TheRev

[quote name='bottomfeed' timestamp='1341500347' post='1720110'] ... Hmmm... Well, it was a full 'Star Trek' band called 'the Crew' ..We did funky/jazzy versions of all the Trek themes plus many Sci-Fi TV & film tunes... Played a bunch of conventions (...some of the weirdest gigs I've ever done!) ... Did several TV appearances, including the Big Breakfast & MTV's Hanging Out... & it was a great gig in some ways.... but not what I was really wanting to do at the time!... [/quote] Did you ever play in Bristol? It all sounds very familiar.

current gig poster: [attachment=112144:skim sherborne 2012086.jpg] New year's eve gig poster: [attachment=112146:new year skim.jpg] 'olympic' buskathon poster: [attachment=112145:skim olympic 1111.jpg] Our drummer does all the artwork.

The tuners and the narrow neck sound a lot like my ply double bass. Unfortunately, all I know about mine is that it was made in Europe in the 50s

Oh yeah, you [b]can[/b] get left handed double basses..... for a price

Welcome!! I'm gigging in Dorset most weekends, so if you ever want a go on a gert big bass just let me know...

I had a rehearsal with ny soul/jazz band last night using my Eminence EUB strung with the Rockabillys - as Daf suspected, there isn't really enough harmonic detail in these strings to work on walking bass parts or on jazzy solos. They did work very well on the old, slower soul numbers (A change is gonna come & Lilac wine) though. Perhaps the brighter tone of the super silvers will be more suited to this bass. All in all, I really enjoyed trying out these strings and have ordered a set for my ply DB, which they were really suited to. If you're looking for old school thump for country, bluegrass or old soul, then these strings may just be for you. I believe that Sarah is next on the list, so I'll send these across the Severn on Monday. Dave

As with everything, you get what you pay for. I've seen some Staggs with awful quality control (poor finish, misaligned tuners, bridges, side dots) while others have been close in quality to the Aria SWB lite 1 on which they're based, so I guess it would be wise to buy something you can actually check, rather than just buying online. The Harley Benton bass is essentially a rebadged Palatino - again there are design niggles and cheap components, but there's a comprehensive modding thread over on Talkbass which has lots of tips on improving the sound and playability. As for the disappointed/excellent value for money question........ the answer depends on your expectations. These basses certainly aren't excellent value for money in that they don't sound as good as or are better made than EUBs costing twice or three times as much (Aria/Bespoke/NS/Bassix etc.). But they are affordable and the next price point is the £900-1000 range. They don't sound amazing, but they aren't awful. They're not unplayable but they're not amazing either. They're budget £300 basses in a market where a decent set of strings can be £250. Soundwise, they're all much the same at that price point - a decent set of (IMHO, nylon) strings and good double bass playing technique will go a long way to making any EUB sound more like a double bass. On the other hand, you can achieve much the same tone with a fretless electric bass, a set of Rotosound tru-bass strings and a slab of foam wedged under the strings near the bridge. What sound are you actually looking for? One of the cheap EUBs would sound fine in a folk or bluegrass/trad type setting where you just want a thump with a bit of tone behind it. If you're looking for a brighter,harmonically complex jazz or classical tones, then you may out grow your cheap EUB pretty quickly. At the end of the day though, if you've got a budget of £300ish, then the Stagg or the Thomann basses are the only way to go. They won't sound like a 'real' double bass but at least you'll be playing! If you[b] really[/b] get into it, then at some point, you will hanker for something that sounds and plays better - it's just human nature.

[quote name='ChrisF' timestamp='1340746451' post='1709177'] 16 inches !?!?! ooer missus cheers...Im building a cupboard just for my bass...keep it nice and safe in this mad house [/quote] You could just get one of those G4M polystyrene cases that are all over ebay.

Mine's 16 inches..... fnarr. If you're putting it on a stand, the angle will probably increase the overall space required to 20 inches.

I was having the same train of thought yesterday.... two basses + three sets of strings to swap around = achy fingers. I'm in the middle of putting together a Thomann order and thought about getting one of those plastic handle string winder jobbies. Then I recalled reading about the winder that you attach to an electric screwdriver but all I came up with was this: http://www.thomann.de/gb/hanika_motor_stringwinder.htm Which looks like it only caters for those silly little short scale six string piccolo basses, never mind full size bass guitars or proper basses. Perhaps I'll just man up, take the pain and remeber the ache every time I think about trying a different type of string.

I see. I reckon I'll stick with the rockabilliys - I'm not sure I can face another marathon string changing session...

Tell me, are rockabillys and super silvers the same strings but with different coloured wraps?

[quote name='daflewis' timestamp='1340624951' post='1707105'] Thanks very much for the great review Dave, much appreciated, - and glad they worked out after a shaky start! I'll be interested to see how they work on the eminence.... My suspicion is that they might be a bit too "simple" - but who knows... Cheers, Daf [/quote] That's how I'm guessing it'll go, but it would be silly not to give them a try.

OK - mid test report! I put the rockabillys on my 50s ply bass on Thursday to use for three gigs this weekend with the scrumpy'n'western band. They replaced a set of Velvet blues, which I love to bits, but perhaps are a bit too harmonically complex for what is effectively a country/bluegrass style band. Acoustically, the rockabillys are miles away from the Velvets. Where the Velvets have rich harmonic overtones in spades, some nice growl and a long sustain, the rockabillys are almost all fundamental and quick decay. I'd be lying if I said that my initial impresssion was favourable...the E in particular felt very loose and lacking in definition, but just because I like my Velvets, it doesn't necessarily mean that Velvets are right for me. The whole point of this trial set is to see if they work in the context of the band, not in my music room, so off to the gig I go........ Blimey. These things do exactly what it says on the tin. Amped up, the tone is defined and beefy. The strong fundamental really helps the note to sit in the mix with just enough thud and woodiness to be able to hear that it's still a double bass. The band loved being able to hear the bass really clearly and the sound of these strings fits perfectly with the music we play. A little tweak of the EQ on my Fishman Plat Pro sorted out the definition on the E string and the lack of harmonic overtones meant that I didn't have my usual battle with feedback, so I was able to concentrate more on my singing which (suprisingly) improved the soud of the band. I'll definitley be buying a set of these babies this week so I can replace the trial set when I send them on. Tomorrow I'll swap the rockabillys onto my Eminence EUB (currently wearing Kolstein Heritage) for a rehearsal on Wednesday and see how they get on with the jazz/soul band. This gig is quite demanding sonically - lots of sustained notes, lots of space and some walking bass parts, so very different for the root-fifth action of my other band where these strings really excel. I've had real problems finding a string that is responsive enough for the more delicate songs in this band (current winners - Velvet Garbos) so, If they survive the rehearsal, I'll keep them on for a gig on Friday. I'd just like to say a big thank you to Daf and Innovation for organising this string trial as I really don't think I'd ever have tried the Rockabilly strings if I'd had to buy them first. Given the cost of DB strings, this really is a fantastic opportunity to open your eyes and find the string that is right for you. Other string companies should take note..... Dave

I'd recommend giving Velvet strings a go - particularly the cheaper Velvet Blues. They're a touch brighter than Garbos (my personal favourite) or Animas, but at £130 vs £250 a set, I can live with the difference. You're welcome to come over and have a go if you like? The Blues are off my bass at the moment while I'm taking advantage of Daf Lewis' Innovation String trial, but I'll be putting them back on in a week or so.

[quote name='Clarky' timestamp='1340348468' post='1703029'] Thanks Sarah, I will try to do so. Now which pair of Mrs C's shoes shall I cut up? [/quote] Her Shoes? Are you mental? Use leather from one of her handbags, much better quality.

[quote name='ChrisF' timestamp='1340122991' post='1699490'] They said I dont need a pre-amp with that pickup......I hope they are right .....and, yeah Im gonna get something more expensive when I get some spare cash...whenever the heck that will be [/quote] If the impedance on your amp input is high enough, then no, you won't need a preamp. In all honesty, you don't 'need' a pre with any piezo pickup, it's just that a lot of them sound horrible and nasal without one. My Realist is a bit middly without a pre, my bassmax is a bit too muddy. It's all down to personal preference really. I have heard of people using stomp box tuners or other effects to help match impedance - just plug into as many different things as possible and see what happens. If you find that you do need a preamp and you're a bit handy with a soldering iron, you could build one of Francis Deck's piezo preamps. http://personalpages.tds.net/~fdeck/bass/quickand.pdf This bloke is considered a demi-god for his preamp designs over on Talkbass.

Yay! Think I'll pop them on my ply DB for this weekend (3 gigs) and then put them on my Eminence EUB for the following weekend.

I get buzzing from my endpin and from where the barrel of my Baasmax pickup clips onto the strings behind the bridge.

[quote name='ChrisF' timestamp='1340037490' post='1698065'] I was thinking of one of these.....on ebay...Item number: 200675950522 to get me started...cant afford much more at the moment as Ive blown my budget on the bass....any good do you reckon ??? [/quote] I've never heard one of those, but it will certainly get you started. In my experience with cheaper DB pickups, they sound OK but don't last last very long, especially if you're gigging a lot or moving them between basses. Once you've got a bit more money saved up, keep an eye on the for sale forums for a K&K bassmax or a Schatten RB2. Um, have you considered your preamp requirements?

[quote name='ChrisF' timestamp='1339930852' post='1696342'] cheers...looks like you n me are the only ones that think so [/quote] Au contraire..... Thomann as a company are fantastic and if I needed a new bass in a hurry, I would would buy their Thomann 22 bass without even stopping to think. My concern was with the Gear 4 Music basses that you mentioned at the beginning of the thread and with the potential issues of quality control on a new cheap double bass. Anyway, glad you've got yourself sorted. Post many, many lovely pics when your bass arrives.