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Double Bass The Chadwick Folding Bass

#43
bertramkevin said:
Thanks for the info,
I'm very curious to find out how those strings work for you as I use hybrids as well ( and sometimes guts )...

I do remember when I used to use Pirastro Obligatos that sometimes they would get this weird powdery type substance when I would detune them to take them off...
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They sound great both bowed and pizza on this bass. It is my first time with hybrids since I was using the jazzers on my other shen before. So far so good though.

Im not sure what the "powdery substance" might be since I haven't used those strings but I've never had that... maybe could it be rosin residue?
 
#44
No it wasn't rosin residue...
It was as if the wrap, when pulled tightly (when the strings were strung), and then detuned (a year layer to replace them) produced the green (I think) substances which was "squeezed out" in between all the wrap.
Not sure what it was but I've had this happen a couple times with Obligatos. I was just worried that something like that might happen with the constant tuning/detuning that would happen with a bass such as a Chadwick.
Anyways, I love hybrids and guts, and I would hope that I'd be able to continue to use them when I get my Chadwick!
 
#45
Just took delivery on one of these basses. No time with it yet beyond a setup, quick check and then a tear down. Looking forward to putting it through a few paces tomorrow. Well, I'll get to spend some time with it if my GF's daughter isn't being a holy terror. At the very least I plan on taking it out on a three day run this weekend. I'll take along a fretless J just in case given that this is a new instrument. Actually, I usually take a bass guitar as backup anyway.
 
#46
I've had my Chadwick for a month and I'm thoroughly impressed. Even if it didn't fold up it would be one of the best plywood basses I've ever come across, and it certainly puts any other plywood bass I've encountered to shame when it comes to arco playing. Charlie is amazing with customer service and I'm really looking forward to many years of playing this bass - he's really nailed it.
 
#50
Kael said:
Just took delivery on one of these basses. No time with it yet beyond a setup, quick check and then a tear down. Looking forward to putting it through a few paces tomorrow. Well, I'll get to spend some time with it if my GF's daughter isn't being a holy terror. At the very least I plan on taking it out on a three day run this weekend. I'll take along a fretless J just in case given that this is a new instrument. Actually, I usually take a bass guitar as backup anyway.
Click to expand...

Okay, Luke, you've had it a month. How about an update?
 
#51
I got to hear and play a Chadwick last night. Clark Sommers, bassist with Kurt Elling, was using his at a jazz club here with a guitar and drum trio. His amp failed, so he played acoustically in a small, good sounding room. Clark really digs it for touring as it is <50lbs packed in a relatively small case the size of the body. He said he's only had to pay overage 4 times in 100 trips.

It was loud enough acoustically to work in this relatively soft trio, and sounded pretty typical of a ply bass, fulfilling the function in a one dimensional way. I played it for a few minutes and it felt good, pretty loose, as the Shen SB80s I've played all have felt. Clark is considering getting a hybrid version now, hoping to improve the experience. He had nothing but great things to say about Mr Chadwick and the buying experience.
 
#52
I recently had my first opportunity to work on a Chadwick (thanks E!) and examine the interior etc.

Its a well-designed piece that plays and sounds very well for the role its asked to fulfill. I especially liked the breast patch in the centre of the belly - I think its partially responsible for the better-than-you-might-expect tone of the bass.

The setup was well executed, too, and the bass was very nice to play.
 
#53
Eric Hochberg said:
I got to hear and play a Chadwick last night. Clark Sommers, bassist with Kurt Elling, was using his at a jazz club here with a guitar and drum trio. His amp failed, so he played acoustically in a small, good sounding room. Clark really digs it for touring as it is <50lbs packed in a relatively small case the size of the body. He said he's only had to pay overage 4 times in 100 trips.

It was loud enough acoustically to work in this relatively soft trio, and sounded pretty typical of a ply bass, fulfilling the function in a one dimensional way. I played it for a few minutes and it felt good, pretty loose, as the Shen SB80s I've played all have felt. Clark is considering getting a hybrid version now, hoping to improve the experience. He had nothing but great things to say about Mr Chadwick and the buying experience.
Click to expand...


So are the hybrids being sold now? Last year when I got mine he only had plywood and said that the hybrids were a work in progress.
 
#54
I received my Chadwick two weeks ago and for what it is I am very pleased. Charlie is a great guy to work with and he did a good setup. The one thing I don't like is the 10mm carbon endpin. I like the bass up pretty high and at that height it feels very wobbly. I also think it dulls the sound and hinders the volume of this bass. I experimented with a few other endpins - in terms of sound wood was just as bad, titanium was a bit better, but when I tried a solid steel rod the bass came to life...brighter, much louder and the bass now feels very solid. I was surprised as the steel kills the sound of my Juzek...on that the KC Strings wood and carbon endpin sounds the best.
 
#55
right, another problem i have with the carbon fiber end pin is that sometimes it will just get loose and fall with the weight while playing. It does take a lot of weight out which is why I think Charlie used the carbon fiber.

Its gotta be under a certain amount of weight when flying.
 
#56
I have had my Folding bass for a little over a month, played it on a few home gigs and just took it out for it's first travel run last weekend. It was awesome! So easy to get around with, either in the airport, in the band van, or around the dusty festival site that I was playing at for 4 days. I HATE travelling with a double bass, so the folding bass is an absolute joy for me.

I'm using the bass with a full circle pickup, which sounds really full and fat, and I didn't have any trouble with feedback despite running through Ampeg SVT heads and 8x10 stacks all weekend. Had a couple of acoustic bluegrass jams in the noisy green room and the bass was easily loud enough.

I found that as the weekend wore on and the more I set it up/ folded it down (and I gave a LOT of demonstrations to amazed bass players!), the more the bass loosened up to play, and it felt great out of the box anyway. I have nothing but great stuff to say about the Chadwick Folding Bass, and about Charlie as well; such an easy guy to deal with!

I should also mention for those that aren't in the USA - I'm in Sydney, Australia. The shipping quote from Nashville to Sydney was big, but my sister happened to be in the states at delivery time and she brought the bass back as luggage. I saved about $600 having her bring it back that way. If anyone isn't in the US and wants one of these, if you can get someone to bring it back for you it's totally worth it!
 
#57
Barry Bales (22 year bassist for Alison Krauss) has been using the Chadwick Folding bass since about April of 2011. They've basically been in tour mode since that time, with a few breaks here and there.

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Zyex strings and his ton of gear for his FOH (and monitoring) sound.

Occasionally, he does make shows with Tony Rice and will carry an American Standard, but I assume he keeps those basses at his home and he travels to those gigs in his own vehicle. The Alison Krauss gigs originate in the Nashville area, and I'm pretty sure he keeps the Chadwick bass in a gear warehouse there.
 

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