THE FRONTLINE

Solve those ‘travelling-with-double-bass’ issues here

Playing abroad with a double bass is always difficult, whether hiring an instrument or trying to bring your own. Ideally, I'd love to bring my double bass to every gig, but realistically, that would be a nightmare. I’d have to invest in a really good flight case, and even then fitting it into a car would be a pain.

Generally, I try to hire basses when I’m abroad, or at least borrow one from people I know, but this comes with a risk. We tend to build up a technique that is partly dependent on our chosen instrument; our muscle memory forms around the size of the neck, and our right-hand action develops in line with the type of strings we prefer. To start again on a new instrument for a gig out of town is a big ask, then, and requires both