Bass - gear thread

Mac Hack

marcus johnson wrote:

I'm a hardcore double bassist, and I'm bound to die the same, so I can't believe what I'm about to suggest; The Ashbory bass. It's an ultrashort scale bass with big silicone strings. It plays effortlessly, very low tension. I played one when they were first introduced about twenty years ago, and I was pretty shocked....big, organic sound, amazingly "upright-like". Of course, you need to use an amp.

Now, if you mention this post to my double bass brethren, I'll deny it with my last breath ...but for someone who doesn't want to commit to the DB and wants a "messin' around" bass, the Ashbory might do nicely. I think they go for about $250.

I remember those too but have any of y'all heard the new Kala Ubass? These things are really fun to play. Very similar to the Guild Ashbory but acoustic electric, improved strings, longer scale, and the choice of frets or fretless: http://www.kalaukulele.com/Kala%20Ukulele%20uBass.html

franko

I see I am in the land of upright acoustic double basses. I've been playing various instruments in various genres for many years, playing Gypsy jazz for about the last six. I love it like crazy. So here's heresy. I just got a Modulus Quantum five string electric bass. It's wonderful. Tonal variation will get about any sound you want and the neck is a dream.
On another topic, somebody was asking about how to learn to play this music. I suggest listening not only to bassists, but to those old New Orleans jazz tuba players. They've got the swing, the staccato attack and the leading tones down.

stranded horse

Don't be fooled! You dont need an expensive solid double bass. Specially if you play amplified, a good quality laminated one for less than 1000 Euro will do it.
And you need to practice quite a while before youre gigging anyways, so you can buy one now, and the pickup and amp later.
Laminated upright basses also have the advantage that they will take a lot more beating than solid ones, and they have been used for decades by professional bassists too (just think of all the rockabilly bassits)