| Author | Message | ||
| jazzyvee
Senior Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 3103 Registered: 6-2002 |
I've just bought a 3/4 double bass and have to drive to collect it at the weekend. Im now wondering whether it will fit in my car. I drive a 7 series BMW. Any idea? If not I may need to hire a vehicle for the day to collect it. Any idea of the smallest UK hatchback or estate car that will hold the bass? Thanks in advance Jazzyvee | ||
| wfmandmusic
Junior Username: wfmandmusic Post Number: 31 Registered: 1-2012 |
I don't know about your BMW, but back in the day, I put mine in a 1974 Ford Pinto. I put the seats down and had the neck sticking out of the passenger side window. | ||
| piotr_c
Junior Username: piotr_c Post Number: 39 Registered: 7-2012 |
If it's in a case i would go with some sort of monospace (renault espace or opel zafira kind of volume). You wouldn't want anything to happen to it on your first day...! Congrats on the purchase. | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 2591 Registered: 5-2009 |
She must rest sideways on her hips. Not flat on the back or front. Watch out about jolting the bridge or the bottom of the fingerboard near the bridge, Watch out about sudden jolts that could move the sound post. Congratulations Jazzyvee! | ||
| nnek
Member Username: nnek Post Number: 76 Registered: 8-2009 |
I have several uprights and move them regularly to gigs in a 300E benz and a 5 series BMW. recline the passenger front seat and put her in head first through the passenger door to rest on her side with the bridge facing the center of the car. Adjust the back of the seat to get just the right height to clear the back seat and put the seat belt over the end pin and cinch her down. Fits like a charm! | ||
| hammer
Advanced Member Username: hammer Post Number: 220 Registered: 9-2009 |
I've learned two things from this post: (1) how to get a 3/4 double bass into a car and; (2) that at least some of you guys drive a lot nicer vehicles than I'll ever be able to afford. No offense Ken, but I hope you're driving something better than that 1974 Ford Pinto today. | ||
| rustyg61
Senior Member Username: rustyg61 Post Number: 678 Registered: 2-2011 |
I had a '74 Pinto in high school, I paid $250 for the car & put a $650 stereo in it! It didn't matter what the car looked like as long as the music sounded great! | ||
| bigredbass
Senior Member Username: bigredbass Post Number: 1912 Registered: 9-2002 |
I once carried a Peavey 215 cab in a VW Beetle Convertible. How? 1. Put the top down, snap on the cover. 2. Stand the 215 upright on the back bumper, grille-cloth facing you. 3. Heave it up on top of the collapsed top. 4. Slide it down into the back seat. 5. Go home. To unload, reverse steps 4 thru 1. J o e y | ||
| darkstar01
Senior Member Username: darkstar01 Post Number: 437 Registered: 6-2005 |
I bought a 3/4 bass (on the larger side) from a luthier/showroom in Connecticut that swore they could fit every bass they sold in the boss's mini cooper. Sounds like quite the endeavor to me. Edit: definitely shouldnt have a problem fitting a bass in a 7 series, imo. (Message edited by darkstar01 on August 15, 2012) | ||
| cozmik_cowboy
Senior Member Username: cozmik_cowboy Post Number: 1268 Registered: 10-2006 |
I can beat that, Joey - 3 adults (2 of us 5'11"), a Martin D-28, a mandolin, and a case and a half of imported beer in a Triumph Spitfire (with the top up!) Brian, buy used. That's how I can (almost) afford my S-80. JV, my beer glass is banging! (We will, of course, need shots both in & out of the car.) Peter | ||
| pauldo
Senior Member Username: pauldo Post Number: 867 Registered: 6-2006 |
I drive a 1993 Jeep Wrangler - if it is warm enough for the top to be down - no problem. Otherwise I can remove 4 bolts, take the passenger seat out and have the bass fit in diagonally. Both methods use adequate padding and bolstering to keep the bass on it's side (as mentioned above it is the safest position for the instrument). | ||
| hammer
Advanced Member Username: hammer Post Number: 221 Registered: 9-2009 |
When I played an upright in college, I drove a Datsun 1200 (the predecessor to the Datsun B210). There was no way an upright was going to fit in to that car. Luckily, I skied for the college cross country ski team and volunteered to have the "ski box" used to haul skis to and from practices mounted on the top of my car. Lined with a few down sleeping bags (and hot water bottles in the winter) my bass had a snug and cozy transport to gigs. The biggest issues that I faced given that the car was often running on only 3 of its 4 cylinders was getting up hills when I had other band members with me. | ||
| tncaveman
Intermediate Member Username: tncaveman Post Number: 117 Registered: 2-2011 |
Hey Hammer - my Dad and Brother both had 1200's = what a cool car. way a head of their time, I had a CVCC Honda Accord (vintage 1978) and could get a SVT cab in it ----- Those were the days ----- sorry for the hijack Stephen | ||
| hammer
Advanced Member Username: hammer Post Number: 222 Registered: 9-2009 |
I'll also apologize for continuing the hijack (promise not to do it again). The most interesting thing about my Datsun 1200 was that most of the time it was running on only 3 of its 4 cylinders. But it got great gas mileage for the time. My junior year in college I found myself up in Canada skiing at Mount St. Anne with a friend. Well, we spent a little too much $$$ on beer and with no credit cards, had just enough money to fill the tank with gas and see how far it would get us. Like idiots we drafted semi-trailers for 450 miles and got within 5-6 miles of our college in Connecticut before we ran out of gas. The car was light enough to get blown over a lane whenever it was passed on the highway by anything bigger than a VW van. Then again, that came in handy because when the key broke off in the ignition that winter, I was able to park it on the flats or downhills and get it rolling fast enough to start it by popping the clutch. And the best thing was the car was the ugliest lime green you ever would see. | ||
| jazzyvee
Senior Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 3108 Registered: 6-2002 |
Yep it fits my car comfortably on the passenger side with the front seat fully reclined. Now the learning starts. All tips welcome. It has something called weed wicker strings on. Which are like rubbery nylon and so i was told has a Kevlar core. Plus he gave me s set of normal steel strings. Jazzyvee | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 2594 Registered: 5-2009 |
Jazzyvee , Did you get a Bow for arco playing ? If so is it a German or French style Bow . German =Big frog /French= Little frog. I used to like these strings when I was playing Double Bass.http://www.uptonbass.com/Thomastik-Spirocore-Double-Bass-Strings-S42-JAZZ/ Awesome ! you will have fun with this for sure. Wolf | ||
| jazzyvee
Senior Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 3109 Registered: 6-2002 |
Hi Wolf, no bow at all, it looks well used and clearly has had a paintbrush applied re-finish and has a bridge mounted pickup which I haven't tried yet. The rubbery strings are really easy on the fingers but don't give out much volume, to my uninitiated ears and the E-string seems to have less volume and projection than the others. :-) Anyway I will stick with them for a while then try re-stringing with the steel ones and see what the difference is. Jazzyvee | ||
| sonicus
Senior Member Username: sonicus Post Number: 2595 Registered: 5-2009 |
Jazzyvee, Yes , Once you become acclimated to this instrument your musical intuition will surely lead you to a path of a new world of discovery and delight . Surely you will notice changes in your hands and will be adaptable to Double and electric Bass, It is really a" trip " in the difference what electric Bass feels like after the Double Bass. | ||
| terryc
Senior Member Username: terryc Post Number: 1951 Registered: 11-2004 |
If you break it up with an axe it should fit fine...sorry I just had to put that one in | ||
| jazzyvee
Senior Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 3112 Registered: 6-2002 |
Nice one Terry, I'll remember that when I try to get it in my Smart Car. :-) | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 5207 Registered: 7-2004 |
Jazzyvee: Fits in the Beamer? BFD! Let's see you get it in the smart car! hehehehe Bill, tgo | ||
| pauldo
Senior Member Username: pauldo Post Number: 868 Registered: 6-2006 |
Interesting enough (or not) I seem to feel that my upright, using standard 'steel' strings and no pick-up lacks appropriate volume. It projects well and recordings of it in an acoustic environment dictates that it is relatively loud - but from the players perspective, I could certainly use more volume. I guess the only remedy is to get a pickup on it and run a small amp behind me . . . | ||
| jazzyvee
Senior Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 3113 Registered: 6-2002 |
A question. Why is it that whenever I see a double bass amplified it's always in a small combo amps and they still get a good sound projection even on the E string but electric bass players generally use large bass rigs. What is the physics that's happening here? jazzyvee | ||
| jazzyvee
Senior Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 3114 Registered: 6-2002 |
Bill what does BFD mean? | ||
| hammer
Advanced Member Username: hammer Post Number: 223 Registered: 9-2009 |
If I may interject, I believe it refers to the phrase "Big F(reaking) Deal"...with the option of inserting another word starting with an "F" that is similar to but perhaps a tad stronger, than the 2nd word in the above phrase. | ||
| murray
Intermediate Member Username: murray Post Number: 131 Registered: 7-2007 |
Or Big Friendly Doublebass - not to be confused with Roald Dahl's BFG. I think I'd Better Finish Digressing. Glynn | ||
| murray
Intermediate Member Username: murray Post Number: 132 Registered: 7-2007 |
Just thought - can a 3/4 double bass only play waltzes? Glynn | ||
| smokinbear
Intermediate Member Username: smokinbear Post Number: 174 Registered: 11-2008 |
Check out Pirastrso Evah Pirazz Weichs (light guage) They are really good sounding strings to try if you are going for a more "gut sounding steel string". I had Thomastiks on my bass when i first got it(Carved top and back Romanian bass @ 10 yrs old so its played in) and they sound great pizz but were hard for me to bow and i like the old Paul Chambers/Ray Brown sound and thought the Spirocore's a bit claky . The Evah's are a great starting point for strings as they are you know what expensive for upright! My teacher plays a bass with spirocore's but its a $35,000 Nick LLoyd in claro walnut\spruce. Good luck with it and the car. Im about to get a Honda Element to haul my doghouse round. Dodge 3500 hauls just about everything but a upright internally. -Bear | ||
| fmm
Advanced Member Username: fmm Post Number: 356 Registered: 6-2002 |
I was Nick Lloyd's bass teacher when he was in high school. | ||
| smokinbear
Intermediate Member Username: smokinbear Post Number: 175 Registered: 11-2008 |
Thats super cool. He sure makes some nice basses!!! Way nicer than I could ever play, my teacher sold a 1904 Hawkes for the Nick LLoyd and i thought the Hawkes was special. The sound from his LLoyd basses is simply awesome. | ||
| peoplechipper
Advanced Member Username: peoplechipper Post Number: 298 Registered: 2-2009 |
At work a NS design WAV electric upright bass came for sale; was fun to play but then I heard the latest OM cd, which has a bunch of bowed upright on it...suddenly I want this bass but know that I'll pay a grand for a bass that'll never leave my house as I am unlikely to write songs that require bowed upright...as we all know reason does not always win, so I may be owing my boss money soon...or maybe I'll resist...I'll keep y'all posted...Tony |
