Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Double Bass Getting my first Double Bass
- Thread starter PRUNEFACE
- Start date
lol if anything, that provides corroboration... I said I had just gotten an electric guitar a little bit before christmas (as an early christmas present)
I don't get what the problem is with randomness related to the topic. I thought this was preferred rather than making multiple new threads
I think they would prefer not to be used as human google machines. They probably wouldn't mind all the random questions if you kept paying for the next round, kid...
lol I'm honing "the edge of their thoughts".
I'm not going to be posting in this thread unless someone makes a stunning revelation, the string threads actually seem to be searchable (as in, I can find something that I find relevant.)
I'm not going to be posting in this thread unless someone makes a stunning revelation, the string threads actually seem to be searchable (as in, I can find something that I find relevant.)
I don't know what's worse; to be considered to be someone else or to be considered non-existent (literally.)
Prune,
It's an inside joke, which you will get if you read the archives.
I wish you luck, truly, in recovering from your illness. I have a chronic disease and it sometimes gets me down. But learning and exploring this marvelous instrument is a a great pickup.
When I can't play, I dig in the archives for hours at a time. I encourage you to do the same as you recover. Then when you're strong enough, practice every day.
And when you're at the top of your game, we can all look back at this thread and laugh our butts off.
btw, you could do a lot worse than be called Ken Smith. He might not be the most tactful guy in the world but he sure knows his stuff when it comes to double basses. (I'm the proud owner of one he worked on).
Peace -- and good health. (And before you get your driver's license, don't forget to read the old threads about what kind of car to use to your bass in!)
It's an inside joke, which you will get if you read the archives.
I wish you luck, truly, in recovering from your illness. I have a chronic disease and it sometimes gets me down. But learning and exploring this marvelous instrument is a a great pickup.
When I can't play, I dig in the archives for hours at a time. I encourage you to do the same as you recover. Then when you're strong enough, practice every day.
And when you're at the top of your game, we can all look back at this thread and laugh our butts off.
btw, you could do a lot worse than be called Ken Smith. He might not be the most tactful guy in the world but he sure knows his stuff when it comes to double basses. (I'm the proud owner of one he worked on).
Peace -- and good health. (And before you get your driver's license, don't forget to read the old threads about what kind of car to use to your bass in!)
Hey Pruneface,
You've been given a lot of information regarding purchasing a bass. A lot of GOOD information. Remember, this is your first bass. Look at the ones suggested, talk to the peoples suggested, and don't worry about getting the best bass/bow now. Give it a go, see if you like it, and then you can move up as you develop. You will have a better idea of what works for you, what you do or don't like, and what you might want to upgrade.
I've been reading the threads on here for quite a while now and still don't have my bass yet. I am renting at the moment until I can find the right bass for me. (I have to make the trip across the pond to see one of the forum members on here that's helped me out with some good advise as he's got a couple of basses available and he knows of others that I can try out. Thanks J.) So, for now, I will mostly read threads, watch the "for sale adds", and get my butt off here and practice.
I'm sorry to hear of your illness. Hope you get well soon. By the sounds of it, with your current condition, you wouldn't be able to handle an upright for awhile. They are a lot bulkier (understatement big time) then any EB that you have played.
Is there a chance you can get one to try out at your school? Or rent one? Check with your local community orchestra or music school. Maybe someones got one lying around that they could let you try out for a bit. Don't know until you ask.
Good luck with it.
You've been given a lot of information regarding purchasing a bass. A lot of GOOD information. Remember, this is your first bass. Look at the ones suggested, talk to the peoples suggested, and don't worry about getting the best bass/bow now. Give it a go, see if you like it, and then you can move up as you develop. You will have a better idea of what works for you, what you do or don't like, and what you might want to upgrade.
I've been reading the threads on here for quite a while now and still don't have my bass yet. I am renting at the moment until I can find the right bass for me. (I have to make the trip across the pond to see one of the forum members on here that's helped me out with some good advise as he's got a couple of basses available and he knows of others that I can try out. Thanks J.) So, for now, I will mostly read threads, watch the "for sale adds", and get my butt off here and practice.
I'm sorry to hear of your illness. Hope you get well soon. By the sounds of it, with your current condition, you wouldn't be able to handle an upright for awhile. They are a lot bulkier (understatement big time) then any EB that you have played.
Is there a chance you can get one to try out at your school? Or rent one? Check with your local community orchestra or music school. Maybe someones got one lying around that they could let you try out for a bit. Don't know until you ask.
Good luck with it.
It's not a big deal; it just comes with the territory of owning an acoustic instrument, really. When you don't have one, everything you hear about them seems like there's some deeper aspect to, or some particular nuance that's gotta be important (or else why would there be a distinction?).
Then, when you settle on a bass, and it's sitting at home, you end up usually pretty attached to that instrument, even if it's got nothing special about it. It alters your perception about necks, bridges, sizes, and more.
That's why, if you look through the last couple pages, you'll see that there's always a newbie asking "what's up with 4/4 basses" and everyone says "eh it's not really a thing, man." It's a valid question but it doesn't really matter when you own your own bass and it's the one you're stuck with, because you learn with what you've got. Your exploration into the strings forum is probably uncovering a lot of similar info: "hey, what do you guys think of this string?" followed by everyone stating that the string is both perfect for all uses yet suited for only a particular style!
I wouldn't feel bad asking questions, because things do change and the people who are visiting at a particular time may be different from those who visited 3-4 years ago.
Not to mention that when you're particularly ill, usually the only thing you can do is move enough to surf the internet and type some stuff! Besides, this also means that when you DO get your own bass, you can just come back to this thread to check out info about it ;D Same with the next newbie.
I'll just warn you that I'm a strings forum regular, I'm just visiting up here in
"basses". I'm frequently amazed at how tolerant the "basses" forum locals are. You'll get chewed to bits in the strings forum if you didn't learn your lesson here. It's a much tougher room.
"basses". I'm frequently amazed at how tolerant the "basses" forum locals are. You'll get chewed to bits in the strings forum if you didn't learn your lesson here. It's a much tougher room.
Greg Clinkingbeard
Commercial User
Your driver's ed instructor had better be very patient and no history of mental illness, or you're going to be toast.
Well, it seems that strings are more consistent as brands, so I probably wont be posting there. Anyways, thanks for the advice (and ham) everybody.
Night
Just got an Upton Hybrid which is better than my previous bass which was a 63 Kay M1. Price was 3.5 k. Ive seen junk Kays going for 2.5 I would say 3 to 4 grand is entry. Anything below you will be frustrated.
Prune--
Starting multiple new threads would certainly make the situation worse! You don't get what the problem is? Well, perhaps that's a function of the lack of perceptiveness that would be expected to accompany your youthful status. As I said earlier, you seem to be using this forum as an extension of a "text-messaging" life. That is, we are subjected to stream-of-consciousness inquiries regarding numerous aspects of the purchase and design of an instrument (and its accessories) that you have not played, do not have, and are not ready to buy. After you asked about buying a bass, you asked about bows, necks, finish, etc.
C'mon, it's easy to see what's going on. You happen to notice this or that aspect of a double bass, wonder about it, then ask another question as in "Are necks usually finished?" As has been pointed out to you, some of the distinctions about which you are asking are not even very important in practice. You don't know what's important because you haven't played! Do what virtually every one of us has. Get a good teacher, talk to players in person, consult experts (e.g., luthiers) when the time comes to actually make a purchase.
Now, if it's not the right time for you to be doing that and you want to learn about the double bass, then I suggest the tried and true method of research. That is, READ! Get a book, go through these threads in depth. Hardly anyone here would mind a single targeted question. For example, "Are necks finished?" The problem is that you're trying to learn about the double-bass, one concrete question at a time. It's not an efficient way to learn at all and you're wearing out your welcome quite rapidly. Think long-range! You want to be able to access the knowledge of folks here when you have real "gray-area" or more substantial questions.
Simply put: Attend to the receiver, shut down the transmitter.
Again, I hope you feel better soon. I understand that the internet may be what's keeping you sane. Put it to better use.
Edit: Now you've posted in another area of TB about this thread. This has progressed to absurdity. I have been extremely patient for eight pages of this. I gotta tell you that, because you don't seem to be taking the advice of the regulars around here with regard to your use of the information you've gotten and the etiquette of posting here, I've run out of patience. I don't think I've ever said that to any newbie here before. Think about that. Don't type-- think about it. Please.
Especially if you tell them that you want to put a DB in a Prius. Ask TroyK, he'll tell you:
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=286059
(Please note that Marcus mentions bacon at the bottom of page one. There's a clear ham theme, winding through all of this.)
I was going to let this go when the thread seemed to die down, but now that is back, let me say that while you might be frustrated with any bass you buy for 3 to 4 grand, it is possible to be happy for far less than that. You have to look around and play a lot of basses, but solid players can be had for less.
In 2007, I paid $1,000 bucks for a '34 Jaeger. I paid another $300 to my luthier and have a solid thumper with a sound my teacher loves. Last fall, I picked up a carved German factory bass for $2500, including luthier adjustments. It has a few cosmetic blemishes but it came from a professional jazz cat who recorded with it for a number of years and it, too, sounds great.
Finally, there are some Kays out there for $2500 or more that aren't worth the money. But some are worth that and more. The most money I ever paid for a bass was for my '42 Kay -- and I'd pay every penny for it again.
Bottom line: Trust your ears, not the price tag.
