EUB is it worth it?

funkopotimus · #1 05-08-2002, 08:13 AM

Can you really get the same sound from an EUB? Does it feel anywhere near as nice?

I got an upright for christmas and love it, the thing i dont love about it is transporting it anywhere!

Are EUBs worth the cash, do they sound like the real thing or do they sound like electric fretlesses?

I mean i would love to have all that sound in something so small that i could throw into a bag and grab a little powerful amp like GK or AI and go to a gig and have it sound like i was oplaying my upright. Is this just a dream? or can it be a reality with these funny lookin "popsicles"??

any and all help would be greatly appreciated, like i said i love the real thing, i'll never ditch that! i just want something portable too....

peace and love,
steve( This is my first post in almost a year!)

Bruce Lindfield · #2 05-08-2002, 09:17 AM

I think it is better to think of them as different instruments - I just bought a Steinberger NSCR5 and love it - but it is not the same as DB.

It makes me think about the things I play - towards more of a DB-style, but it is easier to play and unless you think about it, you can get into a super-fretless BG- "mode" where you can get fantastic "mwah" that would be impossible in DB.

I would not practically be able to practice a "real" DB or carry it around everywhere - but the CR5 is easy to plug into my mixer and play whenever I have the time - can sling it over my shoulder for Jazz jams with out a second thought - it's so convenient!

With a good quality amp and thought about your technique, I believe you can get it to sound like an amplified acoustic DB - especially if you raise the action an only use piezo pickups. I tried similar basses with magnetic pickups and they just sounded like fretless BG.

funkopotimus · #3 05-08-2002, 09:19 AM

thanks a lot bruce, but i didnt understand the last part there were you saying you thought it would only be possible with the NS and the piezo's?

Mike Goodbar · #4 05-08-2002, 09:46 AM

I don't own one, but I've played a few EUBs, and my experience is that they can sound an awful lot like an AMPLIFIED double bass. But there's no way you're going to get it to sound like an unamplified double bass.

I can see how playing one would be fun, even in a situation where you might usually use a slab. I though about getting one to make wedding gigs more interesting, but those things are priced way beyond the "toy" category.

Bruce Lindfield · #5 05-08-2002, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by funkopotimus
thanks a lot bruce, but i didnt understand the last part there were you saying you thought it would only be possible with the NS and the piezo's?

I was just saying that when I tried various models in the shop, the ones with the magnetic pickups sounded less "authentic" - when these were engaged. I think piezo-only gets closer to the sound of an amplified double bass, although I agree with Mike that it never gets really close to an actual "acoustic" sound.

I don't find this to be a limiting factor as most situations I play or hear people playing DB are where it is amplified. I recently played an all-day Jazz workshop where I was standing next to someone playing a "real" DB through a small GK combo and I was playing EUB - and while he got comments about his sound being "muffled" and boomy - nobody commented about my sound which seemed to be clearer and more defined?

But maybe they just know not to upset me!

funkopotimus · #6 05-08-2002, 11:16 AM

thanks a lot guys, and i'm assuming they feel as similar to the true uprights as they can?

jaybo · #7 05-08-2002, 12:06 PM

I think it depends on the particular model as to how close they feel to an acoustic DB and every acoustic DB feels different as well. You may want to look at small bodied basses too. Azola makes some that look nice and a lot of people have had good things to say about them.

funkopotimus · #8 05-08-2002, 06:12 PM

i live in a very isolated area so i'm trying to get information on them for now theres none on the island as far as i know

steve

Bruce Lindfield · #9 05-09-2002, 02:49 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by funkopotimus
i live in a very isolated area so i'm trying to get information on them for now theres none on the island as far as i know

steve

Well if you really want to do some research, then Bob Gollihur's page would be a good start as has been mentioned in other threads on EUBs.

**Francois Blais** · #10 05-09-2002, 05:56 AM

Steve's Music in Montreal sells the Azola BugBass. (at least were selling it two years ago...)
Call them to verify they have a demo in store, and go try it!

funkopotimus · #11 05-09-2002, 08:28 AM

do you know how far montreal is from newfoundland?

thanks guys i will read up on that stuff on bob's site, and hopefully i'll have to go out of the province over the summer or something so i can try one.

peace,steve

sean p · #12 05-09-2002, 03:24 PM

i have a friend (a long-time bassist) who plays eub, double bass, and slab who is of the opinion that once you amplify the double bass (any more than low volume) the sonic differences between db and eub become insignificant. well, correspondingly less significant the more you amplify the db, shall we say. having heard his clevinger in medium-volume settings, i would agree: it has many of the characteristice of an amplified db.

i play db in a rock band at medium-high volumes and sacrifice a fair amount of tone quality to do so. plus we have to deal with feedback at volumes like this. travel-wise and convenience-wise i think it would make more sense to use an eub, since the tone quality differences would be negligible (or perhaps even better?) with a good rig, but i use the db because i am more comfortable with it, i have already paid for it (eub's aren't cheap), and (i hate to say it) the visual aspect kills an eub.

sean p