Guest subaudio Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 I bought an NSCR5 about two years ago now and absolutley love it, moving from electric bass to electric upright meant I needed to learn some new techniques so I found a double bass teacher. As soon as I got my hands on a double bass there was no turning back, I knew I had found the instrument for me, I have been playing double bass for about six months now and as I slowly make progress on it I found myself playing the NS less as it felt quite different to upright (the sound was always awesome though), but last night I raised the action quite a lot and it feels great ! I can really dig in and get a great double bass sound and feel, I was considering buying something else so I had consitency between EUB and double bass, but with a few turns of an alan key I have saved myself a small fortune Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest subaudio Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 I really need to learn how to spell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBeatNut Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 Hah ... I just passed on a reasonably priced CR4M (didn't sound uprighty enough for me) and bought [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150119117990"]THIS[/url] instead as my way into the upright world. Looks like I might have done the wrong thing ... ... or not ... I guess I can always get my EUB later. Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest subaudio Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 (edited) Cool, if you havent played DB before I would highly recomend getting a teacher, its a different animal to electric bass altogether, and it will save a lot of time too, enjoy your new bass My first DB had a fingerboard the same as yours, if you sand it down to key the surface (light grade paper) and use ebony wood stain it will come up really nicely, dont take the strings off though. Edited May 18, 2007 by subaudio Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBod Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 Hi Subaudio, I've had the same experience - my Clifton EUB was built with an adjustable bridge, and it was always set a lot higher than I expected. When I'd got used to it (36" scale, not 42") Mo made a fixed bridge, and I asked him to add a couple of mm's of extra height. It looks scary, but with the Innovation strings it sounds really good. Its also not hard to play, as long as you don't have two weeks off and then expect it to be easy....like I sometimes do. The main reason I never liked the NS bass was the ones I tried felt like bass guitars sitting on a drum stand- I guess this was just the setup? BB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBeatNut Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 [quote name='subaudio' post='1203' date='May 18 2007, 09:31 AM']My first DB had a fingerboard the same as yours, if you sand it down to key the surface (light grade paper) and use ebony wood stain it will come up really nicely, dont take the strings off though.[/quote] Why not take the strings off ? Because the soundpost might move ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBeatNut Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 [quote name='subaudio' post='1203' date='May 18 2007, 09:31 AM']Cool, if you havent played DB before I would highly recomend getting a teacher, its a different animal to electric bass altogether, and it will save a lot of time too, enjoy your new bass [/quote] I plan on getting the ray brown book (looks like a bargain) and the "evolving bassist" one too, perhaps the DVD in that case. If I have problems figuring it out (a distinct possibilty) I'll find a teacher. I'm well aware you can do yourself damage with incorrect technique, so I'll be taking it easy ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest subaudio Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 It's more to do with the bass bar as I recall, you need special tools to put it back in place again and the top can be damaged if the bridge is put under tension without it being in place properley, I am in no way an expert in any way on these things but I would hate you to damage your bass at my sugestion, the bridge should also line up with the internal nicks in the F soundholes. the double bass section in talkbass has a lot of good info on these things, might be worth a look, there were also some very good posts on the old BW, might still be there on basstalk? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest subaudio Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 [quote name='BassBod' post='1337' date='May 18 2007, 12:22 PM']Hi Subaudio, I've had the same experience - my Clifton EUB was built with an adjustable bridge, and it was always set a lot higher than I expected. When I'd got used to it (36" scale, not 42") Mo made a fixed bridge, and I asked him to add a couple of mm's of extra height. It looks scary, but with the Innovation strings it sounds really good. Its also not hard to play, as long as you don't have two weeks off and then expect it to be easy....like I sometimes do. The main reason I never liked the NS bass was the ones I tried felt like bass guitars sitting on a drum stand- I guess this was just the setup? BB[/quote] Hi Bassbod Those Clifton's are great instruments, when I was shopping for an EUB I would have got one, I was really lusting after the long scale version that the guy from Lamb uses but the NS came up at a bargain price, the NS pre string adjustment to me was a hybrid between a fretless bass and an EUB, which suited me down to the ground as a fretless player wanting to move into DB, all was well until recently when after practicing DB exclusivley I found the NS felt too different as the action felt more comparable to an electric bass, I have always loved the sound of the NS and the portability too, but it didnt feel the same, now all is well The NS has quite a strong visual about it too and not everyone likes it, and that's cool, but it always atracts attention and comments after gigs, which to me is a good thing, most people think it's a cello of some kind though ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 [quote name='subaudio' post='1414' date='May 18 2007, 02:01 PM']The NS has quite a strong visual about it too and not everyone likes it, and that's cool, but it always atracts attention and comments after gigs, which to me is a good thing, most people think it's a cello of some kind though ?[/quote] To the general public, anything to do with Double Bass is a 'cello of some kind! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest subaudio Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 (edited) [quote name='owen' post='1444' date='May 18 2007, 02:45 PM']To the general public, anything to do with Double Bass is a 'cello of some kind![/quote] Hi Owen, all too true. at least they dont think it's a guitar of some kind though Edited May 18, 2007 by subaudio Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBeatNut Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 [quote name='owen' post='1444' date='May 18 2007, 02:45 PM']To the general public, anything to do with Double Bass is a 'cello of some kind![/quote] Surely not ... a real double bass is nowhere near in size to a cello ... appreciate some people might get confused over EUBs ... but double basses ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
velvetkevorkian Posted May 19, 2007 Share Posted May 19, 2007 [quote name='subaudio' post='1553' date='May 18 2007, 04:28 PM']Hi Owen, all too true. at least they dont think it's a guitar of some kind though [/quote] Most common remark I get when I'm out and about with my DB is "That's a big guitar". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakenewmanbass Posted September 24, 2007 Share Posted September 24, 2007 Not forgetting the tireless gem that on all 27,000 occasions i've been asked it still has my sides splitting: How do you get that under your chin? or the fantastically imaginative: 'I bet you wish you played the piccolo' one from the ladies 'you've got a big one' i usually reply 'you should see my c**k' tell me, do i sound jaundiced? Jake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakenewmanbass Posted September 24, 2007 Share Posted September 24, 2007 [quote name='BigBeatNut' post='1397' date='May 18 2007, 01:36 PM']I plan on getting the ray brown book (looks like a bargain) and the "evolving bassist" one too, perhaps the DVD in that case. If I have problems figuring it out (a distinct possibilty) I'll find a teacher. I'm well aware you can do yourself damage with incorrect technique, so I'll be taking it easy ...[/quote] Both those books are absolute gems on walking bass. I would very strongly recommend a decent classically orientated study book and an experienced pro for a teacher to go with them. Jake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Viajero Posted November 9, 2007 Share Posted November 9, 2007 [quote name='jakesbass' post='64973' date='Sep 24 2007, 08:37 PM']tell me, do i sound jaundiced?[/quote] Jaded, surely? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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