Hello Gents.

[gruffpuppy]

I just picked up this Cremona bass on ebay

http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI...tem=1417157673

I realize that Cremona isn't the best name but us BG players need to start somewhere.
I have been real busy at work so it will be about a month before I can start taking lessons. lucky me I have a DB teacher about ten minutes away.
my question is are there some books I can pick up so I can get started? I don't want to pickup any bad habits at the beginning of my journey.
I am assuming that hand positions are the place to start.
thanks for any input.

[Chris Fitzgerald]

Are you going to use a bow, or play primarily pizz? If the answer is pizz, you won't do yourself much damage by trying to get a good sound - in fact, you'll find it kind of interesting. And, if you do it long enough, painful. I guess most of the guys here would recommend that you wait for your teacher, but if you just can't stand it, you could try the following:

G...G#...A...Bb
o....1.....2....4


D...D#...E...F
o...1......2...4


Etc... on each string until your left hand starts cramping, which should take about 2 minutes. Remember, you just purchased the "Rogue" quality Double Bass, so it's gonna buzz a lot, and if you don't care too much for the sound right away, it might not be your fault.

Welcome to the dark side!

[pkr2]

Gruff: Congrats on the new bass.

I understand that the Cremona may not be the highest quality bass made but it's still head and shoulders above the washtub bass that I started on.

If you plan to play pizz I would suggest that you change the strings out to nylon strings right off the gitgo. Metal strings are louder but they will eat your fingers up, especially before you get leathered in on the beast. (oops, I meant double bass, Don. )

If you can find someone that plays DB well, let them play your bass while you listen. If you hear what even a Cremona is capable of, you will be less likely to blame the instrument for the trials, tribulations and exasperation that everyone experiences in the first few months.

Just remember that you are starting on a long, long journey. It's easy to be so enthusiastic that you wear yourself out before you get started good.

Starting out with a teacher is the wisest decision that you could possibly make.

I envy you. If I could start out again at ground zero again I would do it in a skinny minute. If I'd had the benefit of the wisdom that the hotdogs (I mean hotdog in a nice way) like Chris, Don , Reedo and Ed are so willing to share, I would have avoided a lot of the pitfalls that go along with self teaching.

Pkr2

[rablack]

Plunk around for a few days, then since your teacher is nearby arrange to take the bass over so he/she can assess the setup. If it needs work take it to your teacher's luthier. Starting with a well setup bass will make your journey much more productive. My $.02 on how to spend the month before your lessons begin.

[gruffpuppy]

thanks for the replies guys, I am pretty excited about it, I do realize that it is a long road but I should have a good handful of years left on this planet. I think most of my choices in life have been long road choices anyway

where does one got about getting strings and the such. I don't think I will be playing with a bow, at least not anytime soon.
thanks again

[Mark Steel]

Gruff--
Congrats on starting down the DB road. Re: methods to start on, why not contact the teacher and ask what materials she/he uses--then you will have something to work on and will hopefully smoothly transition into the formal lessons.
Bob Gollihur's (all hail!) site will soon become your best friend (gollihur.com); abundance of info that I find extremely helpful for everything about the DB.
Re: strings, etc. Lemur music has become my place of choice for strings, materials, etc. because of the fast friendly service. You may want to check with your prospective teacher before you lay down $100 for a new set....there's lots to think about when choosing and lots of choices.
I think you're luckier than I was when I started down the DB road--I bought mine from a local music retailer because I don't know of any luthiers within a reasonable distance and because they supposedly had a person there who sets up violins. I found that doesn't mean they know anything about basses. A few hundred bucks later I have a good playing bass.
Keep us posted on your progress!

[rablack]

Originally posted by gruffpuppy
where does one got about getting strings and the such. I don't think I will be playing with a bow, at least not anytime soon.
thanks again

Ditto on (All Hail) Bob Gollihur's site as THE source for bass links. At his recommendation I bought my strings from Quinn Violins: great prices and information at Quinn's site. Talk to your teacher - you really should work with the bow even if your ultimate intent is to paint flames on your bass and flail out rockabilly lines. You just can't hide intonation issues with the bow like you can playing pizz. Besides I now have that fantastic arco sound (well... potentially on a good night) as part of my tone palette. It's addictive.

[acousticdave]

I would second the bowing advice- DO IT! It will not only give you better intonation, it will give you a better sense of balance on the instrument. And in the future you will fall in love with the sound.

[dhosek]

In my younger days, I hated playing arco, nowadays I prefer it. Must be my brain slowly leaking out...

-dh

[Sublime999]

i just wanted to say that there might be some girls on here too!!!

[Chris Fitzgerald]

Wha....???

Man, it suddenly got really drafty in here. Anybody else feel that breeze?

[gruffpuppy]

Geez do i have to watch and see what road all my threads are going down?

[Oysterman]

Originally posted by gruffpuppy
Geez do i have to watch and see what road all my threads are going down?

It's your curse, don't you see?

Wha, uh... where am I?
Hee, hee... I thought this was TOY BASS miscellaneous!!! *breaks a sweat* Yeah, I mean, seriously! I, I, I would never visit... eh, you know, the dark side, I say NEVER! Uhh er ah I mean on purpose that is, yeah no, not on purpose ha ha ha ha... see ya later fellows... eeeh on the BG side, of course, I mean, uh--- bye!!

*runs for the door*

[Sublime999]

What i was trying to say was that your, "Hey Gents." was kinda leaving us girls out of the thread?? what is that and seriously, you were being an ass. sorry.... i didnt think it mad no sense.

[john turner]

i'll let you guys play with her for a while, then i'll delete it, unless you have some objections, gruff.

have a ball.

[john turner]

Originally posted by Sublime999
What i was trying to say was that your, "Hey Gents." was kinda leaving us girls out of the thread?? what is that and seriously, you were being an ass. sorry.... i didnt think it mad no sense.

pardon me for insinuating anything against your obvious brilliance, but this IS the double bass side of the board. are you a DB player?

[Oysterman]

No need to delete anything, Johnno, Sublime999 now knows that DB'ers are a sarcastic breed. I told her.

Be nice to the newbies! No sarcasms the first 25 posts! Gotta warm them up first, y'know?

Oh, yeah, I wasn't supposed to be here...

*SCHWWWOOOOSSHH*

[reedo35]

Originally posted by Sublime999
What i was trying to say was that your, "Hey Gents." was kinda leaving us girls out of the thread?? what is that and seriously, you were being an ass. sorry.... i didnt think it mad no sense.

Methinks she doth protest too much.
Look, there is no "NO GRLZ ALOUD" sign up here,and the comment "hey Gents" was obviously universal, male and female inclusive, the same as the term "mankind" is inclusive. I would rather recognize people on the merits of what they can and have contributed, not based on their gender. BTW, I have seen several great female Double Bassists, including Linda Mcknight, Joelle Leaundre ,also Suzanna Juhsz and Ruslan Lusyk (of Bassiona Amorosa), just to name a few. So, to assume that we are all chauvinistic savages just won't do, and your time will be much better spent contributing valid thoughts and opinions that are directed more toward learning and growing, not
about penis envy.

[gruffpuppy]

no JT you don't have to remove it.
sublime, reedo pretty much said what i would have said. the phrase "hey gents" was universal when posted and still is. if you play DB your views are welcome if not please don't be the next rodent to move in to the DB section looking for a rise.

look around this side of TB before casting an opinion.

[Chris Fitzgerald]

Just got in from a gig and found smoke coming out of my computer...Now I know why. OOPS!

As the cat that started the fire, I'd like to apologize for burning the house down. It never dawned on me until reading the replies that the "there might be girls on here too" was referring to the title of the thread, since

a) I never paid any attention to the title of the thread, since I followed a link and already knew what the thread was about.

b) Even if I had known what the title of the thread was, I doubt I'd have made the connection, since I don't consider "Hello Gents" to be gender exclusive. Then again, like I said, I'm dense sometimes. Had I made the connection, I would not have posted what I did. As it was, I considered it yet another seemingly completely random and senseless post by a lost newbie with an empty profile. To be honest, I didn't feel that my response to SUBLIME's initial post was particularly harsh - I thought the meaning of it was pretty clearly something along the lines of, "what was that all about???".

My second post, however, was undeniably sarcastic, and I will delete it as soon as I am finished writing this one. I get the feeling that there has already been some "sweeping up" done, and I'm happy to pitch in for the cause. Sorry about the fire.