Hi Jennifer, My name is XXXXX and I'm a full-time bassist and bass teacher in Los Angeles and Orange County. I've had the pleasure of watching and listening to you perform and have been a fan ever since I saw you back in the mid 90's. You are awesome and astound me with your musical abilities. In my quest to clean up my upright tone, I'm now looking for a better sounding upright. I love your tone and noticed that you play a Paesold. I went to their web site but could not find a dealer in Los Angeles that sells the uprights. Do you know of a Los Angeles dealer that has one to demo? Dear XXXXX, Thanks for the compliments! I forwarded your message to Paesold, you will be contacted by a representative who can help you to locate a dealer. I find that the majority of your tone is controlled by your hands. Back in 1981 when I was playing for Woody Herman I asked Ron Carter how he was able to produce such an incredible amplified sound and his reply was, "Eight hours a day kid!" I was bugged at the time but the more I thought about it, the more it sank in. It really does help to have an instrument that works with you though. I'm really crazy about my Paesold bass, it has stood up beautifully to the rigors of the road and the sound keeps growing as it ages. It really sings! You might try a different type of string- I play with Corelli Orchestra Gauge Tungsten Medium Flex strings. I also use a metal Thomastik tuneable tailpiece. Someday I'll add a page to my site that lists all of the gear that I prefer and endorse. It takes some experimentation to find out what works with your playing style, instrument, etc. And eight hours a day certainly helps! All the best, Jennifer May 26, 2004