Antoni Debut 1/4 Size Double bass Outfit

Advantages: Great fun
Disadvantages: Very large to store and transport

...(have I already said that?), is often preferred by those playing in the jazz, blues, boogie styles. A slap style of play involves a rigorous plucking of the strings which then slap against the fingerboard producing a very percussive type sound. ♫ ♫ My purchase ♫ ♫ After much research on the internet and telephone enquiries to several music shops I decided to buy a Stentor Conservatoire Double Bass. It has a fully carved back and front, is hand made from solid wood, with an ebony fingerboard and brass machine heads. It came with a padded cover and bow. It is available in 4/4, 3/4, 1/2, and 1/4 sizes. There will not be much change from £1500. I ordered it through my local music shop where I am a regular customer. They are shipped to order (yes, literally in a container on a boat) and arrive with the neck... Read review

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Advantages: Beautiful sound, but powerful all the same. Fret marks help guide the fingers
Disadvantages: Passive, and requires a battery. Battery case too big but easily solved.

...I had been playing a bog-standard 4 string squier p-bass for 3 years when I thought it was time for an upgrade. Listening to the likes of Jaco Pastorius I was inspired by the sound of the fretless bass. It was then I started my search for a fretless with my budget being under £600 (a replica Jaco bass being over £1000). I was advised by a session bass player to buy a bass with a large fret board as I had quite long fingers. He told me yamaha have high quality fretless basses at my budget. I searched on the internet for the ideal bass and I came across the Yamaha TRB1005F, made with quality maple woods and a great tone. I went to many bass shops in London to find something similar. They didn\'t have any yamaha basses but wide fret ones that sounded good. I decided then to purchase the yamaha over the internet. Although it take several... Read review

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Advantages: Potentially beautiful sound
Disadvantages: The squealy noises to start off with

...classical, but also covering a lot of different folk music (Irish, Hungarian, Chinese etc), many jazzy styles of pieces, and even pop music. I recently saw a music video on MTV of a guy playing violin to a pop song in the rain, although I can't remember the title. So the violin is to suit anyone with taste in a wide range of music. What size do I need? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ As with any instrument, no musical knowledge is required to start playing, just a good teacher is the best thing to have. Violins are available in lots of different sizes, for adults, 4/4 (full size, then 3/4, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/10, 1/16, and even 1/32 are available. Sizes down to 1/8 should be available from most music shops, the two smaller sizes normally rewuire, specialist violin shops are required. It is important that the correct size is used, if not playability is affected... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful