Marc S

Has no one here ever had a drummer knock something over, or a rhythm guitarist suddenly decide to tug at a lead which mysteriously found its way right next to your bass? The odd knock here & there is inevitable, especially if you play pubs I've played a few where, when you walk through the door, you wonder where the hell you're going to be able to set up... Tight spaces, drunken, dancing crowds - you don't have to be clumsy - the rest of the world covers that for you... Buckle rash is a common enough occurrence Have you ever seen a car which is a few years old, with absolutely no blemishes? And being made of metal and painted with the hardest setting paints, they're even tougher than guitars... It wouldn't put me off buying a bass I really liked But, if I knew a bass to be a good few years old, without a single blemish, I'd probably be thinking "Hmmmm, has this been re-sprayed?" Marc

Interesting, I don't think I've ever come across a bass with a shim added, but I had a go at putting one into a bass, way, way back It was a really awful Kay (the catalogue people) with a really high action The shim seemed to work, but I saw it as a cop-out for a terribly built guitar at the time I got shot of it pretty quickly, and bought a rather better bass

Hi mikebass456, I'm a recently signed-up member of this forum too So far it has definitely been a bonus, as others have had some really useful and helpful suggestions Also, I bought myself a double bass from another basschat member just today And it's brilliant! Welcome anyway Marc

[quote name='fatback' timestamp='1378637785' post='2202589'] I think the consensus is that it depends hugely on the combination of pup, preamp and bass. A fair amount of potentially expensive trial and error, unless you're lucky. I haven't seen anybody suggest different pickups for different music - strings seem the critical factor there. [/quote] Don't rockabilly-style players use additional pickups placed behind the fingerboard, for the "click" sounds? I've also heard of dual pickups, which act as piezo type pickups, with built-in additional click pickups.... Do players of other styles also use these pickups? Like I say, I'm interested in what different players use.... It's all new to me, and I need pickups for my DB too.... Cheers Marc

Good luck loo[font="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"]king for your bass[/font] [font="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"]I'm looking for a DB too..... Although I'm not looking to spend nearly as much as you I started with a Stagg electric DB - they're cheap, and I'd say they're a good starting point[/font] [font="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"]I'm interested in what anyone reading this thread thinks about the pickups you would need to use; i.e. which types of pickups are best for different basses, and different styles of playing / music[/font] [font="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"]Good luck with your search Marc[/font]

Hiya Phil, another South Wales bassist here. It seems like there's loads of us! Doesn't anyone around here play lead anymore? Marc

Thanks again guys, Still watching an Antoni Debut on ebay Are they any good? If not, I'm going to have to save some more dosh But I'm actually getting too excited about buying a DB now! I'm dreaming about owning one I haven't been this excited in ages.... .... what's wrong with me? Marc

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1378300769' post='2198331'] Don't forget the shipping is £75 but they are well packed plus you get a bow, soft case and rosin. [/quote] Hi again, Is there any import duty / tax on top as well? Only just thought about that I've bought a few bits & pieces from the US and been "stung" Cheers again Marc

Hello from another new member I'm in Cardiff, and it's sunny here today too Yes, some of the older Japanese built Squires are now highly regarded A guitarist pal of mine has a Japanese Strat - and he says nothing compares to the neck on that My backup bass is an Indonesian built P bass, with Jazz type neck & additional pickup I've gotta say, it's not a patch on my Ibanez soundgear, but it's a lot more playable than an old American Fender P I once owned Welcome aboard Marc

I'd like to try a set of silver slaps Where's the best place to buy a set? I see they're cheaper on Amazon, than on the shops listing them on ebay Marc

Hi again, alastair, stingray, The Rev, andrew r - you have all given me so much helpful info Thanks ever so much for that The fact that nothing ever seems to come up in 2nd hand in the Cardiff area just seems to have added to my desire to get my hands on a DB all the more urgently I know I must take some more time, and you are all underlining that for me At the mo, I'm watching a newly listed Antoni on ebay That looks a good budget bass, from what I can gather I was initially looking to get something around the £400 mark I've got to say though, I'm really seduced more & more by the offerings by Gedo I'm tempted by their half-carved brown model for £649 I know that'll be in the same bracket as the Antoni - well, ish But the fact that Gedo will do their set-up to your requirements is surely a plus Thanks again all, I'm indebted to you guys I only just joined basschat - but already I can see it's full of helpful folk like yourselves, and it's great to chat to fellow bass players, rather than being forced to chat to lead guitarists anyway eh? lol Marc

Thanks again for that info stingrayPete, I'm leaning towards Gedo & Thomann, I think I do like the look of some of Gedo's all-laminated models too, anyone got any experience / thoughts on those?

As a newbie on here, it's alarming that I've learned of a bad reputation for G4m already... anyone had any good experiences of them?

Hi all, yes fatback, it is a G4M. I just thought as it was part carved, part laminate, it might be a better bet than their cheaper all laminated?

Just wondered whether this one was a good starting point? It's part laminated, part solid Anyone got any experience of these? [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Deluxe-Solid-Double-Bass-Case/dp/B0012I9BYU/ref=sr_1_16?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1378223882&sr=1-16&keywords=3%2F4+double+bass#productDetails"]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Deluxe-Solid-Double-Bass-Case/dp/B0012I9BYU/ref=sr_1_16?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1378223882&sr=1-16&keywords=3%2F4+double+bass#productDetails[/url]

I forgot to add BTW I bought a Stagg EDB and it's great! Just the job for when you can't lug a full sized bass around.... and a good backup instrument for gigging emergencies too Marc

Thanks for all your speedy & helpful replies I do like the look of a couple of basses in the Gedo range The more research I do, the more I'm drawn to the solid top type of bass, rather than the completely laminated type I'll take another look at Thomann too G4M also do a solid top - but if folk on here have had bad experiences, I'll bear that in mind..... Honestly, there are just none around this neck of the woods bar a couple I've seen advertised, and which have obviously sold, but the sellers don't take the ads down, or bother to reply to enquiries.... groan! I take your point re the strings I'm used to roundwounds on bass guitar, and the flat wounds which came fitted to my Stagg EDB played havoc with my fingers Not knowing too much about different types of DB string, I bought a 2nd hand set of nylon wraps and they have improved things no end well, apart from my playing, of course I'll be playing mainly rockabilly/bluesy stuff too - if I played with a bow, it would be one more thing to forget Cheers again Marc

Hi there I'm new to this forum, and already I've seen some useful info on here Cheers to all those helpful fellow bass folk on here Here goes, I've been playing bass guitar for quite a few years With a big gap in the middle when I got married, had a son, got divorced etc I bought a Stagg EUB a year back and I really like it Now I'd like to get an acoustic DB (3/4) I've been trawling around the ads / ebay etc but there don't seem to be any in South Wales apart from 1 in a music shop in Cardiff - and that's overpriced I was looking at secondhand, but they all crop up miles away The sellers want paying first, before you've even tried the instrument etc I was just wondering what experiences anyone has had, good or bad from the likes of people on the net like gear4music / amazon etc? on G4M, they've got basses for around £360 are these made in China? are they any good? At the moment, I don't want to spend a fortune.... I'm enjoying the Stagg, but I'd really like that rich, warm sound you only get from an acoustic DB Any suggestions or ideas welcome Apologies if this has been asked too many times Marc

[quote name='fatgoogle' timestamp='1377433521' post='2187407'] Hardcase and tying it to the roof?? Maybe not... [/quote] DB on the front seat, wife on the roof-rack? Don't tell her I suggested this

Thanks for posting this helpful description I'm fairly new to double bass, and hadn't fully realised just how different the strings can be A useful guide Cheers

Thanks for the welcome guys I'll try not to be a stranger...... Cheers Marc

When I first bought a bass - a few years ago now The general attitude at the time was you either buy a Fender, a Gibson or a Rickenbacker..... or you buy rubbish This may have been true in many cases, but there were some real gems around I once owned a Shaftesbury Rick copy and it was brilliant! You can't get them for love nor money now and I wish I'd paid the dosh to have it re-fretted, and hung on to it I also recall playing a couple of good Ibanez basses, and a really nice Aria bass Yamaha made some pretty good models too at the time A pal also owned a cheap Jazz copy, and that was really good But I can't recall the manufacturer..... At the time, I was influenced by the way many people thought, and bought a Fender P. It was well built, sounded pretty good, but weighed a ton, and had a really thick neck which wasn't too easy to play either There's much more choice out there now and I've played some really nice cheap basses Marc

Hi, Just signed up today & wanted to say "hello" I played bass back in my youth, and gave up following band-splits galore, marriage, having a son etc etc Anyhow, I'm playing again I started about 5 years ago or so, and now wish I'd never given up Mind you, the bands are still a pain They seem to keep folding for a myriad of reasons - but never anything to do with me! Lol Anyhow, I play an Ibanez Soundgear SR500 and it's the best thing I've ever played It sounds awesome, is lightweight with superb active electronics and it's got the thinnest, fastest neck I've ever come across My backup is a Squire, Indonesian built P bass, with 2 pickups and a J bass neck It's honestly much better than the USA Fenders I owned back in my youth.... Many won't believe me when I say this - but I've played a few basses in my day... I also own an Ibanez electro-acoustic bass, picked up for about £200 and that's brilliant! Never played a bad Ibanez actually... My son now owns my old Roadster 11 and he loves that I also have a Stagg electric double bass, and am enjoying playing that - and now want a 3/4 conventional double bass.... Amp gear wise, I use a Markbass CMD102P with a 151 extension cab The rig sounds brilliant, and I've even played some big-ish outdoor gigs with it and it has coped really well Anyhow, I'm looking for a band...... again I'm in South Wales And just wanted to say hello Marc