philparker

Apart from on-line (with Geoff, of course!) - for arco, I would recommend either Introduction to the thumb position by Cathy Elliot; or Enjoy The Double Bass Vol 4.

I'm neither inventive enough or sentimental enough to name my DBs (or any other possession), but it does bring a smile to my face when someone has an apt name or an amusing name for a DB or other possession. I remember 1 BC member calling his DB Nigella because it was early 50's, big, beautiful and curvy. Despite not being sentimental enough, I am quite attached to my recent DB and EB purchases, which are definitely keepers, the others are great, but will be going at some stage!

I have the AER 1 amp and I keep waiting for that moment when I'm going to have to go larger and modular, but it hasn't yet happened (OK, I don't play with a loud drummer). Practise, rehearsal, teaching or small to medium size gigs, it hasn't let me down yet. If that one mentioned by Three, at Promenade Music is going for £899, I would snap it up!

You can practise reading music i.e. Retain your current reading ability, without an instrument by either 'reading' through scores, in time mentally or tapping out with a metronome, quite successfully if the requirement exists! It often does for me because despite reading music from a young age, I still have difficulty reading at tempo, under pressure, when needed most. It is no different from any discipline or physical condition. You have to keep at it! On a positive front, it comes back quickly - 30 mins, 3 X a week is good...I try and do 10 - 15 mins a day (5 X a week), but never manage it!

Looks great and I bet it sounds superb - my DB tutor has a high-end T&G Martin DB (Orchestral) and it is a magnificent instrument. Congratulations!

I enjoyed that - well done!

Hey, well done for being open and honest, Scott, and I'm glad you enjoy the app. There's always going to be some skeptisism when money's involved (i.e. parting with it). $5 a track is much more than I pay for sheet music and digital downloads etc. but if it works for you and others find it helpful then that's what the forum is about - spreading the news of all things bass related!

Most the places I play don't have room to store a hard case and that includes EB as well, where I will often take a padded gig bag rather than the hard case(s) I have for EB. A hard case for a DB is both heavy and cumbersome, the lighter polystyrene-type hear cases are over sized and need a spare room just for storage. I had one of these and sold it at a reduced price just to get rid of it and give my house some space back. For me, it would definitely be a padded gig bag, unless I was regularly flying with it, then I would consider a hard case and spend a lot of money on a lighter harder bespoke case!

[quote name='basstimg' timestamp='1448570114' post='2916593'] Thanks a lot for the message the villaume sounds expensive isn't that what Charlie haden used ? [/quote] Jean-Baptiste Villaume: from the same family, but much older (mid 19th century) and a lot more expensive!

[quote name='basstimg' timestamp='1448566907' post='2916559'] Incedently what are you playing ?[/quote] I've now got a 1920's Mirecourt DB by Gustave Villaume, which I gave to Martin Penning for a full health check and a set up to my requirements. There are a couple of threads about Golia DBs on this forum, if you do a search, quite old now and the pictures are no longer available on the last one, which Geoff also enthuses about. Yes, second hand can be a bit hit or miss and price is no equal measure. At the workshop I mentioned, one of the players had a £20k (valued at) old French Bass, but he fully appreciated that it was no tonal match for the DB that Martin had just made for Hagai - and I think he has since bought one. I've taken up orchestral lessons again (to finish off my grades) and my tutor has a T&G Martin DB, which does sound fantastic, but as they're probably more established than Martin Penning they're proportionately more expensive and I think a MP DB is still a good investment for somebody buying new. I'm certainly not ruling one out for the future!

Martin Penning also works on my DBs and I have been fortunate enough to see/hear a couple of his DBs when I attended a Workshop with Hagai Bilitzky a couple of years ago. The DB commissioned by Hagai was also being collected by him so had not even been played until he arrived at the Workshop and the sound was outstanding. Everyone got the chance to have a look over it and by coincidence another 'student' at the Workshop also had a Penning DB, the very one that was taken to a DB trade fair in Denmark that convinced Hagai to order one in the first place. You rarely see any Penning DBs second hand and I'm not surprised as they are generally keepers. Although I now have a quality DB, if I was to get one new a Penning would be on the top of my list - and still good value for money compared to some of the T&G Martin ones I've seen. S/H wise, as mentioned, there's been a great choice on Musical Chairs for a couple of years now. Anyway, good luck with your search.

Was that Peter Cooke on drums? Very sad, I remember him in his latter days with a degenerative disease just listening to a jazz trio and being unable to take part, and he was, as a famous comedian/actor, comparatively unknown for being such a prodigious talent as a jazz pianist!

Unfortunately, with a lot of country, you have to provide beat and drive without runs and expression. When I was putting the bass line down for a recording of Jackson, a couple of years ago, I was also asked to reduce the number of 'lead-ins' to the root-fifth beat even when it didn't clash with vocals. I also had to keep turn-arounds simple. The only tips I can give is to emphasise the dominant 7th changes with both pre and post runs to the dominant 7th (i.e. to land on either the start of the dom 7 chord or to run up to and linger on the end of the dom 7 chord just before the change back) I do this on Jackson; to emphasise the minor chords (strong use b3's or b6's during runs) during breaks of vocals (e.g. It Ain't Me Babe); use the bluesy 6th arpeggios for rock n' roll sections (i.e. Country Girls) and finally use walkin' bass lines as and when appropriate especially when the vocals are strong enough to push the bass right into the background.

Wow, that was quick! Stringray Pete had a good thread going about how to make improvements to a Stagg, with lots of good contributions, which might be worth a read. I recall someone offered you some alternative strings as well? Hope you enjoy!

End of the fingerboard in my case!

[quote name='Jenny_Innie' timestamp='1447621875' post='2909072'] Do these eub things have strings closer to the fretboard than the average acoustic upright? [/quote] No...but don't let that put you off. A decent EUB is designed to replicate an acoustic DB as closely as possible (in theory), which will include string length and action. Furthermore, the less expensive the EUB or DB - if it hasn't has a pro set-up - will likely have a more difficult action for playability. You have to think of it as a different instrument and that there is a different technique and mind set to learning it and playing it. Again, don't let that out you off especially if you can try one out perhaps with a lesson on technique.

[quote name='Japhet' timestamp='1447512861' post='2908213'] Why does this not work on my computer? Is it the operating software or something else. Also I cannot put a Youtube link in a thread, even when removing the 's' from http. Anyone got ant ideas. I'm hopeless with computers by the way so please keep it simple Peeps. [/quote] The quote button never used to work for me, which I think might have been software related i.e. windows 7.1. Try clicking in the reply box first to get the cursor, then press quote...

Mmm...not in the UK yet! It would be interesting to hear one or trial one.

I still consider my action 'medium', but it is 5, 6, 7, 8 mm, as set up by Martin Penning and I am aware that T&G Martin also advocate a similar set up; there is no buzz whatsoever played pizz (I don't slap or 'dig in') and it is a joy to play arco, but I wouldn't be able to transition into the thumb position so smooth if I had it much higher (a discipline I'm just getting to grips with!).

Hey, I like that, not just the sound you've got, but the groove as well; it makes me want to play it too. I'm going to have to get the score!

Yes, I have one in Walnut and I'm very pleased with it - I will also be ordering a second one for my upgraded DB (different diameter pin) once I've settled on the correct height and determined if I will play seated or not. You can easily retain your old adjustable pin in case... As for sourcing elsewhere - I'd rather support and keep the custom in UK and in the Basschat community if the difference in cost is marginal! They are very well made, so you can be assured of the quality.

Larry's Fat Band?

I think most of us have been on that journey before and we would all change what we did in one way or other especially when it comes down to quality, set up, playability etc. And even price as we all upgrade if we stay playing and most people wish they had started sooner; I certainly do. Whilst you think about it and take in all the great advice - I won't advise further, only to shamelessly plug I will be advertising to sell my first DB very shortly, which is a fully carved 1990's Mittenwald that has been fully set up and health-checked by Martin Penning including a new high quality bridge and Full Circle pick up, complete with bag and bow, only just above your budget (at the very best rate)! Hides face in shame!

My current strings are Evah Pirazzi weichs, which I chose because I've just started lessons again to finish off my grade exams and will be doing 80% Arco for the next year or so. They bow as well or better than any other string I've tried, but they also have a really great sound when played pizz. I've got Belcantos on my other DB, which also bow very well and surprised me at how good they sound pizz, but Pirazzi Weichs have a much nicer sound to my ears!