When restringing, and you're pulling with all your might to get plenty of room to wrap around the post, does any one else worry about ripping the bridge away from the rest of the wood? Or at least doing some damage?
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Kala UBass Megathread, Part 3
- Thread starter smperry
- Start date
- Status
- Oct 7, 2000
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- 38,939
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- Endorsing artist: Musicman basses
It scares the bejesus out of me cuz it seems like something a ubass owner will have to do again and again over the years
I don't pull with all my might. I have the string clamped down on the fret board. I unwind the string, place it back over the tuner notch, trim off a little, then wind it. Once it is grabbed, I loosen the clamp.
I find the U-Bass the easiest of all my instruments to re-string.
I find the U-Bass the easiest of all my instruments to re-string.
scotch
It's not rocket science!
- Nov 12, 2006
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caeman said:
You need to film this. I dont think that any of the rest of us has had success with the capo-clamp method.
I don't have any issues now that I'm using vice-grips (see my previous post concerning my exact description of the method) to stretch the strings. I feel very confident and comfortable with this method, no capo needed (I would even argue that the capo might be a problem because it doesn't allow the entire string to stretch evenly). The strings are stretched to just flat of the final note, and then brought into place with a few half turns of the post. It all feels very precise.
Frankly, I think it "feels" like it's a ton of tension to us, when compared to steel strings being stretched, but it's really not as much. We don't notice the actual tension on our regular bass strings, because we would never have the strength to actually pull them tight enough to be in tune with our hands (the tuners do the work). And because there's no real hands-on, they don't seem as much. But I'd venture a guess that there's way more tension on a metal bass string, especially the E and the A, than any of the UBass strings.
I wouldn't worry about the bridge. The fact that it's being pulled laterally is also another factor in it's favor... perhaps if we where pulling straight out from the face of the guitar I might be a little more worried. Physics is giving that bridge a bit more strength.
Frankly, I think it "feels" like it's a ton of tension to us, when compared to steel strings being stretched, but it's really not as much. We don't notice the actual tension on our regular bass strings, because we would never have the strength to actually pull them tight enough to be in tune with our hands (the tuners do the work). And because there's no real hands-on, they don't seem as much. But I'd venture a guess that there's way more tension on a metal bass string, especially the E and the A, than any of the UBass strings.
I wouldn't worry about the bridge. The fact that it's being pulled laterally is also another factor in it's favor... perhaps if we where pulling straight out from the face of the guitar I might be a little more worried. Physics is giving that bridge a bit more strength.
Don't bother clamping anything (sorry Chad, I don't like the capo method). Just follow my vice grip method. It's easy, simple, and once you've done it once, you'll likely be able to do it on your own. I was able to re-stretch my new D string right in the middle of rehearsal between songs, only took 2 mins max.
And it comes out clean! Check out these pics. Because I don't have to worry about leaving extra string to grab, I can cut them down every time I re-stretch.
How about both of you film your next re-stringings and we'll let the masses decide which is the superior method. Or not...up to you
As promised, I will film my next restringing. However, I don't know when that will be (my strings have mostly stabilized). How long until I need new strings?
If my D needs another restring this week, I will try to film at least that.
If my D needs another restring this week, I will try to film at least that.
I, too, struggle with this. I call the house The Black Hole Vortex where all of my things get sucked into.
Gear update: at rehearsal with the Latin band tonight I used the Fishman with both the solid fretless 5 and the Stingray fretless that I have heavily modded. It managed the tone of both wih flying colors. I never liked compression until I play all this tumbao stuff. The Fishman works very well for this. And since the solid body doesn't give you as much thump on the attack and it needs to be generated by the rig, a properly tuned high pass filter is a must. Solos and louder notes especially played at the bridge give potentially speaker damaging transients and the filter cleans up the low end very nicely.
I am borrowing a friend's Eden WDTI for a couple weeks. I will use it on the next couple gigs and report back.
Here were my settings for the Cali5:
I saw JamesCzar playing the Hog/Fishman
with his bluegrass band tonight. Big thumpy warm sound. Now I am not the only one gigging this thing in this town
I am borrowing a friend's Eden WDTI for a couple weeks. I will use it on the next couple gigs and report back.
Here were my settings for the Cali5:
I saw JamesCzar playing the Hog/Fishman
with his bluegrass band tonight. Big thumpy warm sound. Now I am not the only one gigging this thing in this town
caeman said:
There is one in the classifieds right now asking $1900 for an old one. That's a steal and he'll get it for sure.
Mine is a 1995 green light 2 channel stereo. The stereo (red top vs. black) is rare. He understates the wattage so these numbers are more than real. Mine is 225-350 per side into 8-4 ohms and bridged 700-1000 into 8-4. I've had it to 6 using one side and about 4 bridged. I have blown several speakers. If there is not backline that is my amp. Has been for 17 years.
I saw JamesCzar playing the Hog/Fishman with his bluegrass band tonight. Big thumpy warm sound. Now I am not the only one gigging this thing in this town
Thanks for stopping by! Tim totally startled me on stage, by the way... Came up behind me... Just didn't expect to see him.
I'm not sure I liked the sound out of the Ampeg 1x15 combo I was plugged into. I flattened its built-in EQ, and then ran my Fishman into the main input and used it to dial in my sound. I only had a minute or so to get my sound dialed in on the Fishman, so I basically left it the way I set it for my AI Ten2, and then bumped up the depth knob and a bit less compression.
It was hard to tell from the stage what kind of tone I was really getting, and since this was an opening act gig as part of a multi-act show, I didn't want to take too much time. But I got great feedback from folks after the set. And lots of, "I was looking for the bass... I could hear it... But I couldn't figure out where it was coming from..." kind of comments. May not have been the exact tone I wanted, but most felt it sounded like an upright.
I'm playing the next gig with the 'hog on Saturday at a block party. I'll have more time to get everything tweaked, and I may even use my wireless that day just to be able to walk out into the crowd to hear how it sounds in the mix.
I have to pitch in here and agree with you about never liking much compression...but the fishman compression is great and very usable IMO. lately, i've been just running straight out of the fishman into the board and using my amp as a stage monitor (it tilts back.) we have a great PA and soundman, so it's really quite ideal.
another thing i'd like to mention is the "mellowing" of my fretless hog with stock strings. the strings themselves have really aged well, stay in tune almost on par with other basses, and no longer register that "wobble" on the tuner that they used to. also, i was reluctant to add graphite to the nut to help with tuning the A-string (mine stuck a little). i just picked the string up a little and let it slide after each turn. now that the strings are stretched out i no longer need to do that either. the bass sounds much MUCH better than when i first bought it, and i really liked it then too. the only band i'm in now that doesn't specifically request that i bring it is the mo-town wedding band (based solely on the "look" of the bass.) to me, this is a shame, because i can dial a pretty good motown sound with that bass in conjunction with the Fishman...real vintage sound.
another thing i'd like to mention is the "mellowing" of my fretless hog with stock strings. the strings themselves have really aged well, stay in tune almost on par with other basses, and no longer register that "wobble" on the tuner that they used to. also, i was reluctant to add graphite to the nut to help with tuning the A-string (mine stuck a little). i just picked the string up a little and let it slide after each turn. now that the strings are stretched out i no longer need to do that either. the bass sounds much MUCH better than when i first bought it, and i really liked it then too. the only band i'm in now that doesn't specifically request that i bring it is the mo-town wedding band (based solely on the "look" of the bass.) to me, this is a shame, because i can dial a pretty good motown sound with that bass in conjunction with the Fishman...real vintage sound.
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