Double Bass in Marching Band

PRUNEFACE · #1 01-25-2011, 03:22 PM

I've been approached with the possibility of playing my school's half time show. I currently have my Kolstein as my main bass that I play most of the time and a Shen SB180 I play at school for one hour each day.
I'm starting to notice my hands hurting and my hand shape being "bad" on the Shen, but perfect on the Kolstein. I'm considering replacing my Shen with something on which I can get the neck carved the way I need it. Any advice? Is it a good idea to continue playing a bass with a neck like my Shen?
Odds are I didnt paint a great picture, but I can explain more. Ask away.

Bass · #2 01-25-2011, 03:31 PM

Steve Swan · #3 01-25-2011, 03:53 PM

Most of the Kolstein necks that I have played been been on the medium to large size, with particularly large profiles found on their Fendt and Baker models. The Shen necks are not small, more medium size. A teeny-weeny neck like those found on Kays or basses that had their neck profiles cut down in the crazy 1970s really hurt my left hand. Have your instructor give you some guidance on this.

PRUNEFACE · #4 01-25-2011, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Swan

Most of the Kolstein necks that I have played been been on the medium to large size, with particularly large profiles found on their Fendt and Baker models. The Shen necks are not small, more medium size. A teeny-weeny neck like those found on Kays or basses that had their neck profiles cut down in the crazy 1970s really hurt my left hand. Have your instructor give you some guidance on this.

Thank you. That was actually pretty helpful -I'll bring this up.

TheSuzie · #5 01-26-2011, 12:24 AM

If you need to go thicker, you could have a shim put under the fingerboard of the Shen and then have it all carved to your desired shape. You can have the shim made flat or have the shim made to a taper if you need to get more bridge height. I had this done on my last DB and was able to totally change the profile of the neck from a small V to a large U.

PRUNEFACE · #6 01-27-2011, 01:46 PM

Well, looking to sell now I suppose. Anyone want a Shen SB180 with a C extension with four stops?

Steve Swan · #7 01-27-2011, 02:13 PM

I can't imagine a normal Shen neck profile being too small for anyone unless the fingerboard has been significantly shaved down.

PRUNEFACE · #8 01-29-2011, 03:37 PM

Well, it could be that my Kolstein neck is abnormally large... yet comfortable.

MartinBorgen · #9 01-29-2011, 03:50 PM

youre not marching around with a double bass are you? O.O

PRUNEFACE · #10 01-29-2011, 04:29 PM

noooo. would be in the "pit"

paperbag1213 · #11 01-29-2011, 04:47 PM

I'd just say no, I like to maintain the dci image (i play bass drum, I've played at pacific crest (world class drum corps) I don't know what business an upright bass would have on the field, if you need something to walk, you have contras/sousas and you have a timp player.

PRUNEFACE · #12 01-29-2011, 05:13 PM

it's for the field show. i'd be in the pit. the school can't put timpani's on the field for some reason, and a bass is the instrument that originally plays the line in the piece they're creating so... yeah. my school knows what they're doing though -they were second in the state of Florida and won a number of other competitions in the South

ElMon · #13 01-29-2011, 05:42 PM

Are you being amplified in any way? I can't imagine that anyone would hear you otherwise.

PRUNEFACE · #14 01-29-2011, 06:35 PM

yep. planning on using my realist clip-on

michaeln · #15 01-30-2011, 06:07 AM

Every time I read the thread title I am reminded of the scene in Woody Allen's "Take The Money And Run" where he plays cello in a marching bad. He would run out ahead of the band, carrying cello, bow, and folding chair. Sit down, saw wildly with the bow on the cello as the band marched by, fold up chair, repeat as necessary.

robobass · #16 01-31-2011, 06:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PRUNEFACE

it's for the field show. i'd be in the pit. the school can't put timpani's on the field for some reason, and a bass is the instrument that originally plays the line in the piece they're creating so... yeah. my school knows what they're doing though -they were second in the state of Florida and won a number of other competitions in the South

Well at least you won't freeze your but off! I marched with a sousaphone for two years in Ohio. At some point in my sophomore year I had to ask myself why I was doing this!

chadhargis · #17 01-31-2011, 07:03 AM

I've seen an electric bass in a marching band. The amp was on a dolly with some car batteries and a power inverter. A guy dressed in full band regalia pushing the dolly behind the player.

lolabelle123 · #18 01-19-2012, 09:15 PM

Double basses can be in marching bands????

fdeck · #19 01-19-2012, 10:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chadhargis

I've seen an electric bass in a marching band. The amp was on a dolly with some car batteries and a power inverter. A guy dressed in full band regalia pushing the dolly behind the player.

That's what I did, in 1978. An electric bass fad was going through the high schools in my area. Given typical Midwestern weather, I think that I performed at maybe 3 football games.

RBrownBass · #20 01-19-2012, 10:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paperbag1213

I'd just say no, I like to maintain the dci image (i play bass drum, I've played at pacific crest (world class drum corps) I don't know what business an upright bass would have on the field, if you need something to walk, you have contras/sousas and you have a timp player.

The DCI image hasn't always been what it is now. Just a few decades ago, timpani were carried (,tuned and played) individually, much like bass drums. The pit has gotten huge and diverse by comparison to the first years of DCI Worlds. I'd still be leery of taking any bass I owned out on a grass field under Florida's humid Fall conditions. Hope his endpin doesn't sink into the ground...