Try before I buy ?

[dove]

Looking to buy my first Double bass.Spent many hours on net but have not been able to find anywhere
in the south of england where I can go and try a couple out.I've been gigging with a country/blues band for
a while using borrowed basses.One a cheap solid top (gear4music)and one and old laminated instrument.
Have also tried 2 or three other instruments.I am using an SR technology BB300 amp which works well,
with and transducer and mic combination.
My quandry is solid top or laminated bearing in mind it will be amped and a budget instrument (sub £1000).
As I said I would really like to try a couple of basses.My online options seem to be gear4music,Thoman,DJM music.



any advice appreciated

[Bilbo]

Just ot add to the confusion, try Gedo Musik in Germany. Similar stuff to the dalers you have already mentioned. I started a thread here:

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=93958&st=0&start=0"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=...t=0&start=0[/url]

[Beedster]

I'm about to sell this

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=92709&hl="]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=92709&hl=[/url]

It's a bloody lovely bass but there's only so many DBs you can have around the place and, although it's not as good an instrument, I simply prefer my old crusty German DB for gigging (apart from anything else, the B&H is in immaculate condition which makes me worried I'm going to ding it everytime I take it out). I'm not sure where you are in the south, but you'd be welcome to drop by, and A-B it against both my German and your present instrument?

Cheers

Chris

[dove]

[quote name='Beedster' post='1266998' date='Jun 13 2011, 09:44 AM']I'm about to sell this

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=92709&hl="]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=92709&hl=[/url]

It's a bloody lovely bass but there's only so many DBs you can have around the place and, although it's not as good an instrument, I simply prefer my old crusty German DB for gigging (apart from anything else, the B&H is in immaculate condition which makes me worried I'm going to ding it everytime I take it out). I'm not sure where you are in the south, but you'd be welcome to drop by, and A-B it against both my German and your present instrument?

Cheers

Chris[/quote]

[dove]

Hi Chris

Is this bass still for sale,and where are you located?

thanks

[dove]

[quote name='Bilbo' post='1266972' date='Jun 13 2011, 09:32 AM']Just ot add to the confusion, try Gedo Musik in Germany. Similar stuff to the dalers you have already mentioned. I started a thread here:

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=93958&st=0&start=0"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=...t=0&start=0[/url][/quote]


Thanks Bilbo,I have come across Gedo but can only get a german version of the site and I emailed them a few days ago with no response??

[Beedster]

[quote name='dove' post='1267627' date='Jun 13 2011, 06:09 PM']Hi Chris

Is this bass still for sale,and where are you located?

thanks[/quote]

Yes it is mate, I'm in Canterbury

Chris

[dove]

[quote name='Beedster' post='1267638' date='Jun 13 2011, 06:15 PM']Yes it is mate, I'm in Canterbury

Chris[/quote]



PM sent

[Bilbo]

[quote name='dove' post='1267633' date='Jun 13 2011, 06:11 PM']Thanks Bilbo,I have come across Gedo but can only get a german version of the site and I emailed them a few days ago with no response??[/quote]

They have an ebay shop or you can translate their German pages on babel fish

[ZMech]

[quote name='Bilbo' post='1268876' date='Jun 14 2011, 05:01 PM']They have an ebay shop or you can translate their German pages on babel fish [/quote]
Babel fish? how last century If you use google chrome, it'll translate the whole website fairly reliably with a click of a button, just install this extension: [url="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/aapbdbdomjkkjkaonfhkkikfgjllcleb"]https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/a...fhkkikfgjllcleb[/url]

[dove]

[quote name='Bilbo' post='1268876' date='Jun 14 2011, 05:01 PM']They have an ebay shop or you can translate their German pages on babel fish [/quote]


Thanks Bilbo,found them on Ebay (should've thought of that)! Could I ask you how you dealt with their set up.
Not sure what I would ask for.I'm playing Americana Country/Blues using a SR technology BB300 amp and a
transducer/mic combination.All pizz ,no arco or slap really.The amped sound is most important to me and
what experience I have tells me I need a bright sound with a fair bit of middle from the bridge and warmth
and presence from the mic.A low action would be nice.Strings seems to be a minefield.I've tried innovation
honeys which sounded great until I gigged them (mud city) and then d'addario pizz whichwere also a bit confusing.
Low E and A reallly bright but D and G reaaly dull? Also tried a set off ebay at £28 which were a mixed set of
fencing wire I think!

[Guest subaudio]

[quote name='dove' post='1266967' date='Jun 13 2011, 09:29 AM']Looking to buy my first Double bass.Spent many hours on net but have not been able to find anywhere
in the south of england where I can go and try a couple out.I've been gigging with a country/blues band for
a while using borrowed basses.One a cheap solid top (gear4music)and one and old laminated instrument.
Have also tried 2 or three other instruments.I am using an SR technology BB300 amp which works well,
with and transducer and mic combination.
My quandry is solid top or laminated bearing in mind it will be amped and a budget instrument (sub £1000).
As I said I would really like to try a couple of basses.My online options seem to be gear4music,Thoman,DJM music.



any advice appreciated[/quote]

Hiya mate

I'm in central London (Stoke Newington) and could be persuaded to sell my fully carved bass for around £1000, but your welcome to try it anyway just for comparisons sake.

Marti

[fatback]

I'm not saying don't buy new, but it seems to me there's an awful lot to be said for buying second hand from a player. I only got to try one bass before I bought, but I trusted the seller as a reputable player and it worked out fine.

Second hand, you should arguably get a better bass for your money and get the benefit of more stable aged woods.

You'll end up spending £200-400 on setup and strings anyhow and maybe you might go for an adjustable bridge if the bass doesn't have one already. If it has, that's a bonus.

As for strings, I've been using Spirocore Weichs for the same type of music as you, and the sound is excellent. At some point I'll probably try slobluesline's suggestion of a while back and bump them down, but for the moment they're fine.