Marc S

Interesting that your finger muscles didn't develop much especially as you were playing for so long...
Wonder why that was?

Mind you, I've been through phases where I go to the gym regularly,
and never get past a certain point..... most disheartening.....
Ah well, I've got a double bass to cheer me up

[quote name='Lfalex v1.1' timestamp='1379409226' post='2212207']
I know of 3. The EDA, EDB and EDC.
They had numbers, but can only recall the one I owned, an EDB600. The five strings were EDB605, just like the current Ibanez numbering system.

Do be aware that the newer ones- with different designations again- are [b]Wooden[/b], not Luthite like the old ones.
Luthite is a resin, not dissimilar to that used in the manufacture of Tenpin Bowling balls. The bodies are injection moulded, giving (theoretically) great consistency of manufacture, and the ability to make weird and wonderful shapes- like the EDA. Any two bases of the same model were likely to weigh almost exactly the same.

The necks were maple with rosewood fretboards. 24 frets IIRC. I've never seen a fretless.

I owned an EDB600. It was excellent for the £80 I paid for it.
Until... It fell off the sofa when my back was turned.
Our floors are solid concrete, and whatever underlay the previous incumbent had used was rubbish.
Result, the entire lower bout around the control cavity cracked right through and fell off. A write-off. From an impact that would barely have marked a wooden bass.
Luthite can be [i]very brittle[/i].

It sounded great with DR FatBeams on. Very neutral. Only my Vigier and Status Streamline are more neutral.
The 3 band Eq was good, as were pick-ups, and I could coax some nice sounds out of it. The next one I tried was similar, but lacked something... So I didn't buy it. Probably the set-up or the strings made the difference.

If you get the chance, try one. You might just like it. DO get Straplocks, and DON'T drop it!
[/quote]

Thanks for that LfAlex,
As I said, the one I played (unsure of model) felt and sounded great
It was a Luthite version, and I did wonder about the strength of the material
Don't drop it is good advice, but there's always a clumsy other band member to worry about, of course
and I'm not implying drummers

Wish there were 1 or 2 in a shop nearby - just so I could have a try
I don't exactly "need" one - so I'll keep looking

Cheers again
Marc

Only just spotted this thread, and fairly new to the forum,
so apologies for this post being a bit "late"

But I've owned several basses, incl Fender, Rickenbacker, Ibanez, and briefly a Yamaha
I've played many more, and have pals with Warwicks etc
but my Ibanez Soundgear SR500 has THE slimest, fastest neck of the lot
it's much slimmer than a Jazz, by a long way

The only bass which was similar was another soundgear bass
the SR520, I think...

EDIT: the slim nature of the neck is not just at the top - it's slim along the whole length of the neck too

Slightly off topic,
but what's the general consensus on the Ibanez Ergodyne basses?
I only ever had a quick go on one
It was a really odd shape, but it played beautifully and felt very comfortable
Access to the notes at the very top of the neck was easy,
due to the shape and design of the body of the bass
EDIT: and the neck was quite slim & fast

I've since seen a few different designs of Ergodynes,
And the guy who owned the one I played said there were very big differences in certain models...

I never seem to see them come up for sale in shops near me,
so I don't get chance to try any out
Any thoughts on them folks?

Hi guys

Bass players shouldn't get wound up - being the coolest member of the band anyway

Just thinking about this left-right dominant hand thing this morning
I was watching a video clip about using the 3rd finger to support your little finger on your left hand
One great plus is that I only did this for a few weeks

Being a lefty, I think I had a fair amount of accuracy and strength in my little finger already
I know a few right handers who still don't use their little fingers, even after years of playing
mind you, depends on what sort of stuff you play too I suppose....

Cheers all

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1379352423' post='2211619']
I am having a wrist Op tomorrow so I will have to be a passive learner for a few weeks,
[/quote]

Hey Pete, hope the op goes well
and wish you a speedy recovery - then you can get back to playing again

Marc

Wish I was a bit closer
Would like to get to a bass bash.....

Have a good one anyway folks

Marc

[quote name='Fat Rich' timestamp='1379343988' post='2211482']
There is such a thing as a free lunch
[/quote]

[quote name='fatback' timestamp='1379077057' post='2208429']
And as Ffloyd has been known to say, practice three octave scales.

PS Not teasing. they work for me too.
[/quote]

Is there a youtube vid of someone doing this on a DB?
Marc

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1379336884' post='2211386']

...The origin of the fork being in the left hand is because you fend off the enemy with the knife in your right hand. Well... some folk do/did. Whatever.

Richard
[/quote]

Don't think I've ever tried to continue eating, while fending anyone off lol

Some good points here folks
And I really didn't mean to get you wound-up lefty bassman

Was actually thinking about this thread last nite
I tried to play my bass the other way around
It just felt so uncomfortable & un-natural
Bit like dancing to me....

Marc

Yes leftybassman,
You could add to that list of right = good
That if someone is said to be a deputy / assistant that you can't do without
they're said to be your "righthand man / woman" .... not your lefthand man / woman

..... so there are some good lefthanded dancers...
ah well, bang goes another theory

Another question / observation thingy
Years back, someone told me that left handed people can't dance
He obviously saw me on the dancefloor!

Anyhow, I continued to find other left-handers who are all equally bad at dancing as me
I was at a celidh a few years back, with 2 left-handed colleagues
and both these young ladies admitted to being bad dancers...

We all watched the other dancers, and the usual pattern to celidh dancing seemed easy enough,
however, when we were forcibly dragged into the group, we managed to completely destroy the whole dance!

I'm terrible at all sorts of dancing
and to this day, I've only ever knowingly met one good dancer who was a lefty
and he had to work really really hard to get any good at all
while other pals who started the same time picked it up more quickly....

Any thoughts / observations on this point?

NB. Bad dancers are said to have "two LEFT feet" - not two right feet!

Marc

Thanks for that...
Haven't checked them out yet
I'm fairly new to DB
So I will check them out soon

Cheers

Not seen a lined EUB
I often wondered about playing double bass
I had a few very brief "dabbles" - just a few minutes really....

Last year, I bought a Stagg EUB
and though the strings were awful, I persisted
Then I got some much better ones, and loved it

I've just recently bought my first "proper" DB and I just wish I could play it all the time
Yes, you may end up buying an acoustic DB after buying an EUB
But I fully intend to keep my Stagg as a backup & more portable DB....

You could always pick one up on here second-hand?
They aren't lined, but you've got the dot position markers on the side of the neck....

I'd say go for a 2nd hand one
If you don't get on with it, well you haven't spent a fortune
and you could flog it on anyway

For me, it convinced me to buy an acoustic DB

Have fun....

Ooooooh, loverleee

[quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1378991130' post='2207434']

...I think some people are more left handed than others, if that makes sense
[/quote]

It makes perfect sense to me

Who knows?
One bass to rule them all?

.... oh no! groan!

[quote name='pietruszka' timestamp='1378987513' post='2207361']
I don't get this knife and fork thing. I thought it was left handed to have the fork in your left hand, but it seems not! When I visit my girlfriend's parents with her, they set the table with the wine glass/glass/cup on the left side for me. I admit it looks very odd against everything being on the right hand side!

I do most things right handed, I suppose I've just had to get used to things being right handed, ie bread knives, tin openers, scissors, etc But veg peelers are impossible right handed.

Whats the one thing lefties here really struggle with?



Dan
[/quote]

I don't get the way right-handers use their knives & forks either

I'm not sure what I "struggle" with most
I use right handed scissors, tin-openers etc and seem to get on well enough with all these things....
I used to struggle, when sharing an office and computers with right handers
However, I learned to be more ambidextrous with the mouse too....

Marc

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1378980842' post='2207240']
I'm a righty who plays right-handed.

Based on this thread, I must be pretty unusual ...
[/quote]

It seems there are a few of you about, so you are not alone
Anyhow, there is no such thing in life as "normal" - is there?

EDIT: I'm guessing but you must be all the members NOT replying to the thread lol

[quote name='Dave_the_bass' timestamp='1378930019' post='2206749']
Tiny holes in t-shirts? Check
Buckle rash? Check
Scuffs, dings, chips and other assorted playing marks? Check

Am I worried? Not really as 99% of those marks have happened at various gigs I've played up and down the country. As such; everyone of those imperfections is a little bit of my bass playing life.
[/quote]

+1
I think they call it "character"
well, that's what I call my own wrinkles & grey hairs

[quote name='Ghost_Bass' timestamp='1378899314' post='2206184']
I always wanted an old japonese ATK305, i've almost snagged one on e-bay but missed the end of the auction... one day... one day!
[/quote]

Hope you can get one soon

I've heard many people rave about the quality & playability of Japanese built early Ibanez basses
I know my Roadster was great
To my mind, Ibanez seem to produce the most consistently high quality results
I've got to say it, but I don't think I've ever played a bad one
Even their newer budget ranges compare favourably with other budget basses

Good luck in your search

Well I would never have guessed there were so many left-handed people playing instruments intended for right-handers!
As I said initially, I thought I was the only one

The lefty guitarist / bassist pal I mentioned also said
he felt the dominant hand should be doing the trickier fret / finger board work
Maybe there's something in that?
But obviously, I suppose it's whatever way is more comfortable for the player....

Oddly enough, I use my knife & fork the way right handers do
fork in the left hand, knife in the right
and I always think right handers use these the wrong way too

I mean, when they're eating with a knife & fork, they use the left hand to feed themselves
and when eating a dessert they feed themselves with a spoon - in their right hand!

Oh dear, have I opened a can of worms (with my right-handed tin opener)?

Still interested to hear from other lefties playing right
and righties playing left....

Cheers
Marc

I thought I was something of a unique type,
in that I'm left-handed - BUT, I play a bass as if I were right handed...

A couple of years back, I had a few jams with a guitarist pal I was in a band with way back
He wrote down some phone numbers for me, then I spotted he was left-handed
but he had always played guitar in right-handed fashion!

He didn't realise I was fellow lefty, and did the same with my bass
Within a month, I had met another guitarist working in a music shop who does the same
and shortly after, joined a band who's lead guitarist did exactly the same..
turns out he's a great bassist too and plays the bass in the same fashion....

I once met a girl playing a few acoustic songs at an open mic nite,
she played a left-handed acoustic, but was right handed!
She learned on a leftie, because it was her sisters guitar

When I started playing bass, I did try a couple of lefty basses, but they didn't seem comfortable
So I just bought my self a right-handed version

I was just wondering whether there are any other bassists out there doing the same
and just how unusual this practice is??

As to thoughts on why myself & these other individuals play this way...
.... answers on a postcard please

Marc

[quote name='ubassman' timestamp='1378910822' post='2206394']
Im impressed that the new addition will have its own room ...how did you manage to get that past SWMBO ? ...you are clear an expert on that front ! ...way above my level so heres a to you !
[/quote]

Well, it'll have to share the room with plenty of SWMBO's odds & ends
- and there's a fair few of them, I can assure you
I'll just have to point out to any guests using the room, that my courtesy doesn't extend to them using the bass!

And Sarah, I wouldn't want to wish my dancing on anyone else!

[quote name='charic' timestamp='1378907950' post='2206341']
Congrats mate

Chuck a review up when it arrives!!
[/quote]

Yes stubass, let us know how you get on with it

I bought an Ampeg portaflex s/h from ebay
It's a backup head really (long story, don't ask)

But it's useful for smaller gigs & rehearsals too
It's a lot like my Markbass 2x10 combo,
in that used with one 8ohm speaker, you get 300 Watts
but with a further 8ohm extension cab, you get 500 Watts
Which is a nice, flexible arrangement, I think

BTW. The s/h Ampeg head was in brilliant condition
It looked unused when it arrived - so don't discount buying used gear
You can get more value for your money...

Like I say, let us know how you get on with the Hartke -
I must say, I was put off them when a rehearsal place I used to use, had a faulty combo
only to be replaced by another faulty combo....

Marc