WordPress.com versus the new Blogger

Earlier this week Blogger unveiled its new Beta version. I have been playing with this service and am extremely happy with the new features Blogger is unveiling. Blogger, originally created by Pyra Labs was one of the pivotal fores n the explosion of the blogosphere over the last several years. Originally a tiered service with free and paid versions, Blogger was acquired by Google in 2004. Since its acquisition the feature set of Blogger has languished while new offerings such as WordPress.com have entered the scene.

Blogger and WordPress are both attractive options for those looking to set up a blog. These services eliminate the need to find a host and install blogging software. Because these are hosted services, you have less control than if you host your own blog. Both services differ in what they limit and to what degree.

WordPress.com is the free, hosted version of the popular content management system WordPress.org. WordPress is an excellent, feature-rich blogging platform. The full feature set of WordPress is only available if you install it with your own web host (the software itself is free). Many (if not most) professional blogs use Wordress as their content management system.

Here is an example of an old Blogger blog
Here is an example of a Beta Blogger blog
Here is an example of a WordPress.com blog

Both Blogger.com and WordPress.com are extremely straightforward to set-up and use. I think that Blogger is slightly more user-friendly than WordPress.com for the novice blogger, but 15-30 minutes of reading and tinkering with WordPress is all that is really needed to get going. Blogger.com is also a little more easily integrated into cell phone, camera phone, e-mail blogging, and the like, and is probably a slightly better choice for personal bogs and total beginners.

WordPress features include static pages, categories, an extremely powerful editor, and many other features. Pages are a way of keeping static HTML pages within the dynamic blogging interface. This can also be accomplished with Blogger, but it is a hack and not as useful. What I do in Blogger to create a page is make a post or (cannibalize an old post from months ago), and link to that post from a static part of my blog. Look at my age here for an example. The links in the navigation bar are all links to old bog posts which I then use as content management pages. This works, but it is a hack and not nearly as slick as WordPress’ built-in pages feature.

Blogger is more useful than WordPress.com if you like to tinker. WordPress.com limits the number of templates you can use and has a somewhat (but not fully) customizable sidebar. Blogger gives you complete control over your template. You have total access to the HTML and can basically do whatever you want. Any sort of add-on, template sidebar structure, navigation and the like are yours to tinker with. This is also possible if you use install WordPress on your own server, but the freely hosted WordPress.com currently does not allow access to the HTML.

The non-techie (or at least non-tinkerer) will not really care about this feature. WordPress.com’s templates are really superb, and I think that they tend to look much better out of the box than Blogger templates. You can however, tweak Blogger templates to look pretty much like WordPress templates–it just requires some technical knowledge.

The new Beta Blogger really changes things up. Blogger has lifted many features from WordPress.com while still allowing access to the HTML (coming soon). It is unclear right now whether the new Blogger will support multiple pages like WordPress, but the sidebar is now widgetized like WordPress and categories are supported (Blogger is calling them “labels”). You can drag and drop sidebar widgets quite easily (a huge improvement over the old Blogger). The publishing scheme has been reworked and changes/new posts appear instantaneously (no more spinning triangle of death). Here are some more features according to the Blogger team:

A lot of folks have been wanting to use new features like Labels but with their existing template. Or there are folks who are looking for more fine-grained control than offered with the new Layouts system.

Fortunately, it’s always been part of our plan to introduce a new Edit HTML system for Blogger in beta. This system will not only let folks have the degree of customizability they desire, but it will let you create templates that are customizable with the Layouts system. Right now we are finishing the first version of this system and will be introducing in the “days not weeks” timeframe.

I am anxiously awaiting the opportunity to move my blog over. Hopefully this will fix the rendering problems that my blog (and tons of other Blogger blogs) has in Internet Explorer and Firefox.

check out Jason Heath’s Bass Page for more information

Buying a Bass Part II – Where to Look

There are four main methods used to find a bass. In this post I will write briefly about these methods and their benefits and drawbacks. These are my opinions based on my own bass searches and those of my students. I welcome any feedback and comments on any of these methods.

1. eBay

While a truly great resource for musicians, eBay is not recommended for novice bass buyers. There are some spectacularly bad basses advertised on eBay for very low prices. This is tempting to an instrument buyer on a budget, but there are a lot off hidden costs to this transaction. Under very few circumstances should you buy a bass for less than $1000. I often see basses advertised for around $500 on eBay. I would be very suspicious about buying a cheap bass at all on eBay (eBay is actually better for more expensive instruments), unless you are looking for a restoration project or you really know what you are doing.

The hidden costs of cheap eBay double basses:

Initial cost: $500 + $200 shipping

TOTAL: $700.

This seems like a good deal at first. The bass arrives and it is (hopefully) in one piece. It seems to be playable, and you take it to your teacher. He looks at it stone faced and advises you to get new strings, bridge, end pin and fingerboard. You bring it into the shop:

$150 for good strings
$300 for a new bridge plus adjusters
$120 for new end pin
$800 for new fingerboard

TOTAL: $2070.

The initial price has now almost tripled after these repairs. $2070 is still not a bad price for a bass, but you have now spent what it would have likely cost for the same bass at a local shop. Then, six months later, you hear a bang and notice that the back seam has split open two feet. This is happening because the top is sinking. Your local shop glues the seam for $100:

$100 for glued seam

TOTAL: $2170.

Then, three months later, the seam opens again. This time, however, the top also cracks by the F hole. You have both cracks repaired plus a shorter sound post carved (because the top is sinking):

$150 for cracks
$50 for sound post

TOTAL: $2370.

Three months after that you are playing one day and hear a big bang. Your back seam has opened down the middle and you have a new, bigger crack on the top. You notice that the top has continued to sink to the point were it is actually becoming convex. This time your local luthier has a little talk with you about whether this bass is worth saving.

I’m not saying don’t ever buy a bass off of eBay. Just keep these points in mind when you see that shiny new $500 (plus bow and case!) bass advertised on eBay. I have seen cheap basses implode many times. Even higher quality basses are not 100% safe. I saw the top sink as I described on a Jakstadt once (a very good instrument maker–I play one!), so even more expensive bases aren’t completely risk-free, but they are much more so than the eBay exploding specials. Buying from a local store or bass luther/dealer also gives you a lace where you can bring all your problems. If they are reputable, they wil fix these problems. You are not going to get this kind of service from an eBay purchase.

2. Local Music Store

General music stores (the kind that sell trumpets, drums, clarinets, sheet music etc) are also not wise places to shop for an instrument. There are exceptions, of course. Some local shops have a really excellent string luthier working there who takes extra care in setting up each individual bass. These shops, unfortunately, are the exception rather than the rule. Often a local instrument shop will have the “eBay” type basses described earlier. One advantage to buying at a local music store over eBay is that you can take it back for repairs when it starts to fall apart (assuming the shop stands behind their product).

3. Specialized Bass Luthier/Retailer

Now we’re talking! Double basses are a non standardized, peculiar, subjective thing, and it almost always pays to go to a specialized bass luthier/dealer when buying instruments. This is true even for entry-level instruments. You will save money in the long run and have a much better experience if you simply go to a specialized shop. There aren’t that many truly outstanding places to buy basses in the country. I frequently have students interested in a professional-quality instrument go to Albuequerqe, Cincinatti, and Grand Rapids before finding an instrument that suits their needs.

This list is by no means comprehensive, but here is a good selection of quality double bass luthier/retailers in the United States:

Henry Boehm’s Double Bass Workshop
Heartland String Bass Shop
Robertsons Violins
Guarneri House
KC Strings
Cincinnati Bass Cellar
David Gage String Instrument Repair
Hammond Ashley
Kolstein Bass Shop

Since I am based in Chicago, I would like to include some of the Chicago area shops that I frequently recommend:

SMR Doublebasses
Classic Contrabass
Sonksen Strings
A440

4. Private Sellers

Word of mouth and private sleuthing will often yield the best basses. Many professionals would rather sell their old basses themselves and avoid the commissions taken by bass shops. During your search it is a good idea to spread the word that you’re looking and ask your teacher, orchestra director, and fellow students to keep their eyes open. It is a good idea to take whatever you find in to a luthier for an evaluation. Ask the luthier about the integrity of the instrument, its general value, and any visible flaws or drawbacks. Find a trusted, independent luthier that will give you an honest opinion.

check out Jason Heath’s Bass Page for more information

Buying a Bass Part I – three basic categories

Buying the right double bass is never easy. Basses vary drastically in quality even when the cost is the same. There are quality basses out there in every price range–the challenge is where to look. What characteristics should one look for in a bass? Private teachers and knowledgeable bass dealers are incredibly valuable in answering these questions.There are three general categories of basses: laminated, hybrid, and carved. Laminated (plywood) basses are usually the cheapest. Plywood, as you might imagine, is not the ideal construction material for a resonant wooden instrument, so these basses tend to sound the worst. The wood of the instrument cannot vibrate as freely as that of a carved bass, so these basses tend to sound pinched, nasal and small. A bass made out of plywood will generally not develop a more mature tone as it gets older. There are exceptions, of course. Many Kay basses from 50-60 years ago do have a certain maturity to them. I have a Kay bass from the 1950s. It looks terrible but sounds great.

In many musical circumstances, however, a plywood bass is actually preferable over a carved bass. Rockabilly, bluegrass, and some (although not most) jazz musicians seek out plywood basses, especially older Kay basses. Having a plywood bass is also a good idea in an elementary or middle school, or for outside gigs and rough playing situations. 1/2 and 1/4 size basses are usually plywood, so people who start young almost always start on one of these. High schools are also usually stocked with plywood basses, although this is changing as the price of starter carved basses drops. Plywood basses tend to fall apart. On my Kay I have had problems with buzzing, warping of the bridge, rattling tuning mechanisms, a terrible fingerboard (that gives you slivers when you shift!), a cheap tailpiece that broke in half soon after I got it, and more. Still, it is nice to have that plywood bass when facing 95 degree humid summer playing gigs!

Unfortunately, cheap basses are just about as expensive to fix as quality basses. Bridges, fingerboards, tail guts, nuts, and tuning mechanisms all cost good money to repair or replace. I have often found that a student who buys a $1000 plywood bass has to put in another $1000 within the first year on such repairs or replacements. For the $2000 they end up spending they could have gotten a much better instrument in the first place.

Hybrid basses have a carved top and laminated sides and back. This gives the instrument more resonance. I will often suggest hybrid basses to my beginner and intermediate students. They usually have a much better sound than a plywood bass, especially for bowed playing. They are also priced somewhere between $1000-2500, which is reasonable for a starter bass. If you are going to spend less than $3000 on a bass a hybrid model should be seriously considered.

Fully carved basses range in price from a few thousand dollars to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Professional players (with the exception of a few styles of music) play on carved basses. These instruments will continue to mature as they get older and develop rich, complex sounds. If a student can afford a carved bass it is always a good idea to get one, since these basses will almost always produce superior results. Don’t think about a carved bass until a student is ready for a 3/4 size bass (usually around the end of middle school).

check out Jason Heath’s Bass Page for more information