Christopher - a week in review

[Pacman]

As many of you know, I got my Christopher DB403 carved bass about a week ago. Well, I decided it was too nice to leave home, so I took it out on the road for a week. I didn't trust our load crew, so I left the Kolstien trunk at home, and took it on the bus with me. Nice thing was, I could practice in the hotel room.

I switched to Weichs very early in the week. The hybrids just weren't getting enough 'growl' through the pickup as I wanted. It turned out that the Weichs weren't much better, but a little. I've got a realist on this bass, is there some reason why I'm getting no top end out of the pickup? I've never heard of that problem before.....

Anyway, the sound man agreed, and after experimenting with different mics, we decided on a vintage AKG D12E. Wow did it sound great! He got my bass sound out to the audience, and you can't ask for more than that.

The rhythm section and the rest of the band (a big band) noticed the difference immediately (I had been playing an Englehart) - and the better volume and tone allowed the drummer and the piano player to 'lay back' more and allow me to really put down time. It was a great experience, and the band played better for it.

I've also gotten over that 'first battle scar' fear. It seemed like every day there was a new little scratch on the bass. I don't know where most of them came from, other than maybe the morodian gig bag was scratching it as the bass was being taken out / put away. Oh well, it gives it character.

I'm more in love with this bass than before - I can tell this will be a long, and fruitful affair. I'd recommend them to anyone.

[ZuluFunk]

Pac...congrats.

Is that a USAF item or your personal gear?

I jammed with the 78th Div Army Band last week. Just a jazz group (piano, drums, guitar, trumpet, sax). What a hoot.

I'm trying to talk them into getting a DB so I can mess with it when I come out to drill (they are co-located with the unit). They have a hard time procuring instruments (USAR) and they HAVE TO get new (not used) equipment unless it's a property book transfer.

They were asking me to either become the commander or resign my commission so I can play with them full time.
I told them after I have 2 years as O-4, I might (so I can get the most out of my retirement pay).

Good luck with the bass.

[john turner]

i played one of their 5 string db's at the namm show. it actually sounded really good, even with my talentless hams yanking the strings. the low b was a lot fuller than i thought it would be

[Marcus Johnson]

Jon, my Realist is my "dark" pickup too, and has little or no high end when used by itself. That's why I always use it in combination with an Underwood, which is very bright; they balance each other out.
Been having trouble with my Realist lately; the wire's pulling out of the element and shorting out. Might be time to go mic shopping. I'm thinking of trying out the K&K mic/pickup thing.

[Pacman]

Originally posted by ZuluFunk
Pac...congrats.

Is that a USAF item or your personal gear?


It's all mine, man. All mine

I jammed with the 78th Div Army Band last week. Just a jazz group (piano, drums, guitar, trumpet, sax). What a hoot.

I'm trying to talk them into getting a DB so I can mess with it when I come out to drill (they are co-located with the unit). They have a hard time procuring instruments (USAR) and they HAVE TO get new (not used) equipment unless it's a property book transfer.


Yeah, reserve component bands just don't have the budget to be spending cash on uprights - and generally, the abuse they tend to take would turn a good upright into matchsticks in a hurry

They were asking me to either become the commander or resign my commission so I can play with them full time.
I told them after I have 2 years as O-4, I might (so I can get the most out of my retirement pay).

Good luck with the bass.

Yeah, you'd have to be a warrant to be their commander, and you'd still have to go to the school, etc.... Check into the requirements for playing bass with them - you might be up to speed. Good luck.

[ZuluFunk]

Originally posted by Pacman



Yeah, you'd have to be a warrant to be their commander, and you'd still have to go to the school, etc.... Check into the requirements for playing bass with them - you might be up to speed. Good luck.

They "said" they would give me an audition. However, I don't see our division cdr allowing me to come out of my slot to do this (it's sort of a step down - no offense - to transition from a staff intel observer/trainer to a musician, or band commander for that matter). Do you have Captains or Majors as musicians in the AF?

Supposedly they can get equipment from Lakehurst NJ, where there's some DoD musical instrument repository.

[Chris Fitzgerald]

Originally posted by Marcus Johnson
Jon, my Realist is my "dark" pickup too, and has little or no high end when used by itself. That's why I always use it in combination with an Underwood, which is very bright; they balance each other out.
Been having trouble with my Realist lately; the wire's pulling out of the element and shorting out. Might be time to go mic shopping. I'm thinking of trying out the K&K mic/pickup thing.

This is exactly how I ended up with my K&K mic - the realist was too dark, and the amplified sound of the G string was next to nil pizz. I bought the Trinity mic in the hopes that it might focus most on the G string and add some depth to it, which it did. Then, when the Realist shorted out for good, I replaced it with a "Double Bass Max", and I've been happily using the DBM/Trinity combination ever since. ALL HAIL!


Jon,

First, congrats on the bass. It's a beautiful thing to be young and in love. Your string progression also sounds familiar, as I moved up to Weichs from some nameless hybrid string for more growl....then up to Spirocore Orchestra gauge....now up to Spiro Starks. If I want any more tension, I guess I'll just have to head to Home Depot and pick up some industrial grade barbed wire. Anyway, if you have eyes to try out a set of the Orch gauge, I've got a spare set you could borrow to see if you dig 'em without shelling out the $100 first. Let me know, and congrats!

Zulu,

Come on over to the dark side! The water's cold and deep, but there's no limit to the places you can go.

[ZuluFunk]

CF...not to hijack the thread, but I'm looking at enrolling in a Jazz camp this summer at a local college (Moravian, Bethlehem PA).

After 20 years of playing, I still haven't figured out how to follow a good jazz line without either becoming repetitious and cliché or just getting lost altogether.

I'll get to dabble a bit in the DB before I go ahead and lay down a couple hundred for my own.
They have instructor DBs that the faculty use that will be available for me to jump on.
I'm trying to improve my jazz fluency. I'll either move down that upright road or just apply what I take in to my slab playing.

[NeedMoreBass]

I had the a cool military gig. Played bass with the US Navy Band and also was a member of the US Navy Shooting Team at the same time. Talk about getting paid to play! Been to San Antonio and stayed on the AF base several times PacMan to shoot the World Skeet Championships and the Armed Forces Skeet Championship there. Just had to throw that in after reading this thread.

[Mr. RC]

This is exactly how I ended up with my K&K mic - the realist was too dark, and the amplified sound of the G string was next to nil pizz. I bought the Trinity mic in the hopes that it might focus most on the G string and add some depth to it, which it did. Then, when the Realist shorted out for good, I replaced it with a "Double Bass Max", and I've been happily using the DBM/Trinity combination ever since. ALL HAIL!

I use a Fishman and am currently trying to get away from it. I use the same bass as pacman and have been trying to decide if I should get a Bass Max or a Realist. I would probably be using the pick-up alone without a mic nor preamp. I basically wanted to know if the Bass Max is that much of a step up from the Fishman or should I just go with a Realist.(I know this should go in the amps and pick-ups section but since the topis came up I figured I might as well ask it.)

[Pacman]

Originally posted by ZuluFunk


Do you have Captains or Majors as musicians in the AF?

Yeah, all of them are comissioned.

Oh, and Chris - preciate the offer, but I get my strings for free. The wierd thing is that the hybrids sounded great on the bass, just not through the pickup.....

[Chris Fitzgerald]

Originally posted by ZuluFunk
CF...not to hijack the thread, but I'm looking at enrolling in a Jazz camp this summer at a local college (Moravian, Bethlehem PA).

After 20 years of playing, I still haven't figured out how to follow a good jazz line without either becoming repetitious and cliché or just getting lost altogether.

It just takes some time focusing on playing and listening to get it. Transcribing is always good, and a good teacher is great, too. I remember my first bass lessons from way back...I was studying (on fretless slab) with Tyrone Wheeler, who is a monster player but a man of few words. After a couple of weeks, I just started taking a tape recorder to the lessons and transcribing the stuff he would play by way of example, which was better than any explanation he could have offered.

I've never been in the military, so I have no idea how hard it is to hook up with a good teacher within that lifestyle, or how much time you'd have for lessons. But if you can find someone who's really good, it'll help a lot. Good luck at the camps this summer.

I'll get to dabble a bit in the DB before I go ahead and lay down a couple hundred for my own.
They have instructor DBs that the faculty use that will be available for me to jump on.
I'm trying to improve my jazz fluency. I'll either move down that upright road or just apply what I take in to my slab playing.

If you can find someone who knows the ropes to help you when shopping for your first axe ( like a mechanic checking out a used car), it'll help a bunch. Don't forget to check in here with any questions you might have if you're looking to buy - there's a lot of helpful folks down here once you get past all the curmudgeonly affectations.

[Bruce Lindfield]

I just noticed these basses are now being sold in Europe by Thomann :

http://www.thomann.de/gb/christopher...trabass_34.htm

2222 Euros - seems like a pretty good deal!!