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Double Bass Thomastic Spirocore, from birth to death.

#61
Uncletoad said:
Snag in the road however. The Alsatian Queen has now developed a crush. Not on me or someone else but while she was either sitting on the gig or in the van in travel. I opened the bag to practice and there it was. Rib section G string side on the flat by the neck mortise. A big 6" section pushed in and all cracked up....Nnick says the top has to come off to fix it. Discussion with insurance company to follow.
Click to expand...
Phil,
I missed this. Sorry that it happened.
As for Nick taking the top off: You do NOT want to be there when he does this. You don't want to watch it, and you don't want to hear it. You DON'T.
 
#64
Don Higdon said:
Phil,
I missed this. Sorry that it happened.
As for Nick taking the top off: You do NOT want to be there when he does this. You don't want to watch it, and you don't want to hear it. You DON'T.
Click to expand...
Yea I dig that. I'm kinda used to that sort of thing given my day job but who knows when they are your own kids right.

Thankfully I'll be busy 100 miles away while he does all that this summer.

Meanwhile I'm still playing it. Even injured it sounds damn good.
 
#66
Don Higdon said:
Phil,
I missed this. Sorry that it happened.
As for Nick taking the top off: You do NOT want to be there when he does this. You don't want to watch it, and you don't want to hear it. You DON'T.
Click to expand...

Dono, this may be the first time you and I have to part roads.
I DO want to be there. I Do want to watch it. And I love hearing those creaking and crackley sounds as the top releases the pressure of so many years, to open up the past for me to see. You can't see all the time, care and skill involved in making a bass and the required repairs since through the F's or the end-pin hole.
So much richness and fantasy in there.

Good thing I'm not a gynecologist.
 
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#67
Paul Warburton said:
Dono, this may be the first time you and I have to part roads.
I DO want to be there. I Do want to watch it. And I love hearing those creaking and crackley sounds as the top releases the pressure of so many years, to open up the past for me to see. You can't see all the time, care and skill involved in making a bass and the required repairs since through the F's or the end-pin hole.
So much richness and fantasy in there.

Good thing I'm not a gynecologist.
Click to expand...

150 year old Queen?:rollno::rollno:
 
#68
Progris riport:

Don't tell Nnick but I think the crack is getting worse. I don't care, it's already paid for I'm just waiting till he has time to fix it.

The spiros are very settled in. I'm still not happy with the G string and the D string in the transition to thumb but it's a minor issue.

I dropped the string height down a touch too. Getting tired I think. Hard to finger with the left hand too which under the bow is a problem.

They are now sitting in that spot spiros do for a long time. I guess we'll see how long they last from here.

End progris riport.
 
#69
I'm at the opposite end of where you are, in regards to the strings, (sorry about the Queen. I'd do exactly what you're doing, if it's any consolation) mine are at the end of thier rope or whatever that core **** is. I've lost count of the years...the low B' may be close to thirty years and I refuse to change that one. But, the other four have had it. New ones next week I guess.
Enjoy the "spot" *******.
 
#70
Paul Warburton said:
I'm at the opposite end of where you are, in regards to the strings, (sorry about the Queen. I'd do exactly what you're doing, if it's any consolation) mine are at the end of thier rope or whatever that core **** is. I've lost count of the years...the low B' may be close to thirty years and I refuse to change that one. But, the other four have had it. New ones next week I guess.
Enjoy the "spot" *******.
Click to expand...
Yea, now that they are good Nnick is gonna **** the bass up and they'll sound like crap.
 
#73
Uncletoad said:
Yea I could dress him up as Sue but he's kinda tall. Dresses look funny on him.
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Sam 'er Nnick? I think they both look funny either way. 'Specially Sam with that silly hat he wears.

Anyways, I still like my idea of the "Sue yer bass luthier" concept. Just think on it a mint.....THEY are responsible for delivering our instruments back to us sounding pretty damn close to the way they did when we first brought them into their shops in the first place. If we are hired by individuals with "OUR" sound in mind and we don't come across....WHO'S fault is that????????? I'll tell you who!!!! The goddamn luthiers, that's WHO!!!!
Think of all the $$$$ we could stand to lose!!!!!!!!
SAM!....check yer PM's!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
#75
Sam Sherry said:
How 'bout them Red Sox? Did you see Ellsbury steal home last night? I mean seriously, no double-steal, no passed-ball, just flat-out undoctored stole home. Amazing!
Click to expand...
Missed it. I'll watch the Youtube.

I hate the Sox. I'm an Ohio boy. We do Reds/Indians round here. Them Sox and Yanks are rich boys with attitudes to us hillfolk.
 
#76
Sam Sherry said:
How 'bout them Red Sox? Did you see Ellsbury steal home last night? I mean seriously, no double-steal, no passed-ball, just flat-out undoctored stole home. Amazing!
Click to expand...

I missed it but God I love old-fashioned baseball like that! I can't stand the Red Sox though Jason Bey has me paying a little more attention now.
 
#77
Sour-Puss! :spit:
Hey Unka-T, Love your contributions here. Really...just hadda give you a razz for ragging my Sox. I suffered for decades and am enjoying this run for all it's worth.

Now back to our regularly scheduled merry-Spirocore-go-round:

I love my spiro's, but I think Obli's will be better. I love my Obli's, but I think Evah's will be better, I love my Evah's, but I think Guts are what I need. I love the guts. But I miss Spiros. I love my Spiro's.....

There! Thanks to TBDB, and all youse guys sharing your experience strength and hope ( or hopelessness), I just saved $1000!....

This place is great! :hyper:

=JR=
 
#79
I'm gald this thread made it to the top today. Not only do the old spiros need to go, but I saw the steal of home live as I watched the game. It was the only part of the game I seemed to be able to stay awake for... <ran a 1/2 marathon in the morning, so I mainly slept the rest of the day>

I'll replace 'em sometime before I go to the ISB convention. It's the longest gig-less strecth I'll have all summer.
 
#80
Progris Riport:

Getting pretty close to four months with this set. Still waiting for Nnick to find some bench time to work on the old girl. In the meantime I'm playing all my gigs with it anyhow. It sounds great.

The spirocores are really darkening up. If anything the E is getting a little dull. The G string is sounding very good under the bow finally. This is the point where they work their best. Still have the sustain and punch but they've lost all that banjo zing. Growl when I want it, don't when I don't. I know the way they are going that E string will have to be replaced before any of the others.

I'm considering going back to a regular Spiro E again. I have been using one on the Cleveland which is wearing a well worn in set of regular Spirocore Mittels all across and sounding very good as well. I leave the AQ in the bag at home and have the Cleveland out in the music room for stolen moments of practice--about all that I can fit in these days.

I notice the regular E starts a bit quicker on the bow and maybe blends just a bit better overall with the rest of the Mittel set than the Stark. In addition there is a need for different bowspeed and pressure on the Stark that the Mittel doesn't require when paired with the rest of the set. Imagine that, the Mittels are really a balanced well thought out set of strings.

The AQ sounds way better right now with the Stark E but I suspect after Nnick's intervention it may end up to tight. At that point the balance of the full spiro mittel set may be welcome...We'll see.

This is the spot in the time with Spiros when they are really great strings. Warm, punchy, long notes if you want them, or short round ones if you want them. Power under the bow. I can make them raspy and nasty sounding or blend in with a big round note using very little variation in the bow.

When I play this bass with these strings inside, or outside, with quiet bands or loud it is always consistent and really good sounding. No tuning problems, no problems with getting a great sound really quickly. Everything is humming along.

The working man's string. No wonder so many people use them.

End progris riport.
 

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