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Okay, a question I've been thinking on. I'm a sucker for the look of a violin bass, but the price was putting me off. Reading around here, Rondo seems to be a big fan favorite, and I see they have a nice-looking Douglas WVEB for a really nice price. The reviews I've seen suggest that these are perfectly serviceable guitars, but I wanted some feedback. Any glaring reasons for or against a violin bass as a starter? Any bad news about that brand in particular?
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Nov 30, 2008 13:08
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| # ? May 8, 2024 05:13 |
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Only downside to a violin-bass (and even then, it's only a downside for some) is that the string spacing is almost always very narrow. It may take some extra effort on your part getting used to having them so close together.
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Nov 30, 2008 23:20
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So, uh... It's a bass guitar... Shaped like a violin? Somehow that's just too appropriate. (I play violin and, more recently, bass.  )
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Dec 1, 2008 07:26
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I've always been interested in violin basses but I haven't really heard much of anything about them. I'd only want one to just fart around with, so a semi-hollow bass would be nice because I hear it's loud enough to not really require an amp. Is there anything particularly special about them or is there a particular sound they're good for or what? Well the reason I clicked this thread in the first place: my friend has had a bass for a while but has no amp. It makes me sad seeing him all hunched over with his chin glued to it trying to hear anything so I want to get him an amp for christmas. What would be a good little bedroom practice amp for him? He'd only really be using it once a week at the most but I'd still like to find something decent enough.
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Dec 1, 2008 09:51
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I Read Kotaku! posted:Well the reason I clicked this thread in the first place: my friend has had a bass for a while but has no amp. It makes me sad seeing him all hunched over with his chin glued to it trying to hear anything so I want to get him an amp for christmas. What would be a good little bedroom practice amp for him? He'd only really be using it once a week at the most but I'd still like to find something decent enough. Price range?
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Dec 1, 2008 14:02
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I need a new bass as I sold my only bass a couple of months back. I want a 6 string as I usually play 7 string guitars so I'll need the lower string for recording, and the higher one would actually get a decent amount of use in other situations. It needs to be quite versatile as it will be playing everything from same octave djent and normal metal to blues and jazz. I also want to keep it under £450 if possible. So far I've been looking at the LTD B206SM and D6 NS aswell as the Ibanez SR506BM and BTB676. I'm currently leaning towards the B206SM. Any thoughts?
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Dec 1, 2008 16:42
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3toes posted:Price range? I guess up to $100ish. I wouldn't mind spending a bit more but like I said it's not going to see all that much use.
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Dec 1, 2008 21:35
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I don't play bass, but I play a fair bit of guitar, and own five of those. I'm considering picking up a cheap bass to see if I like it, and was wondering if anyone had any opinions on either a Washburn XB100, or a Dean Edge 1, which I haven't seen mentioned in this thread. I realize these aren't on any "recommended" lists, but all I'm looking for is something that isn't utter crap. I have gift certificates to a local music shop, and this is pretty much all they have at the moment (the Washburn is used, in great cosmetic shape, and they're asking $200 for the bass and a bag. The Deans are new, they have a variety, and they're going for $169). Also, is it normal for a bass to have fairly significant fret buzz (unplugged - I haven't plugged any in to see if it's audible through an amp), or is that just bad setup?
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Dec 29, 2008 21:13
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It can be a bad setup, but if you aren't used to playing bass, it can be the strength in your hands. Properly tuned, like a guitar, lighter gauge strings will be easier to work with. Unfamiliar with either bass, but you can I'd try both plugged in. Some cheaper models use cheaper pickups. Plugged in will determine the sound.
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Dec 29, 2008 21:36
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WithoutTheFezOn posted:I don't play bass, but I play a fair bit of guitar, and own five of those. I'm considering picking up a cheap bass to see if I like it, and was wondering if anyone had any opinions on either a Washburn XB100, or a Dean Edge 1, which I haven't seen mentioned in this thread. Nope, not normal. That could be as simple as the bass not being properly set-up, or as complicated as having poorly leveled frets. I'd recommend going for an Ibanez GSR200 for that price range over a Dean or Washburn. http://bass-guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Ibanez-GSR200-4String-Bass?sku=519524
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Dec 30, 2008 04:08
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I am having a bitch of a time figuring out the difference between triads/7th chords and arpeggios. As far as I can tell they both consist of taking the first, third, fifth, (seventh), and eighth note of a scale and playing those. I am starting to think they are the same thing. Am I correct? If not, what link am I missing here?
pantsfish fucked around with this message at 00:45 on Jan 1, 2009 |
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Jan 1, 2009 00:36
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pantsfish posted:I am having a bitch of a time figuring out the difference between triads/7th Cords and arpeggios.
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Jan 1, 2009 00:43
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Col.Kiwi posted:The simplest definition of a chord is multiple notes played at the same time. An arpeggio is all the tones from some chord played one at a time in sequence instead of all at once. Exactly, so wouldn't the triad of, say, a C major scale also be an arpeggio?
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Jan 1, 2009 00:44
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If you play C and E and G at the same time you've played a C major chord. If you play a C then an E than a G you have played a C major arpeggio - you can also say you've arpeggiated a C major chord. What I'm telling you is that the matter of timing is the difference.
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Jan 1, 2009 00:49
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Scarf posted:Nope, not normal. That could be as simple as the bass not being properly set-up, or as complicated as having poorly leveled frets. Thanks for the info. I would go for the Ibanez, but as I mentioned, the reason I'm making this impulse buy is because I have a couple hundred bucks worth of gift certs to a specific store, and there's really nothing else there that I'd buy other than a dozen sets of strings (nothing else under $600, anyway  )I ended up going back and getting a Dean Edge 1. Their setup guy was in today, and he agreed that the truss rod on the one I liked needed a little tweaking (which he did in a few minutes) so the buzz is gone. Probably not the best in terms of long-term investments, but it seems like it'll do the trick, and it was only $170 after tax for the bass, a bag, and a cheap strap.
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Jan 1, 2009 05:57
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I just caught up on this thread and to anyone that has pinky strength issues there is a fantastic exercise for that. Play about 5 minutes of disco everyday (alternating octaves using the index and pinky).
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Jan 1, 2009 15:17
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Another dumbshit question. I have taken to opening garage band and finding something played in a random scale (G Major, for instance), getting ripped, and then loving around within that scale using triads etc. as a timing and ear training exercise. Is this less beneficial than, say, just doing scales backwards and forwards with a metronome?
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Jan 2, 2009 05:00
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pantsfish posted:Another dumbshit question. I have taken to opening garage band and finding something played in a random scale (G Major, for instance), getting ripped, and then loving around within that scale using triads etc. as a timing and ear training exercise. Is this less beneficial than, say, just doing scales backwards and forwards with a metronome? I'd say that they're equally mindless if you're just playing over one chord in Garageband. If you're playing over a progression in G major, you'll get more familiar with the harmony inherent to that key, which will be more beneficial than just running scales.
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Jan 2, 2009 23:53
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pantsfish posted:getting ripped, and then loving around within that scale using triads etc. as a timing and ear training exercise
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Jan 3, 2009 00:05
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Col.Kiwi posted:82Daion posted:Thanks for the help. What would you guys recommend exercise-wise then? You can only do scales so many hours in a row before it becomes a chore.
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Jan 3, 2009 02:45
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Well I'm a guitar player so I'm not exactly a wealth of bass exercises but one classic that's good for both is the spider exercise. Play this: G-------------1234-4321------------ D---------1234---------4321-------- A-----1234-----------------4321---- E-1234-------------------------4321 With a metronome, always using the same finger for each fret. Try the same thing starting on the 2nd fret, then on the 3rd, etc. Try different patterns, like 1324 or 4132. This is pretty helpful for left hand dexterity.
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Jan 3, 2009 03:54
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Col.Kiwi posted:Well I'm a guitar player so I'm not exactly a wealth of bass exercises but one classic that's good for both is the spider exercise. Play this: That would be called the "ascending/descending chromatic scale". Not the "spider exercise".
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Jan 3, 2009 06:32
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Slurpee_E posted:Forget about all that. You've given us something much more important . . . a dream. you could easily build a 34 foot scale bass by building it horizontally, and fretting it with a matrix of keys connected to padded blocks over the frets.
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Jan 3, 2009 07:37
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h_double posted:you could easily build a 34 foot scale bass by building it horizontally, and fretting it with a matrix of keys connected to padded blocks over the frets. Congratulations. You built a really big (and stupid) piano. edit: VVV even if you play it in a different order, it's still (a piece of) the chromatic scale. ZombiePeanut fucked around with this message at 07:45 on Jan 3, 2009 |
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Jan 3, 2009 07:39
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ZombiePeanut posted:That would be called the "ascending/descending chromatic scale". Not the "spider exercise".
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Jan 3, 2009 07:40
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ZombiePeanut posted:That would be called the "ascending/descending chromatic scale". Not the "spider exercise". It's not even that, since it misses some of the notes in the F chromatic scale or the chromatic scale of whatever root you're on, depending on your position on the neck. That's a good exercise for building hand coordination and finger strength, but there's nothing really valuable about it from a musical standpoint. Pantsfish, I can't really post anything here that would help, but I'd start with this book if you want to improve your knowledge of scales and how they work in a musical context: Bunny Brunel's Xtreme Bass Kind of a dumb title, but it's got some good exercises in it and it examines scales and modes in detail.
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Jan 3, 2009 07:55
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Again I'd like to point out that ZP is gay and you can ignore him. Also I'm going to be looking for a bass amp soon, I need it to keep up with a drummer while keeping it small and for the least amount of money possible. Ideas?
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Jan 3, 2009 10:17
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Stux posted:Again I'd like to point out that ZP is gay and you can ignore him. Just play some music in the RAWR TWANGY scale and I'm sure you'll feel better.
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Jan 3, 2009 18:10
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Stux posted:Again I'd like to point out that ZP is gay and you can ignore him. It depends on how hard your drummer hits, but any Peavey 115 combo (TNT, TKO, Combo, etc.) should do the trick for cheap and loud. They're a little on the big side, but that's the sacrifice you must make for bass.  What's your budget?
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Jan 3, 2009 19:24
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82Daion posted:It depends on how hard your drummer hits, but any Peavey 115 combo (TNT, TKO, Combo, etc.) should do the trick for cheap and loud. They're a little on the big side, but that's the sacrifice you must make for bass. I dont really have a set budget, I just don't want to pay more than I have to. The 115 looks pretty bang on for price and size though. I'm not really worried about the tone at this point as its just for practices, any recording will be done through a modeller and for any gigs I'll be borrowing rigs/PAing it.
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Jan 3, 2009 21:17
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82Daion posted:That's a good exercise for building hand coordination and finger strength, but there's nothing really valuable about it from a musical standpoint.
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Jan 3, 2009 21:27
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when shopping for bass amps, I notice the vast majority of them are solid state. I assume that if tube amps made as much a difference in bass as they do guitars, then they would have more, but maybe I'm wrong. Any preference here in the bass thread regarding tube amps or solid state?
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Jan 3, 2009 23:42
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Months after buying my Fender J-Bass I've finally picked up an amp. I ended up buying the Roland Microcube Bass amp since I really enjoy fiddling with the Microcube guitar amp I have. So far I really like this. The J bass needs a little work, the knobs need to be replaced because they're all pointed in different directions when they're turned till they stop and one of them feels loose. It's too bad there's not a Bass version of Justin Sandercroe's Guitar lessons out there.
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Jan 4, 2009 01:25
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Archr5 posted:So far I really like this. The J bass needs a little work, the knobs need to be replaced because they're all pointed in different directions when they're turned till they stop and one of them feels loose.
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Jan 4, 2009 01:48
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Gorilla Salsa posted:when shopping for bass amps, I notice the vast majority of them are solid state. I assume that if tube amps made as much a difference in bass as they do guitars, then they would have more, but maybe I'm wrong. Any preference here in the bass thread regarding tube amps or solid state? Tubes, tubes, tubes, tubes, TUBES! Oh, except if you want reliability, sub-50hz definition, and something that isn't two feet wide and weighs 90 pounds. Still, the drawbacks pale in comparison to the sheer awesomeness that is the Sadowski SA200, Orange AD-200B and the Ampeg SVT, SVT Classic, and 80's Skunkwork SVT's. The thing about bass tube amps, as opposed to guitar tube amps is that to make bass audible and defined at similar volumes to guitar, you need multiple times the wattage. An 800-1000w solid state bass amp competes with a cranked 100w tube guitar amp. In tube amps, this calls for extra tubes, and extra hardware, extra space in the case, larger heatsinks, and all manner of other fun hardwood and metal bits that add up to a lot of weight. Not that tube guitar amps are especially light either (my Lonestar weighs a TON). The other thing about tube bass amps, and the reason you don't see them more often, besides costing many times what a comparable solid state amp does ("$2k for 300 watts? I got a 300w GK for $400"  ), is note definition. (WARNING: Possibly incorrect explanation ahead) Tube guitar amps are prized for thier natural break-up as their tubes can be saturated far beyond the 100w rating, which is why even a 15w tube amp can be earbleedingly loud. Following this same principle a 300w bass amp like an SVT is enough to fill a stadium with bass sound when it's cranked - but this will produce an almost John Entwhistle level of break-up (think Jack Bruce in Cream for a good 'pushed' tube amp tone). Most bass players don't want break-up. Most of us spend our entire careers putting together massive rigs, pushing our headroom into the sky with 1-3kw of power for ultimate clarity at any volume. A tube amp is this philosophy's antithesis. It is also a much more beautiful and natural sound to my ears.Of course, I'm talking about a tube power section. I'm not going to bother talking about 'hybrid' amps that use a tube pre-amp mated to a solid state power section. As far as I'm concerned they don't cut it for either camp. I want the pure crispness of my 1000w solid state amp, or I want to be blasting classic rock mojo out my speakers using 90 pounds of tubes. Personally, I just make sure my options are always open - my solid state amp is built into my speaker enclosure and my SVT rests on top of it, so I can simply swap three cables and switch at my whim. The biggest difference in sound between a solid state amp and a tube amp is the coloration of your bass' tone. If you want pure transparency and the tone coming from your bass is already the absolute perfect tone and must be heard unadulterated, a good solid state amp is exactly what you're after. A good tube amp will lather 'character' all over your tone, sneaking it into places you weren't aware that 'character' was even allowed to be. This can be good and bad. It can fool you into thinking you sound better than you do, when the amp is really just filling in a few cracks. See, much like good tube guitar amps, good tube bass amps will make a bad player sound quite a bit better, and a good player sound like a professional recording artist. Nashville session players do not need tube amps to make them sound amazing, they are purely by virtue of training/skill/environmental pressure - us Cali rockers? We need some help. Except guys like Jean Baudin, 'cause gently caress him for being so good. tl;dr: Solid state = cheap clean power, less tone coloration, lighter amps. Tubes = character, warmth, smooth break-up and a lot of other nebulous words that make tone-crafters salivate - they're also big and VERY HEAVY.
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Jan 4, 2009 08:20
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Rocketpriest posted:Tubes, tubes, tubes, tubes, TUBES! Oh, except if you want reliability, sub-50hz definition, and something that isn't two feet wide and weighs 90 pounds. What's inherently unreliable about tube amplifiers? The lack of "sub-50Hz note definition" is probably a cabinet issue rather than an amp issue, unless you're encountering it on a cab that's capable of actually reproducing those frequencies, such as an Acme Low B. As for the breakup issue, if you're ever playing loud enough to push an SVT into power tube saturation, I pity your ears and the audiences'. The one time I've used an SVT (70's model) on a gig, I had it turned up to 3 at the most, and it more than carried a large (200+ capacity) room running through a pair of 1x15 cabinets loaded with JBL K140's.
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Jan 4, 2009 08:47
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Stux posted:The 115 looks pretty bang on for price and size though. I picked up one of the old 160w models for $50. It's 85 lbs and built like a tank, which is good because it's a pain in the rear end to carry and gets dropped a lot. The handle on top is a joke, and the sides are slippery as hell. Mine broke its owners foot and got thrown off a loading dock. The only damage was a tiny scuff and the speaker driver came loose. A dab of epoxy and now I'm learning bass instead of tinkering with a cheap amplifier. I can't tell you about the tone, but I know you can make spaceship noises with the chorus knobs. 
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Jan 4, 2009 10:00
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82Daion posted:What's inherently unreliable about tube amplifiers? Tubes can break (from impacts and such) and wear out, while transistors do not.
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Jan 4, 2009 20:29
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oxbrain posted:...stuff... oxbrain is a bassist as well?!
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Jan 5, 2009 06:05
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Schatten posted:oxbrain is a bassist as well?! For nearly three weeks now. I think my interest is mostly in tinkering with it and learning the mechanics of music. I'm not sure if I'll devote enough time to practice to be any good, but many of my friends are musicians and they might keep me going.
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Jan 5, 2009 06:56
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