TheRev

[quote name='alyctes' timestamp='1440437997' post='2850737'] What's the neck like on these? I had a Mondial which I'd have kept if the neck had been slimmer. [/quote] It's wider and flatter than my EBMM Sterling. Feels nice and playable to me but I spend most of my time playing double bass, so all electric bass necks feel nice and playable to me....

I have an Italia Rimini - it has a modern yet 60s sound and styling. I don't play electric bass musch thes days,but when I do, that's the one I pick up, Here: [url="http://www.jhs.co.uk/italia.html"]http://www.jhs.co.uk/italia.html [/url] scroll down tot he bottom of the page.

The Ropemakers, Bridport. Dorset The Spice Ship, Weymouth. Dorset The Bell, Ash, Somerset. These three have looked after us since day one, which is why we give them all 3 dates each year when other pubs get one.

Cheers Geoff - I suspected that it wasn't an easy thing to do. I've oiled/lubed the worm and the gear and fiddled about with the screw that attaches the gear tot he roller, but the E tuner is still stiff and creaky. Are there other parts of the machine that I can oil up or loosen in some way? I've seen the Baker machines before and much as I love to have a set, they're about 60% of the vale of my bass - and that's before they're even fitted. My luthiery skills are minimal and hampered by lack of time and patience! Although I'd rather have plate style machines, I wonder if the single machines like these would be easier to fit? [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/rubner_doublebass_machines_4_string.htm"]http://www.thomann.de/gb/rubner_doublebass_machines_4_string.htm[/url] As long as the holes in the pegbox are big enough for the rollers, then it would be a simple matter of four small holes per tuner, no? Cheers Dave

[quote name='RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE' timestamp='1437749125' post='2828802'] It's that man again he butchered it a little bit more than usual IMHO [/quote] Nope-that's how Guild intended them to look. They actually sound rather good and play well, just a bit of an acquired taste in the looks department.

[quote name='rungles' timestamp='1437666559' post='2828044'] Hey mate - I'm Scott the Bandstand Compere. We love The Skimitty Hitchers and their cider/badger-based antics! We missed you last year. Are you coming again this year? [/quote] Hey Scott - how are you doing mate! No, unfortunately we're not there this year either. We ended up setting up our own little cider/badger based festival (www.outciderfestival.co.uk) which runs on the same weekend as Camp Bestival so we're busy playing/running that. Hope the weather picks up for the weekend - not looking very good at the moment... Dave

Back when I used to play in rock bands, the drummer and I were putting together a covers band as a side project to our originals band. At about the time we were putting together the set list I was walking down the high street one Sunday afternoon, past about 4 or 5 pubs, all of which had bands on and all of which were playing 'Wishing Well' as I passed by. At that point I decided that we weren't going to play the same stuff that everyone plays, or if we did, it would be in a very different style (ska-punk version of Beautiful by Christine Aguliera (sp?), breakbeat version of Seven Nation Army etc.). we did quite well out of it, even though half the set was made up of obscure album tracks rather than singles. So, I suppose I'm saying that you don't have to play 'what the people want' - if you put some thought and effort in you can give people something they never thought they'd enjoy.

Now that I've got Boris (Hungarian Poller bas) playing just how I like it, I think I'd like to replace the stiff & creaky nickel plated machines with some nice brass ones. What are the pitfalls of choosing a new set of machines? Obviously, there's no standard size for spindle holes or spacing when buying plate style machines. Anyone done this before? What should I be measuring/looking out for? Churrz. Dave

I much prefer synthetic strings to steels on my EUB, I find that the naturally brighter sound and increased sustain of EUBs are tempered by synthetic strings. I've used Velvets and Innovations and liked them both for different styles. My EUB is currently wearing Innovation Honeys, but think I preferred Super Silvers.

[quote name='N64Lover' timestamp='1436216480' post='2816159'] Thanks for the offer, Dave. I'll have a think about it and if I decide on Blues I will get in touch. My bass really is quite quiet, other people have commented on it and in an acoustic setting with a small band it is almost inaudible. [/quote] No worries mate. If your bass really is that quiet then I reckon you'll get more improvement from a set up than a new set of strings. It's possible that your sound post has slipped out of position and is choking the movement of the top of your bass.

I've used both Helicores and Velvet blues - to my ears they had the same volume on my bass. Bear in mind that when you play double bass, you're stood behind it while the sound is projected forward, so it will sound quiet to you. Tension wise, I found the velvets were easier under the left hand than the helicores. My set of velvet blues are currently surplus to requirements so pm me if you'd be interested in taking them off my hands. Dave.

[quote name='bassace' timestamp='1435488912' post='2809212'] And here's another one: there's a theory held by quite a few players that you can get an improvement to the E string sound by swapping over the A and E winders. Something to do with reducing the break angle on the E. [/quote] I'm going to try this once my new strings have settled in and I've got used to the sound. Flubby E strings on an otherwise great sounding set are a constant bugbear to me.

I'd suggest Spiro weich as well. I use Spiro E and A with Super Silvers D&G on my carved bass - similar tension but with more definition. Another option would be Helicore lights, but I've not tried them. I have a set on Helicore mediums on my EUB and they feel a bit stiffer than the Spiro weichs, but that could just be the bass.

There's a lot of discussion on this subject over on TalkBass. Some say it depends on the individual bass on whether it makes a noticeable difference, others say the weight of the tailpiece has more effect on the vibration of the afterlength.

Our singer's missus has one of the black G4M basses and they are a bit rubbish TBH. The fingerboard is poorly finished, the tuners are stiff and clunky and the whole thing creaks like a Spanish Galleon under full sail when you try to tune it up. However..... If someone wanted to try double bass without spending a lot of money to see if they liked it, then yes,I'd say buy the cheap G4M bass and put some very low tension strings on there. You could roll the edges of the fingerboard yourself to make it more comfortable to play and perhaps replace the tuners with something more substantial but that's where I'd stop as everything after that would be diminishing returns. You would also have to live with the knowledge that if you enjoyed double bass you would probably outgrow the G4M bass quite quickly and selling them on can be difficult. I'd be concerned that If the OPs daughter is at grade 4, then she may already be way ahead of what the G4M bass has to offer. Is there anyway you can try one beforehand?

Lucky bugger.

[quote name='bassace' timestamp='1434464849' post='2799856'] We all wish we could get the same tone as Danny Thompson [/quote] Put that in a pickup and I'll buy it.

[quote name='TPJ' timestamp='1434453478' post='2799657'] IME The Evah weichs were stiffer than Spiro weichs, but that was on my bass. Might be different on yours. Have you thought about trying Spiro solos or even bumping a Stark or Mittel set? [/quote] I'm Ok with the tension of the Spiro Weichs - it's the little skinny G and D that I don't like. Not so much the sound of theme but the feel under the right hand. [quote name='Rabbie' timestamp='1434454105' post='2799668'] Each to their own. I hear the audience argument, but people have ears. And the performance is a million times better when the musician enjoys it. I hated hearing my piezo sounding like an EB, hence my switch to contact mics and preamps. If the money dictated I need to take super loud gigs I'd definitely go for Blast Cult again. [/quote] Agreed - but in my case I often can't enjoy what I'm playing because I have to make compromises with onstage volume or tone in order to avoid feedback. When I have enough time in a soundcheck (preamp settings, amp settings, where I stand in relation tot he monitors, where I place my cab etc), I can get a great sound with the Bassmax and the Plat Pro, but in situations where I don't have the luxury of time, I need something that will work and give me a useable sound without lots of optimisation - hence going magnetic. Anyway, pickup is on it's way and the proof will be in the gigging..... P.S. I'd love to try a Blast Cult, but funds/time are pressing..

[quote name='randythoades' timestamp='1434360611' post='2798827'] I tried mixing piezo and Kent Armstrong magnetic pickup. A bit too much of a faff for the benefit it gave. Now just mag pickup alone. ...... No one notices and it is a rich bass sound that doesn't feed back. And with some careful EQ (reducing bass a bit and upping the high mids), I can still get close (ish) to my natural bass sound. ........... And literally plug into my regular electric bass pedal board of pedal tuner and DI box, take the feed from DI into amp for stage volume, XLR to PA for FOH and leave it at that, all set, consistent output, minimal setup time, all the levels and EQ preset on my DI box (Dr. J Sparrow). Just adjust volume on amp / PA and done. [/quote] See - that's what I'm talking about! Too many of my gigs are line check and go! so I need minimum twiddling and maximum repeatability. Authentic double bass sound comes fairly low on the list of priorities. The audience are there to have fun, not to critically evaluate my double bass sound. I'd rather not go all steels, but I've been rocking a mixed Spiro weich/Super silvers combo for a while now, so I expect I'll cope. The Prestos sound interesting - I was looking at them and then decided I'd try Evah Pirazzi weich instead. Haven't ordered them yet but as they're synthetic core/metal wound they probably won't work with a mag picukp. Anywone succesfully used Evahs with a magnetic pickup?

[quote name='Rabbie' timestamp='1434298143' post='2798426'] Ehrlund---> Ehrlund pre----> AI amp-----> front of house. So far, thanks to the tone shaping of the AI and the phase switch of the Ehrlund preamp, I have been able to play anything from pubs to jazz venues to open air festivals. A couple major festivals this summer will be the ultimate tests, fingers crossed. Mag no good for me due to guts. Good luck to you though and please keep us posted on the results. [/quote] Most of the time my Bassmax to Plat pro does the job, its the gigs without a proper soundcheck that are driving the change, I need something that will work with minimum faffage. The need for steel strings is a pain, I'm going to miss my Innovations.

[quote name='henrywillard' timestamp='1434275660' post='2798160'] Have you tried a Wilson K4? They aren't the cheapest, and it does mean drilling little holes into your bridge, but it's honestly the best move I ever made. Zero feedback even at huge volumes with a big band and loud drums etc, and I don't get that horrible 'electric' sound. My bass still sounds like my bass. (to some degree. Not that perfect acoustic tone, obviously, but close!) I've read some people not getting on with them, but I'd recommend them to anyone. [/quote] Just checked out the Wilson and....EEK! That's only slightly less than my bass is worth.

[quote name='Beedster' timestamp='1434268333' post='2798087'] the majority of audiences won't hear any difference between piezo and mag. With DB, there's far more to what an audience hears than the quality of the tone anyway, a lot of it is what is played and how it is played as opposed to how it actually sounds. [/quote] My thoughts exactly. The audience won't notice, the band probably won't notice and, as my preferred stage sound is pretty electric anyway, I might not even notice. 50% of the time I can get a great sound with my Bassmax and Plat Pro combination - nice full tone with enough bottom to fill out the sound and loud enough for me and the drummer. Those tend to be the gigs where we're using our own PA in a small venue. Then there the gigs where I can get loud enough, but only by cutting the bass and low mids, which makes our onstage sound a bit feeble. Finally there are the gigs - usually festivals - where we have a 15 min turnaround, minimal line check and off we go. In those gigs I can spend most of the set fighting the onstage sound rather than playing the songs. I've got a lot of festival gigs coming up, so I think it's time to go with the consistent reliable option. [quote name='dudi8' timestamp='1434270229' post='2798102'] just tell the audience and the drummer to be quiet!!! [/quote] The drummer is actually very considerate, the audience on the other hand are scrumpy swilling inbreds ( and I say that because I love them). If they were quiet there would be no point in doing the gig.... [quote name='henrywillard' timestamp='1434275660' post='2798160'] Have you tried a Wilson K4? They aren't the cheapest, and it does mean drilling little holes into your bridge, but it's honestly the best move I ever made. Zero feedback even at huge volumes with a big band and loud drums etc, and I don't get that horrible 'electric' sound. My bass still sounds like my bass. (to some degree. Not that perfect acoustic tone, obviously, but close!) I've read some people not getting on with them, but I'd recommend them to anyone. [/quote] To be honest, I'm not really too bothered about the 'my bass only louder' thing. My band can be pretty raucous so my preferred sound (that is, the sound that works best in the band mix) is pretty electric anyway. I've been in denial about it for the last year or so, but now I've admitted it and decided to go magnetic, I'm much happier about it. [quote name='JoeEvans' timestamp='1434275929' post='2798169'] Maybe use both - the piezo for very small gigs, then for louder gigs add the magnetic for volume and feedback-free on-stage sound, with a bit of the more natural acoustic tone of the piezo dialled in to the mix out front? [/quote] I'll certainly keep the Bassmax installed for those gigs where I'll know it'll work but I'm not sure I can be arsed to try mixing Mag and peizo. The whole point of buying the Krivo was to have a 'plug in and play' approach to festys and big stage gigs - less knob twiddling rather than more is the aim. I can plug the Krivo into whatever amp is provided without a preamp and just use the amp to set a sound I like and cane hear without having to worry about feedback. Hell, I can even get as much guitar in my monitor as I want. I could even have bass in my monitor if I want. I could even go straight into the PA and ust use the monitors without backline if I want. I'm getting all giddy just thinking about it. [quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1434279153' post='2798207'] Do you play with the bow at all? I had a Kent Armstrong magnetic for a while, and it could sound good played pizz, but with the bow the response was really uneven and barely usable. If it wasn't for that, I'd have kept it for use in louder settings. [/quote] Nope - I save that sort of thing for the privacy of my own home.