Rabbie

You can learn to slap on any string you like. The difference is purely the tone. Steels give you a more modern rockabilly sound, but then again Milt Hinton, the absolute slap master, slapped jazz on steels for decades. Guts and synthetics may be easier on your fingers but call for higher action and have a more traditional thump. Ultimately you cannot learn to slap well without investing in years of practice and a fair few bleeding blisters, that's a necessary requirement I'm afraid. Once you get it it's the coolest thing though... And you will get it, it's not rocket science; just practice.

Wow that's unusual: they are supposed to be extremely well made. Jason would probably love to know what went wrong there. I have no idea but wish you all the best mate.

Rev solo has been my chosen pick up for years on one of my basses. To me it has been better than all the others I tried (Fishman, Shadow, Underwood, Bassmax, Ehrlund, DPA microphone and probably a ton more). I can get an approximation of my bass sound whist maintaining an easy plug-in-and-go and hardly any feedback issue. In saying that, it is a piezo, a compromise and not exactly a perfect option. I am always on the lookout for something that would be as easy to deal with yet sound better, but so far no joy for me.

Excellent review! Thank you very much. Oh the GaS!!

Good on ya mate! It looks fantastic! You deserve it! May I add, Dukes are not only outstanding for rockabilly. I play all manner of influences (apart from classical) and it does it all with a majestically deep bassy sound. I took what could be regarded as a foolish gamble on a Duke just as Thomas was preparing to launch them. Quality-wise, the only alternative would have been importing an American Standard and I didn't fancy that. I couldn't find a suitable vintage Kay, so I chanced my luck. Thomas knows his stuff and he's amongst the nicest guys on the bass planet. 4 years later, my chocolate brown custom Duke is a like a family member to me! Many happy Duke years to you my friend!

I have been lucky to try prototypes of E and A from Thomas who makes the Gut-a-like strings and the Duke basses. I have played one of what is now available as Gut-a-like twister E strings nylon+copper+nylon for a year on both my basses in every live or studio situation and I can recommend them very highly indeed. I use it with plain gut A, D and G and the sound and feel is superior to any synthetic or steel E strings I tried before IMO. Debouchet is a fantastic player (and so is Paul) and I am sure his Pirastros will be excellent too, of course the price tag will reflect this. For those who don't have the guts for guts, I have played the full gut-a-like deluxe set at this years summer festivals and it is at least every bit as good as Lamberts in my wee opinion (Lamberts are maybe a bit easier tension and gut-a-like deluxe louder acoustically). Just in case this is useful to anyone...

A book on yoga (or a bottle of vodka -whatever you prefer). You will accumulate a lot of frustration in the first year and you will need a way to wind down... BUT you will love every single minute of it, it will fill up your life and (almost) nothing else will give you so much pleasure ever again... Best of luck!

[quote name='paddy109' timestamp='1410204076' post='2547138'] Plays right and left handed - one cool cat. [/quote] Not to mention feet! I'm off to practice...

[quote name='bassace' timestamp='1410195297' post='2547009'] Funny how the cartoons always put cello pegs on. I know, pedantic sod. [/quote] Yeah, apart from the cello pegs, everything else is totally accurate... Honestly though, Tom's my number one inspiration. I wish I could continue with the same aplomb when I get hit by objects flung on stage by the audience...

It's totally personal. Basically choose the lowest action which allows you to grab the strings whilst relaxing and avoiding tension, so you can bounce happily on the fingerboard without feeling you are hammering nails into it. After years of experimenting I have been now settled for a fairly long time on an action going from 11mm G to 15mm E. I think on my other bass is even a smidge higher... I play gut strings apart from the E which is a Nylon-copper-nylon prototype made by the brilliant Thomas Schmucker in Germany and since then sold as the Gut-A-Like twister E, which marries the guts very well and doesn't unwind. As far as I know, I tried just about everything and this is what I love. Although not at all a pure jazzer set up, I like it and it serves me very well for pizz too, although in that department I ain't no Scott LaFaro.

Ok thanks Pete, sorry for jumping to conclusions about your band being stage-loud. I have never tried the Shaller per se, but as I said magnetic p'ups are fine for a certain kind of sound. All pickups produce a sound which is not like the acoustic sound of your bass, mag pickups probably more so, but you may like it and be able to get a great sound out if it. Good luck

Pete, I'm struggling to understand this. Mag pickups are great if your reason is to capture a certain kind of sound, but purely for feedback? You are on the forum a lot so I'm sure you already know all the products out there, which leads me think that maybe the band you play with may have serious stage volume issues. I play everything from small club to big festivals and I do it all with a revolution solo or similar, either straight into my amp or via Fishman if I'm using a stage back line bass amp. I have zero feedback issue normally (unless the sound guys are morons). All I'm saying is that these days very high stage volume and feedback are unnecessary regardless of the genre of music you play. Get them to turn down, use amps as stage monitoring only and mic/di amps to get a good front of house balance. Nowadays PA systems with sufficient channels are available second hand very cheaply in case you play places who don't have a decent PA. Just a thought, otherwise you will always run the risk of fighting a loosing battle against feedback.

Thank you Paddy, I think I'll pull the trigger on one of these.

I'm on the market for a better soft case and I am looking at the Tom and Will, but they don't seem to have wheels (not a deal breaker for me but I just wanted to make sure I'm looking at the right ones).

Do the people who use these samples then perform live with double bass on stage? (Pardon the obtuse question, but it is a genuine query as this style is a whole new world to me).

Same photo posted twice, sorry!

Here are my pals: - Custom made Duke with guts, Ben Bastin wooden end pin, Blast Cult bridge and pickup - Chadwick Folding bass for touring, currently wearing Gut-a-like deluxe, which are very reliable for festival outdoor gigs. Pickup of this one is a Rev Solo. PLus toy hoover, toy kitchen and toy pram (Mr Tumble DVD just out of shot Burrito, I feel your pain bro) [sharedmedia=core:attachments:168545]

Hi Jaywalker, I agree with you. 1950s is indeed my thing. The speed and dexterity debate is annoying as too many times players are accused of virtuosism, rather than being praised by other somewhat jealous players who cannae do it (like me: I cannae do it, but I'm not jealous at least). And as you rightly say, swing can be swung in many ways. The way I have been used to play, I sound terrible with low action, just can't adjust to it. Ultimately, every player studies thousands of hours in the hope of getting "their own sound". I have found mine, I am happy with it and I shall stick to it. Not saying it's great, but it's mine (like my brain, pretty thick, but mine). However I appreciate, and sometimes love, all kinds of DB players. It's not about who's best, it's about serving your preferred music, and there's so much music that we are all very much needed. If everyone played like one another, we'd be all fighting for the same gig and it would not be pretty (but the high action guys would probably win - joking!)

I slap 70% of the time and I play guts. Even when playing pizz I am used to my high action. I could not slap and play with the physicality I like with a 5mm action: it would actually be physically impossible with my size of fingers to get under the strings and pull them up to produce the slap. Volume is also important to me and a low action does sacrifice it. Instrument setup is subjective, I am only offering my experience politely. I am truly sorry if that would have made Ray Brown angry, but I think I will survive the disappointment.

Contender for best reply ever Paul.