Clarky

Its now sold pending payment. Sorry will update title

I haven't used one but I have heard (BCer stingray pete might be the source, not sure) they are fairly decent. Of course a BassMax or Realist would be better but also several times the cost

you can pick up an OK cheap (£30 or less) pickup off eBay (J-tone are decent quality for the price) if you can't find one on BC (would help to know your budget) http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_sacat=0&_from=R40&_nkw=double+bass+pickup&LH_PrefLoc=1&_sop=2 Piezo pickups have low output and sound whiny through a non-impedance matched amp which is why most DB'ers have a preamp in their bag (some amps do match, eg, Genz, Acoustic Image, Euphonic Audio). The cheapest one is the Fishman basic preamp but it is no frills compared to the more expensive Plat Pro which has phase control, boom control, more sophisticated EQ etc http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fishman-B-11-Acoustic-Instrument-Preamp/dp/B0002D0JRY/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1402932801&sr=8-11&keywords=fishman+bass You can do simple impedance matching by putting a Boss tuner in your signal chain as a fallback option The main issues with amplifying a DB are (1) feedback (2) boominess and (3) reproducing a DB-like tone. Its a never-ending and expensive search unless you get lucky. A decent piezo pickup and preamp will sort you in most circumstances

Can't you return it under the distance selling regs, and lose no money at all?

[size=5][sub]B8gger - just spotted that Thomann does these £40 cheaper than BassDirect, so my new price is £160 + post[/sub][/size]

This is the new all-bells-and-whistles Headway EDB-2 preamp which is possibly the best double bass preamp with two channels (for mixing mic and piezo/mag pickup inputs). I got it from BassDirect a few months back at £255 including post (link here: [url="http://www.bassdirect.co.uk/bass_guitar_specialists/Headway_preamps.html"]http://www.bassdirec...ay_preamps.html[/url]). Basically its overkill for me and a simple one-channel preamp or fdeck HPF pedal are all I need, hence moving this on. Its in pristine nick, so a saving off £70 off new is a bargain (my price is £[s]180[/s] £160 + post)

OK just heard from my regular trading partner (!) Beedster. Fraid it is indeed on its way to Beedster Towers

Sorry I've not tried the Schaller but they don't have the highest reputation (even if they are stalwarts of the scene for decades). The Krivo is supposedly the best (which is why I got it!) along with the harder-to-find Biesele and Pierre Josephs String Charger pickups. Here in the UK, a lot of people like the Kent Armstrong mag pickup Should Beedster change his mind, you will be first to know!

Beedster texted me to say he wanted it, sorry Pete. If he changes his mind will let you know

WelI I have only had the strings on my bass a few days and have not gigged them yet so its a bit early. However first impressions are they feel quite similar to Silver Slaps but narrower gauge. Very low tension. There is a distinct rich gut sound to the sound, despite the tynex wrapping but probably more finger noise than plain guts (which I expect to reduce as they break in). There is a clear LaFaro/Haden sound to them which is exactly what I was after and the low/no maintenance is a plus vs normal guts. They are still stretching but not ridiculously so - each time I tune up they are maybe half a tone out. I have an Oliv G in my string drawer and that sounds slightly richer I would say and if you do arco (I don't) I suspect it would be infinitely preferable to a Goldentone G which looks like it would be a pig to bow. Having down some more research, Pirastro also make a tynex wrapped gut (in the Pizzicato set) which you can buy individual strings from at the bassico website, but they are pricey

Sold pending usual

Hey Jamie, many congrats on the teacher training course. For those reading, I have Jamie's old CMD121P combo and he's a top seller, even if he is a Chelsea fan

From a Goldentone set (I only wanted the tynex-wrapped gut D and G from this set, which are like the famed Golden Spirals played by LaFaro, Haden etc*). [url="http://www.labella.com/products/2000l-goldentone/"]http://www.labella.c...00l-goldentone/[/url] The E and A are chrome steel rapped around a rope core and - based on the A (which I put on my bass for about one minute; I haven't even unwrapped the E) - a bit like less growly Spirocores, and sort of light/medium tension. I have paired the D/G with dark-sounding Evah Pirazzi Weich E/A and they match really well, which is why I am moving on these surplus-to-requirement strings Bargain price £30 posted for the pair PS, For the avoidance of doubt, the E is unused and the A was just on my bass momentarily and so has the tiniest amount of silk 'scuffing' * discussion thread here about Goldentones and Golden Spirals, in case interested [url="http://www.talkbass.com/threads/labella-goldentone-red-label.311553/"]http://www.talkbass....d-label.311553/[/url]

Looks like this is heading off to one of the usual suspects

As most of BC membership is in the UK it might be an idea to find out how much shipping to the UK would be and post it here great cabs by the way