TromboneChat

Hi guys, lately I've been wondering if my equipment is apropriate for me, or for what I use it.
I have a Shires bass with the following characteristics:
BI 1G 9.5'' Bell, yellow "C" tuning slide, in-line Tru Bores and a dual-bore gold plated slide.

I found the instrument very hard to play and it feels that it doesn't project as I wish. Maybe I put too much gold brass on the instrument? What are your thoughts?

The dual-bore slide might be more of an issue for you personally than the mass of the instrument.

I'm no expert, but I bet if you tried either a B tuning slide or a single bore slide (or both), you'd find it'll help focus the sound.

You should post your question over in the Shires Q&A thread.  Ben is a master at matching parts up.

That's a pretty standard orchestral bass setup. What are you using it for?

I'm using it for everything. Since orchestral works to solo stuffs.
The professor that I had when I buyed the bass said me that the dual-bore was good to start on but someday I would end buying a single-bore slide. Maybe it's time to get the single-bore one.

I’d make sure everything is clean, oiled, and aligned. Especially look at the valves. Leaking or misaligned valves will make everything weird.

A bass that large (and heavy to an extent) takes the right approach and air to play. I certainly couldn't play a similar horn a few years ago. What mouthpiece are you using?

Hold it, gold PLATED slide? Did you have assistance from a pro setting up this horn or did you do it yourself?

Trubores corroded?  Can make a difference if they're leaky. Makes them feel heavy to me.  Alignment in tuning slide etc. as well.  Which leadpipe are you on?

Your bell is a little on the heavy side. Note that the bells without a weight marking are closer to bach's heavyweight bells because they were popular when Shires got started.  The gold is probably making it a little bit 'heavier' sounding too.  If your gold plated slide is a B6278YC the yellow crook also makes a horn feel heavier to me.  I'd bet a little nickel and/or a single bore slide or both would go a long way towards making it feel lighter.  

Of what I was able to play a bass set up like BI 1G, B tuning slide, B62 slide, and my M&K GR pipe in rose brass was pretty much perfect. I would have liked to have tried it with dependent Trubores and dependent traditional rotors, though. Independent isn’t what I’m used to.

I would start with a single bore slide and dial it all back from there.

I agree try a single bore slide and see if that helps. Also make sure you aren't using too big of a leadpipe in the dual bore slide. If you've got a #3 pipe in there no duh it's going to be hard to play

@BurgerBob I'm using a Schilke 59. @Hyperbolica I did it myself when I was just 15 years and never played a bass before, so...
@Matt K and @mr.deacon I used #2 for long time but now I'm using the #3 and I found it better blowing and better for ochestral use.

Your equipment is certainly on the larger side.

When I first won my current job, my work-supplied horn was a similar setup to yours, but with dependent thayers. I found it very easy to play, but felt like I could only produce one type of sound. A very pleasant, warm, round sound, but far too hard for me to generate any variation in colour.

After playing around with some borrowed equipment, I found that a single bore slide changed the horn completely. A B tuning slide also gave the dual-bore setup much more focus and colour.

Try making your horn a little smaller somewhere, in order to gain some efficiency. A single bore slide will have the biggest effect, but tweaking the leadpipe and the tuning slide will may be all the help that you require, and be much cheaper.

Andrew

But a single-bore slide isn't bigger than a dual-bore slide?

Nope single bore slides are smaller.

A single bore slide both the top and bottom tubes are .562 in diameter. On a dual bore slide the top tube is .562 and the bottom tube is .578 in diameter.

Honestly a bass with indy trubores, dual bore slide, c tuning slide, BI bell and a #3 pipe is a huge setup.

Shires doesn't really make setups much bigger then what you have right now. Personally I'd have a really hard time playing your setup.

Putting the 2 leadpipe back in will help a lot, I think.

Just to clarify, there is also a 547/562 dual bore for bass as well. Most people use a 562 single bore.

Honestly, get Ben Griffin from Shires to sort you out. Anyone else is guessing.

You might wind up better off selling/trading your horn for parts and then purchasing something else. Or maybe keep the bell and valves.

Seriously, get in touch with Ben.

Just to clarify, there is also a 547/562 dual bore for bass as well. Most people use a 562 single bore.

Honestly, get Ben Griffin from Shires to sort you out. Anyone else is guessing.

You might wind up better off selling/trading your horn for parts and then purchasing something else. Or maybe keep the bell and valves.

Seriously, get in touch with Ben.