Maude

[quote name='bluejay' timestamp='1376415048' post='2173656'] I think that what we were talking about here was the C extension that can be added to a (4-string) double bass, to reach the low C, not about a high C string. Or did I get the wrong end of the stick? [/quote] In all honesty, I've no idea, I just assumed he meant a high C, but I assume lots and I'm also wrong lots . It does look cool though

[quote name='bluejay' timestamp='1376349542' post='2172778'] Click on the photo, it will open in an enlarged view - the bass definitely has 5 strings and 5 tuners, so I imagine it's a low B that's needed here, not a low C PS Welcome, defcom! [/quote] Low B or a high C, personally I'd rather have the high C. As for action, that seems about right, if it doesn't have an adjustable bridge then I leave it.

The glue's on it's merry way

I have an old Hohner Arbor Series P bass (read cheapy) with what looks like a rosewood board and has been strung with rounds for at least 10-15 years, has signs of wear but very minimal and doesn't affect the way it plays at all.

Thanks for those two replies, I'm going to go with the Pahoehoes as I really don't want white strings, although Road Toad haven't bothered getting back to me with a price.

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1376220179' post='2170853'] I don't play DB but... I admire them from afar and I lurk sometimes [/quote] Just admitting that in public is the first foot on the slippery slope

[quote name='spinynorman' timestamp='1376152958' post='2170331'] Also, I've seen mixed reviews of the Thunderguts strings - sticky feel, too bright? Any thoughts on those, before I lay out £25? [/quote] I'm building a Ubass and would like to know peoples preferences on Thunderguts or the stock Pahoehoe strings. From my research it seems the Thunderguts are higher tension and a tad more trebley, while the Pahoehoe have more thump but are stickier, Road Toad who make the Pahoehoes state that the short scale, even lower tension ones feel sticky, I don't want that but I do want black if I can. Do folks feel the standard one the ubass comes with are sticky at all? Sorry for the hijack

I have no association to the sellers of these but saw them on "the other site " and thought they looked quite cool if you're in the right sort of band. I want the flame ones but using small LCD screens so the flames actually flicker . [url="http://www.gfx-solutions.com/f_hole_bass_covers"]http://www.gfx-solutions.com/f_hole_bass_covers[/url]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1376150364' post='2170285'] Just packing mine up for tonights gig, the audience love it almost as much as me [/quote] Love the bass as much as you love it, or love the bass as much as they love you?

That looks really good Pete. I may have to copy that and make a pair to keep in my bag, luckily no feedback problems yet as I normally go through the PA but we have a big venue to play soon and it would be nice to know they're there just in case. Where do you get the foam sheet from, a craft shop? Lovely looking bass BTW, I have one just like it .

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1376129183' post='2169955'] Wow, really? Thanks very much! [/quote] That's quite alright, it'll only go to waste and I'll be due some good karma afterwards . Message me your address and I'll get it sorted, it'll probably be Monday now though as Cornwall shuts for the weekend.

I had to re-glue the fingerboard on my doublebass and looked into different glues, it seemed the only real option was hide glue so it can be seperated in the future if needed, also hide is much more 'creep' resistant than pva. It looked a real pain to do all that mixing up and cooking the glue, too high or too low a temperature and the joint is weaker blah blah blah, then I found Titebond liquid hide glue, just use is like normal pva, clamp and leave for a 24hrs. The cheapest I found it was a deal for two 8oz bottles, it has a sell by date of next August and I'll never use it all by then, send me your address and I'll post a bottle over to you, just leave me a bit of nice feedback in my feedback thread .

[quote name='yorks5stringer' timestamp='1375950699' post='2167706'] I may be having a fire sale soon, anyone want a Stagg EUB, Godin A5 and Squier VM 5?! [/quote] Yes all of them, but I only have one half of a Twix and the green Tic Tacs from a carton of orange and lime ones to offer you ................. let me know

We do it with our acoustic band. Amazing reaction when you get the groove going on double bass and cajon and the audience still aren't 100% sure if it is, and then the acoustic guitar drops in with Niles riff, it gets 'em every time and they love it . It's just such a feel good song.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1375911329' post='2167452'] That's the thing with db, everyone will watch! All those years as the anonymous bassist are over even with the stagg so I know they will love the db. That's some long set btw. [/quote] We've done a couple of open mic nights to get some interest going in a different area and I usually leave the bass in the van until we go on as it's just in the way, but when you have to make your way through a crowd with a DB above your head it kinda draws attention , I actually got a cheer from the crowd at one venue as I went in, hold on folks you haven't heard me yet . The open mic nights are working for getting gigs though. That long set is with two different bands, but it's still a long evening, can't wait. Go for the acoustic gig, you'll be amazed at the response. I've been gigging for years with big electric rock bands but I'm blown away at the response we're getting with the acoustic band, people just love something that's a break from the norm. Go for it and let us all know how it went .

Gig it A.S.A.P. There's nothing to motivate you to improve more than making a pigs ear of it in front of an audience. The panic sets in and your face starts to burn because you just know that everyone in the room is looking at you. The fact is that nobody really noticed but it sure makes you commit to practicing more. I've already done several gigs with mine and we have a big one at The Eden Project at the start of October, 1 1/2hr set with the double bass and 2hr set with the electric bass, achey arm time me thinks .

[quote name='tauzero' timestamp='1375707078' post='2164495'] I bought a new Palatino EUB (the Harley Benton is a rebadged Palatino) which was sent in a huge box sandwiched between two moulded polystyrene slabs. The neck was broken off. So it's not perfect protection... [/quote] But the polystyrene slabs were better protection than the polythene bag the OPs Warwick came in, which was my point. You can package something all you want but you can't counteract the actions of an idiot courier. Telebass' new Bareface cab turned up with a hole right through the side of it from a forklift fork I seem to remember. Sometimes a reinforced steel case won't be enough.

Nope, this one. [url="http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-Bass-Uke/"]http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-Bass-Uke/[/url] But it's all good reading, avoiding others pitfalls. It's only a bit of fun and if it doesn't really work then it's not a lot lost and I'll make something else out of it, put a sweet vending twisty thing on it and fill it with Jelly Bellies .

Hello, this little build will be more about trying new things and giving me something to potter with than to create a masterpiece, After a member, I'm sorry I can't remember who now, posted a link to this conversion I thought why not? I've often thought a Ubass would be handy for trips away and such like but never fancied spending so much money on something that would probably never be used in a band situation. Also, as mentioned, it would give me a chance to try new things such as a de-fret without risking ruining an expensive instrument. I started looking on good old Ebay for a 3/4 classical guitar with a scale length of as close to 21" as I could find, as I believe that is the scale length of a Kala Ubass. I messaged a few sellers about this measurement but none were forthcoming so while in Plymouth yesterday I went into the used equipment emporium known as 'Wants' armed with a tape measure. The best I could find was a 23" which would be fine as 'Road Toad' who make the Pahoehoe strings used on Ubasses do a long scale set designed for 22-24", so perfect. Also being a slightly larger body and longer scale should help the acoustic volume. It's still an experiment remember . Anyway I bought the guitar for £15 so a nice cheap base (not bass yet ) [attachment=140755:030820131052_1.jpg] [attachment=140762:030820131058_1.jpg] Once home I set about pulling it apart, strings off, tuners out, nut removed. I prefer the fretless Ubass as this will be used more in conjunction with my acoustic band in which I play doublebass than the electric band so I pulled all the frets out as well. [attachment=140757:030820131053_1.jpg] [attachment=140758:030820131054_1.jpg] [attachment=140760:030820131057_1.jpg] Lifting the frets with a screwdriver has left little dents in the fingerboard but I'm not worried as I will obviously be sanding it after filling the fret slots. I may finish it with a glossy clearcoat but I'm not sure yet, it depends how the strings work with it. I'm not sure which strings to use, the Pahoehoes or the Thunderguts but as the Pahoehoes are available for a longerscale I suppose it has to be them. Listening to soundclips I prefer the sound of the Pahoehoes as they have a deeper thump than the Thunderguts which seem to have a brighter top end but the Thunderguts are more stable after tuning and higher tension. Decisions, decisions. Also I assume if the Thunderguts are higher tension to start with and designed for a 21" scale then they will be even higher tension when fitted to a 23" scale, putting the guitar under possibly too much strain. Plus the Pahoehoes are black and I was planing on taking the finish off the front of the geetar and refinishing it in a nice dark wax or oil and the Thunderguts are bright white, more suited to an 80's flying V Ubass but that'll have to be someone elses project . Anyway, I'll look into that some more. Also ordered a set of black P bass tuners yesterday as they will fit across the vertical slots in the headstock, I probably won't fill the original tuner holes as it will add extra weight to the headstock which will be heavy enough once P bass tuners are fitted. I'll update when some more happens .

I'll bet a lot of the unwanted noise is something you're worrying too much about, you'd be surprised how much noise some top players make when listening to their isolated bass tracks. Go on Youtube and find some of Fleas isolated bass tracks, very noisy. I'm picking Flea as he must play with a very low action and a hard attack, and some of that 'clatter' is part of 'his sound' but I reckon you'll still be surprised how much of it there is, it's just hidden by the rest of the band. As others have said, less noise will come naturally with practice but I wouldn't worry if it doesn't go completely.

Just to add my Harley Benton EUB, at the cheapest of the cheap end of the scale, was sent in a huge box sandwiched between two moulded polystyrene slabs, that sucker wasn't going anywhere.

It's not very green to have to send a van to pick it up and then send out another one if the first is damaged due to lack of protection ...... but I see what you're saying. It's six of one, half a dozen of the other.

I use one or two Ashdown 10" cabs depending on space and volume of gig with both EUB and DB and they sound fine. I tried some other amps/cabs that have been 'in house' that have sounded bad and others sound good. I have found it seems to matter more with DB than EB to have the 'right' amp/cabs and there doesn't seem to be any real reason for it sounding right, just trial and error. Go with what sounds good.

I'm not saying a gloss finish has to be a sticky finish, I have basses with gloss necks and have no trouble at all with stickiness. But the fact remains that if you have a gloss neck that feels a bit 'grippy' then a very light sanding will more often than not make it feel less 'grippy'. It's not psychological, the fact that my double bass has less left hand noise acoustically amplified through the instrument after sanding proves this. Just 'feeling' better after sanding could be the placebo effect but an actual difference in unwanted noise cannot be.

I don't know the science behind it and I don't really care, but the fact remains that if you take a smooth piece of wood which has been lacquered to a gloss finish, push your finger into it with a reasonable pressure and then try to push your finger forwards, your finger will (not always before anyone jumps in) probably squeak and move forwards in small jerks and jumps before moving smoothly, now lightly sand the finish (not rough) and do the same with your finger, it will more likely move much more freely with no noise. It's not the material used to finish the wood as your haven't removed the material just how it's finished. When I got my new double bass, I had a fair bit of left hand noise resonating through the bass until I lightly sanded the neck, now no noise as I don't have to break that friction creating small sqeaks and noise. Heard the expression 'squeaky clean'? Why does your finger squeak as you run it down a clean wet plate? Surely as it's smooth and the water acts as a lubricant there can't be any squeaks, why does your finger grip the plate and then make a noise as you break that friction? Now try and make the same 'squeaky clean' squeak with a slightly rougher surface, it won't work.