What are /r/doublebass' favorite Products & Services?

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I went on a similar quest a few years back and found that Thomastik-Infeld Spirocore strings get me as close to that sound as any. Even with a plywood bass.

More info on the da Salo bass Dan Styffe is playing.

Any of the preamps on this site should work (I use the series 3). Or maybe using one of these as they are meant to work with your pickup.

Try getting one of these. I have one and love it because it keeps the muscles in my finger strong, so when I pick the bass up again, it’s much easier. I found this on amazon, and it just so happens that it also has a built-in callous builder. I hope this helps!

Finger Strengthener/Callous Builder

For future reference, this tip for hiking canes is the most durable I've found. It's been on my bass for 10 years and it's just now getting to the point that it might need to be replaced.

amazon.com/LEKI-Rubber-Walking-Tip/dp/B07CQ74FXM

In a pinch, generic rubber cane tips at a drugstore will work. Bring your endpin with you; they come in different sizes. I used to use these, but in my experience they wear out in about a year.

This type of mute is the best, cheapest solution. Kills way move vibration than the orchestral tortes. It does alter your basses resonance feel a bit (esp with bow) which can be trippy at first.

I also second some, thick workout mats or something under your bass as well.

Don't play in corners as they acoustical boost bass frequencies.

Try and stuff a comforter or something heavy like that in door gaps.

The mic requires a small watch battery, so no phantom power. I plug it into an acoustic image contra most of the time. This doesn't provide a ton of clarity in the mid-range, but has a way more natural, woody tone than any of my pickups by far. And the bass it quite boomy. You can dial the bass in or out through EQ, though. I bought a pack of foam wind guards. I squeeze the foam into the narrow part of the treble side f-hole and it holds just fine.

The model I bought was this one (this is the actual link I used: "tie clip mic"), and maybe you can find something better & cheaper with another brand. They discontinued the Radio Shack version I think, so they might be more expensive. Probably better options available now.

I just got this one. Used it on three performances so far and it's wonderful. Folds completely flat. It's a tiny bit heavy and awkward, but having a flat stool in the car, comfortable height, and easy adjustment easily makes up for it.

I bought a piezo transducer, a 1/4" jack, and some shielded wire from radioshack for about ten bucks. With very little of understanding of wiring or electronics, you can make something like this: http://www.cigarboxnation.com/profiles/blogs/how-i-do-a-simple-piezo-pickup With that and one of these: https://sites.google.com/site/hpftechllc/home/hpf-pre You'll be great. About 70$ tops.

Foldable foot stools, yoga blocks, guitar footrest: all are popular for your left foot if the rung of your stool isn't great. It can make a huge difference for your playing. I use something like this which slips into the music folder of your bass case if your hands are full.

https://www.amazon.com/Utopia-Home-Foldable-Step-Stool/dp/B071JB9SC8/ref=sr_1_7?keywords=foot%2Bstool&qid=1639361656&sr=8-7&th=1

Yeah, the issue with dampits is that people tend to over-soak them and leave them dripping on the inside of their bass.

Personally I use 2 of these tied together with string in the sound holes and use these.

Seems to work without the risk of water ruining my bass.

I use Dampit in my bass during winter. I even leave it in while playing! I only take my bass to a luthier when I have issues like bridge warping, end pin stuck or shifting setup. Usually only need to do it every 5 years or so.

Forget acoustic bass. TRASH and completly different. Buy a double bass something like $1700 swinger or Kay bass 2k - $2500 and just take the plunge. I too waited until I was 39 to start playing double bass, it is 4 1/2 years later now and I'm VERY thankful to my past self for choosing to do it. The best part is .....if you buy something like a Kay bass for $2k you can always get your money back when you sell it should you want to stop, something like this https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/193092728727510/?multi_permalinks=2591132091106452&gid=1412616555624684&notif_id=1580771723635441&notif_t=commerce_interesting_product would be great to just get your hands on it and play. only $1k

Check out a local sporting goods store, to see if they carry these tube fishing rod cases: https://www.amazon.com/Plano-4442-Fabric-Green-42-Inch/dp/B009YSFW8Y Find some chunks of foam to jam down in the bottom, and to pad it at the top to protect the tip and the button.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08D6CGVFY/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_Q3YP23HR25WAPKXPZX1M

I ordered this. I planned on having a third pickup on the fingerboard, but I couldn't think of a good way to attach it and the two pickups I had sounded so good already. Now I have a spare or one for a different project.

Mostly people just clean it and have it “polished” when they fingerboard is dressed. I have used this before, however. LAPELLA ZL30 Violin https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014EYC0UU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_fabc_cIVVFbKRKKBDZ?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

honestly, I don't spend a lot on strings because I'm usually playing thumpa in bluegrass/old-time sessions, and the occasional bowing I do for a song is more for the style change rather than the tonal quality.

I was playing on weedwackers, but recently just grabbed these, so I could have a ...little... more "note" on the low end, rather than just thump

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002FVG8ZS/

I'm not suddenly gonna jump into a jazz trio where I'm taking extending walking solos every set, so there's no need for me to jump on Thomastik or the like.

An easy solution would be a stand. bass stand on Amazon

You can find ones more or less stable if you're concerned about children nearby

"Reaching the Heights" by Chris West is what I use with my students. There is a free preview of it on Amazon to check it out and it's inexpensive

There's this really good book about how to create walking bass lines for beginners. I got it on Amazon and it's only around 10$. It's really convenient and describes the step really well.

building waking bass lines

I'm terrible at forming callus, so I gave up and started playing with an archery glove on my picking hand. It's much cleaner than tape as well as easier to get on/off. Just pick one with leather and be willing to reorder them if you play a lot.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003DR0Z0W/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

-FastFret, or any kind of silicon spray will work to keep your fingers from sticking to the strings.

-Runner's glide also works great. Rub some on your pizz fingers (and rub it in) before the set to keep your fingers from sticking.

-Baby oil GEL (same consistency as hand sanitizer) also works great. Just a tiny bit goes a long way.

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I was at a week-long workshop that was mostly outdoors in the summertime, and the towel did not help--after the first day or so, it cannibalized all the moisture in my hands. The only thing that got me through playing 6 hours a day in summer air was the baby oil gel, but I keep the runner's glide in my bag since it's less messy.

https://www.amazon.com/Realist-Double-Bass-Transducer-Pickup/dp/B001T21G2Y/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1508792876&sr=8-2&keywords=david+gage+realist+bass+pickup Is this what you're talking about?

If you're looking for a stand and not a corner, this is the best stand I've ever found. It has the benefit of working with a case (at least, it should, it's wide enough), and is very stable.

https://www.amazon.com/Stands-14100-Upright-Bass-Stand/dp/B004W1Z0FI

AIRCARE MA1201 Whole-House Console-Style Evaporative Humidifier, White https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004S34ISA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_IN0BybHSHSVJB

Or something like it. Get cool mist. Warm is too hard to maintain.

The one in the link above is ugly, but it's big enough to really get the humidity you want (30-40%) when it's really dry.

I had to scrap mine and ended up trying others - now I have to have 2 to replace the work of that one.

This one also rated well, but I don't have personal experience with it. Honeywell HCM350W Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier, White https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002QAYJPO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_NP0Byb48FZVET

Dampits CAN make a tiny difference if you use them properly and with a cover. But, generally, that's only for a little extra protection. Drop the money on a real humidifier especially with all your other instruments.

Lastly, don't overhumidify - you'll get mold.

Steve Kaufman is the Jamey Aebersold of bluegrass. I would check out:

https://www.amazon.com/Steve-Kaufmans-Four-Hour-Bluegrass-Workout/dp/0634005197

it's a great way to get a lot of standards under your belt, and it gets you acclimated with the various forms of the fiddle tunes that you run into. Helps with your rhythm and feel as well.

Assuming we're talking about "wire" stands - I'm not a fan. I've only used them once or twice in the past and they always tended to collapse under the weight of the various music books I was using :/ Now, I have a heavy duty ("conductor") stand and I love it.

Just switched to Tunable (Apple, Android) which costs $2 but is well worth it. Tons more features than other apps I've used.