Good times at the Dallas Guitar Show

[Mobay45]

Jack, Ray Duke, Andy from Houston and I all hooked up at the show yesterday. It was a great time for all. We met Derek at the EB booth and got to play a Butter Cream LE Bongo 5er among other things. We hung around there for about 4 hours before heading out. Jack has a few pics from the show, but he was the only one that brought a camera. Ray took credit for reminding him to do so. Maybe he will post a few of them here later.

Larry

 

[bovinehost]

This is how we ended up at four in the morning at my house.

Andy is excited by the Bongo price tag at The Low End booth.

I hate to say this, but out of all the fancy stuff we fondled, the one thing all four of us decided we had to have was a cheap (600 bucks) Dean upright electric in 34" scale. I'm still thinking about this thing. Way too much fun!

Andy rockin' out on a very nicely setup SUB.

Bet you've never seen one of these in person.

Me and Derek.

Andy and Ray and the biggest freakin' ukelele I've ever seen.

Ray and the Buttercreme Bongo. He expected to love that one, but he was pretty nicely surprised by the SUB.

The Trussart booth.

Here we are in the process of becoming addicted to that silly ERB. Andy plays, Ray and Larry look on.

We had a great time. Went to lunch afterwards on Larry's dime - thanks, bro. Larry went home and got into some, um, liquid refreshment, I think, then the rest of us went downtown to watch me audition/suck badly/sit in with a band I'm not sure I want to play with anyway.

Then we came back here and drank martinis and fondled Heinz. Hoo! I'm still tired.

 

[oddjob]

Only thing better than Buttercream Bongos IS fondling Heinz!!! Anyway, nice to hear things went well at the show... that Dean has peaked my curiosity also (34"??? - go figure. how was the sound?)

 

[bovinehost]

Foolishly fun to play:

It's hard to say that the things sound like an actual upright. But if you're like me - not likely to ever really get serious about upright - this is a relatively inexpensive way to have fun and look weird.

Late at night, Andy said, "Oh yeah. Drinking vodka and playing Heinz at Camp Bovine!" He seemed kind of excited. I don't know - I do both those things a lot, so.....

Hey, when I walked up to the EB booth - keep in mind I've never met Derek in the flesh - he says, "Bovinehost, in the flesh!"

This internet is a funny thing.

 

[jongitarz]

Derek is a good guy, and one helluva good guitar player...I hope all those instruments made it to Dallas with their set ups in tact....Like 'em or not, I am the one who set them up

 

[bovinehost]

Yeah, Jon, they were all really nicely done. The LE Bongo was a thing of beauty, but I just can't even be tempted by Bongos at this point. I've tweaked my black fiver until it fits me perfectly and I only wish it were the same weight as Ed.

Hah, come to think of it, Andy was playing Ed over here yesterday and liked it a lot. I said, "Let me get your opinion on the difference between Ed and the Black fiver." I mean, same bass, right? Only the paint has been changed to protect my investment.

So Andy puts Ed down, grabs the black one and says, "Yow! This thing is HEAVY!"

So I guess black paint is heavier than envy green paint.

Anyway, the clear Bang for The Buck bass was that SUB. A few weeks ago, I walked into a Large Music Store Retail Chain Store and had money to spend. I thought, "You know, I want a SUB." Every single SUB in there was badly in need of a setup. I was really bothered - not because it put me off, which it did, but because the average consumer walks into a shop, tries a bass or two and forms an opinion based on the experience, right?

I said to the sales robot, "These SUBS are very easy to set up properly." He said they didn't have time to do it.

I don't really want to work in retail, but MAN. How many basses could you sell if your response was, "Let me get a screwdriver and an allen wrench and see if this bass works for you when it's properly adjusted"?

Grrrrr.

Sorry, way off topic there.

Derek's a great guy but wouldn't tell me where the Martini Olive Green Bongo was.

 

[AnthonyD]

Sounds - and looks - like lots of fun! Thanks for the pics!

 

[smallequestrian]

Talked to you guys for a little bit yesterday, figured I better put up my guitar show buy.

First Five String, First Fretless, First MusicMan...Second Pastel bass
I am really digging the way this thing plays. Unfortunately i discovered a crack in the finish at the bottom below the bridge. I think it must have happened in the case, I swear I didn't notice it when I was looking at it during the show. Its not to noticeable though and still so pretty...

 

[bovinehost]

That is one nice looking SR5. I was happy to be there when, amongst all the Ritters and Benaventes and Zons and so on, the one sale I saw Brian make was that Stingray 5!

Bad news about the crack - it's just the finish, though, right?

And welcome!

Jack

(It's Paul, right? I'm bad with names.)

 

[smallequestrian]

Jack, it is Paul, good job on the name because I didn't really properly introduce myself. Yeah, its just the finish. It starts below the bridge and continues to the bottom about half and inch or so to the right of the strap pin. I kinda want to seal it, like with a clear nail polish or something, any ideas?

Also, any string suggestions? I am tempted to throw some TI flats on her, but I am wondering how much that will kill the mwah, because I still want some. I was also thinking of some TI superalloys. Going to Brazil for a week for work, so it will probably have to wait anyways.

 

[phatduckk]

am i just out of the loop or does this kind of stuff not happen in the san francisco area? (its highly possible im just outta da loop)

OT: im constantly disappointed in the bay area music scene.

anyone around here feel free to PM or email me so we can geek out about guitars n basses and jam

 

[MingusBASS]

Those Bongo pics make me hurt! I want my Buttercream fretless soooo bad right now. Its probably just a matter of days if not a week till it comes in.

Thanks for the pics though...looks like you guys had fun!

Andrew

 

[armybass]

Man I wish I lived in Texas.

 

[AnthonyD]

I want my Buttercream fretless soooo bad right now. Its probably just a matter of days if not a week till it comes in.

You and me both, though it sounds as though you're a lot closer than I!

 

[Soulfinger]

Good times were had by all. And yes, sitting in the Camp Bovine Scream Parlour and fondling Heinz and the gaggle of Bongos and drinking vodka was a joy and an honor. Jack's lucky that he gets to do that all the time.

My future wife has promised me that when we get a big house, I'll have my own little padded room where I can play with my toys.

There will be bongo in my future. Oh yes.

 

[Mobay45]

I just got home from practicing blowing my horn and I'm glad to see you guys all made it through the night. Sorry I crapped out but those two 24 oz. wheat beers kind of did me in. I saw Paul's SR5 on TB this morning. It looks much better in person! Maybe next year we can get a group of about 30 together and take that show over. Oh yeah, I'm still thinking about that stick on a stand too.

 

[midopa]

Wow! Those buttercream Bongos look great!

A few OTs:
- How did the basses sound through the headphone amps? I remember a certain fellow (who ain't around anymore) posted that they sounded distorted. What did you guys think?

- Man, oh man. I went to Sam Ash on Saturday and played (or tried to play) an upright! Wow, wow, wow! I had that propped up, leaning against me a bit, hit a note, and was floored by that round, big, fat, awesome tone! Navigating that huge fingerboard was a bit though, with my small hands and all, but I had a great time! It helped that URBs are tuned just like electric basses (or vice versa)! I thought classical stringed instruments were tuned to fifths, as opposed to fourths (EADG) tuning on electric basses. That made playing some simple lines easier.

Case in point: I really gotta get me an URB someday! Maybe a smaller size (3/4 perhaps? I'm about 5'-8" and the bass was at least a foot or so taller than me), but, wow, I can't stop getting over that sound!
-continues rambling on like a school girl-

 

[Psycho Ward]

Thanks for the pictures and stories, it was almost like being there.

Chuck

 

[bassmonkeee]

Wow! Those buttercream Bongos look great!

A few OTs:
- How did the basses sound through the headphone amps? I remember a certain fellow (who ain't around anymore) posted that they sounded distorted. What did you guys think?

- Man, oh man. I went to Sam Ash on Saturday and played (or tried to play) an upright! Wow, wow, wow! I had that propped up, leaning against me a bit, hit a note, and was floored by that round, big, fat, awesome tone! Navigating that huge fingerboard was a bit though, with my small hands and all, but I had a great time! It helped that URBs are tuned just like electric basses (or vice versa)! I thought classical stringed instruments were tuned to fifths, as opposed to fourths (EADG) tuning on electric basses. That made playing some simple lines easier.

Case in point: I really gotta get me an URB someday! Maybe a smaller size (3/4 perhaps? I'm about 5'-8" and the bass was at least a foot or so taller than me), but, wow, I can't stop getting over that sound!
-continues rambling on like a school girl-

The headphone amp set up is only distorted if you are playing through a distorted patch on the amp. When I played through the setup at NAMM and the Crossroads Festival, I had no problem getting a powerful clean sound out of it. Of course, with everything used by that many people, some of the headphone sets go bad easily, or people have messed with all of the controls on the amp....


I have to disagree with you Dallas guys about the Dean "EUB." I guess I was hoping Dean was actually going to release an entry level electric upright bass. But, they did what you guys said--they made an electric bass on a stick. But, it is what it is, I guess.

 

[bassmonkeee]

Thanks for the pictures and stories, it was almost like being there.

Chuck

Without the smell, or the hangover.