Rockabilly bass

[flytim]

The singer I play with wants to get a rockabilly band together, Imelda May stuff etc. I've raised the bridge and changed strings on my usual bass. I'm slowly getting the hang of playing slap but I'm thinking I will probably need to get another bass. My current bass is a carved top Thomann 22 and the new strings are Evah Slaps. 

 

What opinions are there, if any, on this bass

https://www.bassbags.co.uk/product/gewa-rockabilly-double-bass/?srsltid=AfmBOorem0z7CWD7pUHgypE4qz2vQbXBFlAZpx1SpUaMQEp5dddrL5Tb

 

Thanks

 

Tim

 

 

[Happy Jack]

That's a helluva lot of money for a bass that's going to be treated (deliberately) roughly. It's the nature of playing doghouse bass in a rockabilly or rock'n'roll band that you're going to throw shapes and do tricks, some of which may well end up in embarrassing outcomes and collisions with guitarists' headstocks and stuff. Don't ask me how I know.

 

I routinely play very primitive single-slap stuff on four different DBs, none of which could be described as optimised for rockabilly slap (Extra-wide fingerboard? Do what?), and it doesn't seem to have done me much harm.

 

https://www.youtube.com/DamoAndTheDynamites

 

If this is a new band project then I'd be more inclined to buy something pre-battered and fiddle with the setup until you're happy. If the band takes off and you're getting lots of well-paid gigs, then you can upgrade later.

 

Meanwhile, someone who knows what he's talking about will be along in a minute.

 

@PaulKing

 

@TheRev

[AndyBass]

The one you link to would do the job perfectly well if that’s what you wanted (though I don’t get the wide fingerboard thing either, don’t think that’s actually a thing). But you could do it for cheaper if you preferred. Loads of rockabilly-suitable options on Facebook marketplace, for example.

Personally I’d recommend some superior bassworks strings too if you’re just getting into it, no point making it harder than it needs to be. But their low tension is not for everyone. 

The shadow pickup system they offer had a brief period of being the only game in town for rockabilly pickup/preamp systems, and while they are apparently very good, the poor build quality of the pickups seems to have left a lot of people 1.buying Vic’s pickups with the daft Shadow connectors or 2.going back to old K&K setups (a sign of their durability is I am VERY rough on gear, and still use a K&K preamp I bought second hand from @PaulKing over ten years ago). 
Anyway, yes you’ve found a perfectly viable and easy option for a decent enough rockabilly-able bass. But you could maybe do it better for less ££ if you wanted. Good luck and have fun.

[PaulKing]

On 30/07/2024 at 12:11, Happy Jack said:

That's a helluva lot of money for a bass that's going to be treated (deliberately) roughly. It's the nature of playing doghouse bass in a rockabilly or rock'n'roll band that you're going to throw shapes and do tricks, some of which may well end up in embarrassing outcomes and collisions with guitarists' headstocks and stuff. Don't ask me how I know.

 

I routinely play very primitive single-slap stuff on four different DBs, none of which could be described as optimised for rockabilly slap (Extra-wide fingerboard? Do what?), and it doesn't seem to have done me much harm.

 

https://www.youtube.com/DamoAndTheDynamites

 

If this is a new band project then I'd be more inclined to buy something pre-battered and fiddle with the setup until you're happy. If the band takes off and you're getting lots of well-paid gigs, then you can upgrade later.

 

Meanwhile, someone who knows what he's talking about will be along in a minute.

 

@PaulKing

 

@TheRev

What Jack said.

 

An old beater ply bass is gonna do you a lot better, and you can always find one of them for under a grand.

Boosey & Hawkes Excelsior or something like that. Scour ebay. Basses don't seem to be selling fast these days so I reckon you can haggle quite well.

Markus Feldman has been trying to sell a nice old blonde cutaway on Facebook for a while - he might take a cheeky offer? 

 

The only gamble with ebay is you don't know what kind of set up you'll be getting ... but a bridge and new strings will always sort that out (though setting you back an extra couple hundred quid.)

 

Evah Pirazzl slaps are fine strings for rockabilly, unless you're playing really authentic purely acoustic, and want to go for guts or really low tension nylon whackers. 

 

But I agree that Gewa wouldn't be top of my choice list (without playing it first). It might sound great, but I think more likely it'll be a bit of a cardboard box sound.

 

Extra wide fingerboard???  WTF

[TheRev]

I reckons your Thomann22 is a better bass than the Gewa. If you don't also. need your bass for another band/style then it's easier (IME) to work with a new setup on a bass you already know.

If your heart's set on a bass just for slap, then have a look at The Double Bass Room for an old East German/Musima ply - those things can take a real beating and will set you back about £1000

[flytim]

Thanks for the replies. We have our first rehearsal next week so I'll see how it goes. We do have a drummer so I probably won't need to full on slap thing. Hope fully my Thomann will do and if it doesn't I'll keep an eye out for a cheap basher bass.

[PaulKing]

On 31/07/2024 at 20:35, TheRev said:

I reckons your Thomann22 is a better bass than the Gewa. If you don't also. need your bass for another band/style then it's easier (IME) to work with a new setup on a bass you already know.

If your heart's set on a bass just for slap, then have a look at The Double Bass Room for an old East German/Musima ply - those things can take a real beating and will set you back about £1000

What The Rev said, too.