BigBeatNut Posted May 20, 2007 Share Posted May 20, 2007 Okay ... I'm in the club ... here's my new toy Slighty iffy quality photo for a slightly iffy quality bass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daflewis Posted May 21, 2007 Share Posted May 21, 2007 i'm sure she's a beaut' ...welcome to the club! hard work but well worth it. and you know one of the best bits? ..(for me anyway) you have to slow down and really think about your note choice. having a different perspective on things really helped to mature my electric playing, enjoy! daf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBeatNut Posted May 21, 2007 Author Share Posted May 21, 2007 [quote name='daflewis' post='3286' date='May 21 2007, 02:27 AM']i'm sure she's a beaut' ...welcome to the club! hard work but well worth it.[/quote] Thanks for the welcome, but I'm not sure 'beaut' is right ... looks like [url="http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=334101"]it may need a luthiers attention[/url]. Can ayone recommend a London luthier ? Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daflewis Posted May 21, 2007 Share Posted May 21, 2007 (edited) i can wholeheartedly recommend malcolm healey (m & j violins 0208 644 4700), he's based in/near sutton. he's a really nice chap who charges a very fair price for a really professional job. (unlike some of the "inner city" guys!) if you're looking for someone who is cheaper there is a guy who repairs basses part time (pete tyler 01628 621 560) he's based somewhere near reading i think. i've not used him myself yet but a friend was very happy with work he had done. hope that's of use. daf Edited May 21, 2007 by daflewis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daflewis Posted May 21, 2007 Share Posted May 21, 2007 i just saw the pics of the tilted bridge on talkbass. if you haven't done so already you really should straighten that out, it's not difficult, but at the moment there's a lot of pressure on the edges of the feet that could dig in to the body. just slacken of the strings a but untill you can move the bridge (you allready know to be carefull of the soundpost). don't be afraid to use a bit of force (within reason!) they're pretty strong beasts really. the trick when you're tuning up again is to push the top of the bridge down towards the tailpiece every turn of the tuners to compensate for the fact that the strings are pulling the bridge towards the headstock when you tension them; that's probably why the bridge is tilted at the moment. it looks like the top is solid wood, if that's true for the rest of the bass then it could be worth a bit more than you thought. good luck, daf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
velvetkevorkian Posted May 21, 2007 Share Posted May 21, 2007 (edited) Nice! Regarding a tilted bridge, this is copied from Bob Gollihur's advice I got with my new bass... "As you bring it up to pitch, watch the bridge’s angle — it should be at ninety degrees, perpendicular to the top of the bass. If it’s a little off, give it a gentle “karate chop†at the top to move it to the proper position. Of course, the feet should be centered on the inside cut in the f-holes. You’ll see that the side of the bridge facing the tailpiece is vertically straight, and that’s the side that should be perpendicular to the top. Otherwise, string strain will start to warp the bridge on you." Hope it works well! edit- although looking at those cracks on TB, I'd probably get that seen to first. Edited May 21, 2007 by velvetkevorkian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBeatNut Posted May 21, 2007 Author Share Posted May 21, 2007 [quote name='velvetkevorkian' post='3505' date='May 21 2007, 11:34 AM']Nice! Regarding a tilted bridge, this is copied from Bob Gollihur's advice I got with my new bass... "As you bring it up to pitch, watch the bridge’s angle — it should be at ninety degrees, perpendicular to the top of the bass. If it’s a little off, give it a gentle “karate chop†at the top to move it to the proper position. Of course, the feet should be centered on the inside cut in the f-holes. You’ll see that the side of the bridge facing the tailpiece is vertically straight, and that’s the side that should be perpendicular to the top. Otherwise, string strain will start to warp the bridge on you." Hope it works well! edit- although looking at those cracks on TB, I'd probably get that seen to first.[/quote] Velvet: I'd be willing to try that, but for one thing, someone seems to have deliberately moved both soundpost and bridge towards the endpin by maybe an inch and a half. So I could do a couple of things 1) Follow your advice and finish up with a scale length that's an inch and a half too long 2) Figure out (with a luthier) why the bridge was moved (relieve pressure on the crack, maybe ?) and get the whole thing put right. Any way you look at it, I'm going to need a luthiers advice I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBeatNut Posted May 21, 2007 Author Share Posted May 21, 2007 [quote name='daflewis' post='3469' date='May 21 2007, 10:52 AM']it looks like the top is solid wood, if that's true for the rest of the bass then it could be worth a bit more than you thought.[/quote] The top looks solid to me (you can see all the exposed grain where the edges have been scuffed). However it's a flatback, and the back appears to be several pieces of wood. The label in side says "Made in Roumania, Reghin" .... I've checked the current websites of romanian bass makers, and my bass (I think) appears to be the sort of thing that currently sells for 800 euros. Suspect with the luthier work coming up I might have been better off with a new Eastern European bass .... except mines got a lot of (cough) mojo of course Thanks for all the advice (everyone) and the luthier info in particular. Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
velvetkevorkian Posted May 21, 2007 Share Posted May 21, 2007 [quote name='BigBeatNut' post='3590' date='May 21 2007, 01:11 PM']Velvet: I'd be willing to try that, but for one thing, someone seems to have deliberately moved both soundpost and bridge towards the endpin by maybe an inch and a half. So I could do a couple of things 1) Follow your advice and finish up with a scale length that's an inch and a half too long 2) Figure out (with a luthier) why the bridge was moved (relieve pressure on the crack, maybe ?) and get the whole thing put right. Any way you look at it, I'm going to need a luthiers advice I think.[/quote] Looking at it again, for me it all comes down to how bad the cracks are. As long as the top can be made structurally sound (and my untrained eye suggests you shouldn't have too much problem, although I have no idea of cost) then getting the soundpost and bridge in the right place is a moments work for a luthier. That said, what's an extra inch and a half on top of 41"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBeatNut Posted May 21, 2007 Author Share Posted May 21, 2007 (edited) [quote name='velvetkevorkian' post='3621' date='May 21 2007, 01:40 PM']Looking at it again, for me it all comes down to how bad the cracks are. As long as the top can be made structurally sound (and my untrained eye suggests you shouldn't have too much problem, although I have no idea of cost) then getting the soundpost and bridge in the right place is a moments work for a luthier.[/quote] My untrained eye is telling me the same thing. It's outside the line of the bassbar, which I assume is providing the structural strength, and near a free edge (the f-hole). I'm hoping the crack can simply be left alone, but I'd like a luthier to confirm it. [quote name='velvetkevorkian' post='3621' date='May 21 2007, 01:40 PM']That said, what's an extra inch and a half on top of 41"? [/quote] To someone like me who's used to 34/35 inch scale, it's exactly an inch and a half too much Edited May 21, 2007 by BigBeatNut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBeatNut Posted May 26, 2007 Author Share Posted May 26, 2007 I've posted an update to [url="http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?p=4234293#post4234293"]the repair thread on TB[/url]. Basically M & J Healy's did a great job of fixing the bass, sufficiently to let me carry on finding out if DB suits me, without having to spend loads on repairs up front. Can't recommend Healy's enough .. really helpful and well worth the 2 hour round trip across London. Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul, the Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 [quote name='BigBeatNut' post='3248' date='May 20 2007, 11:58 PM']Okay ... I'm in the club ... here's my new toy Slighty iffy quality photo for a slightly iffy quality bass [/quote] Oh, nothing better looking than a scruffy upright. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
velvetkevorkian Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 Its not scruffy, its well loved Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul, the Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 [quote name='velvetkevorkian' post='40913' date='Aug 3 2007, 02:36 PM']Its not scruffy, its well loved [/quote] I want one. Blast they're so expensive. Worth it mind, I'm sure. I'd be worried about failing miserably though whence getting one. Or find the neck just too bulky for my wee hands. It's a lot of money for something I might not enjoy... I'm sure others have been in my position (?) I just love the tone and the look. And the simplicity and lack ff electronics. It makes so much sense. My favourite tone would have to be the slightly pro folk tone.. has anyone heard Astral weeks by Van Morrison, that sort of thing. Yeeearrggh, upright GAS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
velvetkevorkian Posted August 4, 2007 Share Posted August 4, 2007 I wouldn't worry about the size aspect- I know lot of fairly petite women (my teacher, amongst others, is about 5'3" with hands to match) who are excellent players. The most important thing is not to just think of it as a big fretless, is a very different instrument that does need different left hand technique. That said if you can play fretless you already have the the most important skill down- intonation. If you keep an eye on eBay you can maybe pick something up reasonably cheaply, and it would likely keep its value quite well if you decided you want to resell. There's another thread about this just now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul, the Posted August 4, 2007 Share Posted August 4, 2007 I haven't seen one within 50 miles of me for over a year. The first one has come up recently - it's 1/4 size though. It's silly, I'll never be able to afford one, not without selling all my electric gear. So there's risk there. It's just GAS, that's all it is. I can handle it, I've studied Buddhism Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
velvetkevorkian Posted August 4, 2007 Share Posted August 4, 2007 "Birth is GAS. Life Is GAS. Death is GAS. Only by achieving enlightenment can we transcend GAS and reach Nirvana." With apologies to all the Buddhists out there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBeatNut Posted August 19, 2007 Author Share Posted August 19, 2007 Bringing the thread back on-topic ... my latest acqusition ... [attachment=1845:Dsc00064_ms.jpg] Much easier to play than the 3/4 upright, much easier to transport, and a very nice sound to boot. It's a BSX Allegro Acoustic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul, the Posted August 20, 2007 Share Posted August 20, 2007 [quote name='BigBeatNut' post='47541' date='Aug 20 2007, 12:07 AM']Bringing the thread back on-topic ... my latest acqusition ... [attachment=1845:Dsc00064_ms.jpg] Much easier to play than the 3/4 upright, much easier to transport, and a very nice sound to boot. It's a BSX Allegro Acoustic.[/quote] You'll be giving me the first one then? I'm not caring about quality anymore, I just want one to try out. It looks great by the way, very swish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBeatNut Posted August 20, 2007 Author Share Posted August 20, 2007 [quote name='paul, the' post='47545' date='Aug 20 2007, 01:38 AM']You'll be giving me the first one then? I'm not caring about quality anymore, I just want one to try out.[/quote] I'm keeping the DB for the forseeable future. I can't see it getting gigged (in contrast to the BSX) but even in it's beaten up state it's got something the BSX hasn't ... a big fat soundbox If I'm gigging down your way with the BSX I'll let you know. Cheers, Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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