NickA

There are many many models from boiler plate plywood up to some rather nice fully carved "master series" Which one are you looking at? All decent workmanlike basses tho not terribly special at the price. Lady at my orchestra has a plywood vb80 which is built like a battleship but frankly pretty awful ( despite £250 strings ). I tried a vb503 at bass bags and it was pretty good, but also a bit bland and also £8000 You'd likely get better value 2nd hand, but yes, they're ok and certainly won't fall to bits.

Turners in beeston is ok. But tend to high end and wood rather than carbon. Bass bags in Ripley is still going ( after a major financial wobble) but have little in stock...tend towards lower end stuff. I got my carbon Arcos S3 from them but they had to order it in for me to try it. Better bet is to call Creswell Strings, who will send you 6 bows in a box that you can try at home; call or mail them with a quick description of what you want and your budget. I did that for a new cello bow a few years ago. I think it's important to try the bows with your own bass as the interaction counts for a lot. Bows sound different on different basses and spending more doesn't always result in the difference you expect. So ifbyou do make a trip to Nottinghamshire you'll need to bring your bass!

Fretless Wal custom biased to the bridge pickup into a small, clean sounding and mid rich pjb flightcase with flat eq. Sounds like a stoned Percy Jones doing a jaco impression. A have a fretted warwick that sounds completely different and keep intending to gig it .... but then just take the fretless instead. More than one bassist has stopped playing a Wal as the sound is distinctive and detracts from their own sound and the music... not me, I love it.

Taped fingers changes the sound, but that's not an issue for practicing. I used to get blisters, but no longer do and I don't think my right hand is significantly more calloused than it was. Some things I've learned over 30 odd years: Let the amp take the strain, you don't need to pluck that hard. Share the load, use index and middle finger. I used to use just my middle finger but now use both, some sequences of notes fall easier if you alternate between fingers. Play little and often if you can, building up to those three hour gigs! Pluck diagonally across the strings, it sounds better and spreads the load across more skin. Some people recommend wiping your finger down the side of your nose to apply a little natural lubricant. Sounds a bit gross, but works actually. Keep playing!

Or buy a pack of these and see if they help: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/292979806418?var=0&shprz=EBAY_GB_619&_ul=GB&mkevt=1&mkcid=1&toolid=20006&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&campid=5338986375&loc_interest_ms=&loc_physical_ms=9046416&adtype=pla&customid=Cj0KCQiA0p7KBhCkARIsAE6XlalW5IfZcd_Uf--FTf6ENEaToqvPpylhUhmEwS2j7VKA9ACQm9NAxNkaApXuEALw_wcB|null|null&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20398737499&gclid=Cj0KCQiA0p7KBhCkARIsAE6XlalW5IfZcd_Uf--FTf6ENEaToqvPpylhUhmEwS2j7VKA9ACQm9NAxNkaApXuEALw_wcB

The cartoon says it all. Logically, the genuine road wear ( the scratch) should add more value than the fake ( Sandberg applied ) wear. Meanwhile on Wal and Warwick forums the question is "if I get my bass refinished to look like new, will it be more valuable" to which the answer is generally yes. Equally dumb as it's the sound that counts.

I know, doesn't it just. All Stanley is remembered for, tho he's done lots more. It is indeed a bit samey. The other tracks on nightfall are good too tho, I like the fifth of Beethoven ( Ornette Coleman?) and will be looking out more of Herr Ilg.

20 hour flight from Perth back to Brum last night ...Emirates have a surprisingly good music library on which I found this: I'd never heard of Dieter Ilg...ok so it has a trumpet on it too, but boy do I wish I could play like him.

Moving the bridge will alter the tone. Fitting a new nut will change the scale which will also play havoc with intonation surely? Learning to swap around is really the best way. The note you get when your thumb hits the neck heel is a good cross check but electric bassists manage without it; good intonation depends on accurate position changes which is something well worth practising (over and over!). I borrowed a 3/4 D(ISH) neck bass while my 4/4 Eb (ISH) neck bass was being mended. It was no Biggie. But I realised that using the neck heel as a reference was a bit of a crutch.

My 4/4 dB fits in a Skoda citigo. Using the neck down the foot well body on reclined front seat method. I got to a bass bash once with the dB, two powered cabs and three bass guitars....in the citigo; but I can't quite remember how.

I have one now!! Not found the hp filter to make a heck of a difference tbh. Yet to try it "on stage";

Even if the riser works it will have a frequency response that accentuates some notes / harmonics more than others. I really can't see it working across a wide enough band to make a difference, especially outdoors. Small amp and a battery pack. Or...ditch the double bass and get a sousaphone 😀

Thing with the double bass rooms is they sell at good prices for buyers ..so I'm guessing not great prices for sellers. Great place tho.

£7 to 8k sounds a bit high tbh; tho "rubner" covers a wide range of qualities and values. The "name" has been sold on a few times and only basses made in the 60s were made by mr rubner. The company was owned by musima in the late 80s. You may need a valuation, bearing in mind that an "insurance valuation" will be a lot more than a potential "sales" price. 1. Put it up on here. 2. Try musicalchairs.info Minimal advertising fees ...but selling can be slow. Dealers will ALWAYS rip 15 to 20% from you for a commission sale and usually find "some work" that needs doing before it can go in their showroom....however, they will also put a top price on it and are more likely to find a buyer. Use a specialist: Turners in Nottingham Thwaites in Watford Tim Toft in Stone T&G Martin in Oxfordshire, maybe. Etc My mum sold my late dad's cello last year. It was worth up to £90k (!!) sold for £85k by a dealer who took 15% and also charged £5k for "renovation". Mum got £73k. Last seen being played at the proms! Anyway, that's how it is with dealers and restorers.

That is going to make most of the classical repertoire "rather difficult" 🤣