Death of my DB

[Beedster]

[quote name='bassace' post='1276004' date='Jun 20 2011, 03:57 PM']It's happened to me twice. First was during the gig when it was quite spectacular. It was so long ago that I don't remember who repaired it - it might even have been me. Second was when I was tuning up and the more I turned up the lower the note became. It was on my Meinel which was a quality bass but on which they'd put cheap single core tail wire with the strength of a welding rod- yes, that soft. Peter Tyler put a good length of twisted cable (yacht rigging?) while I waited and no more probs.

So, in common with what the others have said, breaking a tail wire is not a big deal in the whole scheme of things. I'd forget gear4 and spend out on a local luthier and maybe he'll do it while you wait. You can see what he does and in so doing you'll learn a lot more, such as how the strings are removed and reset, ditto the bridge.

BTW, during the second interval of a gig last Friday I heard a crash followed by a bass noise and a crack. My bass had been resting on its side and a the sax player tripped over the neck toppling the front over onto the corner of my cab. Result a 5" long crack in the front. George Martin said no probs at all and my MU insurance will cover it. They even offered me a loan instrument. Great.[/quote]

We did a gig recently and about 5 seconds after I'd said to the soundguy "I'm going to leave my double bass on it's side against the back wall of the stage" there was the unmistakable sound of a soundguy crashing into a double bass that had been left on its side against the back wall of the stage. However, he came off worse. Double Bass 1: Soundguy 0

[2wheeler]

[quote name='4StringFortress' post='1274200' date='Jun 18 2011, 10:20 PM']Gear 4 Music thats who I bought it from.[/quote]

Ahhh. My double bass teacher said I could try one of their basses but that I should get the tail piece re-secured immediately because they all fail. This is a known problem, to some extent.

[27 frets]

[quote name='2wheeler' post='1276628' date='Jun 21 2011, 07:56 AM']Ahhh. My double bass teacher said I could try one of their basses but that I should get the tail piece re-secured immediately because they all fail. This is a known problem, to some extent.[/quote]
I think that may be true - I've seen several basses being auctioned on eBay by G4M with broken tailwires.
Why they don't fix them themselves is a bit of a mystery - don't they have the expertise in house?

[BASainty]

Yeh luckly i was able to get in touch with a friend who knows alot about DB's and she said she will sort it out for me.
I dont trust G4M when it comes to their strings instruments from now on ill seek out a Luthier.

[BASainty]

Update:
I spoke to G4M Monday and played the "i was almost hit by a flying bridge" card to which they said they are very sorry and they will send out a new tail piece wire and new set of strings.
Today (being Tuesday) both items arrived so i was impressed by their speedy service. They have given me a Wittner tail piece wire and some of their own make of strings (i have had problems with these in the past where the G string snaps when you try to tune it) so i will give them a chance but if they break again i will be back on to them and i will get a good quality set of strings.

On top of everything have a friend who happens to be a very experienced DB player and she said she will help me sort it out and set it up for me.

So at the moment everything is looking up!

[bassace]

[quote name='4StringFortress' post='1277862' date='Jun 21 2011, 10:43 PM']Update:


On top of everything have a friend who happens to be a very experienced DB player and she said she will help me sort it out and set it up for me.[/quote]

Has Jennifer migrated to Wales then?

Edited June 22, 2011 by bassace

[BASainty]

[quote name='bassace' post='1278121' date='Jun 22 2011, 08:36 AM']Has Jenifer migrated to Wales then?[/quote]

Lol the person I know is called Mel and she used to be the head bass for the royal Welsh orchestra along with other orchestras.
Always good knowing someone like that

[BASainty]

[quote name='bassace' post='1278121' date='Jun 22 2011, 08:36 AM']Has Jenifer migrated to Wales then?[/quote]

Lol the person I know is called Mel and she used to be the head bass for the royal Welsh orchestra along with other orchestras.
Always good knowing someone like that

[jdstrings]

If I can see correctly this is a steel wire (with a plastic covering) which has threaded brass ends crimped onto the wire. The wire itself is very unlikely to fail, however the crimped joint seems to be a weak spot and I've seen a few of these that have failed there.
The best type must be the multistrand steel cable with a nicopress-type joint.
I guess that if you're selling a bass for £445 then any opportunity to save money in production/set up has to be taken; even if it only saves a few pence then that soon adds up.

[jonny-lad]

The same thing happened to my bass. The soundpost hadn't moved so I replaced the tailpiece wire with one of these; [url="http://www.contrabass.co.uk/bass_sure_lock.htm"]http://www.contrabass.co.uk/bass_sure_lock.htm[/url] Cheap and reliable and no problems since.

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

[quote name='jonny-lad' post='1285151' date='Jun 28 2011, 12:08 PM'][url="http://www.contrabass.co.uk/bass_sure_lock.htm"]http://www.contrabass.co.uk/bass_sure_lock.htm[/url][/quote]
Eighteen squid for a bit of stranded wire and a crimpy thing - that's money for steel rope