BaconCheese

Actually, what I was referring to has nothing to do with that slope on the E-string. That is just an old-fashioned way that is no longer used. I was referring to the "scoop" that most DB with an arco setup have. It means that there is a lot of scoop from both ends of the fingerboard to the lowest point of the fingerboard which is where you play when you reach the neck heel. This is needed on every bass to a certain extent but DB with a "classical/orchestral" setup have a much deeper scoop than DB with a Jazz setup.

String height is more or less ok. A good pizz setup is 5,6,7,8 from G to E. Preludes are more or less an arco string and not really good. As much as the string height, it is a question of how the board is "bowed". Typically, basses for orchestra playing have a "bow" or "slope" in the board. You dont want to have that for Jazz... also strings like Evah Pirazzi light are much easier on the hands.

If you could post a pic I am pretty shure we could tell what strings are currently on the bass. There are big differences in sound, sustain, tension between different kinds of strings.

Look for brand name strings- Thomastik, Pirastro, Presto...

For pizz, a plywood with good strings and a proper setup is absolutely fine.

I mean what decent bass can you get for £600? Equipped with Spiros you can get a decent sound and sustain with a plywood bass.

two_notes_le_bass_dual_channel_preamp.htm This will suit your needs. The RedDI is good but it is a bit steep for a DI used live. Also, it does not colour the sound very much. It is a very slight "tube" sound. I would recommend it for high-end studio use.

Bought a bass, arrived very quickly and safely, exactly as described.

[quote name='andyonbass' timestamp='1482403054' post='3200186'] Dunno if this fits the bill..... [URL]https://www.facebook.com/groups/184621401586617/permalink/1185952728120141/?sale_post_id=1185952728120141[/URL] [/quote] Looks ok. Has a pickup and Presto strings which are good for pizz. I would ask the seller what kind of work was done on it. Also the bridge is a little bit off- but that is corrected rather easily.

Very good advice.

I know that Gedo and Thomann both sell basses to the UK. At least Thomann has an English site as well, so you should habe no problems ordering. As a private buyer, all risks involving shipping are covered by the seller. You can also ask any questions you might have in English (Thomann is one of the largest if not the largest shop in Europe). Also, Thomann offers free shipping to the UK as far as I know. I updated the links so you are refered to an english version of the shop. Honestly, I dont know about any UK shops for cheap basses. You seem to habe a lot of high-level luthier workshops which are offering basses in an entirely different price range. Ebony is important because only with ebony the board can be shot right. With the cheap white wood, not only do you have a white board after shooting, there is also a problem with getting a good setup with these woods because they are much more flexible than ebony and so the board is much more likely to warp and move- also it is much more work for the luthier to do a good setup with a white wood board.

Buy a used bass for £300 and invest about £300 in good strings and a decent setup. Choose a bass expert to do this, there is a list of luthiers in this forum. If you dont find a used instrument, buy a cheap new one (ebony board is a must, though). Be aware of the fact that many basses are advertised as having an "ebonised fingerboard", which means it is a cheap white wood which was painted black. Avoid buying these basses. Something like this: http://www.gedo-musik.de/shop/en/home/82-kontrabass-antike-lackierung-komplett-laminiert-neu-34-und-44-groesse-4260227041842.html https://www.thomann.de/gb/thomann_kontrabass_111.htm Also, there is this one which already has Spiros (a standard Pizz string), and a good pickup installed and has a low action. It is not exactly as good as having a good setup from a luthier, but it works. https://www.thomann.de/gb/thomann_jazz_player_stage_bass_set.htm