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With Thanks To Young Mr Fatgoogle...


aonindy
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After searching for a *long* time Sam put me in touch with a very
fine teacher - thought I was going to have to travel quite a distance to
get lessons with him but turns out he has classes in my town every Monday.

One lesson and 30 minutes practise later ... (the tip/side of) MY FINGER HURTS :) ...

Strangly, whereas when I toddle on my electric, the dogs only allow me to
play about 15/20 minutes before giving out and barking and such, they stayed fast
asleep while I grinned from ear to ear with the new toy! (Teacher loaner)

So - thanking Mr FatGoogle! :)

[attachment=69175:DB_AndSpike.jpg]

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  • 3 weeks later...

I wonder can I blame young Sam Fatgoogle for my extravagance today....

I visited Tom Barretts Bass Shop in Galway (out west in Ireland) - what a lovely man and
what a fantastic array of instruments. The chap is obviously a well known luthier, and had
an array of instruments in various states of undress for repair, setup and general TLC from
everyone from Jazz players (some local names I heard of) and the National Concert Orchestra etc.

His range goes from a very nice all laminate Shen (SB80 I think, at €1200) right the way up to the most
magnificent piece of art I have ever seen in craftsmanship (circa €18k). At this stage *I know nothing and admit it*,
I was a bit confused by the laminate/carver/hybrid debate, so kindly asked Tom to have a Pizz (ahem)
and an Arco spin on one of each, playing the same thing over and over.... to my very untrained ear, there was
a definate and wide differance between the Laminate and the fully Carved, and a less distinct but noticable
differance between the Carved and Hybrid.

In the past I have paid low for things and always regretted it, and not gone for something I liked in
preference for something I could afford *then and there* (with no financial pain), so this time, after
hearing the difference, I decided to go completely nutty and have laid down a deposit on almost twice
my budget.... but boy, is it sweet! ... a Christopher 3/4 fully carved flatback. I have been happily
thumping away on my teachers student instrument the past while, quickly building up "fat fingers"...
I played the few miserable scales I now know on the Chris and ..... wow ... it just fell into place.
Action ... sublime, neck, like silk, flat-back - crooked in nicely against my knee in a way the round-back
didn’t seem to..

One of the interesting things is the chaps trade-in policy.... bring a bass back you bought from him
and providing its pretty much in the same condition you got it from him (ie: you take good care of it)
he will give you the full price you paid for it against an upgrade.... can't ask fairer than that!

If you happen to be out west of Ireland, worth an advance call to check hes there!

[url="http://www.doublebassireland.com/Home.html"]http://www.doublebassireland.com/Home.html[/url]

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Hi Frank - hes holding it until the end of March as I am going to be
away and in theory wont ahve the time to travel to get it (3+ hrs drive),
but I am going to make a few phone calls tomorrow to see if I can hack
the cash a bit sooner than my budget allows which would enable me to pick
it up far sooner before I travel - I shall keep you yawningly updated :)

now.... back to the scale of G-major....

Edited by aonindy
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Tom does great work for sure. I played a £300 Thomann bass that he set up. Put my £3500 bass from Ken Smith to shame. I recorded an album with it and wished I could have held onto it myself. Great having him within a few hours drive. And sure any excuse to go to Galway is a good one :)

Oh - and good luck with the new bass. I can just imagine the GAS brewing.

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[quote name='Gareth Hughes' post='1116079' date='Feb 5 2011, 12:36 AM']I can just imagine the GAS brewing.[/quote]


tell me about it Gareth! ... the EBs have hung on the wall since "SHE" came into the house....
the dogs now sleep during practise (half) hour...

As I was there, surrounded by all that big bottom end lovliness, I was really torn between
sensible (lets not go over bidget now, no more than €1500...) to ... yea right, you KNOW what
happens when your Captain sensible hat is on ... do the right thing ...

So I did :)

and frankly, the "bring it back for full price or as near to..." (upgrade) deal swung it for me..

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