kevin_lindsay Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 (edited) Well, after many years without a double bass, I bought one yesterday! Yippee. I was so excited. I took the bass in it's padded gig bag out of the house of the guy I had bought it from, leaned the instrument against my car while I got my car key out to unlock the remote central locking. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion as the bass slipped sideways and the headstock thumped into the kerb. Open gig bag to see the strings flopping around the fingerboard and the headstock broken off! Aaaaagh! Oh well. It's a clean break, and I called Jimmy Moon at Moon Guitars in Glasgow (Jimmy is a double bassist himself). I've to take the bass in to him today (Tuesday) and leave itvwith him to be repaired. I guess my wait for a double bass continues? Hahaha Edited March 10, 2011 by kevin_lindsay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorick Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 ooops.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
essexbasscat Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 Some days ..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TPJ Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 Sorry to hear of your accident. I get nervous leaning my bass in a corner, let alone on anything else. Hope it gets sorted soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hubrad Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 Ouch! I get shivery knees imagining that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRev Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 That's got to be some sort of world record! I dropped my new MM Sterling (cased) down a flight of stairs onto a concrete floor on it's first rehearsal and dented the body of my Eminence EUB on it's second gig (knocked a light fitting with the scroll), but breaking off the scroll before you even get it home? Unlucky mate.... I suppose you at least got the worst out of the way. I heard it said somewhere that double basses are just splintered wood waiting to happen. If the repair goes well, you'll never be afraid of dropping your bass again. Hope you and your new bass are soon reunited. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blademan_98 Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 You must have been well gutted hope it is ok :-) I once borrowed a guitar and dropped it as i got it out of the car. I ended up buying it because the repair costs were so high :-( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farmer61 Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 [quote name='kevin_lindsay' post='1145332' date='Mar 1 2011, 05:17 AM']Well, after many years without a double bass, I bought one yesterday! Yippee. I was so excited. I took the bass in it's padded gig bag out of the house of the guy I had bought it from, leaned the instrument against my car while I got my car key out to unlock the remote central locking. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion as the bass slipped sideways and the headstock thumped into the kerb. Open gig bag to see the strings flopping around the fingerboard and the headstock broken off! Aaaaagh! Oh well. It's a clean break, and I called Jimmy Moon at Moon Guitars in Glasgow (Jimmy is a double bassist himself). I've to take the bass in to him today (Tuesday) and leave itvwith him to be repaired. I guess my wait for a double bass continues? Hahaha[/quote] When I took my battered to be trashed DB to be repaired, the guy said that effectively all it was was wood and glue and therefore all repairs are possible. In my case he was dead right! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakenewmanbass Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 Oh man.... horse, stable door and all that... but NEVER leave a double bass standing unless it's in a corner. On it's side On it's side On it's side On it's side On it's side On it's side On it's side On it's side repeat after me On it's side Best of luck with it but, On it's side Jake (On it's side) Newman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slobluesine Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 (edited) eeeyup.... golden rule is ALWAYS lay your bass on the floor i heard of someone did just that and then reversed over it tho not funny i know.... but hope it helps and she gets better soon Edited March 1, 2011 by slobluesine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth Hughes Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 You should be fine. My bass slipped off my shoulder once I'd gotten to the top of the stairs into my old apartment. After a seven hour drive I was just too slow to catch it. Down it went head first. Neck had broken clean off. Best part was that this was a Monday evening. Called Ernie McMillan, my luthier, explained what happened and said - I've a gig on Friday I really need it for. Back into the car I went for another hours drive to him. Had it back to me on the Thursday playing better than before. I took the opportunity to have some long needed bridge work done, so it really was a far better playing instrument after the break. Keep an eye out for other cracks appearing shortly after you get it back. I got through my next gig fine with the bass. Practicing at home the next day there was an almighty ripping sound that frightened the life out of me - I can still hear it and it makes me shudder. The headstock has a hairline crack that wasn't noticeable until the tuner up strings put all that tension on it. Back to Ernie it went. Two discreetly covered bolts later and all is still well with that bass 5+ years later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakenewmanbass Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 On it's side Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakenewmanbass Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 (edited) On it's side BUT as others have said they are pretty much repairable from most injuries..... I really hope it's sorted for you. Oh and did I say... nah even I am not that annoying Edited March 1, 2011 by jakesbass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farmer61 Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 So for a DB newbie, what is the best way to store a DB? Stood up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakenewmanbass Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 [quote name='farmer61' post='1145666' date='Mar 1 2011, 01:11 PM']So for a DB newbie, what is the best way to store a DB? Stood up?[/quote] Interesting point you raise there friend.... I would say.... dun dun duuuuuunnnnn. On it's side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waynepunkdude Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 (edited) [quote name='Gareth Hughes' post='1145653' date='Mar 1 2011, 01:02 PM']You should be fine. My bass slipped off my shoulder once I'd gotten to the top of the stairs into my old apartment. After a seven hour drive I was just too slow to catch it.[/quote] I read that as you tried to drive after it down the stairs and I was thinking how big are his stairs, they can accommodate a car and they take 7 hours to drive down. Also I don't know if this has been mentioned but you should always keep a DB on it's side. Edited March 1, 2011 by waynepunkdude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin_lindsay Posted March 1, 2011 Author Share Posted March 1, 2011 Okay, ON IT'S SIDE shall be my mantra from now on. Can't believe I am having to have my DB repaired before I even get to play it after buying it! Aaaaagh!!!!! Hopefully the repair bill won't be too expensive. It should be okay as the break is pretty clean On it's side Kevin, on it 's side!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waynepunkdude Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 [quote name='kevin_lindsay' post='1145722' date='Mar 1 2011, 01:45 PM']Okay, ON IT'S SIDE shall be my mantra from now on. Can't believe I am having to have my DB repaired before I even get to play it after buying it! Aaaaagh!!!!! Hopefully the repair bill won't be too expensive. It should be okay as the break is pretty clean On it's side Kevin, on it 's side!!!![/quote] Just lucky you didn't drop it down Gareth's 500 mile long stairs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRev Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 I have a stand that came with my Eminence EUB - it goes everywhere the bass does. However, the design of the stand dictates that the bass is held upright - should I have it modified so that the bass is held on it's side? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth Hughes Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 Well, my bass was on it's side for all of the seven hour car journey but that didn't seem to help it much. Maybe all basses should be modified to be played on their sides and then we'd avoid these mishaps completely. But then you'd have to call it an On-It's-Side Bass instead of an Upright Bass..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waynepunkdude Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 [quote name='Gareth Hughes' post='1145786' date='Mar 1 2011, 02:22 PM']Well, my bass was on it's side for all of the seven hour car journey but that didn't seem to help it much. Maybe all basses should be modified to be played on their sides and then we'd avoid these mishaps completely. But then you'd have to call it an On-It's-Side Bass instead of an Upright Bass.....[/quote] 2 strap pins will sort it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassace Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 Boys, boys! How many erroneous apostrophes is that? But I get the drift; on its side. Right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth Hughes Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 [quote name='bassace' post='1145817' date='Mar 1 2011, 02:32 PM'].... on its side. Right?[/quote] On it's right side? (this could easily lead to a 'which is the best side for metal?' thread) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bankai Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 Jake, I'm not quite sure I caught how it was you wanted DBs to be kept. What was it again? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farmer61 Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 [quote name='Bankai' post='1145854' date='Mar 1 2011, 02:53 PM']Jake, I'm not quite sure I caught how it was you wanted DBs to be kept. What was it again?[/quote] Oh for Christ's sake, STOOD UP! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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