thomas

[b]Metalstorm wrote:[/b]
[quote]

Kevin do you have any more info/tips on how to do that? I know how to set the intonation on electric but no idea on upright as theirs no frets so no idea where the octave should be. I was always wondering how to tell if you have the bridge in the right spot, other than putting it between the notches of the f-holes which doesnt always seem to be easy to tell if its right.[/quote]

you’ll find the open string octave harmonic in the same place- 12th note up from the open. just find the spot it rings most clearly, then press down and compare the stopped note against the harmonic.
if stopped note is sharp to the harmonic, bridge goes towards tail
if its flat to the harmonic, bridge goes toward neck..in small increments obviously..use a good tuner unless you have great ears.

its a pain in the ass to set, but they are really forgiving considering the huge scale length of a bass..just have to be in the ballpark. trying to set it proper on a ukulele REALLY sucks..

yeah, i can assure you those are not low tension strings- i take lessons from the dude (what up djordje!) and felt like a huge pansy trying to play that crazy thing at first and i’ve been an industrial electromechanic for about a decade and have pretty strong hands..
its actually hilarious how gnarly that bass is- the fingerboard is all channelled and grooved out and theres a section of winding gone from the E and the core is all showing through.

funny part is the guy makes the thing sound like a friggin museum piece- checked out a pick up jazz gig he had after a lesson one night, straight up acoustic and no percussion and he proceeds to burn the place down..at an italian restaurant no less..doing all kinds of crazy improvised slap and pizzicato soloing and not a sour note or buzz out of the thing..and here i can barely even run through scales on the thing without it buzzing like a wasp nest..

was a valuable lesson in the ‘it’s the player, not the instrument’ chapter..

man that is a friggin stellar version of bottle of wine!! love the bangy-clangy, stumbling sound of the bass…sounds like the player is straight but the bass is drunk (not an insult:)

hell yeah, sensei. thank YOU!