I 2nd going for a manageable 3/4 size with an accessible upper register i.e. sloped shoulders, and at 6 foot tall i struggle with a string length of longer than 41.5 inches. And i wouldnt spend much on the first bass. If you end up getting something more expensive and probably more specific to your wants/needs later down the line, you'll still have a knock-around bass that is a bit of an all rounder that you dont need to worry about playing outside or leaving it in the venue or in the car etc. And if you can, dont buy new - you'll get most or all of your money back if you end up selling it down the line
This! My bass was a 3/4 with a scale of just over 41" and I'm 6'2". Once my Luthier had done some work on it, it wasn't too much work (technique& practice) to get it to make a big sound without ridiculous left hand stretch
@@DiscoverDoubleBassI like videos on tips to become a professional player and session bassist. Traveling with your double basses to gigs on Airport and flying with it. Cases to use
Geoff and Katie... two of my favorite people in the bass-o-sphere! I loved the practical/sensible focus of this advice. I think there can be a tendency to assume that it's necessary to spend thousands ($10k) on a bass, which may be a deterrent to someone even getting started. It was great to hear the encouragement to just get a bass that functions, get a luthier to make the most of it, and to not necessarily break the bank. This lines up with my experience, whereby I bought a 1949 (heavily used) Kay bass, and I was feeling like I made a big compromise by not getting a carved bass, but after 12 years of playing it, we've gotten to get to know one another well, and I feel like I get really great sound out of the instrument. That's something my teacher (the excellent Kyp Green) said to me when I first got it - the more you play it, the more your ears help you figure out how to get the best sound out of the instrument. He recently said that he thinks my bass sounds like a $15,000 instrument even though I paid about $2,000 for it. Thanks for making and sharing this video - very helpful!!
Yes, the longer I play the less interested I am in buying a really expensive bass. Mine isn't a pedigree instrument and I'm lucky to hear so many of my heroes play it and getting sounds I aspire to have. I love Kay basses, it sounds like you made a great choice. Thanks for your kind words Ray, and best of luck with all your practice, cheers Geoff
@@DiscoverDoubleBass You go deeper into this subject, because when you are new. You don't know what you are buying? You look at the fingerboard, make sure it cracks between the fingerboard and the bass itself or the bridge is not loose and etc. sale guys will sell junk to make a sale. I got lucky when I bought my double bass from an older man. He repaired my Electric Bass , and his double bass at the time was sitting in the closet for 40 years. I bought it for $ 300? It's a Kluson MFG Co plywood bass. I just put new strings on it!! I had the fingerboard board fixed, because it came off and the bridge came off. A long time ago I had my bass repaired for the same issues and he did a crappy job because it came off again. You have to watch out for who works on your bass, it will save you money and heartache.
Great insight, I really appreciate these videos. However… I’m always confused when someone says they only play acoustically then immediately start talking about their mic. Like… are they not aware how that microphone gets the sound to the speakers? Are they assuming it’s magic?
I would like to endorse the principle of having a good setup, but what was missed in this conversation was the discussion of string height at the nut end. I have played good basses with a good bridge-end height, but the nut was set much too high, so that at half- and first-position the sheer work to push the strings down on the fingerboard spoiled the experience. It is not necessary to have a nut that raises the strings: the height can be only just above the fingerboard where the strings come off the nut. It is an easy enough job for a luthier. W.
I 2nd going for a manageable 3/4 size with an accessible upper register i.e. sloped shoulders, and at 6 foot tall i struggle with a string length of longer than 41.5 inches. And i wouldnt spend much on the first bass. If you end up getting something more expensive and probably more specific to your wants/needs later down the line, you'll still have a knock-around bass that is a bit of an all rounder that you dont need to worry about playing outside or leaving it in the venue or in the car etc. And if you can, dont buy new - you'll get most or all of your money back if you end up selling it down the line
This!
My bass was a 3/4 with a scale of just over 41" and I'm 6'2".
Once my Luthier had done some work on it, it wasn't too much work (technique& practice) to get it to make a big sound without ridiculous left hand stretch
What a wonderful series. Thanks for shooting and sharing.
A pleasure watching this DDB video. Geoff and Katie--the voices of the Double Bass world.
Thank you so much :-)
@@DiscoverDoubleBassI like videos on tips to become a professional player and session bassist. Traveling with your double basses to gigs on Airport and flying with it. Cases to use
Very valuable conversation, thank you
Geoff and Katie... two of my favorite people in the bass-o-sphere! I loved the practical/sensible focus of this advice. I think there can be a tendency to assume that it's necessary to spend thousands ($10k) on a bass, which may be a deterrent to someone even getting started. It was great to hear the encouragement to just get a bass that functions, get a luthier to make the most of it, and to not necessarily break the bank. This lines up with my experience, whereby I bought a 1949 (heavily used) Kay bass, and I was feeling like I made a big compromise by not getting a carved bass, but after 12 years of playing it, we've gotten to get to know one another well, and I feel like I get really great sound out of the instrument. That's something my teacher (the excellent Kyp Green) said to me when I first got it - the more you play it, the more your ears help you figure out how to get the best sound out of the instrument. He recently said that he thinks my bass sounds like a $15,000 instrument even though I paid about $2,000 for it. Thanks for making and sharing this video - very helpful!!
Yes, the longer I play the less interested I am in buying a really expensive bass. Mine isn't a pedigree instrument and I'm lucky to hear so many of my heroes play it and getting sounds I aspire to have. I love Kay basses, it sounds like you made a great choice.
Thanks for your kind words Ray, and best of luck with all your practice, cheers Geoff
@@DiscoverDoubleBass You go deeper into this subject, because when you are new. You don't know what you are buying? You look at the fingerboard, make sure it cracks between the fingerboard and the bass itself or the bridge is not loose and etc. sale guys will sell junk to make a sale.
I got lucky when I bought my double bass from an older man.
He repaired my Electric Bass , and his double bass at the time was sitting in the closet for 40 years.
I bought it for $ 300? It's a Kluson MFG Co plywood bass. I just put new strings on it!! I had the fingerboard board fixed, because it came off and the bridge came off.
A long time ago I had my bass repaired for the same issues and he did a crappy job because it came off again. You have to watch out for who works on your bass, it will save you money and heartache.
Great insight, I really appreciate these videos.
However… I’m always confused when someone says they only play acoustically then immediately start talking about their mic. Like… are they not aware how that microphone gets the sound to the speakers? Are they assuming it’s magic?
I would like to endorse the principle of having a good setup, but what was missed in this conversation was the discussion of string height at the nut end. I have played good basses with a good bridge-end height, but the nut was set much too high, so that at half- and first-position the sheer work to push the strings down on the fingerboard spoiled the experience. It is not necessary to have a nut that raises the strings: the height can be only just above the fingerboard where the strings come off the nut. It is an easy enough job for a luthier. W.
I'm guessing .....Have a Boatload full of Cash! 😮
They can be pricey, but we don't recommend an expensive instrument. It's always best to focus on a good set up, rather than a fine instrument.