anon

I join your conversation from the distant past, a time when Selmer Goliath 1x18 cabinets, Hammond organs and Leslie speakers ruled the Earth. The glorious sound of a Sound City/Selmer/Sola Sound amplifier distorting and farting as the valves colourfully fried, still keeps me awake at night. Dislocated shoulders and Hammond Organs balanced on knees on staircases were the order of the day. My Epiphone Rivoli was not necessarily heard when played through the aforementioned Sound City/Selmer/Sola Sound amplifier coupled with the incomparable Selmer Goliath, but interacted very well with the audience’s digestive systems. These days I play a double bass without amplification and my shoulder hasn’t dislocated for approximately 45 years. However, in the meantime, the above prehistoric equipment doesn’t seem to have suffered in terms of financial value and what I found barely affordable all those years ago is now completely unaffordable these days, because it seems to have achieved retro historic status. If I could afford to recreate my equipment from those distant days, I would do so in an instant. But I would also need to rent storage space and a muscular young man or two to shlepp it all for me. The muscular man or men would obviously have to have, his or their own, historically appropriate van.

Fantastic, thank you.

It’s a long time ago now, early 1990’s I think when I was using them, but I seem to remember that it needed a tight fit to get the most out of it and the shrink wrap around the transducer element was quite fragile, which didn’t help. Similarly the cable into the element was very thin and prone to break. I don’t know maybe the lightness of the whole thing helped it sound so good. I plugged it straight into various Polytone amps and it always sounded fantastic. It’s wonderful that unused examples are still out there, good luck with it, or them seeing you have two!

I used Ashworth pickups for a while, the one element version of what you have. The maker was very innovative and an approachable and helpful man. They had an amazing natural sound and I had no problems being loud enough. I was playing in Don Rendell’s band at the time and in a jazz context was a very loud band. The pickups were not very robust and didn’t last very long. I bought several but kept breaking them. I gave up in the end and went back to my indestructible Underwood which didn’t have such a natural sound. I think you have a great buy but treat it carefully if you want it to last.

I would support your inalienable right to do just that!

Again many years ago, I did a nationwide tour supporting a famous band who shall remain nameless, due to reasons of personal embarrassment. One of the lighting engineers used gaffa tape to hold his ancient shoes together for the entire tour. I actually thought this was entirely practical and a very good look indeed. I went on to add this innovation to my own wardrobe when the need arose, I remember one particular bandleader was particularly impressed. Owen I would suggest you stick with the gaffa until you can run some solder into the gap at the end of the shaft. You need very hot and liquid solder but it works very well. Unfortunately although a cheap solution I don’t think it will meet your “pretty” criteria.

Neil, I thought you might say that, but it’s perfectly in the spirit of things to disagree. I had a mechanical extension many years ago fitted by the man himself, Mr Fawcett. I’m afraid it certainly didn’t help that bass. I think what Owen said is true of many bass purchases and don’t even start me on highly figured “beautiful” wood.

My long held feeling is that the weight of “boutique” tuners, particularly when fitted on a brass plate, has an adverse effect on the sound and several other factors on any instrument. Yes they improve the reliable tune-ability (for want of better terms) but they detract in so many other ways. The fact that they are beautiful and expensive looking does absolutely nothing for me, give me good old wooden hat pegs. Yes they can be inaccurate, can stick and are temperamental especially when old and worn, but they allow the pegbox and neck of the instrument to move, vibrate and join in with the rest of the bass. Boxwood is especially good! Don’t damp, sorry chaps. ps there are other more accurate light weight alternatives to the traditional hat peg.

PM’d

P.M’d