String poll - what would you like to see in a rehearsal/recording studio complex?

[Merton]

Long story short, some friends own and run a brand new rehearsal/recording studio  complex in Surrey. They’re soon opening phase two which includes a big live room for touring bands to do tour rehearsals and also a shop with a solid selection of strings etc.

So if you were after strings and they had a decent stock, what would you expect to see?

I appreciate the poll may be a bit restrictive so fire away with your thoughts below as well

[sammybee]

You'd never be able to stock the variety that would appeal to a large number of players & make any money.

[Merton]

No probably not, but I thought I’d help and see if there was a general vibe. If there isn’t then so be it!

[Merton]

For example, keep it simpler and just get a selection of rounds and flats from (for example) La Bella and be done with it .

[Reggaebass]

I’d say you can’t go wrong with La Bella,     myself and  quite a few people I play with use them , also D’Aaddario tapewounds are fairy popular 🙂

[dannybuoy]

A P with flats and a J with rounds is a good starting point.

[Little Dragon]

I think a lot of the 'others' may be D'addarios.

[Merton]

2 minutes ago, Little Dragon said:

I think a lot of the 'others' may be D'addarios.

Forgot about them 🤣

[sammybee]

Also, I think if I'd paid out for a recording session, broke a string and was so disorganised I wasn't carrying a spare set of my usuals... id be grateful for whatever I could grab!

[Merton]

1 minute ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said:

What I would really like to see in a rehearsal/recording studio complex?

More than one teaspoon.

A toilet cystern with a flush mechanism that actually functions in some way.

Doorways wide enough to carry a bass cab into the rehearsal space without having to do the Ickey Shuffle.

A sofa that doesn't swallow you entirely when you sit down on it.

A stage floor that doesn't feel like it's going to cave in.

You need to come to this one then. It’s run by a bunch of musicians who know what we all would like in a studio, and my best mate is kinda iOS manager and keeps a very tight ship with respect to cleanliness and tidiness!

[DoubleOhStephan]

25 minutes ago, dannybuoy said:

A P with flats and a J with rounds is a good starting point.

^this^

Not sure if I've ever broken a string, but I've had a bass develop a fatal fault on a big day for our singer so was grateful for a loan of the studios Vintage (brand) jazz. Think it cost them £80!

[Dood]

@D'Addario UK strings FTW ❤️ 

[Merton]

18 minutes ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said:

Bit of a trek from where I am though.

Make a week of it 🤣

[Maude]

If it's to get folks out of a spot then strike up a deal with D'Addario, stock a selection of round, flat, half round and tape in their most popular gauges on sale or return and be done with it. 

Unless you plan on running it as a profit making shop, then stock as many different brands in as many different styles and gauges as possible to cater for the vast preferences of bassists and sell virtually none because they can get their favourites cheaper on the internet, then sell all the stock off cheap because there's just too much money tied up in it for the tiny return and be done with it. 

Edited April 26, 2019 by Maude

[CameronJ]

12 hours ago, Maude said:

If it's to get folks out of a spot then strike up a deal with D'Addario, stock a selection of round, flat, half round and tape in their most popular gauges on sale or return and be done with it. 

This pretty much hits the nail on the head. It’ll likely only be used by players in a tight spot and in need of an urgent string change. Can’t go far wrong with D’addario.

[Lozz196]

14 hours ago, StevieE said:

 

Not sure if I've ever broken a string, but I've had a bass develop a fatal fault on a big day for our singer so was grateful for a loan of the studios Vintage (brand) jazz. Think it cost them £80!

That’s a good call, a couple of Vintage Jazzes and Precisions (plus Les Paul’s & Teles for our 6 string brethren) wouldn’t cost too much but would save the day, and even on a fiver per rehearsal pay for themselves pretty quickly.

On track with the original question, I’d go for the cheapest rounds and flats as they'd only be to get through a rehearsal. I’m pretty sure everyone would change to s new set of their favoured brand once getting home so no need to get expensive or loads of ranges, just steel & nickel rounds, plus flats, standard gauges.

[Stub Mandrel]

16 hours ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said:

What I would really like to see in a rehearsal/recording studio complex?

More than one teaspoon.

A toilet cystern with a flush mechanism that actually functions in some way.

Doorways wide enough to carry a bass cab into the rehearsal space without having to do the Ickey Shuffle.

A sofa that doesn't swallow you entirely when you sit down on it.

A stage floor that doesn't feel like it's going to cave in.

After last tuesday? ... speaker leads for supplied the guitar head/cabs...

[neilp]

17 hours ago, Merton said:

Long story short, some friends own and run a brand new rehearsal/recording studio  complex in Surrey. They’re soon opening phase two which includes a big live room for touring bands to do tour rehearsals and also a shop with a solid selection of strings etc.

So if you were after strings and they had a decent stock, what would you expect to see?

I appreciate the poll may be a bit restrictive so fire away with your thoughts below as well

I take it yo mean the Hive Rooms? I was there last week, they're doing a fantastic job, and you can tell them I said so! I noticed they stock Elixir guitar strings but not bass. I use Elixir on my fretted basses, so that would be good, and someting for the fretless ones, either tapes of some kind or TI flats.

That would make the best rehearsal facility in Surrey even better.

[Beer of the Bass]

17 hours ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said:

What I would really like to see in a rehearsal/recording studio complex?

More than one teaspoon.

A toilet cystern with a flush mechanism that actually functions in some way.

Doorways wide enough to carry a bass cab into the rehearsal space without having to do the Ickey Shuffle.

A sofa that doesn't swallow you entirely when you sit down on it.

A stage floor that doesn't feel like it's going to cave in.

Also, coat hooks and a whiteboard in each room.

[Merton]

21 minutes ago, neilp said:

I take it yo mean the Hive Rooms? I was there last week, they're doing a fantastic job, and you can tell them I said so! I noticed they stock Elixir guitar strings but not bass. I use Elixir on my fretted basses, so that would be good, and someting for the fretless ones, either tapes of some kind or TI flats.

That would make the best rehearsal facility in Surrey even better.

Awesome feedback - cheers Neil! I’ll pass it on

[Merton]

6 minutes ago, Beer of the Bass said:

Also, coat hooks and a whiteboard in each room.

They have a coat stand in each room, as well as a couple of guitar wall hangers. Will suggest the whiteboard - good call!

[neilp]

The coat stands are a cracking touch, as are the comfortable chairs, great kitchen facilities, free coffee, blah blah. Check it out if you're in the Horley area, it really is a cut above. I have no connection, other than having spent a day there and been very pleasantly surprised by what I got for my money

[bazzbass]

if people are waiting til they are in the studio to put new strings on they are wasting everyone's time, not only in installing them, but they have to play it for a few hours to get rid of the new string clank.

Making sure they have the right snacks and drinks in the machines would be a better thing to work on, imho

 

Things I like in a studio? GUITAR HANGERS ON THE WALLS FFS

Edited April 27, 2019 by bazzbass

[Stub Mandrel]

8 minutes ago, bazzbass said:

Things I like in a studio? GUITAR HANGERS ON THE WALLS FFS

+1

[DoubleOhStephan]

1 minute ago, Stub Mandrel said:

+1

+2