Recent content by Columbian73

I found what looks like an excellent luthier's shop in nearby Portland. He's going to look at the instrument and my "playing" tomorrow and see what he can see. I use ""s to stress that the noises I cause the bass to make do not yet constitute "playing". I think it's got up to semi-organized...

I played a fretted bass for about a year, several years ago, and loved it. I got a Cirrus fretless right before health problems forced me to stop playing, til just recently. As I practice, I'm having trouble with plucking the strings well. From watching lots of Youtubes, I'm pretty sure I've...

FWIW, the link above doesn't work. As of 1/28/20, this one does: Invalid Link Removed

I keep forgetting the tech explosion in that neck of the woods. I still think of it as even more remote and undeveloped as my place, north of Washougal. But I have visited a couple of pubs there--during the day, though. Not a lot in my life going on after 10PM

Does White Salmon offer many opportunities to play?

I've only splurged on the ardbeg once, and that was the standard stuff. though I did get a Bruichladdich once, which was quite exceptional. 110 proof is right up there. Drinking much less these days, so it has to be small doses of very good stuff. Probably for the better. I still can't make a...

Well, I always go for low action. I might try that. But if your avatar is Lagavulin, do yourself a favor some time and try Ardbeg: darker, peatier, more kerosine in the bouquet. Get at Stateline Liquor in Jantzen Beach.

I pulled the trigger and grabbed the set the Fender lady suggested: the D'Addario ECB82 XL Chromes Flatwound Electric Bass Guitar Strings - 50-105 Long Scale. Sounds like they cover all the bases--or at least my bass. Supposed to arrive Saturday, a good time to try em out. Thanx again to all...

I just talked to a charming Bass-player lady at Fender who says they're out of flatwound Longs, but recommended some D'addarios. She said she'd email me, but it hasn't come through yet. She also had me measure frm the bottom of the nut to the 12th fret on my bass. I got 17 1/2", and she said...

right now, I'm seeing "long" strings available, which don't come up the the >= 45 in. the Cirrus needs. I'm going to call Fender tomorrow and see if they have what I need. BTW, I'm beginning to think maybe the L and M mean Light and Medium? Thanx again for all the input. I'm getting educated here.

I'll give her a call and see how she likes them.

I'm trying to measure my gauge with a set of Harbor Freight (cheap) digital calipers. I measured each string in inches right at its widest point and got E= .103, A = .089, D=.072, G=.057 What does that tell me?

What's the difference between the ones ending in "L" vs. ending in "M"? (I think it's and M. Just saw it for the first time on Amazon today.)

I found some 9050s on Amazon. Going to give them a go. Thanks for all the info, Michael.