philparker

This is a good one for 'reading' - maybe not quite 'on-sight', but keeping up the skills!

I love Altea, Albir and Calpe (Javiér & Dénia), not for the Kebabs, though!

Any of the AER Bass range would do nicely - I have been using the AER Bass One for many years at all kinds of venues and I've never used it near to capacity.

It has taken me many years to be comfortable with the bow (after playing guitar and electric bass for most of my life) despite having some lessons and advice from top professionals. Not just my bow grasp, but the whole of my arm was always too tense. I still get it wrong when I'm under pressure, but I have now started feel relaxed and understand what is going on. This YouTube clip, from Thomas Martin, on the French Bow grasp, is a good way of understanding - then you just need a few more years practise 😂! French Bow Grasp

Plus One! Fantastic for sight-reading!

Plus 1 - I’ve got this album! Also Avashai Cohen - Gently disturbed. There are plenty of others I haven’t listened to yet. Some good recommendations above that I will try and familiarise myself with.

Great work! I don't think I will be sight-reading it just yet 😟

I'm mostly a fretless player and a Wal fretless owner, but I think it was the right thing to do for the owner!

Good job! - Now it can get some 'real' playing time!

Great Work!

Get it fretted - and enjoy it for what it is! No, it won't affect the 'real' value i.e. what somebody is prepared to pay for it!

We do a three-song medley of Buffalo Soldier, Is This Love and Three Little Birds. One of my favourite bass lines to play out of all the songs we do is: Is This Love. I don't play the original bass line, although I have looked at it, and my line might be a bit too busy for pure reggae, but I have some gaps to fill with only me and one guitar on that medley! I'd like to do 'Waiting In Vain' if we had a keyboard player of another instrument to fill the gaps!

A wise decision!

Firstly - sorry to Jez if I diverted the thread slightly, I didn't intend to! @NickA - yes, it is his own extension - I tried to get Martin to fit an extension to my other bass, (which used to be my main bass) but the angle of the neck was insufficient to allow enough material against the scroll and therefore the work could not be carried out. I really wanted an extension, so I decided it was the right time to buy a Penning Bass - I had to wait over 12 months - and I've had it just over 12 months now - the finest possession I own! It plays/sounds as well as it looks. As for doing it justice - yes, I get embarrassed when a top professional asks to play it and realizes how good it is (even compared to their own) and I'm sure they're thinking, what does he need a bass that good for? I am trying to improve, though, and this is helping. @Jezyorkshire. 8 years ago, when I was looking to upgrade my bass, PB was still making his basses and they were highly sought after and very good value for money. However, every PB bass owner, even from new, (especially from new!) seemed to have work carried out by another [high-end] Luthier to improve the sound and playability. I agree with the others on this thread - I would take to a top Luthier and spend a few hundred quid getting it sorted. They are reputed to be very good basses and are used in some orchestras as well. You could spend a lot more for a much lesser bass in all aspects.

Thank you!!

What...like mine? 😁😁

I can’t comment PJB’s as I’ve never tried them personally; I already have too much gear to continue experimenting. However, there does seem to be a new trend of using powered FRFR PA speakers like the QSC K10.2 or Yamaha DZR 10/12 etc. Which is more appealing for versatility?!

Not quite as good for electric bass (still acceptable), but as you say, very good for DB. I have just the amp, which I can put through one or two Crazy 8s. Although with two channels, it can double up with EB, but I prefer an MB200/500 through the same speakers for EB.

Yes, of course, the scroll as well - and I have also seen that done on restorations. I think it is much different to a 50s/60s(even 70s, nowadays) Fender bass, where originality does affect value. How many old 3-string basses have been restored that are now worth 5/6-figure value? Personally, I don’t think it will affect the value negatively, but it’s not even worth keeping if you can’t play it? +1 for the Rev’s comments as well!

The amount of Hawkes I have seen in the Luthier's being repaired, improved or totally restored just to enable playing is quite considerable. When discussing with the Luthier the term 'worthwhile investment' always comes into the conversation. No, I'm no more learned than anybody else on this subject, but if I was buying a bass, I would want it set up to my playing requirements more than originality. Apart from the main body - everything else is adjustable or replaceable!

Not enough pictures! The little bit that I can see looks lovely!

Plus One: Ikeep a copy of this on my desk at work and you can do so much practise without an instrument (even though I regularly sight-read) - it is a great source.