Beedster Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 [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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2wheeler Posted June 21, 2011 Share Posted June 21, 2011 [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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
27 frets Posted June 21, 2011 Share Posted June 21, 2011 [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? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BASainty Posted June 21, 2011 Author Share Posted June 21, 2011 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BASainty Posted June 21, 2011 Author Share Posted June 21, 2011 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! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassace Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 (edited) [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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BASainty Posted June 22, 2011 Author Share Posted June 22, 2011 [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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BASainty Posted June 22, 2011 Author Share Posted June 22, 2011 [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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdstrings Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonny-lad Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 [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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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