BigBeatNut

[quote name='jaythemusicguy' post='465919' date='Apr 18 2009, 09:30 AM']i've got one, it's incredible.[/quote] It may sound nice, play nice, (don't know personally) but isn't it just a vertical bass guitar ? Does it have anything else (besides being vertical) to distinguish it from a bass guitar ? Curved fingerboard ? (can't tell from the site). Andy

[quote name='dangerboy' post='462417' date='Apr 14 2009, 07:37 PM']I don't think you can go wrong with a GK MB150. Available second-hand on eBay for 300-350, hold their value, are small enough to take anywhere on the bus with an EUB, and you'll never need an upgrade.[/quote] I do like mine, for small gigs it's great (this is BG by the way). However (and I may have been unlucky here) I've had two problems with mine which have caused me to spend on it as much in repairs as the price I paid for it (a touch more, just a touch, than you quote). This is over 4-5 years. 1) Power supply blew. UK agent says the transformerless power supply is unreliable and they'll replace it with a PS with transformer. Pocket £200 lighter, amp is 2 lbs heavier (okay 1 kilo, then). 2) Speaker blows, cone rip 2" long. In a small venue, relatively quiet gig (competing with 18w guitar amps). UK agent says a 10 year old (estimated) speaker this is quite likely. Pocket another £200 lighter. Amp travels back and forth 3 TIMES before it's properly repaired (no point in boring you with the details). Doesn't change the fact that I do like the amp, but kind of wish I'd splashed out on a new one. Which I've more than paid for. Have I been unlucky ? (I guess so, or the amp wouldn't have so many fans). Andy

You might want to consider something else, a Markbass 12" combo. This is probably both more powerful and more expensive than you're currently planning on but in it's favour it's small (not a lot heavier than the GK MB150) and it's been recommended to me by a gigging player as one of the few amps that suit both BG and URB. I can vouch personally for the BG bit (love it) but I don't as yet gig the EUB. Andy

Hint: try searching this forum (Double Bass EUB) for 'excelsior'.

I don't know if your amp has two channels with separate eqs (possibly not given your request) but if not you might want to include something like a boss eq pedal in the chain from either BG or EUB. It's unlikely the same amp eq settings will suit both instruments. Hence the more sophisticated devices like radial bassbone and the EBS micro bass. BTW, I think there's something similar to those two from MXR too.

I know I've heard the Eminence is poor quality for the price. I've played one and I prefer the sound I get from my eventual EUB purchase, a BSX Allegro Acoustic. I know Azola's are held in very high regard. I've not played one, but based on what I've heard, I think I'd be happy ordering one even so. (Always assuming I had the money, which I don't). Andy

[quote name='nello' post='447261' date='Mar 27 2009, 02:07 PM']Mine is a fully carved blonde made in the 1950s with pine top and maple back and sides. It's a great bass and has a wanderful sound.[/quote] Nice

Okay ... looks like I've got quite a few options ... sure I can manage one of those. Thanks, all.

May look like a dumb question but bear with me ... the most technical I usually get with a bass is action and truss-rod adjustments. Is there anything special about the sponge that goes under pickups ? I have a '79 P that's been owned from new (with no maintenance to speak of) and I've just noticed that on one side the pickup isn't holding it's position ... if you push it down there's not enough springiness to bring it back up to the right height. Now I presume there's sponge under the pickup that has rotted, and all I've got to do is replace it. Anything particular I need to look out for ? Can I use any old sponge that's lying about ... or are there particular kinds that are prone to rotting in a short period of time ? Cheers, Andy

Inevitability for me. Been a BG player for longer than I care to remember, then discovered I loved fretless. About the same time someone introduced me to John Scofields music and in particular 'A Go Go' with Medeski Martin and Wood. After hearing Chris Wood on DB it was just a matter of time before I went for upright. I actually looked for an EUB for ages (thinking the real thing a non-starter from practicality point of view) but finally bought a 3/4 DB first after some arm twisting from my girlfriend, who (bless) thought a super-cheap upright would keep me happy. Didn't stop me from splashing out on an EUB a matter of months later Andy

[quote name='TPJ' post='437194' date='Mar 17 2009, 01:18 PM'][url="http://www.doublebassguide.com/?page_id=21"]http://www.doublebassguide.com/?page_id=21[/url] Also try TB here [url="http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=43100"]http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=43100[/url][/quote] Good links .. thanks

(1) Ebay [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=390035619710"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=390035619710[/url] [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370162910792"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=370162910792[/url] Admittedly these are in the U.S. but the Bob Gollihur offering is probably a good bet. (2) Your local luthier(s) will probably have a source ... and unless you're fitting it yourself you'll need to talk to them anyway.

[quote name='endorka' post='419967' date='Feb 26 2009, 11:32 AM']In any case, it is not really the action that makes the EUB more difficult to play than a normal double bass, it is the fact that irrespective of using a tripod or "end pin" stand, the neck of the instrument tends to move and shoogle around more than that of a normal DB. As a result, I find it harder to stay in tune when shifting, meaning I often have to supervise the shift by looking at my left hand, something not so necessary on a normal DB. The other aspect to the wobbly neck is that I find I have to grip the instrument harder with my left fingers and thumb, which of course is more tiring than the normal DB. The thing that stops the normal DB wobbling is the fact that you can hold the body of the instrument "look no hands" with your legs & torso, and it is really secure. The EUB just can't do this as well.[/quote] That 'neck wobble' you talk about might be true of some EUBs but I'd definitely dispute it being true of the one I've got. It's a BSX Allegro which has an endpin and a brace that positions the bass nicely for playing and completely stops any kind of neck wobble. It easily feels as stable against my body as the 3/4 upright does. [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=1845"]This picture[/url] happens to show the brace pretty well. (It also shows that when I first acquired the bass my hand positioning left something to be desired). And as it happens, it's got a slimmer and more comfortable neck than my upright. I'm still a bit of an upright newb (neither EUB or DB has been gigged as yet) but the BSX seems like a goodie to me. In my search for an EUB I tried and rejected basses like the NS (felt wrong to have the bass locked in place on a tripod) and others that were endpin based, but just didn't have a comfortable brace (Warwick Triumph didn't work for me). That said, I'm not necessarily sure it's significantly easier to play than an upright to offer you much, Bilbo, but you're welcome to try it if you're ever in London. Andy

I've just had a proper introduction to Chris Minh Doky's music via the Nomad Diaries CD. [url="http://www.last.fm/music/Chris+Minh+Doky/Nomad+Diaries"]http://www.last.fm/music/Chris+Minh+Doky/Nomad+Diaries[/url] Lovin' it Andy

[quote name='jakesbass' post='410339' date='Feb 15 2009, 07:34 PM']Why is your flat dry? Radiators? above a shop? Find out and try to remedy. I think electric humidifiers are a waste of electricity as the air in a room is exchanged on average (if a chimney is present) roughly every 15-20 mins. I always have a bowl of water under my bass and keep it out of sunlight, never had any cracking. Keep it well away from radiators (if poss turn off in the room bass is in) and try to ensure there is water near it most of the time. If the water in the bowl dries up really quickly then you have a very dry atmosphere. I have one of those humidifiers (the green one in the pic) but I have never really needed to use it, but then I hate central heating and only use it in the very coldest weather. Jake[/quote] My flat is dry because it needs a lot of heating (open plan, high ceilings, large window area) and the only heating available is storage heaters. No chimneys so not a lot of air exchange going on. If I do encourage air exchange (open windows) at this time of year, humidity drops like a stone. Since the flat is open plan turning off heaters in the room the bass is in means turning off heaters pretty much everywhere. The bass is out of sunlight and is not close to any of the storage heaters. For an experiment I'll try keeping the heating lower and using bowls of water near the bass .... Thanks for the input, all. (and sorry for reply lag ... been away) Andy

Funnily enough ( ) I was researching the same thing on Google this afternoon. Here's the only link I found: [b][url="http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=164856"]Boosey & Hawkes 400. Any good?[/url][/b]