Beatles violin basses and similar?

Dodgy rythym and thick strings here...

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Beatles violin basses and similar?

Post by thehenderson »

Does anyone here have experience with different models of short scale hollowbody basses, including violin basses?

Thoughts, feelings, preferences?

I'm looking at alternatives to my muted jazz bass for recording some stuff, chasing that thumpy sound. I'm particularly interested in thoughts on intonation, durability and feedback. And of course tone :)

Cheers guys!

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Re: Beatles violin basses and similar?

Post by Rog »

I had a Hofner (Beatles) Bass in the '60s. Hated it with a passion. Sold it on within a few months.
I played a couple of more modern approaches to that theme and universally loathed them, too.
They fedback at inopportune moments. Intonation? Wassat then? Its a bass - who cares? Go fretless.

I have not tried a modern Hofner version, or the many Chinese versions currently around. Perhaps they're marvellous, but I'll never know....

I have used a Fender Mustang (short scale) bass and it was OK, but I guess short scale basses simply don't work in my world of expected bassissity tones and feel.
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Re: Beatles violin basses and similar?

Post by thehenderson »

Great, thanks for your impressions Rog.

By intonation I just mean playing in tune up the neck. I assume a bass like this might have trouble with that...

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Re: Beatles violin basses and similar?

Post by Polar Bear »

Seeing as this is NZG, I suggest you get a Warwick.
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Re: Beatles violin basses and similar?

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Re: Beatles violin basses and similar?

Post by Jenesis »

He's been busy playing in a band or some other lame shit.

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Re: Beatles violin basses and similar?

Post by bluesbass »

In my experience intonation can be really fiddly to get right...
I have an Artcore hollowbody, and it hasn't got a fixed bridge but one of those wooden things that rests on the body of the bass held in place by the weight of the strings, so to get it 100% acurate is a pain in the nerglers (at least for me - perhaps a more experienced guy might be able to get it more easily).

That being said, if your after hollowbody type thump and tone... you ain't gonna be playing intricate 16th note runs higher up anyway.
Ain't no dough past the 5th fret there baby.

If your recording, feedback shouldn't be a problem, because won't need be turning the gear up rediculous 'loud'.
The only time I've had feedback issues with the Artcore is when I was mucking about and had almost dimed it and the amp.
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Re: Beatles violin basses and similar?

Post by TmcB »

Polar Bear wrote:Seeing as this is NZG, I suggest you get a Warwick.
HA! Awesome.
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Re: Beatles violin basses and similar?

Post by thehenderson »

Haha nice. Thanks again guys.

I'm thinking of feedback using live potentially. There are tones of great Paul McCartney basslines played above the fifth fret on his hollowbody. The songs I'm doing at the moment go up to the 14th fret every so often, the 12th fret all of the time. Currently I've got heavy mutes on my jazz bass and they affect the intonation a little, but not too much.

Using a rubber pick is helping me get there a lot with the jazz, next stop is some flat wound strings (finally). Still, I think the short scale and hollow factor could sound great...

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Re: Beatles violin basses and similar?

Post by bluesbass »

thehenderson wrote: There are tones of great Paul McCartney basslines played above the fifth fret on his hollowbody.
Ahhh.. there's your problem :wink:

Check these out: http://www.bassuke.com/U-Bass.html
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Re: Beatles violin basses and similar?

Post by Rog »

Seriously - flats and fingers. Forget the pick, be it a used rubber (oo-er) or stainless steel.

Mark, if you want some old flats that certainly do have some thump and beggar all twang, I think I have a couple of used sets lying around I could send you to see if that'll do what you need.
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Re: Beatles violin basses and similar?

Post by Rog »

Polar Bear wrote:Seeing as this is NZG, I suggest you get a Warwick.

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Re: Beatles violin basses and similar?

Post by slash-ed »

Polar Bear wrote:Seeing as this is NZG, I suggest you get a Warwick.
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Re: Beatles violin basses and similar?

Post by Bg »

Rog wrote:
Polar Bear wrote:Seeing as this is NZG, I suggest you get a Warwick.

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Re: Beatles violin basses and similar?

Post by Rog »

Riffles!!
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