ubassman

[quote name='ubassman' timestamp='1365669885' post='2042502'] CAPTION? [/quote] The " Audition for 'double' basses" had started bang on time ... Raul was quietly confident !

I know a couple of players who meticulously use a tuner as a tool to drive precision into muscle memory - theory is that you might as well use scientific reading to assist the fingers learn correct interval spacing - rather than having not so accurate intervals committed to muscle memory ...I have tried it and it sure works to develop a really sharp left hand !

They can be really tough to get out of the top block can't they !! ...worst one I have had to do recently was removing a neck that had been dowelled through the ribs screwed at the heel which had all completely cracked the side walls of the neck block dovetail and which had then been injected with PVA and superglue as a way of fixing it all ! I was lucky to get the whole thing out without damaging the ribs. Had to reconstruct the top block with filler so that I could use it as a template for a new one! How did your removable neck work out? - looks like an Italian Bass?

[quote name='fatback' timestamp='1365688486' post='2042943'] Have to disagree about the tuner. I'm not saying use it as a continuous reference (I wouldn't be looking down there anyhow) just use it as an occasional check. So it's not eye training, it reinforces the judgement of your ears. [/quote] +1

I wouldnt bother with hide glue for this specific task - its used in insturment making and repairs because its reversible such that it will soften when you heat it up / moisten it - I think that you will want this particulary repair to be as unreseversible as possible !! (only have to imagine the bass left in a sunny window, or near a radiator, or indeed taken outdoors on a humid day ) . I have to say , in my experience, glueing if it works at all, will be only a very temporary fix - theres just too much leverage which is why the neck is fitted with deep ( 8 - 9 inch ) dovetailed joint into the top block and the neck is all one piece. If you need to replace the entire neck as I think you inevitably will , then it really doesnt matter what you glue you use, so find the strongest wood glue you can . Take care if you are going to screw into the heel - you dont want to go in at an angle or you will damage the dovetail joint and potentially then need a new top block too - good luck with it!

Have you tried vinegar and warm water to loosen the fingerboard glue - you can usually get going at the heel end? You could go for it, by screwing and gluing, but ...if its like that in the photo you only have one long term option - its time for a new neck !

Do you have a photo of the damaged joint? These sorts of repairs with screws seldom cure the problem and many luthiers would take a long peer at you down over the top of their glasses at the very suggestion !

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Always tune by ear but incredibly useful to check with a tuner as the bass can be pretty unforgiving and tough to get precisely in tune by ear when you first start out. Its much easier to get in tune by ear with a higher pitched note and a trick I use is to tune with harmonics. I find the position of the G note on the D string ( 5 chromatic notes up from the nut - and same note as the open G ) but then play it as a harmonic. You get the identical harmonic playing the 7th chromatic note up on the G string ( play the harmonic over the D note on the G string ). Its the same harmonic for both strings and simply compare the notes adjusting the D string to tune with the G . I always use a bow with this process playing quite close to the bridge, and once my G and D are sorted, I use the perfectly tuned D string (7th note harmonic ) and compare it with the A string (5th note harmonic), then finally work on tuning the E string. Reason I say to check with a tuner is that if you have strings that are slightly 'out' on their tuning ( the A is a tad flat than it should be, the D is a tad sharp and so is G for example ), the fingers of the left hand will make adjustments to compensate. Essentially you want to learn muscle memory for each note and if your tuning isn't spot on each time then you will have a harder time 'breaking through'. I pretty much tune by ear all the time with harmonics but occasionally will go back to a tuner just to check that my ear is spot on ( thankfully it usually is but I have to say that the before I used harmonics to tune it was more hit and miss ) ! .

[quote name='fatgoogle' timestamp='1365629824' post='2042205'] I like to break things down into 20 minute blocks when im learning stuff. So possibly spend 20 mins with the bow on a piece and then swap for 20 mins to pizz and then move onto the next piece. [/quote] +1 on that. The technique of bowing is a study in its own right ...and so is the left hand. They both warrant separate attention but the goal is that they combine seamlessly . Some things just suddenly slot into place using a bow ...others with pizz. Good luck with it all !

[quote name='warwickhunt' timestamp='1365615106' post='2041890'] Bites down hard on side of hand... no... the OCD made me do it... '[s]Your[/s] doing it wrong' 'You're doing it wrong' [/quote] corrected !! Many thancks

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[quote name='ubassman' timestamp='1365410305' post='2039025'] CAPTION ? [/quote] ...the horn section always encouraged the Bass player to do a long , long solo !

...theres a list on the first book in circulation and a couple of those waiting might be a bit P'd off if someone else slides in ( i.e. me as I'm next in line !) !! So , can we add to the list as below ? ...with two books in circulation it will speed up the wait - thanks @supabock for adding another into the mix -will PM you with my details and @JazzBassFan looks like TommyK may be next unless I get through it before you are done ?! [color=#0000ff]4. JazzBassFan - currently reading the first book in circulation [/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]5. Ubassman[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]6. TommyK (Please, thank you, thank you etc..)[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]7. Milk[/font][/color]yBarKid

[quote name='Phil Starr' timestamp='1365408216' post='2038997'] You are talking about wrist angle and i think your plucking hand. [/quote] +1 on that. Most likely thing causing the issue with the octaves is a 'postural' difference i,e, the difference between your arm position and the body height, body depth and position of the strings of each instrument. All affects the angle + dangle of your wrist and how your fingers come into contact with the strings ! The solution may simply lie in figuring out the 'postural' adjustments that you need to make playing Warwick 1/. Compare where your knuckles are relative to the strings on both instruments - are the knuckles centred over the fretboard or are they above the E string or somewhere else on each instrument? 2/. Observe the line and angle of your forearm where it is in contact with the body of the Precision and compare with your Warwick . A check in the mirror might help you figure out what to do. If the 'posture' of the forearm and wrist are not the same then the way that the fingers come into contact with the strings will be different . Quick experiment - if you place your hand bang on 90 degrees to the E string the only finger that comes into contact with the string is the middle . Without adjustment the timing of the fingers can be unequal resulting in a 'limping' rhythm ( middle is bold as its in contact, index is weaker as it has to move to hit the string) . Some players tilt their hand a bit towards the bridge to even out the fingers so that the part where the finger comes into contact is to the left of the tip just like this photo below ( thats not me in the image btw - just to illustrate the point!). Other players attack square on but bend the middle finger more so that it has the effect of shortening the finger - which ever way is comfortable. Hope some of this helps and good luck with it!!

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The crazing of varnish shows that its a genuine older instrument - rather than try to remove it I would be tempted to just stabilise it with new Nitro cellulose over the top - if you try stripping it you will probably have a real challenge when it comes to the area around the Fender Jazz logo - last thing you would want is for that to get damaged.

Good advice about the old NItromors ...but you can't get it any more!! About a year ago in order to comply with European H+S legislation , all paint strippers on sale in the UK had to omit the use of dichloromethane ( the main ingredient! ) as it is carcinogenic. Don't know about the new nitromors concoction other than its not as effective as the stuff that you used to be able to get - maybe worth trying on a test piece if you can?

[quote name='4-string-thing' timestamp='1365238546' post='2036987'] If it's illegal to ride a bike under the influence (which I'm sure it is) then carrying or towing a bass will surely attract plods attention pretty quickly.... I'd get a taxi. [/quote] ...and much cheaper than paying to have your neck fixed ( human + double bass !!) after a fall!

[quote name='gjones' timestamp='1365200529' post='2036806'] Check out the first video on the whisky riverboat bands facebook page. Hope this answers your question. [url="https://www.facebook.com/whiskyriverboatband?ref=ts&fref=ts"]https://www.facebook...?ref=ts&fref=ts[/url] [/quote] ...branch, neck, ....branch, neck oh darn just one second before impact and they stop the video!

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Not an easy repair to do without completely stripping the old varnish back to bare wood but the great thing with nitrocellulose laquer is that when you apply new over the old it will melt and fuse together. The tough part is to get a colour match sand to remove the really flakey bits . You can see if just a natural clear nitro will work . Do a test on a small area - you can build up the nitro to form a slightly raised bump and then scrape down with a razor blade to get an even finish with the existing. You'll then need to polish everything up working with fine wet and dry and then buffer polish.

More modern cheap basses can have pretty poor quality fingerboards and you can end up going round and round in circles ! ( Antoni is renowned for having softwood fingerboards ...which moves all the time !). It one of those things that seasonally all basses buzz from time to time but if your adjusters don't cure the problem then it might be that the only resort is to get a luthier to have a look and 'shoot' the fingerboard ....or if its a rubbish fingerboard get it replaced. As a guide the maximum amplitude of the string will be at the just above the D stop position at the octave harmonic. What happens when you stop the octave on the E string and compare it with the others?