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Double Bass Lucked into a Double Bass

singlemalt

singlemalt

Dec 15, 2007
6,317
9,093
White Salmon, WA
#1
I've been flirting with the DB idea for years, eyed the EUB's, and hunted the used ads. Then one falls into my lap.

About a month ago I subbed for a local jug band. http://www.facebook.com/TheLibertyBondJugBand I used my Dingwall Super PJ4. It was a fun gig, but best of all I ended up with this bass. This belongs to the band leader, who bought it and set it up for his son. Son quits the school band and playing: it's gathering dust. He suggests that it go live at my house, (small town!) and I should work up the material for the jug band on it.

I have no idea what the make of this bass is. Not labels or numbers any where. Probably Chinese. The owner is a skilled luthier, so it is set up, and plays well. (As far as I know). It sounds great, and gets better each day as I get stronger and more relaxed.

I have my Rufus Reid and my Ray Brown method books, though I'll be leaning more towards blues, roots and rockabilly.

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I'm having a blast. Blue painter's masking tape, and sharpie "cheater" marks. I'm working on accuracy and I'll renew the tape with fewer marks as I get more confident. Rerouting all the old patterns is opening up new ideas all over the place. The long scale makes the notes super clear.

I put a Fishman BP 100 pickup on it, and picked up the Fishman Platinum Pro EQ Bass pre amp. That solved the amplifacation problem. I'm only into it for $200 at this point, but I'm hunting a bow, (good thing it's bow hunting season around here).

Best part is playing outside on the deck without any wires or power. That, and being told to "turn it down, or use the headphones, it's shaking the floor up here!" And it's not even plugged in!

I'm trying to keep it down to an hour a day, so I don't get too sore. It's kind of addictive.

I'm trying to get it up to speed for an Oct 6th gig with a slide player. [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]I'd like to play the first, more acoustic sounding set on the DB.

Any id info on the bass would be helpful, but I won't look a gift horse in the mouth. But a string id would be super. These are metal strings with a sage green/grey wrap with a gold spiral and a solid gold band above on the ball ends, Green, Red, Black and Gold, (one each) on the tuner ends. If I can get an id, I'd know where I'm starting on strings and explore from there.

A beginner bow suggestion would be great, I want to play over hand grip, too many years swinging a hammer to do the underhand grip.


So, I've finally made it over to the DB side!
 
#4
I'm not an F hole peeking kind of guy. Okay, just a quick peek...

Nope, nothing in there.

I'm looking for a bored, neglected bow that needs to come live at my house, rent free.
I promise to be gentle, and use whatever rosin comes with the bow.

Let's say a couple hundred for a bow. I've got a scotch habit to maintain, but the liquor cabinet if pretty full right now. I can spare a few bucks.

Anybody want to venture a guess on the strings?
 
#5
singlemalt said:
I'm not an F hole peeking kind of guy. Okay, just a quick peek...

Nope, nothing in there.

I'm looking for a bored, neglected bow that needs to come live at my house, rent free.
I promise to be gentle, and use whatever rosin comes with the bow.

Let's say a couple hundred for a bow. I've got a scotch habit to maintain, but the liquor cabinet if pretty full right now. I can spare a few bucks.

Anybody want to venture a guess on the strings?
Click to expand...

The strings are D'Addario Helicore Hybrid Mediums.

I'd have a crack at the bass if there were any straight-on pix. The arty shots look nice but distort the bass's features...
 
#10
Thanks very much on the string id! Now I've got a starting place.

I really like TI jazz flats on my electric, and I tune down half a step, so I like the loose feel, low tension, and the woody sound. Any idea what would be comparable in DB strings?

I'm not trying to be artistic with the photos. My inversion table, the back stretching, thing turns out to be a great place for the bass to hang out. We have a couple rambunctious labs, so up and off the floor is safest. No guitar stands around this house, with kids, cats and big dogs, it's just asking for trouble.

I'll try to get a good picture outside, vertical and in natural light.

The finger board appears to be painted, there is light colored wood showing through at the chipped spots. I'm sure that the owner said it was a chinese make. It has a pair of thin black pin stripes around the edges, both front and back. No labels or numbers anywhere to be found.

I've found a Golihurs entry level German bow, local and cheap, so German it is, at least to get a start, and until I can try a French and compare. I can start the tortured cat sounds today!
 
#11
DB strings =/= slab strings. Without a certain amount of tension to create downward force on the bridge, the strings can't drive the top. Thomastik Spirocore Weichs (Weich is light gauge) are a popular, relatively low tension string. They last for years and are a good all-around string.
 
#12
I wouldn't tune down a half step, it's not a good way to learn. One thing that we DBists sometimes do is buy solo strings (meant to be tuned a whole step up) and tune them regular, which accomplishes that same effect, but I wouldn't learn that way.

As for the TI Jazz Flats...don't relate anything about playing electric bass to double bass, except groove and pitch. Everything else is a trap, misdirection or distraction. But, in answer to your question; Thomastik Spirocores are outstanding doublebass strings and to a large degree the standard by which all others are compared (though people have preferences). Their light gauge (weich) would be the most relevant comparison for you. Helicore Hybrid lights would be a bit cheaper and perfectly fine, but not the same. Keep what you take off, you might want them later and if you choose Helicores, you need to have some spares in your bag because they do tend to break more than most strings.
 
#13
Thanks very much for the string tips. I only tune the electrics down a half, the DB stays standard.

I started tuning down a half step to have an easier time with some blues guys who tune down looking for the SRV sound. I ended up liking the reduced tension, and just stayed with it. But that's electric, been there, done that. Now that I'm playing in standard tuning on the DB, I probably should chuck the down tuning and set up my electrics standard.

Down tuning seems to have fallen out of style with the blues guys these days anyway. Now I'm confusing them. Plus it makes reading even harder for me.
 
#15
singlemalt said:
Down tuning seems to have fallen out of style with the blues guys these days anyway. Now I'm confusing them. Plus it makes reading even harder for me.
Click to expand...
Nah, just add seven sharps to the key signature!

Love the, "No money up here," painter's tape.

Seriously, welcome to DB! Being a DB in a small town, you're probably the only one, and your opportunities for gigs may open wayyyyyy up once the word gets around. It did for me.
 
#16
TroyK said:
As for the TI Jazz Flats...don't relate anything about playing electric bass to double bass, except groove and pitch. Everything else is a trap, misdirection or distraction. But, in answer to your question; Thomastik Spirocores are outstanding doublebass strings and to a large degree the standard by which all others are compared (though people have preferences). Their light gauge (weich) would be the most relevant comparison for you.
Click to expand...

Spirocore Weich and the EB Jazz Flats seem to be very much the same construction... but the different instrument makes for a very very different result. Jazz Flats are kind of dull and woody with a bit of a soft feel, whereas Weichs are about as zingy and harmonically rich as DB strings get and are a bit on the stiff side.

That said, Spiro Weich is as close to a do-everything double bass string as you will find. Some say they are not easy to bow, which is true, but it can be done with enough practice, and once you know how you are truly in proper control of your bow.
 
#19
Andrew McGregor said:
Spirocore Weich and the EB Jazz Flats seem to be very much the same construction... but the different instrument makes for a very very different result. Jazz Flats are kind of dull and woody with a bit of a soft feel, whereas Weichs are about as zingy and harmonically rich as DB strings get and are a bit on the stiff side.

That said, Spiro Weich is as close to a do-everything double bass string as you will find. Some say they are not easy to bow, which is true, but it can be done with enough practice, and once you know how you are truly in proper control of your bow.
Click to expand...

I'm in complete agreement with your last paragraph but STIFF - no. Lovely strings! ;)
 

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