH but I never really used it, so got rid of it and don't miss it - I credit the active speakers in giving me a consistent on-stage sound, which I never previously had with traditional bass cabs. I do sometimes make small EQ tweaks during soundcheck from venue to venue, and so yes those will go to FOH - but as you say, FOH make their own balances and tweaks on top anyway. I'm not sure there's any value to anyone to be sending literally exactly the same unaltered tone from one venue to the next.

Ah, I see. Could work some of the time. FWIW I've been pulled up by ParcelForce for having the wrong dimensions. (Edit: Actually I'm doing myself a disservice - pretty sure my dimensions were correct; they claimed I was wrong and would have to pay a fee before they delivered it; I asked for a photo of their measurements and a copy of my order showing my declared dimensions; they never replied and did finally go ahead and deliver the item. The point is that some carriers might sometimes check - just something to bear in mind if underdeclaring.)

I agree DPD are great for the recipient with their accurate live tracking - but as a sender, I can never get their website to accept a bass-sized package (e.g. 8kg, 130 x 50 x 20cm). I just looked it up, and https://www.dpdlocal-online.co.uk/help-centre/parcels/question/pricing/what-are-the-size-restrictions-of-the-dpd-local-online-services says "Max length: 100cm". How are you doing it?

The thing to watch out for (which is basically a scam) if you go with ParcelForce etc directly is that they will happily charge you for insurance but by their own wording, "musical instruments are excluded from enhanced compensation" (https://www.parcelforce.com/help-and-advice/sending/items-we-exclude-compensation). I've been using Overland Express - https://www.overlandexpress.co.uk/musical-instrument-courier - who partner with ParcelForce, DHL, etc; but importantly the difference is that they will insure musical instruments. It's about £40 to send on a 24-hour service within UK with £1000 of insurance. Best to read their T&C yourself, but to qualify for insurance you need to send the bass in a hard case, inside a cardboard box. Take photos of the whole packing process, and ask the recipient also to take photos when the bass arrives. I haven't had to make any claim myself but the recommendation came from another basschatter who had used customer service and reported that they did make a proper effort to resolve any issues.

https://www.johnhenrys.com/amplification.html have a large space with loads of amps and cabs. They are mainly set up for larger touring acts but check with them if can you still just pop in and have a browse as I have done in the past (although it was about 15 years ago).

Good call - and btw he takes credit cards, if that helps with the finance side of things.

If you decide to rent, consider doing it before September, because what I've heard is that all the instruments get snapped up by students when term starts.

@joelcmj If you qualify for gear4music credit, you can just as likely get a bank loan - then you can buy privately. I'd vote for acoustic upright. I'm sure I wouldn't have a lot of my work (jazz, theatre) if I was playing EUB. Like you say, people do value authenticity - certainly, an acoustic player isn't going to lose gigs because he didn't play EUB. Probably depends on your specific network though - perhaps you can just ask your bandleaders/contacts outright. I had my adjusters fitted by mail order - https://www.mjbl.co.uk/double-bass-bridge-adjusters-for-sale. I posted him my bridge and he returned it with the adjusters fitted. It's about £100. Alternatively, http://bristol-violin-shop.co.uk/ is an hour from Cardiff and comes highly recommended by many basschatters.

Isn't that slash chords, which is something else? E.g. here it's saying the the first seven bars to play an Eb pedal.

They are just alternative chords; whether to use them comes down to personal taste/preference. Probably best though to discuss with the rest of the band in advance whether to play the default or the alternative. Sometimes e.g. tritones you can play them spontaneously, but e.g. I Remember You has a AbM as an alternative to Am7 so you can't just chuck that in willy nilly if the others aren't expecting it.

+1 for the "band as a business" model. When running a working band there will always be expenses - not just this PA purchase today, but PA maintenance, lights, storage, insurance, van hire/lease, publicity photos/videos, website, etc. Instead of doing "musician's fee = band fee ÷ number of musicians", conceive "the band" as its own entity, and paying musicians as just one of the many costs it has of doing business. Suppose the band does 25 gigs per year at an average of £1k/gig - total income £25k. Add up all the annual costs (PA, van, etc) - say it comes to £5k. So there's £20k left to pay musicians: so the fee is £160 each per gig. This approach might sound more complicated to get going, but it's more sustainable in the long term, fairer, and scalable.

This flag is flown by people who are far-right/racist.

Sorry to hear of people's poor experiences, either with Thomann themselves or with DHL Parcel UK. I have just been through the returns process myself for an expensive and bulky item, which I decided to return on the same day as this thread was started - reading it did give me the jitters! Here's my timeline, if it helps someone else decide whether to purchase from Thomann or not: Mon 19th June: I started the returns process (I took loads of photos of the item and the packing process) Wed 21st June: I dropped it off at a DHL Parcel UK drop-off point, which was a cornerstore/off-licence (I took a photo here too!) Thu 22nd June: Tracking update: it was collected by DHL Mon 26th June: Tracking update: delivered to the address which was on the label - Century Logistics in Bury St Edmunds, I assume a logistics partner of Thomann (Nearly two weeks later) Fri 7th July: Thomman - "we received back your return and it will be processed as soon as possible." Mon 10th July: Received refund from Paypal So that's 20 days from when I dropped it off to when I was refunded, and fortunately in this instance the process has worked as well as it probably could. However, I think next time I'll purchase from a UK retailer even if that means a few extra quid on the price, or waiting a few days for it to be back in stock.

I'd imagine ffmpeg can do this.