What's the best Electric Upright Bass on the market today?

Why?

Although I own a Carruthers and like it a lot, I voted for Azola.
I previously owned a basic BugBass, but wasn't extremely happy with the instrument overall.
However, Steve Azola probably has the widest range of EUBs and options on the market.
Original BugBass, Lightning Bug, BugBass II, Floating top Bug, MiniBass, Mini Baby Bass, Acoustic Baby Bass, he also builds the basses for Martin Clevinger, as far as I know.
The Azolas are very kind.

I agree with Francois. I own a Carruthers but feel that the most DB like I have played was a floating top Bug Bass by Azola. Bill Merchant also makes great EUBs that are very DB like.b. If my Carruthers had the fingerboard cut like a DB (as it soon will) I would have voted for it.

Not to dampen enthusiasm, but the best EUB for what? There is such a range of instruments available which are designed to appeal to double bassists, and others to electric bassists, with many in-between. Sound, feel, and look, are all part of the equation, so I can't vote for a "best" - not even my own homemade one ;)

I'll have to go with Bobby G. on this one. As far as emulating the acoustic, some are far better than others, while there are EUB's which are awesome "stand alone" instruments that don't really try to approximate the sound and feel of the doghouse. For the former, the German Vektor bass gets my vote in the "feel" category and the Ned Steinberger bass wins in the "not trying to be an upright" category. Has anybody tried the Impression Bass from Linc Luthier?

Bobby G? BOBBY G??!??!?? You mean, as in ALL HAIL BOBBY G?

That must be what you mean, but somehow, it just doesn't sound right. :cool:

BOBBY G- the hip-hop alter ego of (All Hail) Bob Gollihur.

Nobody has regularly called me Bobby since my mother, and she stopped about 40 years ago ;)

I think I missed mentioning one EUB I saw at NAMM -- and it deserves a mention due to its uniqueness AFAIK - the Conklin MEU.

http://www.eclecticbass.com/meu.gif Pardon my crappy scan - it's not shown being worn on the Conkin web site ( www.conklinguitars.com ) but is pictured. Kyth, the fellow in the scan, proudly showed me his seven string MEU - yes, seven strings! I tried it and was surprised at how comfortable it was to wear, and how easy to play- of course, action is low a la bass guitar. I put a pair of asterisks in the scan to show where the strap attaches. Unfortunately, I didn't audition it plugged into an amp and can't assess its aural delivery, but it felt and sounded good acoustically.

An interesting animal.

JT- Conklin should take the two photos of the MEU being worn and showing the strap that's in their brochure and use them on their web site; it's really hard to imagine the instrument hanging off your body without a photo.

A seven string MEU? Drooool...

It would be expensive, I would imagine. The MEU has received rave reviews - I almost bought a 5-string version about 2 years ago, but went for a much cheaper alternative...

Wait till John Turner finds out - he might go for a double-necked EUB ;)

Originally posted by Bass Guitar
A seven string MEU? Drooool...

It would be expensive, I would imagine. The MEU has received rave reviews - I almost bought a 5-string version about 2 years ago, but went for a much cheaper alternative...

Wait till John Turner finds out - he might go for a double-necked EUB ;)

Yes, and I picture it with a neck on each side of his neck... and then we'll read of his demise as the result of a ghastly stage accident.

LMAO!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHEHEHEHEHHOHOHOH!!!

That made for a nice visual in my head!!! ROTFL!!!

It's like calling Henry Kissinger 'Hank'

Here's the photo I took of the seven string Conklin MEU EUB; he smiled in the other picture, but this is a better view of the bass ;)

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=410013&a=12267251&p=53217352

Interesting, eh? Very comfortable to play.

:)

Wow! That is one nice 7-string EUB. I was saving up for a 7-string fretless, but one of these would do just fine... I figure that since it's a custom MEU it would cost a mint. It's a beautiful instrument, and the reviews have been great. The neck is huuuuugggggeeeeee.

Hey, Mr. G., does he use a bow on that there 7? How does the MEU sound when bowed?

Originally posted by coyoteboy
Hey, Mr. G., does he use a bow on that there 7? How does the MEU sound when bowed?

Yes, I also got a chance to bow it since I wondered how difficult it might be with seven strings in an arc like that. It wasn't bad at all, though I didn't hear it through an amp since it was occupied at the time with my son playing a bass guitar through it.

btw, there are some better pictures of the 4 & 5 string MEUs at http://www.conklinguitars.com/meuhome.html

To each his own
Yuk.

Originally posted by Don Higdon
To each his own
Yuk.

This time I have to agree with Don.

At what point does it stop being a bass and start becoming a harp?

This is starting to sound like a BG thread...

"do you really need more'n 4 strings?", etc :D :D

[i]http://www.eclecticbass.com/meu.gif

That's the biggest damn earring I've ever seen! :D

I'm thinkin' of getting a Clevinger Concerto 6 string monster. Have any of you played a Clev Concerto?

You forgot the Emminence EUB from G.Edward Lutherie.

I'm new to upright, but as I have heard that these are good for BOTH bowing and pizz.

So far I am pleased, to my ear the pizz is very good,but I'm a newbie to UR. Bowing I can't say as my bowing is still crap!

Check my thread"Emminence buyer taken care of"

I've really enjoyed my Knutson Messenger bass by Knutson Luthiery. It's built like a tank and travels well. It's a little more traditional feeling and looking, kind of like the fender of EUB's. Lots of people have asked me to play it instead of elec. bass. I bought it nine years ago and if I were to buy a new and different make it would probably be the Eminence due to the trad. feel and look.

Originally posted by mchildree


That's the biggest damn earring I've ever seen! :D

:eek: :D

Ray Brown only needs 4 strings.

Sometimes the classics aren't enough, I guess. Reminds me of the story....

During a recording session, a very good classical guitarist played his solo for the piece, with, of course, the inevitable squeaks accompanying changing positions.

The producer came over and complimented him on his play, but asked, "can you stop making those squeaking sounds?"

The player replied, "Even Andres Segova makes those sounds!!"

"That's why he didn't get this call," the producer replied.

It seems like some people don't do searches or even bother looking past the first page!

Is there anywhere else I could see a pic of the 7-string??? Sounds obscene to me (why more than 6 on any electric instrument), but I MUST SEE THIS DAMN THING.

Scroll a few messages up - same bass, just a slightly wider fingerboard.

http://www.fichterbasses.com/

I have to chime in with the Messenger Bass, made by John Knutson (see it at: http://www.messengerbass.com/). I have had one for several years now and I'm very happy with it. It has a real fingerboard and bridge and feels and sounds very good. It is light and small and travels well.

In my senior year in high school (1988-89)I joined the band because they gave you an instrument to take home for practice. That led to a love for the upright, which led to be getting a fretless. I played fretless since 89 and about a year ago I decided I needed a change.

I realized I didn't want an acoustic upright, but that the fretless bass guitar couldn't be physically approached "correctly" for the sounds I heard in my head. So I looked into EUB's. It can get an "uprighty" sound, but it a genuinely electric instrument. After research I bought an NS Designs US Series 5 string.

It solved my problem! I'm sure there's other great EUB's out there, but for my needs I had to have a bass that functioned electrically because of the power of that, and also the approachability for the more physical playing and body-connection to what is being done when music is played in the fashion of an upright player.

It's easy to do some things that involve thumb-position for playing arpeggios, my vibrato seems to be more natural from that position. It also sounds good with effects (though I only own a looping pedal).

There's my two cents!

I just today bought a new Eub from a small builder outside of Chicago. He was a luthier for Warrior. This bass has a 41.5" scale with piezo's inlaid into the bridge.
Rounded, not beveled fb.

Very nice for the price.

Bump!

what, no eminence?!?

i've owned a very sweeeeet Azola Bugbass II, and will tell you, the craftsmanship is off the chart! literally spoiled me compared to all else i've seen, and in NYC, you see quite a few EUB's, including the NS Design 5 strng, and a BSX 4 string. unfortunately, i sold it to buy a Komet Constellation 30. still, regretting it. :(

but curiousity, however, piqued my interest in looking for a different flavor in a portable EUB, and i found the Eminence portable 5 string. WOW, great instrument.

but truth be told, when i first got it, i didnt like how the portable's neck didnt quite sit flush with the rest of the body. and tho, the dovetail joint was very tight and secure, i didnt like seeing a 1/4" gap on eiter side of the neck where it joined the body. again, the Azola's craftsmanship greatly spoiled me. also, the "bar" shaped foot is rather annoying, and i kinda wish it was a "ball" end like my old Bugbass. and the stomach rest isnt nearly as adjustable as the Bugbass.

but these are minor quibbles aside, cause, the rest of the bass is flat out superb! from the very attractive body's curvey, sophistcated volutes, to the sweeeet buttery subtly sunburst finish. i got quite the complements at my last rehearsal. and i really liked the massive brass bridge, and attractively carved headstock.

but, it was the SOUND made all the difference. acoustically, it just felt very alive. i could have gone on playing the guy without the amp! ;) plugging into my Alessandro or Acoustic Image head thru my Acme B-1 cab, the Realist's naturally dark voice was perfect for giving the smaller body a nice big bottom'ed push. the Azola's pickup system was nice, but was a little too brite and strident for my tastes. but, the combo of the woody & vocally notched Emnience sound, along the smokey, big bottomed Realist is exactly the sound i wanted in an EUB!

granted the Azola was a solid body, the hollow body makes all the difference in the world. still, i'd be very interested in what Steve can do, and his new "Euro-Coustic" series looks really inviting.

but i couldnt be happier with the sound of my Emninence. tho, i'm primarily an electric bassist, and the eminence aint exactly gonna instantly make me a switch hitter like John Patitucci, its sure fun trying to be! :D again, a very impressive toney instrument that has greatly excited me to go back to trying the wash tub, errr... skinny wash tub. :p

here's the Knutson Messenger.

I'm glad to see that you are as happy with your new Eminence Bass as I am with mine. These basses are truly different than most other EUB's on the market. I don't think that they can be beat in terms of being able to produce a woody tone that compares favorably to a "real upright". You should have very little trouble getting used to the T shaped endpin, it helps a lot to keep the bass for getting away from you while being played in a standing position.
I'll be taking the neck off mine in a couple of days, I'm flying from LA to Osaka, Japan to begin a three month jazz gig at The Hyatt Regency starting early November.
It's a real pleasure not having to worry about flying with a "real upright" anymore, the flight case I used to have to use when traveling was one of the "anvil" type, a big rectangle shaped monster that cost many hundreds of dollars to fly air cargo. Now I just stick the Eminence in the golf club case, check it thru regular baggage and it flies just fine, no worries and a great sound.
I hope I don't sound like some sort of shill for Eminence, I paid for mine, no endorsments or any such thing. I got mine from Bob Golliher, he does sell them for a very fair price, quite a bit lower than the manufactures list. They are worth every dollar. I have not seen the new Azola hollow basses in person yet, I may be wrong, but their web-site does not offer a bass with a removable neck option. For me, the removable neck is one of the Eminence Basses strongest selling points, because with airplane overhead racks often too small these days to even accomidate a bass guitar in a gig bag I must have an instrument that fits in a hard case small enough to not be charged as "oversized" baggage by the airlines, my old Carruthers SUB-1 Bass could do this, but as good as it did sound, the Eminence beats it, both in terms of sound and looks, you would be surprized to know how many people are out there that are slow to warm up to the idea of a "stick bass" but are willing to accept the Eminence Bass, solely on it's visual merits, it's a shame that there are a lot of idiot bandleaders, who listen with their eyes, instead of their ears. Believe me when I tell you, a lot of these cats would cast a doubtful eye towards me when I used to show up on a gig with my Carruthers, and ask me "next time bring your real bass". That has never happened since I started using the Eminence!

Hey Mike; nice gig! I've had nothing but great experiences during my tours of Japan. Whatta cool place. Have a great time.

I like the versatility of my Clevinger Deluxe 5 string. Good arco tones with full pizz too.

I use it mainly for tribal/middle eastern styles, but some jazz or funk too.

Originally posted by Bruce Lindfield
It seems like some people don't do searches or even bother looking past the first page!

That would be me. I just asked over on BG why there's no EUB info around here.......:rolleyes:

BTW, Mr. G's site is too much. In a good way.

-RH

I've got a pretty customized Clevinger five string Opus. I talked to Martin a long time before giving him the order - to his credit he did exactly what I wanted. In addition to his regular saddle sensors (which are great for arco but translate too much mechanical sound for my taste, I'm a rock player & play pretty hard) I had him make me a single coil magnetic pickup to hang off the neck. There are two outputs on the bass, so you can run them into separate amps (which sounds pretty amazing) but I usually just use the mag pickup on stage...

Here's a pic -
http://ebassist.com/photopost/data/500/215DCP04333-med.JPG

i'm going to try out and pick up a messenger by knutson today during my lunch hour. this dude is the only other lefty in player town, he has great gear. he wants to sell his so he can buy a back up DB for his five string Pollman.

the knutson sounds nice and the closest to the DB, IMO. it has a scale of 41.5, so maybe this should get me somewhat ready for upright, who knows (i need to buy an SUV first!)

http://www.eminence-bass.de/media/emin_4str.jpg

does anyone here actually own an eminence bass? does it actually sound like a real DB plugged and unplugged? or does it sound like another fretless?

:spit:
None ... if you want a DB then buy one !!!!instead of a precision with an endpin stuck in it.

I played a friend's Eminence, and I do think it sounded as much like an amplified DB as do most DBs with a piezoelectric pickup... but nothing like a DB with a good microphone. If you need something small for travel, you could do worse.

Originally posted by Bob Gollihur
I think I missed mentioning one EUB I saw at NAMM -- and it deserves a mention due to its uniqueness AFAIK - the Conklin MEU.
...

An interesting animal.


I'm getting on eof these next month

with 7 strings bwaaahahahah!!


here's a better pic

http://www.conklinguitars.com/images_home/conklinbanner15.jpg

I also on a clevinger and I really like it. Very much like a doublebass in it's sound and playability.

http://www.ida.net/users/bassius/clevfull.jpg

http://www.eminence-bass.de/media/emin_4str.jpg

does anyone here actually own an eminence bass? does it actually sound like a real DB plugged and unplugged? or does it sound like another fretless?

I posted this on another thread-- in response to it and this, I offer a quick and dirty sound file of my Eminence RN4 being played without amplification. It was recorded using a 20+ year old Radio Shack mic laying on a desk about eighteen inches from the bass, plugged into an old 500mhz PC I use for accounting. No EQ, no amp, just the bass' acoustic sound.

You can retrieve this 88K mp3 file from http://www.eclecticbass.com/EminenceUnamplified.mp3

The best that an EUB can hope for is to sound like an double bass with a good pickup on it; my Eminence does. Photos of mine http://www.urbbob.com/eminence.html - one of these days I'll make some formal, amplified recordings.

This is an incredibly old thread, but I didn't see the Alter Ego mentioned: http://www.alter-ego.it/

I did post a lengthy review here at some time. I'm loving mine. They also have a newer, smaller, less expensive one http://www.babyego.com/ that I'd love to hear about.

Hi I'm new here..

This is my 1st post..

I'd like to know about Van Zalinge Z Bass, that I know many of you already know of.
1. Is it hollow body or solid body?
2. What (kind of) pick up it has?
3. Does anybody has a Clear Pictures of the bass from any angle?

I'd like to have a luthier to make a copy of the bass.

Thanks bedore and God Bless You All!

sorry mistype d for f.. :P