by 'eck it's easy buying the right bass from Thomann

[artisan]

well i've spent my lunch hour for the last 2 days phoning Germany trying to get some info on two DB's i've been fancying,not to mention 2 emails which weren't replied to.(edit: now answered)
anyroad i am a persistent blighter so persevered & eventually managed to speak to someone who had a brain.
basically my choice was between two Romanian basses,one checkerboad finish & a white one with flames,both looked cool to me.
i eventually discovered that both basses are exactly the same model,as i suspected, just with a different finish,plus £150.00 difference in the price tag & naturally being a tight arsed Yorkshire man i ordered the cheaper one -- me not daft.
so in a few days a bloody massive great box should arrive,hopefully in one piece,containing my DB, K&K bassmax & gig bag.
i didn't want a plain (not boring ) wood finish as i am obviously a bloody poser + these have a slightly smaller body so will make transport a tad easier,i just hope it sounds good & if i am impressed with it i'll order some better strings for it.
ok here's a pick,

EDIT: LOL IGNORE THE PHOTO'S I'VE CHANGED MY MIND & GONE FOR A DIFFERENT DB

Edited February 2, 2012 by artisan

[Clarky]

Wayne is going to mug you

[bassace]

I bet the conductor drops his baton.

[artisan]

cheers guys.

I'm having either a guilt attack or second thoughts,did i order the right bass ?
i know nothing about these basses & couldn't find anything about them on the net so i hope its ok.
i really liked the look of this one http://www.thomann.de/gb/thomann_hillbilly_hot_rod_bass_dbr_34.htm
but thought its probably just a cheapo Chinese bass.
have i ordered a good 'un ?
i hope so.
am i worrying for nothing
probably.
do i need reassuring ?
probably.

[KiOgon]

Do you remember Fablon?

[Bilbo]

You aren't going to get an Italian hand made bass that is painted white or covered in flames but I suspect you knew that!! It'll be fine; at these prices, the difference betwen one bass and another won't be a deal breaker. When it arrives, it is likely that the bridge will be lying flat (don't worry, its not broken) so you will have to initially set it up yourself. All you need to do is line up the bridge with the notches on the f-holes and then tighten the strings as you do on an electric (it'll take longer, tho ). A proper set up can come later but, for the first few days, just have a bit of fun and slap it about a bit.

[artisan]

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1328028431' post='1520556']
You aren't going to get an Italian hand made bass that is painted white or covered in flames but I suspect you knew that!! It'll be fine; at these prices, the difference betwen one bass and another won't be a deal breaker. When it arrives, it is likely that the bridge will be lying flat (don't worry, its not broken) so you will have to initially set it up yourself. All you need to do is line up the bridge with the notches on the f-holes and then tighten the strings as you do on an electric (it'll take longer, tho ). A proper set up can come later but, for the first few days, just have a bit of fun and slap it about a bit.
[/quote]

thanks Bilbo,thanks for the info on the bridge too as that would've got me flapping somewhat.
i half figured it'd be a playable bass but i tent to get almost panic attacks when buying blind.
i'm already slapping it about a bit thinking about my first DB.............
cheers.

Edited January 31, 2012 by artisan

[TPJ]

Great stuff bud. Enjoy. Keep the commentary and questions coming too, and of course pics

[ezbass]

[quote name='Clarky' timestamp='1328025443' post='1520490']
Wayne is going to mug you
[/quote]Ha beat me to it

[artisan]

[quote name='TPJ' timestamp='1328030003' post='1520597']
Great stuff bud. Enjoy. Keep the commentary and questions coming too, and of course pics
[/quote]

lol will do,you'll all be sick of me by the time it gets here

[essexbasscat]

[quote name='Clarky' timestamp='1328025443' post='1520490']
Wayne is going to mug you
[/quote]

Almost folded over the desk when I read this

[fatback]

I'm pretty jealous of that check too, although i rightly defer to WPD on all things OTP.

I'm pretty sure the one you got is the better one; the other is certainly Chinese. You'll have a ball. as Bilbo says, don't worry, just have fun.

I'd add though that the left hand posture is still important; you don't want an injury. But once you're aware it takes only a couple of minutes to get right.

[artisan]

[quote name='fatback' timestamp='1328040681' post='1520833']
I'm pretty jealous of that check too, although i rightly defer to WPD on all things OTP.

I'm pretty sure the one you got is the better one; the other is certainly Chinese. You'll have a ball. as Bilbo says, don't worry, just have fun.

I'd add though that the left hand posture is still important; you don't want an injury. But once you're aware it takes only a couple of minutes to get right.
[/quote]

cheers fatback

i can play my EUB fairly well considering i'v only had it a short while,will a proper DB be much different technique wise ?
all pionters greatly accepted.

[Gareth Hughes]

In case you didn't, or they didn't suggest it - you can specify what action you want for the strings. I don't like fighting a bass (it's bigger than me and I bruise like a peach) so I have the E string at 7mm and the G at 5mm from the fingerboard. It won't be too late to check this out with them - and it might take a few weeks rather than days to arrive. My bass took at least three weeks to arrive from them. Frustrating but it's down to getting the bass set-up, what's in queue before yours at their luthiers, transporting to the UK and then however long it takes the local courier to get the finger out. Don't mean to rain on your parade - just don't want you jumping out of your seat every time a van drives past.

Edited February 1, 2012 by Gareth Hughes

[rockabillybob1]

dont put them that low for a beginer u want at least 9mm across the board and lower them later if its to low for him he will need a new bridge you can always file them out and lower them and it depends on how large or small his fingers are so play it safe

[rockabillybob1]

the brown bass looks cool with the white it isnt chinese tho

[Gareth Hughes]

7-5mm isn't too low, in my opinion. Yes for slapping but I haven't read that that's what Artisan is going for. I'm suggesting 7-5mm only because I wish my first upright had action like that, or that I know it could be changed.

[TPJ]

[quote name='Gareth Hughes' timestamp='1328116908' post='1522118']
7-5mm isn't too low, in my opinion. Yes for slapping but I haven't read that that's what Artisan is going for. I'm suggesting 7-5mm only because I wish my first upright had action like that, or that I know it could be changed.
[/quote]

It can be relative to the strings you're using too. I started with Honeys and set the G about 10 and E about 13, but the strings are low tension so the height isn't as much an issue. Spiro orchs would be hell at that height.

[fatback]

My spiro weichs are about the same height Gareth mentioned. No buzzing problems at all.

I don't slap though, so I don't need to get under them. Wouldn't like to have to cope with them much higher.

[thisnameistaken]

I like the strings a little bit higher than that purely so I can get some purchase on them when I have to play acoustically (busking or the odd 'social'/casual gig/jam). I have an adjustable bridge and I've tried around 7-8mm on the G, 10-11mm on the E but it makes it difficult to really pull the higher strings when you need to.

[keving]

When I ordered my DB from thomann I didn't realise you could specify the action that specifically and to be honest as it was my first double bass I wouldn't have had a clue what to ask for. Luckily they just asked if I wanted it set up for jazz or orchestral.
When mine arrived, yes the bridge was flat but they had put some pencil markings on the bass that showed where to place it. Very helpful and luckily the sound post was still in place.
Another nice touch I thought was that they had put the bass in the gig bag I ordered and then wrapped the whole lot in the original packaging making it better protected for transport.
It took them 3-4 days for delivery in mid December 2010 though the snow we had at the time.
As you can guess, I was a very happy customer and would highly recommend using Thomann.

[nputtick]

Funny about the emails. I have emailed them 3 times recently and got helpful replies within 24 hours. Using [email="[email protected]"][email protected][/email]

[artisan]

they actually responded the my emails yesterday & were very helpful indeed,actually recommending a different bass to the one i ordered.
i intent to use it for a rockabilly band my brother wants us to form so i asked Thomman about setting my bass up,it will delay my bass by up to 2 weeks due to them being busy so i'll take it as it comes & do it my self.
the bass they recommended is a Strunal 50/4 blue burst,so i'm going to phone them at lunch time & change my order,this bass has an adjustable bridge too so setting my string height will be a doddle.

cheers for all the advice guys,it is appreciated so keep it coming.

[rockabillybob1]

all i no is i couldnt slap my double bass set at 7mm its way to low to get a pull on the string and i havnt got big hands bowing may be different ive set loads of basses up for rockabilly players and anything so low is very hard to play

[artisan]

i changed my order on thursday lunch time & discussed my setup with Thomann so they are doing it for me but said they would do it asap.