SpondonBassed

[quote name='Highfox' timestamp='1502785145' post='3353437'] Generally I'll pop and slap very rarely when playing live, here and there a bit. But stick some new strings on at home and I can't stop! sure I'm not alone with this? Drives the Mrs bonkers the clank clank [/quote] No. Never. No way. Not me Your Honour. You must introduce me to Mrs Bonkers one day.

[quote name='Thunderbird' timestamp='1502781145' post='3353396'] I'm a bit clueless about these things but why would anyone want to take a pineapple to a festival anyway [/quote] Very sorry. I should have included the link in the OP but here it is now; http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-40923473

[i]Glass Animals' drummer Joe Seaward said it would be a "challenge" to get in with pineapples.[/i] [i]"Anyone who wasn't bringing a pineapple definitely is now," he said.[/i] [i]"It's fruitist. Watermelons are fine, but not pineapples?"[/i] [url="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-40923473"]http://www.bbc.co.uk...kshire-40923473[/url] You can't make this stuff up. Priceless.

[quote name='Coilte' timestamp='1502725758' post='3353132'] If by this, you mean that tab is a necessity for you, then you could try to wean yourself off them gradually. IMO tab can be useful now and then when trying to learn a fast or complex song, or if the bass is not easily picked out in the recording. Even at that, they are invariably wrong. For easy songs, it's much more beneficial to try to work things out by ear. [/quote] Sorry. My fault, I should have explained. It's necessary because I have three different things going on with my sight at the moment. I can sit and read score and slowly work out what it means but I will never sight read. In fact my ability to read and play tab at the same time is gradually going away. That is not to say that I don't use script at times where a tab is lacking. Also, I have a real problem with ancient language and symbolism. Numbers speak louder to me. Thick aren't I?

[quote name='Coilte' timestamp='1502715974' post='3353035'] OP...if you go for tab... use it VERY sparingly....if at all. Even with your limited time, it would be more beneficial to instead use it to develop your ear by playing along to songs and working out the bass lines yourself via trial and error WITHOUT TAB. Keep the songs simple to start with. Yes, it will seem frustrating at times, but in the long term it will pay dividends. If you become over reliant on tab, it can be a crutch. [/quote] In my case a necessity.

[quote name='tantummenace' timestamp='1502643647' post='3352651'] Okay so you may have seen my other posts asking noob questions... I really want to get better but I don't know where/how to learn! Preferably I can do it at home for free as I don't have much money or time! I have been watching SBL's so far and I'm gonna be honest I havent learned much at all. All I have learned is the major and minor scale... Not even using his tutorials after discovering he doesn't make sense to me. He doesn't have a good playlist on which videos are good to start with and he doesn't seem to make tutorials that are essential to know what you are doing for that tutorial! I know he has his pay thing and it is cheaper that getting a tutor but still I tried out the 2 week trial and it is still not that good! He spends most of the time talking about random sh*t and never gets to the point! Anyway I gonna stop ranting about Scott. Does anybody have a youtube playlist or website that teaches you in order? Not having to find videos and piece together what you need to know? Thanks in advance! [/quote] Before I forget again, welcome to Basschat. May I ask if you play along to any tunes yet?

[quote name='Geek99' timestamp='1502719893' post='3353077'] i still watch his performances in the Blues Brothers movies (particularly Funky Nassau) and hope one day to be halfways as capable. And to be able to "[i]turn goats p1ss into gasoline[/i]" of course. [/quote] I turned goat's milk into cheese a few times. Might explain my cheesy bass lines.

Phat. Nuff said.

[quote name='Arthur' timestamp='1502643876' post='3352653'] Ever?... tricky one that, quite subjective. My faves at the mo' though are any of Andy Rourke's early upbeat lines, driving and melodic. [/quote] I like his lines a lot too. He needed to be like that though. I'm saying no more than that.

[quote name='scalpy' timestamp='1502656526' post='3352758'] [url="https://m.thomann.de/gb/stairville_led_bar_240_8_bundle.htm"]https://m.thomann.de...40_8_bundle.htm[/url] We use these. Brilliant, hook together with an XLR without unstability, light in weight, easy to use programs. Can't wait to buy more! [/quote] Non-mobile users might find this link renders better on screen; https://thomann.de/gb/stairville_led_bar_240_8_bundle.htm

[quote name='Geek99' timestamp='1502688897' post='3352814'] True but then it would have been dense and impenetrable [/quote] I'm dense and impenetrable. That's why I need tab. If we all had the eyesight required for dots we'd all be musical genii and virtuosos would be ten a penny.

[quote name='Steve Woodcock' timestamp='1502653105' post='3352736'] They could have saved 75 pages by getting rid of all of the tab [/quote] A corollary to that would be; They could have saved 75 pages by getting rid of the dots. So why don't you just buy it, rip the tab pages out and post them to me? I'd like you to be happy with your purchase.

[quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1499874749' post='3334249'] Far too many great basses being built at the moment...hard to keep up with all of them. Have you thought about a Builders/Luthiers Bash? Bring along all the BC builds...I'd bring both of mine. [/quote] [quote name='Si600' timestamp='1500021083' post='3335129'] We do already, it seems to have settled at the Midlands Bash, or at least, home-made outnumbered shop-bought this year [/quote] Having attended, I have to say that it was additional encouragement for me to go back into the workshop, albeit with a kit, and start building for the first time. As it is the Midlands, I'd like to support Mick's idea and suggest that the Midlands Bash is the ideal placement for a national get together.

[quote name='Bastav' timestamp='1499580576' post='3332258'] So I strung it up to do some final intonation testing before installing the bridge. It's a little strange but I've got it intonating decently at around a cm longer than the anticipated scale length, anyone know why that would be?... [/quote] I've been wondering about that phenomenon too. I hope we can get some more enlightened person to confirm or deny but I think of it this way; The strings bend as they go over the nut and bridge saddles. The thicker strings have larger bend radii. The vibration of the strings is partially damped where the strings are bent because they are stiffer in the bend itself. On the thicker strings the larger bend radius means that at both the nut and the saddle there is a longer piece of bent string extending into the vibrating portion of the string than on the thin strings. What surprised me was that in the images in this post your one-piece saddle seemed to sit square to the centreline of the instrument where I'd have expected to see a slight deviation from the right angle. I can't believe that all of your strings would true to the 12th with it like that. On later images I see you have made a floating bridge which is adjustable so I have no concerns about it now. I just hope that the wing nuts are grippy enough. When you look at independent saddle arrangements they compensate for the thicker strings by adding a little more to the nominal scale length and thereby restoring the free string length, that is the portion of string that is in a straight line, nearer to scale length. Even the thinnest string will have a small amount added to the nominal scale length when adjusted to align your harmonic with your 12th fret position. This is just a theory I have going at the moment. Would anyone care to challenge it with a definitive answer please? I am sure lots of people reading have pondered on it. It might be why fanned frets exist. Who knows? I like your build. Aesthetically it was stunning before you applied the first coat of oil. Now it is exceptional. You have got me thinking about fret markers for my custom neck. It is to be a 35inch fretless. I haven't seriously thought beyond the neck to a body for it at this stage but I will do at the point I begin the 35inch neck project.

[quote name='lel' timestamp='1502653426' post='3352738'] Cheers chaps! I've debated a few colours especially the lovely sea foam/teal blue they did but I'd probably regret it if I didn't go white. The pink would probably stay if it wasn't for the sanding and routing I had to do! [/quote] Is that a photoshop image or are you finished already? Either way it looks the business.

You wont have been feeling so much as hearing your bass in that situation. You need additional power to get that true depth where you'll still feel the subsonic stuff in your chest cavity at fifty paces.

[quote name='Len_derby' timestamp='1502615506' post='3352415'] A late welcome to Basschat. As mentioned above I'm in Allestree. Being a true local yokel I know where Flaxholme is. I'm glad you're using the name, as it doesn't appear on any signs and hardly any maps anymore. I play regularly with a guitarist/singer who lives just up the A6 from you by the traffic light junction for Wirksworth. Daz Kelly. I'm long overdue to have a meet-up with Spondonbassed, would you be interested in an evening get-together of all three (or more) of us? Maybe an open-mic or similar. [/quote] Great suggestion Len. I'm interested.

[quote name='Brother Malvis' timestamp='1496662616' post='3313013'] I'm not normally one for contributing to online forums, but I've come across such generosity and friendliness here on BC that it seems churlish to lurk in the shadows. So, hello. I'm Malachy. I play double bass in a bunch of different bands: an [url="https://youtu.be/HmmxDQ8gSBE"]Americana band[/url], a classical [url="https://youtu.be/3l0jkGRb-r4"]Arabic band[/url], and a [url="https://youtu.be/pqYOgEVYRHU"]genre-bending band[/url] that there's not much point even trying to describe. My main bass is a big Bohemian hatpeg from the 20s or 30s, currently on the luthier's slab getting a few cracks seen to. I also have a black plywood bass, which is much better suited to getting battered about the pub on a weekend. And as of last Saturday I'm the owner of a KK baby bass, thanks to Drew of this parish. For a long time I didn't give too much thought to gear, and a cheap LR Baggs pre-amp was enough for me. Now though, I use an AI Coda amp, and try to get a nice blend between a Headway Band pickup and an Ear Trumpet Labs Nadine mic. I recently bought a Realist Lifeline from another BCer, and I'm looking forward to seeing how it compares to the Band. That's more than enough geekery for now. Thanks for all the expertise and good vibes in these pages. [/quote] Welcome Malachy. I'm not local to you but welcome anyway. I like those clips a lot. All of them were entertaining. The most impressive for me though was not the Arabic BBC performance, lit well and sound balanced as per Auntie's usual professional standard. It was not the church performance with its eastern european vibe and excellent acoustics. It was the nine band members and a double bass performing Americana in a four man tent that took my breath away. Cosy.

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1502576816' post='3352330'] Is there really any inexpensive LED alternatives that can really do the job? Blue [/quote] I'm hoping that Bonzodog will follow-up and let us know how he gets on with the idea.

[quote name='No lust in Jazz' timestamp='1502284482' post='3350460'] Either way - I've just had a session with the 'Who Killed Nancy Johnson', You tube collection and enjoyed it. [/quote] That's a fair point and worth mentioning. I quite agree. WKNJ looks and sounds good. @ OP; Your lot must put the hours in for a result like that.

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1502280497' post='3350421'] Indeed; plough on. [/quote] I feel like such a big dipper! I didn't see that written in the stars.

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1502274274' post='3350350'] Personally I think everyone should vacate the stage at least 5 minutes before you start, having already tuned up etc. Preferably earlier, as soon as they're happy that their gear is ready to go. Go to the loo, get stage gear on, get drink or whatever. Then all return at the same time, together, a couple of minutes before your scheduled start time. That should give a clear indication to the audience that something is about to happen. Having musicians wandering about the stage endlessly twidling, standing around and sliding into an indeterminate start doesn't give off the right impression. . [/quote] Yup. Eradicate twiddling then whatever else you want to do will be in focus. Is there a website called Twiddle yet? There ought to be.

[quote name='alyctes' timestamp='1502585787' post='3352353'] You could always put some cyanoacrylate on the excess finish in the bridge recess, to see if it causes blooming [/quote] Spot on that man. That's a better suggestion than mine.

The neck is finished. Seven coats of Danish Oil later, 48 hours to harden off a bit more then on with the hardware. It got a third good coat of Lemon Oil on the fretboard. In the week since the first two coats it had dried a little near the frets. In truth I just get a kick out of rubbing oil into it. I'll stop before I go blind or something. I had used up more BC storage with my photos than I thought. I went back and cropped all of them as I should have done at first. I was pleasantly surprised to see that as well as making room for the rest of this story, the edited photos were less cluttered and the better for it. I made a temporary stub neck out of two handy pieces of scrap to hold the body steady for the finishing work where I'll need two free hands. It clamps up well in my bench vice. I then drilled the neck for the new stainless steel screws and installed it properly for the first time. It's a snug fit still. My coating hasn't been heavy handed. Time to set the bridge and drill the pilot holes. Find centreline and mark off. Set saddle to centreline and measure from nut to the 12th times two plus a nadge at the G saddle crest, done. Line off against bridge longitudinally and then check lateral placement by putting A and G strings in the B and G saddles. Pulling them taught across the nut gives a good indication that I was right to do this. the bridge is very slightly offset and it shows up with the strings being out of parallel with the fretboard sides. Adjust bridge and line off either side of centre. Mark off hole centres and pilot drill to 2mm for the stainless steel bridge screws. It's looking like a guitar now and I am loath to take the neck off again. I do it anyway and now it is safely stored out of sight in case I get the urge to start rubbing things into it again.

[quote name='Andyjr1515' timestamp='1502532328' post='3352033'] And with the glue dry, the top is cut out. This is it slightly dampened to show how the figuring will come out: There are some rich colours in there, probably better seen in this sunshine shot: This is going to tone and contrast with the mahogany back beautifully... Talking of sunshine, the camphor laurel is a very 'hole-y' wood. It's very stable but many of those burrs are actually gaps. Here's the sunshine shining through: These will be filled with epoxy mixed with ebony dust - I keep a jar of ebony sandings just for this kind of job. When it's done, it will look like it was always there and, indeed, further enhance the look of the burls... Next job is to finish-thickness the neck beam and cut out the two necks from it [/quote] Careful now. You're description of the Camphor Laurel was bordering on religion. Heeheehee. I'd be tempted to put some blingy particles in a clear resin to stop up the gaps. I am just a big tart at heart though. It's not like you haven't got enough eye catching features in those grains. Wow. Just wow.