double bass

[mkfs9]

My son is an accomplished bass player and is interested in getting a double bass. He has played one a little when he studied at a.c.m in the uk. We dont have a clue on models or styles, so can anyone give us a indication of what to look for. he would like to learn the slap style as in rockabillie as well as the normal style. Thanx.

[paulears]

To be honest, this forum is pretty useful for bass players. We tend to be the people who make them visible and make them louder - but there are a few bass players on here.

 

In general, two things happen when electric bass players shift to acoustic bass. The first is pain as your left hand develops muscles you didn't know are there, and the second relates to lugging the damn things around. I'm sure he knows what he needs is a 3/4 size - but if he wants to play Rockabilly then he just needs the action set up for slapping and banging. The cheap instruments are in essence cheap ply, but people like Thomann have nice coloured versions - white is popular for Rockabilly, and will set them up for any style. The cheap ones actually sound not too bad at all. As you start around the 300-400 quid mark, they're quite similar and sourced from China in the main. Nothing wrong with them apart from they perhaps lack a little tone - and the plating on metal parts tends to be a little thin. They usually come with padded zip up cases, which offer scratch resistance but are not really much good jammed in the back of a car or van. Ok if you look after them, though. Hard cases cost more than these basses!

 

Adding pickups, which is usually required (although you can get away with mics sometimes) costs a fair bit. Second hand on ebay brings a few at the 200-300 mark if you can collect!

 

As you go for better ones, you get more tone - which people usually call resonance - they just have a fuller sound with more sustain. For rockabilly - it usually just goes duh, duh, duh, bang - so not quite so important maybe.

 

I'd certainly have a good look through the proper musicians bass forums before buying anything - but beware, bass players on there are not the most patient types. Most questions will have been asked many times, so trawl the archives before posting!

 

I've regretted selling mine, but frankly, where exactly do you keep them??

[Wilflet]

If your going to add a pick up anyway Id consider getting an electric double bass. Far easier to move and store as theres pretty much no body. Iv heard some very nice sounding ones.

[paulears]

yes - but you can't play them without plugging in, and they just don't make the same sound, or feel the same - and don't work too well with rockabilly style as much of the sound comes from the acoustic noise of the string being slapped against the fingerboard - which just goes kind of 'thump' via the pickup. It's a bit like putting pickups on an acoustic guitar rather than a microphone - just not the same! Having a real acoustic bass and an electric skeleton one is fine, but not just the electro.

[Jivemaster]

http://www.healeyviolins.co.uk/ One of the few Bass sellers in the country, and a nice place. It's in south London near Sutton.

Prices tend to go from "small car" to "large house". I used to play full size bass and used to get it in an old style mini. Just be aware how much the fitting of a pick-up may change the value.

[Scottish_AV_in London]

yes - but you can't play them without plugging in, and they just don't make the same sound, or feel the same - and don't work too well with rockabilly style as much of the sound comes from the acoustic noise of the string being slapped against the fingerboard - which just goes kind of 'thump' via the pickup. It's a bit like putting pickups on an acoustic guitar rather than a microphone - just not the same! Having a real acoustic bass and an electric skeleton one is fine, but not just the electro.

 

Schertler manufacture a really good quality pickup system that fits into the bridge under the strings of the double bass for a permanent pickup option (STAT-B) and this can also come with a built in pre-amp (STAT-B-SELECT), and they also manufacture a good temporary option which is good for the occasions where audio reinforcement is required (DYN-B.