Rabbie

Sorry, missed out your actual question: there are people out there who buy these aplenty: normally those who play rockabilly, bluegrass, country, roots Americana, some folk, psychobilly etc, trad jazz, swing. Not really on the shopping list of any post-bebop jazzer or especially not found in orchestra pits.

I own a custom made Duke. And I use Blast Cult gear. These people are enormously passionate about making plys that are truly outstanding instruments. High end plywood basses are the only kind of bass you need to play a certain style of music, better still to make a certain kind of sound. Listen to A LOT of music and find the bass sound that makes you jump for joy. If that sound was made on an old Kay or King Moretones or American Standard, you need a high end ply. If you dig the complex sound of a carved bass, whether bowed or pizz, I'd look elsewhere. Hope this helps.

[quote name='bassace' timestamp='1380634442' post='2228181'] Musicians Union membership gives me £2,000 non specified insurance. OK, it doesn't cover everything but enough to pay for a DB repair following gig damage (I've claimed once for a split in the table after a sax player knocked my bass over) or my Clarus head getting nicked. Stuff at home is only partially covered but I've always taken the more unlikely risks on the chin. [/quote] +1 for this but if you have an instrument worth a lot more than 2k it is worth insuring separately

[quote name='BurritoBass' timestamp='1380732603' post='2229724'] Interesting review Rabbie, I'd seen the bass before but think I am happy lugging mine around as is - an opinion that occasionally changes at the end of the night! [/quote] Nothing wrong at all with that, I have done for years but for the occasions when you are travelling with a band or flying, or simply to protect you main bass, the Chadwick is priceless IMO.

[quote name='ubassman' timestamp='1380700546' post='2228991'] Enjoyed that - they produce a great sound together ( but doesnt the guitarist bear an uncanny resemblance to Frank Gallagher from Shameless )! Rabbie, I have "Chadwick Envy' here so a few questions ... Whats the deal with the Chadwick and string life? - just wondering if the tension going from loose to taught over a few set ups and crunch downs weakens them at the peg box end? Do the strings take time to settle into tune each time you set up? Can you get in through the neck slot at the back to refit the sound post if it drops out? Do you get a consistent sound each time you place the bridge ? Just wondering if the advantages of a collapsible bass mean that you have to be patient with other things ( as above) ? Always been 'Chadwick curious' since seeing Christian McBride endorsing them as 'the way forward' when on the road - I guess that on its own makes you sit up and pay attention! [/quote] Ok, here we go: String life should be the same as normal if you use nylon wackers or Spiros. Hybrid-made strings like Evah Pirazzi are supposed to last less and go dead faster. Personally, as a gut strings player I will have to deal with lots of tuning up, even during gigs, especially on festival stages where there is no time to let the strings settle in. I believe that Spiros are ready to play and stay in tune within minutes of setting up and tuning. The sound post is pinned, so it won't fall. The bridge position is indelibly marked on the body so you do get a consistent placement and therefore sound. Yes indeed the travel advantages of the Chadwick mean other compromises (time to set up, string issues above and of course playing a plywood which is a bit heavier and less resonant). Personally these are non-issues to me, because I will only use it in live situation where there is no way the subtle nuances between my main bass and this will be picked up. In saying that, the bass sounds very good acoustically and is just as loud as any other plywood bass. Finally, setting up takes me about 2 minutes, but it's about 10 minutes once I factor in all the tuning up that gut strings need. Still ok in my book. Hope this is helpful.

Chadwick folding bass. I have one and it is the bees knees. I have only had mine for a couple of days but I love it already. I'll have more to say about it in a few weeks when I have a few gigs under my belt, but so far I am beyond excited.

Dunno what makes a real expert, but I sure hope the "village experts" don't start posting videos on surgical procedures....

Good on you Hector. Takes a gentleman to be a gentleman.

Just the bit about being short of the full symphony. Bit below the belt, but I know you didn't mean it with any malice, sorry.

Not nice

[quote name='mtroun' timestamp='1380307073' post='2223682'] I know lots of pros who are playing on lesser quality instruments than a Bryant. Dare I say it, but a 'really nice bass' might not be the best instrument for jazz. The great Dennis Irwin played on a plywood bass. [/quote] Absolutely true. As I said before I myself am a lover of a good ply: next to useless in the orchestra pit but outstanding in the studio or on the bandstand. Please be mindful of one thing though: Dennis Irwin didn't play your standard European shiny plywood: he played an old American Standard with a massive sound. These kinds of plywood basses still exist and are in the £3K+ region, but don't be fooled by their ply construction: they are truly professional instruments: you won't get that with your Thomann ply...

Wow, I am fascinated by this thread. I admire you guys for being so passionate about studying music seriously and making it you career. As a guy who has been paid to play gigs for 20 years I feel a bit of a cheat because I have never studied music, then again I play in very different circles and I can "afford" to play much cheaper intruments! (I also dont get paid all that much of course!!) Anyhow, whatever bass you choose to buy and whatever college you choose to study in, well done to you, your commitment is refreshing, as is your willingness to learn and to ask, which is a very important thing in all walks of life.... By the way, I agree, flying to Germany and back with a bass may not be very expensive and a shop may also act on your behalf for a small-ish commission. Good luck!

[quote name='ubassman' timestamp='1380192080' post='2222036'] Interesting to see such diversity in strings but as Clarky's suggestion it would be interesting to see why it is that people have settled for their particular strings? [/quote] I settled on guts because all the music I love was recorded with the the DB walking or slapping on guts. I really really wanted to avoid them given the cost, maintenance, tuning and need for a much higher action and various bass mods. However, nothing else sounds quite like them.

Hi, good on you for wanting to give DB a try. Compared to bass guitar, DB is a parallel universe. It will require a completely different technique, a sharpened ear for playing in tune and a lot of physicality. Having said that, once the bug bites you, you'll be hooked! Providing you are near a city, I would suggest hiring a school model out for a month or two, search YouTube for a tiny bit of beginner's technique. Listen to a lot of music which features double bass, so you hear how it should sound. Having done that you will be able to have a sound in your head and go into a shop to try what they have. In England there are a couple of great specialist shops. Scotland's not so lucky. The shop will give you an idea of quality v budget. What music do you want to play: if you would like to bow classical music, you will need a carved or hybrid bass. For gigging circuits, a plywood would be plenty. Either way, with less than a grand you will get a bad bass, unless you find an old player in your town who wants to get rid of his. Whatever bass you get, factor in a trip to your local luthier to set it up to your specification: in DB this will make all the difference. EUBs have their place in some live settings, but they are nothing like the real thing. You are likely to get lots of great advice in this forum, so I wouldn't jump to any rush decision until you weigh up what the guys here suggest. Best of luck!

The day I tried guts the experiments ended and I happiness ensued. In some of the bands I play in I need just a trifle of sustain on the low strings so I am now a very satisfied user of the Blast Cult Tone Mongers set (low tension steels E and A with pure gut D and G).

[quote name='SevenSeas' timestamp='1379802602' post='2217004'] How did you acquire the bass, did you go over to the workshop and try one or order one and hope for the best? [/quote] I bought it used from a fellow player.

I had a Wilfer gamba model bass, which I sold at the start of this year. It was an outstanding jazz bass, but it just wasn't my bass. But in terms of workmanship, wonderful indeed.

I don't think there's any need to go to America for a carved bass when you can get such lovely instruments in the UK. What America does have is outstanding plywoods like American Standards and Blast Cult which fit in with their tradition of great American roots music and give that outstanding loud and direct sound you need for bluegrass, Western swing, rockabilly and the likes. Unfortunately in Europe plywood instruments are thrown together badly, with the exception of the outstanding work of Thomas Schmukers' Duke double basses in Germany. I own a custom made Duke and it sounds better to me than any bass I have ever owned or played. Until Thomas came on the scene, a roots music pro would really have to get a bass in the US. Otherwise we'd end up with a shiny box of woodchip. For your purposes Andrew, I'd say stay in the UK or maybe Emanuel Wilfer in Germany?

Import duty is a huge amount I'm afraid. You are looking at 3.2% of the total price, plus shipping, plus vat 20% on this total. I am nearly sure of this because I am currently going through this process myself. For shipping only you are looking at £500, plus £150 duty, plus over £1200 Vat: taking a £5000 bass up to over £6500. Unfortunately for us all the tax man is not silly and has recently "wisened" up to the "gift" scam. You will pay the same amount of tax and duty on a gift, unless you declare that the bass is worth nothing, in which case you pay no tax at all, but if they damage it in transit prepare to cry because there is no insurance cover.

Close thread please: full up at the moment.

Another example of what an excellent teacher you are Geoff. I think people can take a lot from your lessons. On this one, I especially enjoyed how you remind the student to think about the triplet feel and the final thought about locking in with another instrument when you start to loose focus. Very useful stuff mate.

Wow Paul, that's a great lot of advice and all at 8am. Pretty impressive sir.