TheRev

Ooo - that looks pretty. Nice and simple too. I had a Ten2 combo for a while, liked the amp but didn't get on with the cab.

My first EUB was an Aria SWB Lite (the one the Stagg is based on). Compared to the Stagg, the Aria is vastly superior in build quality and noticeably better sounding. The playability is similar, which you'd expect from such similar designs. When I bought the Eminence,it was a massive improvement in all aspects. It feels,plays and sounds much more like a double bass than the Aria. It was a lot easier to play due to the design of the endpin which stopped the bass from spinning away from you - my playing improved dramatically as a direct result of this as I wasn't constantly fighting to keep the bass in the correct playing position. I've only had limited experience with the Far West bass - the bassist in a band (Willie and the Bandits) that I was sound engineering for at a festival had one and I had a bit of a chat and a noodle backstage after their set. The sound was great out front - it sounded like an amplified double bass, Fell wise, it was obvious that it was a quality instrument and it felt pretty comfortable to play.

[quote name='BassDeLune' timestamp='1473892054' post='3134003'] I'd pay the £2k+ for a Yamaha or Eminence if I had tried out the field and decided it was the right one for me, but without doing that, it's too much to risk just on the reviews. That FarWest looks lovely, and I like the price, but Cornwall is a long way just to try one make. Thanks for the input, though. [/quote] Totally understand - we've all been there! I'll be bringing my Eminence to the double bass bash, so if you can make that you're more than welcome to try it out. I was able to try a Yamaha SLB in London, but bought the Eminence unseen on spec as the consensus on Talkbass at the time was that the Eminence sounded more acoustic, plus it was about £400 cheaper. I was extremely pleased with the Eminence and played nothing else for 3 years until I bought a big bass. If you're enjoying your Stagg, then to be honest, you'll love either the Yamaha or the Eminence - both are light years beyond the Stagg in terms of sound, playability and build quality. Yes, 2 grand is a lot of money for a bass that you've not seen in the flesh, never mind played, but I think that the majority of people on here who own basses of this level bought them on spec and no-one has said they regretted it.

Also, in terms of a step up in quality from the Stagg, there isn't a lot out there for less than £800 ish for an Aria SWB LITE or £1100 ish for one of these: http://farwestmusicalinstruments.co.uk/the-redhead/ After that, you're in £2K+ territory for a Yamaha SLB or an Eminence. The FarWest basses are nicely made and sound good, I'd definitely recommend giving one a try if you find yourself in Cornwall.

I'd say the chances of finding a shop with one decent EUB in stock never mind a range is between slim and none (and slim is on tour). Promenade music have three EUBs listed on their website - if any of them are in stock, that would be a good place to start.

The string mute will be enough I reckon. If your neighbours can hear pizz playing on muted double bass then your walls must be made of paper.... Arco is a different matter - you could try taping up the f holes and stuffing a cushion between the tailpiece and soundboard, but then you won't be able to hear the note resonate properly, which is the whole point of arco.

My first gig was 28 years ago at the high school disco. Most of the amps were borrowed from the band that went on to become The Divine Comedy and I think we played U2 and AC/DC covers. But 28 years is nothing, my band regularly support The Wurzels and they've been gigging for more than 50 years.

[quote name='ivansc' timestamp='1473376716' post='3129717'] 2 german shepherds travel daily in my gigmobile. [/quote] I suppose it's nice to have the company but is the language barrier a problem?

I've cut the silked ends of Rockabillys and Super silvers to fit on my Eminence EUB - they will unravel a bit. but as long as the cut end is tucked away inside the roller and you're not taking them on and off the bass a lot, they will be fine. I wouldn't cut the string on any part of the main monel wrap - that will cause the whole thing to unravel.

Justin Chancellor from Tool. Love listening to it and love playing his stuff in the privacy of my own home but couldn't use that sound live.

[quote name='bassace' timestamp='1472980554' post='3125675'] I'd be interested to have a go on the Eminence, Dave. I seem to be doing quite a few gigs on stick lately. I'll bring my Kolstein travel bass. Only four weeks to go now. [/quote] No problem - Jayne and Barbara will be coming.

I'd quite like some beginners French bowing tips - like how to hold the bugger for more than 5 minutes without getting cramp in my thumb. If more basses are required, I'll bring my Eminence EUB and my carved Hungarian Poller, provided I can fit it all in the car. Pretty sure I've had both DBs in the car at the same time before, but can't recall how I would have done it.

My 4 string had Helicore hybrid E-D and a Helicore orchestral G.

Try the ultra blacks - same as rockabillys but higher tension.

I've used both and definitely prefer the braided. They have less tension than the honeys (on my bass) and feel more responsive under the right hand. To me (on my bass etc, etc) they are closer in sound and feel to super silvers but with a tighter sounding A and E. They were my bestest favouritest string until I switched to a magnetic pickup and had to switch to steel strings.

There's a Headway EDB1 in the for sale froum [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/290408-headway-edb-1-preamp-for-sale/"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/290408-headway-edb-1-preamp-for-sale/[/url] They don't come much better than this.

Whatever you go for, try to find one with a high pass filter (HPF). The Bassmax is a hot pickup and the low end can easily overpower your amp and make your bass sound very boomy and indistinct, so it helps to be able to take out the frequencies below 80hz which will tighten up the low end and help reduce the chances of feedback.

I used a Fishman platinum pro for a couple of years with a Bassmax - always worked fine for me. They're discontinued now but they occasionally turn up in the for sale forums.

That is good service... Never occurred to me to ask the distributor!

Bob Gollihur has the direct replacements available on his website. You have to buy a full set of 4 though - you can't buy them separately. I need to replace my A tuner at some point, so if you do find an alternative to the ones on Bob's site, please do let me know!

They're about £1700-2000, depending on the exchange rate and which options you choose.

I Inderstand what you're planning to do but I'm not sure why you're doing it!

I was too young to remember U2s debut, but The Unforgettable Fire and Joshua Tree were were ubiquitous on car stereos all over Fermanagh during the 80s. There were also a couple of summers where you couldn't go 10 minutes without hearing 'Don't go' by Hothouse Flowers.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1471347645' post='3112310'] I think it's more likely the fact that they have spent all the budget for the artwork on it, and the only affordable alternative is the name of the artist and the album set in Arial black on a white background. [/quote] And that would have been the better option. You'd think he would have said something while the photographer was setting up the wolves?

I'd second starting off with a set of innovation Rockabillys - they're relatively cheap, easy on the hands and will easily cover the styles you want to play. You may find as you progress that you (or your bass) would prefer something with a bit more sustain, in which case, Spiro Weich would be an excellent choice. They're a bit more expensive and don't come up for sale second hand very often, but they last forever and are very stable and reliable, so you only need to buy one set for the rest of your playing carreer. For a couple of years I settled on Spiro weich E and A with Innovation Super Silver D and G - I loved that setup! Then I switched to a magnetic pickup and had to swap the Innovations for Presto Nylonwound D and G. Still a good setup, but I do miss the sound of the Super silver G on my bass.