Beedster

We'll find something else to trade mate, I've got an old 19th century German blonde fiddle after all............

How did I forget them. The '57 was something special wasn't it, glorious instrument. The Wals.......? I think the reality for me was that while they were good instruments, the mystique always exceeded the reality, I think I genuinely preferred my fretless Ric to any of the fretless Wals I owned, just sounded and played better. But then to my mind the £400 Warmoth bitsa I just sold would also give the Wals a run for their money (I recognise that many would disagree)

Aha, ribbon mic, that's interesting to know, especially given how magnificent his recorded sound is. I started the thread below years ago and still haven't got around to using either of my ribbons on DB. Given my new found love for the Wood Brothers, I'll be digging out a ribbon or two this weekend PS if any mods read this would be helpful if you could reopen the ribbon mic thread which has been locked?

Good question. Two things I think; first I find the sheer physical challenge of DB has always motivated me more than EB, for example the fact that my hands, shoulders, back and even legs tire during a session and that this demands I'm more focussed and economic when I play. Second, I think I've found a style of playing that simply suits DB, one that while still credible on EB, sounds and feels better on DB. I guess on the basis of both factors I increasingly find DB more motivating and rewarding to play. None of this was really a conscious decision, it was odd to realise mid last year that I simply don't choose to play EB any more; in the band, when I practice, or even when I just want to play for the pleasure of playing, I now nearly always head for DB.

Funny feeling, after more than 20 years of owning at any one time between one (rare), several (often) and at the most seven (madness), I've just sold my last electric bass, with the aim of focussing on upright from here on. It's part financial with a house move coming up, part technical in that I want to really focus on DB, and part organic in that I've found it harder and harder to play electric bass as I get more into upright. I think I'm going to miss the tinkering, setting up, swapping out components, building bitsas etc as much as the playing to be honest, but it's gonna save me a fortune But man, when I look back at some of those basses; all original LPB '64 Precision (i blamed @Happy Jack for that particular purchase, and @Clarkyfor a significant percentage of the remainder), '97 Modulus Flea (played itself), a Modulus Sonic Hammer (a Rottweiler in bass clothing), a '69 Jazz FL (made me feel like Jaco for a while), Takamine TB-10 (best looking bass ever), several 70's Precisions, pre-EB 'rays, numerous Rics, a couple of Sadowskys.... Man, I was lucky enough to own some awesome instruments, the sort of thing I could only dream of when I was growing up with my Satellite Bass in the late 70's. And don't get me started on some of the rigs I've owned........ Anyway, as you were, just thought I'd mention it

So, late May this year with the prospect of lockdown ending I was invited back to my old band to do a series of DB gigs. Absolute pleasure to be playing music with great guys after almost two years out. Problem was that they're not the most organised in terms of sound management and playing a 4/4 DB in what was a pretty chaotic soundscape at times was proving challenging in terms of feedback and hearing myself. I decided I'd get an EUB, and while ideally searching for an SLB-100, I was very happy to find a Clifton, and even happier when the owner offered to drive from Yorkshire to Kent to deliver it in person. Long story short, we had a great chat, turns out he'd played bass with a lot of musicians I listen to, and it was both entertaining and educational to hear the tales of Nashville perfectionism. I told him a about what we do and he said "Sounds like you're after a Wood Brothers sound", and I seem to recall thinking "Never heard of 'em". He left, and I thought I'd take a quick listen to these guys and see what I think. Bloody hell!!!!!!! No joke, this was the band I'd been waiting to hear all my life. Lovely bluegrass/Appalachian feel, extraordinary musicianship and some fine songwriting. And then there's Chris Wood on bass. The first thing I thought was "Wow he's good". Then I thought "Wow, he get's a lot of space in the mix (what a conversation on Talkbass described as high levels of 'acoustic real estate'), but what I really loved is that he plays a very Jazz oriented style in an ostensibly blues/Americana band, and does so with great style and with great technique. I tried to find stuff on here and wasn't surprised to find that @Clarky had discovered them years ago But it's not just the DB sound he gets, he plays a lot of electric also (a Hofner Violin Bass) with the same style and flair. Do check them out folks, as Clarky suggests, the recorded BD tone is pretty impressive, but so's some of the live playing. Check out some of this for example... I'll post some more when work eases down a little