Christopher Basses

[Shane Wilcox]

Originally Posted by Richard Prowse

Do the strings have black wrapping, with a red stripe, at the tailpiece?

The Corelli strings I have in my string drawer are 370 TX 'FORT TIRANT'. Nice and punchy when bowed and similar to Weichs, slightly less stiff for pizz. In other words, the Weich pizz is a little better.

I can't remember what they look like (except that they're shiney!), but I'll let you know when the bass arrives. It'll be good to compare the feel against the Weichs I have on my EUB. If memory serves, they probably did feel a little "softer" under my fingers than the Spirocores.

[Richard Prowse]

Originally Posted by Shane Wilcox

I can't remember what they look like (except that they're shiney!), but I'll let you know when the bass arrives. It'll be good to compare the feel against the Weichs I have on my EUB. If memory serves, they probably did feel a little "softer" under my fingers than the Spirocores.

Thanks Shiney.

I mean the person, not the string.

[Shane Wilcox]

It took a little longer than a week, but the Christopher's arrived, nicely set up and sound post in situ! There are pictures available, if required -- they're from the vendor's website (www.bassbass.co.nz), but they are of this very bass (he's had it for a couple of years; not a high turnover item in this country, I'm afraid).

To Richard -- the strings have a dark green wrap at the tailpiece, and are blue, black, purple and gold at the tuners (E to G). That doesn't seem to match your description of the 370TX. They are very soft played pizz, but are easy to bow with a light touch, even for this rank amateur. I'll keep them for a while, but can see myself returning to Spiro Weichs, especially if my bowing improves.

I've also collected a Realist Soundclip pickup -- I liked the idea of having a removable pickup with flexible positioning. I've had a very brief play with it into my TC Electronic RH450 and BFM Jack 12 cabinet. Seems to match up well with the 1 MOhm input impedance on the amp without a preamp, and a pretty natural sound (at first audition) with the EQ all flat.

Well, I have a lot of practice to do, so it must be time to walk the dogs ...

[Richard Prowse]

Originally Posted by Shane Wilcox

It took a little longer than a week, but the Christopher's arrived, nicely set up and sound post in situ! There are pictures available, if required -- they're from the vendor's website (www.bassbass.co.nz), but they are of this very bass (he's had it for a couple of years; not a high turnover item in this country, I'm afraid).

To Richard -- the strings have a dark green wrap at the tailpiece, and are blue, black, purple and gold at the tuners (E to G). That doesn't seem to match your description of the 370TX. They are very soft played pizz, but are easy to bow with a light touch, even for this rank amateur. I'll keep them for a while, but can see myself returning to Spiro Weichs, especially if my bowing improves.

I've also collected a Realist Soundclip pickup -- I liked the idea of having a removable pickup with flexible positioning. I've had a very brief play with it into my TC Electronic RH450 and BFM Jack 12 cabinet. Seems to match up well with the 1 MOhm input impedance on the amp without a preamp, and a pretty natural sound (at first audition) with the EQ all flat.

Well, I have a lot of practice to do, so it must be time to walk the dogs ...

Congratulations on the new bass Shane.
I hope it's going to live in the living room. Train your wife to expect it in there - my wife accepts two basses in our little living room.

[Shane Wilcox]

Back from a quick walk.

Thanks Richard -- it's in my "office", a standard-size bedroom, along with my large desk, an electric piano, my EUB, 2 bass guitars, 2 electric and 2 acoustic guitars, bass amp rig and electric guitar amp, a trumpet and a cornet, a ukulele, a couple of bookshelves and a filing cabinet, and all my recording and live sound gear. No bed.

Maybe I could move it all into the living room. So the dogs can pee on it.

[Richard Prowse]

You've got a trumpet!
I just got my old school trumpet out today and started working on building up my chops. I took up trumpet about thirty years ago and got quite serious about it and, although I still pull it out for school prizegivings, haven't worked on it for many many years. I spent last summer (well a little bit of it) watching fancy trumpet players on YouTube and sort of got the bug again. I thought it might be nice to practise a second instrument, so I have my trumpet at school so that it doesn't interfere with bass practice.
I've always had this thing about trumpet. I wish I'd kept my Bach Mercedes - the best trumpet (for me) I ever owned.

[Shane Wilcox]

Yeah! My trumpet is just a Yamaha student model, but I have a 1948 Conn 80A cornet (Bix Biederbecke played this model for a while) which I love. I'm even less good on it than I am on bass, can't reliably get above G on top of the staff, but it's good fun.

Miles, Chet, Freddie, Dizzy, Clifford -- love 'em all. Never really into Maynard and the rest of the screamers. Maybe it's screamis envy, who knows.