TheRev

One of [url="http://www.gelbass.com/bass/bass4FN.html"]these[/url]. I've not even so much as seen one in the flesh but they've got such a good reputation that I don't think I'll be disappointed. Only one more sleep......

My new EUB is being delivered on Wendesday and I feel like a little kid waiting for Christmas day.... Only two more sleeps!

I've just ordered an Eminence - I'll let you know what it's like when it arrives next week.....

HI Steve. We all set for the 30th?

I have the Thomastik nylon ocre strings on my acoustic and although they sound much more mellow than steel core strings, they certainly don't sound like a double bass. I'd go for either the Thomastik flatwounds or the Rotosound black nylon wrapped jobbies - the latter in particular will give you loads of doghouse style thump.

Try giving it a thump somewhere around the rear left corner. Mine has a dry joint or a dodgy connection somewhere betwen the power amp and the speaker out sockets, a bit of a twatting gets it going but you'll need to take it to a proper amp tech for a long term solution.

[quote name='51m0n' post='477011' date='May 1 2009, 01:50 PM']Crikey if that works for arco that might be the answer... Of course all you bods in the now are going to tell me I'm off my loaf at this point aren't you [/quote] Have a butchers at the [url="http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=303366"]Palatino modification thread [/url]over on Talkbass: By all accounts the stock Pally is a bit rubbish, but with a bit of bicycle inner tube and a decent preamp it can be made to sound half decent.

Have you tried using a mute? Or, there's the Eminence EUB - the most DB -like EUB you'll get. The mute's cheaper though....

For Bristol, your best bets are the Fleece and Firkin, The Thekla, The Louisanna and The Croft - all have myspace pages and the Fleece has a website. You could also have a look at bristolrocks.co.uk for gigshares and other venues.

The GK MB150 is the standard DB combo plus it's stupidly light. However, as others have pointed out it's only really got one sound but if you like that one sound then it's not really a problem. Plus, they're not cheap. I'd recommend a lightweight head + 12" Neo cab setup (e.g. Markbass/Genz Benz/Ashdown Green giant + Genz Benz neox 112/Aguilar GS 112) If small, light and reasonably cheap are what you're looking for then I wonder if one of these: [url="http://line6.com/lowdownstudio110/"]http://line6.com/lowdownstudio110/[/url] might fit the bill?

I don't think it's a Bass Collection - they don't have position markers on the fretboard. I reckon it's a Tune of some sort.

Somewhere on the interweb I came across a retailer selling recommended mixed sets - something like E & A Spirocores with obligatos for the D & G. I'll dig around in my history and see if I can find a link. [i]Edit[/i] Found it: [url="http://www.uptonbass.com/double-bass-upright-bass-blended-string-set/"]http://www.uptonbass.com/double-bass-uprig...ded-string-set/[/url] They're in the US but even if you don't buy from them, their combined sets idea seems pretty well informed. Dave

Form the chatter on Talkbass it seems that the Azola is vastly superior to the Eminence - your only problems are the £2K+ price tag and shipping it over here fron the USA. I've been drooling over the Azola Acoustic BugBass for a year or so but I'll never be able to afford one so I'll probably go with an Eminence when the time comes to trade up.

In addition to the god-like Danny Thompson, you should check out Ali Friend for a more modern take on folk double bass. You'll find him on Beth Orton's Trailer Park and Central Reservation albums and also with a band called Clayhill. Otherwise, the 'less notes, more space' approach has always worked for me - folkies love that sort of thing.

I've been using the D'addario Helicore hybrids on my Aria EUB and I'm quite happy with them though next time I might go for the orchestral srtings for a bit less sustain. Anyway, they're about £90 a set and will definitley be a step in the right direction.

How much do you want to spend? If you're looking to dabble, then the Stagg is a good choice as it's not a huge outlay but as others have pointed out, it'll probably sound a lot like your fretless. There's also the Palatino/Harley Benton EUB from Thomann which look nice but apparently need a lot of work to get them sounding good (see the Palatino megathread on Talkbass) Spend a bit more and you can have a NS Wav or an Aria, which sound pretty good with a decent set of strings or you could look st the Bassix New Tech bass which looks well cool and has got good reviews. Spend £1500 and you're in Yamaha SLB200 or Eminence territory - both sound great with the Eminence having the edge in sounding like a proper DB but the Yamaha being a bit more playable (IMO). If you have the money, then the Yam or the Eminence are the ones to go for but it's also worth checking ot the Bassix bass if you're anywhere near Kent.

[quote name='Russ' post='434611' date='Mar 14 2009, 02:19 PM']What would someone have to do to "downgrade" their Stingray, to reproduce that 70's, pre-EB tone?[/quote] Bung in one of those lovely Nordstrand pickups.....

I bought a Sterling 10 years ago and I still love the thing to bits but I can see where the OP is coming from. I've found that if I set the EQ to get a good sound from the bass on its own, it all disappears when the band kicks in. However, If I tweak the sound while the band is playing then I can easily get a really nice bassy, growly that cuts through - but it'll sound horrible on it's own! I also use the bass' bass EQ full up with a touch of mid cut and a touch of treble boost to give the sound some fatness and i always, always use nickel strings - it sounds bloody awful with stainless steel strings. Dave

[quote name='bassace' post='424926' date='Mar 4 2009, 11:49 AM']From the few clips that I've seen here his playing is sparing but every note counts.[/quote] Couldn't agree more! If I hadn't got into Danny's 'less is more' style I'd never have started playing double bass. Walking modal bass lines? Too many notes man.... Having said that, there's a couple of tracks on his Myspace page that are your more regular jazz style bass playing.

[quote name='hubrad' post='425152' date='Mar 4 2009, 03:10 PM']I had an informal lesson with DT a couple of years ago, and got a go on Victoria!!!!!![/quote] I hate you.

I make no aplogies for posting [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohmSPv-rtSQ"]this[/url] for the umpteenth time.... This is the track that turned me on to Danny Thompson and got me playing double bass. Beautiful phrasing and expression and a truly tasteful solo. Lovely. Check out Danny's bass face at 4:13......

Ooh, the EUB looks very tasty.....

There's some lovely, understated playing by Danny on Talk Talk's 'Spirit of Eden'. He was pretty much the session DB player of choice for serious pop/rock bands during the 80s (Talk Talk, Everything but the girl, Kate Bush etc. etc. ) so almost any track with double bass by a major artist at that time probably had Danny Thompson playing. Full discography [url="http://www.therealdannythompson.co.uk/Discography.html"]here.[/url] I was lucky enough to meet Danny and have a wee chat with him at last years' Green Man festival - he was really friendly and open, despite the fact that I was completly awestruck and was probably gibbering like a moron.

Yeah, I saw those last week while I was drooling over a Yamaha SLB200. How did you rate the Palatino sound? There's a lot of Palatino users over on Talkbass but they seem to have to modify the arse off them before they become useable.