Owen

F# cos more lower is more better! The muting thing is one issue but the string cohordination is more of an issue really. I tried it and now I know.

Thanks (and diolch) for the suggestions. I am just too old and tired to change. I have used it on two gigs now and have come to the conclusion that it is not going to happen for me. There are only so many times you can be plucking one string and fretting another on a gig before the novelty wears off.

[quote name='ambient' timestamp='1492465768' post='3280553'] I use a mix of left and right hand muting. It's a little awkward to describe, but essentially I use a version of floating thumb with my right hand, my thumb moving down across the strings, and the fingers on my left hand that aren't fretting are muting. [/quote] Ugh, changing right hand technique. I would have to practice and stuff. I am quite old to be doing new things. But thanks. [quote name='ambient' timestamp='1492465795' post='3280554'] Beautiful bass but the way, I love Overwaters. [/quote] It is a monster instrument in more ways than one. But very fine indeed.

So, how do you mute a 6 string? This thing speaks with the voice of thunder, but I am struggling to tame it with my puny 5 string technique

Would anyone have any suggestions if he does not come through?

I dropped him a message about plumbing an fdeck I have into a tiny pedal with a passive roll off, a DI out on stereo Jack and a mute/tuner out switch.

Thanks Maude.

I use an M audio one and it works just fine. Someone you know has an audio interface with built in midi. Ask if you can borrow it.

Tell us who the builder is?

Well, I have used it twice in anger now. Overwater make a lovely instrument, but I cannot deny that the F# is freaking me out. I am actually having to think while I play, and I do not like that one bit. It is like having to jump through a hoop everytime I want to do anything. I find myself with my fretting and plucking hands on different strings and my confidence on the instrument is suffering. More worryingly I did a long classical gig on the DB last Friday and was second guessing myself in pressure situations about what note I was actually playing. This does not work well in chamber music. My gut reaction is that I might shift it on, but I will give it a couple more gigs just to see. It does sound splendid though!

It is a superb resource. Sadly, I thought that it had helped me decide on my next strings until I realised that Velvet Garbos do not bow so well

This guy has recorded 17 different DB strings on the same bass http://www.hervejeanne.de/saitenmatrix.php The internet is fabulous! I am aware that there are all sorts of variables, but it really does bring things into focus.

I am yet to run into nearly anything which buffers a piezo pickup as well as an fdeck - and believe me I have tried. The only thing I have found cost 12.5 times as much. The fdeck is a wonderous little box.

[quote name='SpondonBassed' timestamp='1492242602' post='3278855'] I believe that trumps Blue's four hour bookings if you add it up. Controversial. How was it apart from the hard work? I'm thinking you had a church venue or at least a venue that allowed the sound to breathe freely. [/quote] Yep, in a church so the work was being done in the space it was written for. Lots of good stuff, but some of the recitative passages where not hanging together well. I did have to discipline myself to not start swinging some of the basslines.

[quote name='owen' timestamp='1492029233' post='3277380'] I am playing the St Matthew Passion on Friday. I have not done this kind of stuff for a VERY long time. I will be very tired on Saturday. Cracking bass lines though. He was The Don. [/quote] Got in an hour ago. 2.5 hours of playing after a 3.5 hour rehearsal this afternoon. That was HARD work. I remember why I stopped doing it now. It was interesting to go back to it after a long break and realise that his basslines are a huge part of my creative DNA.

I am playing the St Matthew Passion on Friday. I have not done this kind of stuff for a VERY long time. I will be very tired on Saturday. Cracking bass lines though. He was The Don.

Could someone who has actual experience of them run me through the different models? I know how the Fender range stacks up from top to bottom and what I should expect, but I have never got a handle on Dingwals.

[quote name='dood' timestamp='1491751826' post='3275154'] I really like the feel especially on a wider neck. It suits really fast playing or when I switch to a pick. [/quote] The neck is so wide that there is talk of it being the next Heathrow runway. I cannot comment on the speed thing because I have no experience of it.

I tried your Shuker F# in a bass bash many years ago. I mentally logged "one day". String spacing is 18mm.

I have tried to F# before but forgot to sort the nut out and could not work out why the string would not speak when it was open and was sharp at the 1st and 2nd frets. Just as well I am not stupid enough to admit that on a public forum.

Some of you may remember when this bass came up for sale here. It had no bridge. I thought that I would smack another 6 string bridge on it and I would be good to go. I had not realised that the well in the body was for a specific Overwater bridge which is no longer made. I could have splatted another bridge over the well but that would have been messy. I got into discussion with Chris at Overwater and decided to send it up to them to get it done properly. The baseplate of the bridge then came out of hiding and we were moving ahead. It is strung GDAEBF#. It has a D tuner on the F# to take it to E an octave below normal E. The scale is 36" so it is ripe for F# experimentation. I have always wanted to try F# but never had a scale length which I thought would do it justice. Now I have. The bass is from the early 90's and is certainly aesthetically of it's period. It is pretty beefy to pick up, but it sounds pretty beefy as well so that is fine. I will never be cavorting accross a stage while playing it. The extra string is somewhat challenging at the moment, but then the first 5 string took some getting used to as well so I shall persevere. The original preamp was dead so it has a new 2 band Overwater one in it. I am having a lot of fun. I played it at a wedding service today. Other than starting the first song a 4th too low it went ok. [url="http://s8.photobucket.com/user/peredur/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20170408_145803_zpsrfmg6ilq.jpg.html"][/url] [url="http://s8.photobucket.com/user/peredur/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20170408_145814_zpsjht2d6iq.jpg.html"][/url]