mangotango

Now that you guys have suggested it, I quite fancy the idea of a luthier making something more elegant out of wood - as opposed to the original "bent steel rod covered in a plastic sleeve" option. Just need to push on with this now as I want to do some learning and then lots of playing with this bass. I tried it out in a lesson the other evening, with my teacher playing piano. The bass sounded pretty darned good (even some of the playing, too) and he recorded the results, with the bass going via his SWR amp and then DI'ed from that into the desk. Got to say, mixed in with a Bechstein baby grand, knockin' out a few jazz standards....yeh, I could live with that; it fitted in even with a quality instrument like that piano, and all of this first time I played the bass in a real situation.

Thanks guys!!

I have recently acquired from Ebay an Aria SMB-04 electric upright. It's great fun and nice to play; sounds good amplified....but as you can see from the group photo attached (it's on the far left), there should be a support/balance bar attached so that you can lean it into you to play standing up. Mine didn't come with that, and without it it's almost impossible to play standing up. You have to support the neck in your left hand, the neck twists in your left hand as you pluck the strings. I generally tend to play it while sitting on a stool; which works OK, but it means that I don't really have enough space between me and the body of the bass to gain sufficient leverage for a decent right-hand action on the E string - it's all a bit cramped in on me. Anyone else had this and if so, what did you do to resolve it? I've contacted Aria, but their guy wasn't hopeful; this is an older model and no longer produced. I could try to get someone to make something for me, it can only be shaped steel rod with a plastic sleeve or somesuch. And I really don't need any advice such as "get a proper double bass", "buy an Eminence/Bassix/etc.", thanks; I need a solution to make this bass work properly for me. Cheers, Mangotango

Playing bass for a workshop band in the morning, and a band gig in the afternoon. Put me down as a sad and sorry "not this time".

Back in the days of The Noo Wave (OK, very late '70s), I played in a punky-reggae band with a remarkably loud drummer and got by on my Fender Bassman 50 Export and its matching 2 x 15" cab. Best bass sound I've ever had, better than anything else before or since. I even amplified my double bass through it. Eventually moved it on because I was convinced (wrongly) that I needed more wattage. Mistake. However, 40 years on from that, I'm way past carting a cab like that around any more. I will live with a lightweight bass rig that is rated at a stupid number of watts - and not knacker my spine.

Thanks for your kind offer. Will investigate all options before I move ahead...but you never know!!

Possibly. It's a Fernandes Gravity 5X. Have never seen a fretless neck for those and looking at their Endorsed artists for that, I'm not convinced that fretless would be right for their target market! So I guess that it would be a special order; worth enquiring about maybe. However, in pure economic terms, it's probably going to be more viable just to trade in on a purpose-built fretless, which isn't the point of what I'm trying to do.

It's rosewood and it's in very good shape, so I'm loath to damage it with my inevitably ham-fisted efforts.

Once upon a time long ago, in a land far, far away, I had a fretless bass. A Shergold Marathon, unlined Maple neck. The bass was lovely, my playing rather less so. Then I stopped playing bass for a few decades. Now I'm back in the Low Life and have a hankering for a fretless again. Thing is, nowadays I'm mostly playing 5-string and a finding a fretless 5'er might be an expensive experiment. However, I already have a bass that I like but I'm looking to sell...so I had an idea. Would it cost more to have that bass, which I like, de-fretted and lined, rather than trading it in on a purpose-built fretless bass which I may end up selling anyway if I can't get on with it? Has anyone had a bass de-fretted, how much would such a process cost, and how successful was it? And before you ask - no, I'm not letting my Captain Caveman DIY skills loose on a bass I like and might want to play ever again; there's absolutely no chance of my trying to do the job. It'll just end in tears. And that's before any hears me play it.....

James playing their Greatest Hit. Duller than duller than dull. St. Vincent - the Emperor's New Clothes. Style over substance. And then, finally.....music broke out. Kamasi Washington. More please. Daniel Bloomberg, bland singer/songwriter. Wetter than an otter's pocket. Even the DB couldn't keep me awake for that one. Amazing the variety of views you get on a forum, innit?

A while back, my 4 piece jazz(-ish) group lost the original sax player. Well I say lost, he is still with the band as far as I know, 'cos he's never told me that he's gone! Why? Well, I gave him a bit of a hard time after he refused to assist with helping with group tasks like carrying in the PA, helping other people to pack up after a gig, etc. Bit too much of a prima donna on that front - "I didn't bring it so I don't see why I have to carry it. We replaced him with a keyboard player who didn't really work out to anyone's satisfaction. The end result of that was that we got in another saxophonist and things got better because she was in tune with everyone else personality-wise as well as being a good player, definitely better than the first guy. Except then the drummer started being ill all of the time (but was still doing deps with other people!); however, the new saxophonist knew a drummer with whom she used to work and after one practice, all of us wanted the new guy in the band. So then I had to let the other drummer go, but he wasn't bothered - nowhere near as much as I was. And now, we have a 4 piece band that's on the same page musically and personally and it's absolutely the best incarnation ever of this quartet; and we're starting to see some decent frequency of gigs and some success. And I love it.

I used to play bass years ago, both BG and upright, and was self taught on DB. However, I stopped playing bass and went over to the guitar side for many years. I'm now playing Bass Guitar again and I have in addition had a Dean Pace, which I'm now selling because I wanted something more "prop" EUB/DB-like. To replace it, I've just purchased an EUB - the Aria SWB-04. I would like to have some lessons on proper DB technique as what I'm doing is all a bit haphazard, inefficient and inconsistent. I'm in the South Essex area, but can go as far as East London for the right teacher. Any recommendations? Please note that this is NOT for the notes to play at this stage, as I'm happily playing jazz on a BG - it's about correct technique, fingering, etc. Thanks in anticipation.

Another Essex occupant here, and in Hornchurch as well, as referenced by others. However, I too am an outsider, having arrived from the Frozen North some 37 years ago on a mission of Spreading Culture To The Locals.... you can guess how that turned out. LOL

I have a Bass Collection SB 5er, which has pretty much the perfect neck to fit my weirdly-shaped hands (biggish square-ish palm, short-ish fingers). So comfortable that half the time I forget that I'm even playing a 5. Mind you, I have the 4-string version of the same and the neck on that is stupidly slim. Which is all welcome to digits that are as often as not used for (whisper it!) guitar-pickin'.....'

Just booked my ticket for the Sunday! Last year's was the first thing that I really did after starting to be a bassplayer again after many years gap. I felt a bit out of it, almost a fraud, and probably didn't enjoy it as much as I should have done. This time however, I shall be going in with commitment, enthusiasm and a ready credit card!!

Mine sounds OK - not quite like an upright, but enough to fit in with what I'm doing. That Ibanez though - yeah, I can see where you're coming from. I don't think the promo video does it any favours whatsoever.

34" electric upright on stand. So very much like the much-maligned Dean Pace, then? Just a lot more expensive.....

Yeh, the thought of that powerful one combined with the rumble of a low B-string......wow.

Resurrecting a zombie thread here....I have a SB301 that was the first "proper" bass guitar that I've owned since 1982, and it's great to play. However, by comparison with the punch of the pups on my Fernandes 5-string (the second "proper"..etc., etc.), the Nanyo pups were a bit...polite. So after reading lots of favourable reviews, many on Basschat, I decided that Entwhistle Neo's was the way to go. After not being able to find them on their site, I contacted Entwhistle direct and Simon, who is a top bloke, sent me a P/J set. Have to praise the fast turnaround of the transaction as well, without wishing to sound all EBay-ish here. I got PMT Romford to install them and sort out a scratchy old pot while they were doing it. When I went to collect it, I tried the bass out through an Eden 2x10" combo. BOOM! , to quote Jurgen Klopp. Unbelievable, night-and-day difference. Fuller, more powerful and much more responsive. When I got home, straight away I broke out the TCBG250 and put the bass through its paces. What an improvement. And now I can't stop playing it. I cannot recommend these pups highly enough. Wish they made them for 5-ers as I'd put them into the Fernandes as well.

I too judged that last night was a suitable time to gently broach the subject of this with the wife -my wife, that is - and guess what, I'll be there!! 01. Hamster - 02. Silverfoxnik - BC Rich Eagle, Squier P Bass, Ander Vanderend JB5, Eden Traveller WT400 amp & Genz 2x12 cab 03. Steve Browning - some Precisions, Boogie M-Pulse 600 and Boogie Subway 15 cabs, Mesa Walkabout 15. 04. obbm - 2 x Spector Short scales. 05. Pawel G - Squier JV Precision and maybe others 06. Stingray5 - MusicMan and Tune basses; Trace Elliot and/or Eden amplification; Boss GT-6B. 07. Markstuk - Dingwall Z3, Lakland BG 5, BF Big Twin, Thunderfunk TF750a. 08. Cetera - Spector NS2, Spector Euro, Hamer Impact, Wal fretless, one or two more to be decided, big Pedalboard (!), GK800RB, GenzBenz Neox 212T 09. Johnthebassist - '69 Jazz Bass, GenzBenz Shuttle 9, Barefaced S12T, gang of smelly pedals 10.Timmo 11. Barneyg42 12.Walman - FPPR Status S1 - well it wouldn't be a SEBB without Barney's old bass now mine, however this year for the first time it won't have a for sale sticker on it 13.Rumblefish- Reverend Rumblefish,Wal Bass,Mesa M600,Berg CN212. 14. Happy Jack } .........................} with a love that'll see you through 15. Bluejay........} 16. bassace - double bass, Felix Preamp, Puma 500 amp and Genzler 10-2 cab. 17. ChunkyMunky - Zon Sonus Custom 5, Yamaha BB425x, Genz Benz Shuttle 12.0 etc.. 18. MacDaddy 19. louisthebass 20. TrevorR - 2 Wals, an Aria SB700, a Markbass LMII and 2x10 plus some pedals... 21. jhk - yamaha TRB6P, MM stingray 5 fretless, GB Spitfire Fiver, Eden cabs plus Eden wt600 and EBS 22. Seer73 - 2 or 3 lefty basses + amp of some sort - TBD as having GAS issues at the minute 23 - Thestick - Wal , Ken smith , Jeff finch, Aguilar amp 24 - Chris_b 25 - Pete.Young - Yamaha BBNE2, Duesenberg Star, pimped Bass Collection SB465, LMII, EBS Neo 2x12 26 -Grangur - BF One10 and Warwicks Streamer SS1 4-string, Streamer LX 4 Fretless, Jazzman FNA 5 , Corvette 4, Corvette Bubinga 5 27. Captain Rumble - Vanderklay MNT212, Thunderfunk, Xotic jazz 28. Graham - Lakland DJ5, G&L SB2, EBS HD350, EBS Neo 2x12 29. Mangotango - Fernandes Gravity 5x, Dean Pace,TC Electronics BG250-112

I judged that last night was a suitable time to gently broach the subject of this with the wife, and success, I'm in 01. Hamster - 02. Silverfoxnik - BC Rich Eagle, Squier P Bass, Ander Vanderend JB5, Eden Traveller WT400 amp & Genz 2x12 cab 03. Steve Browning - some Precisions, Boogie M-Pulse 600 and Boogie Subway 15 cabs, Mesa Walkabout 15. 04. obbm - 2 x Spector Short scales. 05. Pawel G - Squier JV Precision and maybe others 06. Stingray5 - MusicMan and Tune basses; Trace Elliot and/or Eden amplification; Boss GT-6B. 07. Markstuk - Dingwall Z3, Lakland BG 5, BF Big Twin, Thunderfunk TF750a. 08. Cetera - Spector NS2, Spector Euro, Hamer Impact, Wal fretless, one or two more to be decided, big Pedalboard (!), GK800RB, GenzBenz Neox 212T 09. Johnthebassist - '69 Jazz Bass, GenzBenz Shuttle 9, Barefaced S12T, gang of smelly pedals 10.Timmo 11. Barneyg42 12.Walman - FPPR Status S1 - well it wouldn't be a SEBB without Barney's old bass now mine, however this year for the first time it won't have a for sale sticker on it 13.Rumblefish- Reverend Rumblefish,Wal Bass,Mesa M600,Berg CN212. 14. Happy Jack } .........................} with a love that'll see you through 15. Bluejay........} 16. bassace - double bass, Felix Preamp, Puma 500 amp and Genzler 10-2 cab. 17. ChunkyMunky - Zon Sonus Custom 5, Yamaha BB425x, Genz Benz Shuttle 12.0 etc.. 18. MacDaddy 19. louisthebass 20. TrevorR - 2 Wals, an Aria SB700, a Markbass LMII and 2x10 plus some pedals... 21. jhk - yamaha TRB6P, MM stingray 5 fretless, GB Spitfire Fiver, Eden cabs plus Eden wt600 and EBS 22. Seer73 - 2 or 3 lefty basses + amp of some sort - TBD as having GAS issues at the minute 23 - Thestick - Wal , Ken smith , Jeff finch, Aguilar amp 24 - Chris_b 25 - Pete.Young - Yamaha BBNE2, Duesenberg Star, pimped Bass Collection SB465, LMII, EBS Neo 2x12 26 -Grangur - BF One10 and Warwicks Streamer SS1 4-string, Streamer LX 4 Fretless, Jazzman FNA 5 , Corvette 4, Corvette Bubinga 5 27. Captain Rumble - Vanderklay MNT212, Thunderfunk, Xotic jazz 28. Graham - Lakland DJ5, G&L SB2, EBS HD350, EBS Neo 2x12 29. Mangotango - Fernandes Gravity 5x, TC Electronics BG250-112

When I was 19, (40 years ago!), I bought a (then) 3 year old Fender Jazz. It had been sunburst originally, but the previous owner had stripped and varnished it - except under the scratchplate! It was so great to play, even better when I added a Fender Bassman 50 Export and its matching 2 x 15" cab to the package shortly afterwards. Thought that it would work for me forever and a day.....but one day, I convinced myself that a brand new Shergold Marathon fretless was the way forward for me. Did a straight swap with the music shop in Bristol...they must have laughed their heads off. Sold the amp set-up as well soon afterwards......soooooo stupid. Couldn't carry it around now, mind....ah but if I had the bass back

[quote name='russmann' timestamp='1266167177' post='744977'] Hi, What do you guys would be a decent rig for a small jazz orchestra? I'll be needing something versatile that I could use both bass guitar and double bass with. I've heard from a number of people that an Ampeg SVT2 would be most versatile. Any thoughts? Thanks! Russ [/quote] Playing with a jazz workshop band, loads of horn players plus rhythm section - I used a Henriksen Jazzamp 110 with a lead from the line out into a small Ashdown combo for a bit more bottom end. No problem with volume (was actually asked to turn down!) and a nice big warm sound. Most of the bassplayers I've seen with Jazz outfits (Kurt Rosenwinkel's trio and quartet, Jonathan Kreisberg's quartet, Ari Hoenig's band), all using upright bass, have all used [u]small[/u] GK combo's. Maybe it's a New York thing........ Anyway, if it's real jazz, as opposed to noisy fusion stuff, then you won't need volume, just clarity. (No value judgement intended in saying "real jazz" - just trying to differentiate).