Upton Medio Fino Hybrid

camCARV03 · #1 01-15-2007, 08:58 PM

hey
I am an owner of an Upton Medio Fino Hybrid(discontinued). the sound quality is excellent. I get many compliments about it. But when I play in an orchestra rehearsal, I find it hard to hear myself. The sound just is not voluminous like the other basses around me. By the way, I am using the Upton $99 Brazilwood bow. Are Uptons typically "quiet" or is it just the bow and/or not enough rosin. I am pretty sure it is not me because when I play on the other basses, I sound louder. Is it the bass, the bow, the rosin? help!

drurb · #2 01-15-2007, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by camCARV03

hey
I am an owner of an Upton Medio Fino Hybrid(discontinued). the sound quality is excellent. I get many compliments about it. But when I play in an orchestra rehearsal, I find it hard to hear myself. The sound just is not voluminous like the other basses around me. By the way, I am using the Upton $99 Brazilwood bow. Are Uptons typically "quiet" or is it just the bow and/or not enough rosin. I am pretty sure it is not me because when I play on the other basses, I sound louder. Is it the bass, the bow, the rosin? help!

Well, uh, what are the other basses in the orchestra?

camCARV03 · #3 01-15-2007, 09:55 PM

nothing out of the ordinary. some are cheap rentals, while some are very old carved german basses. Could it possibly be the bow that is hindering the sound? or maybe im not using enough rosin? Are Uptons known for HUGE sound?

lloccmttocs · #4 01-15-2007, 10:06 PM

I myself have a very close to that exact same bass. I was just playing it two minutes ago. Its a medio fino laminated, close to the same thing. But when I first started on it I too found it timid and quiet. But then i realized it was a mixture of things holding back my tone. For one, I was timid with my new bass not wanting to break it, but that soon wore off once I got used to it. 2 I didn't rosin my bow frequently. 3 (this is the most important) I wasn't bowing 100% properly. It is amazing how much diffence can be made by simply making your bow placed at that just right spot inbetween the fretboard and bridge and to make sure that you are digging in. Not necessarily breaking your wrist trying to put enough pressure, but just enough to feel the tug of the hairs.

Another things to try if those things are in line, Is to take your bass as it is into a small practice room that has good acoustics. The way a bass is set up sound goes in the body bounces around amplifying and then goes out the f holes away from you. So you don't get to hear yourself as much as people infront of you will. But a small room will allow you to hear yourself better because the sound waves will bounce back at you. Or simply let someone else play your bass. But that's just my two cents.

hdiddy · #5 01-15-2007, 11:04 PM

I've never played an Upton, but FWIW, I think it's still a very new bass. Probably the other basses that you're playing with have been around and had the time to open up and sound better. New basses tend to be less resonant and need time to sound better. Give it a couple of years. Yeah, years. My Christopher is ok after 3 years but I think it'll sound alot better after 20. *sigh* I would probably just concentrate on your technique and try to get the most sound out of it.

The other thing you can do is throw more money at it to find the sound you want: better strings, different tailpiece, etc. etc. That kind of thing costs $$$. And even then, you still have a new bass that needs time to mature. But if your technique sucks, no amount of gear is gonna help you. Just my $.02.

PoorPlayer · #6 01-16-2007, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by camCARV03

hey
I am an owner of an Upton Medio Fino Hybrid(discontinued). the sound quality is excellent. I get many compliments about it. But when I play in an orchestra rehearsal, I find it hard to hear myself. The sound just is not voluminous like the other basses around me. By the way, I am using the Upton $99 Brazilwood bow. Are Uptons typically "quiet" or is it just the bow and/or not enough rosin. I am pretty sure it is not me because when I play on the other basses, I sound louder. Is it the bass, the bow, the rosin? help!

How long have you had the bass? Did you buy it new?

Have you changed anything recently? Strings, bridge, endpin, set-up, et cetera?

What strings do you have on it?

Where have you played that you have received compliments?

Have you had someone else play it while you listen from different places around it? Maybe it's only the player that has trouble hearing it?

Do you have a pickup on it? Have you tried playing without it?

Do you have a bib on the bass?

Nick Ioannucci · #7 01-16-2007, 07:24 PM

my hawkes hybrid is a powerhouse, it moves some air. is it possible that youre blending in with the section? when i play in orchestra(5 basses) i blend in with the section and we kind of end p having one sound. when two basses dont show i can hear myself real well.

reedo35 · #8 01-17-2007, 06:07 AM

I also have an Upton Medio Fino Hybrid, and from my experience, the least expensive way to get more sound out of it was to raise the string height slightly. Right now, I'm at about 6mm on the G and 10mm 0n the E.

philip sirois · #9 01-17-2007, 06:19 AM

one thing to note with these basses- they are very narrow at the top and very wide at the bottom, plus they are quite long bodied.
It seems that the majority of the sound comes out pretty far from where your ear is. Out front things might be different. Maybe if you heard someone else play it it would make you feel better.
I had the laminate version of this bass, and I suspect this happened to me as well.

drurb · #10 01-17-2007, 07:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lloccmttocs

...It is amazing how much diffence can be made by simply making your bow placed at that just right spot inbetween the fretboard and bridge...

The what and the bridge?

Michael Case · #11 01-17-2007, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drurb

The what and the bridge?

You know the fretboard, where you put your fret markers.

Chasarms · #12 01-17-2007, 07:59 AM

I would not be discouraged. I don't play a lot with an Orchestra, but when I do, I find that not hearing well is sort of part of the gig. If you want to pursue something like that, it's probably a great experience for you.

There are lot of factors. The size and design of the practice hall, the other players and instruments, etc.

When I play in a line with other players, I almost find relief in not hearing myself clearly, if I see the string vibrating and only hear a section of basses, I know I am playing in tune!!

camCARV03 · #13 01-17-2007, 01:56 PM

thanks for the tips. I have never listened to anyone else play my bass. I will try that sometime. And I do not frequently rosin my bow. When I DID rosin my bow yesterday, however, I did feel a little more come out of my bass, so I guess that's good. I also think the bow might be hindering the sound a little bit..hmm

dchan · #14 01-19-2007, 02:33 AM

Before, I never thought that changing from a brazilwood bow to a pernambuco bow would have a significant effect on the sound generated from the bass.

Now, after using a pernambuco bow after using a brazilwood for a few years, I know that the type of bow has a HUGE effect on the sound. While a brazilwood bow will generate a thinner, nasally sound, a decent pernambuco bow can generate a deep, warm, powerful sound.

Keep that in mind if you ever shop for a new bow.

arnoldschnitzer · #15 01-19-2007, 06:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dchan

While a brazilwood bow will generate a thinner, nasally sound, a decent pernambuco bow can generate a deep, warm, powerful sound.

I have a "Brazilwood" bow in my shop that sounds and plays better than 75% or so of the famous-maker pernambuco bows I encounter. Several of my clients are itching to take it off my hands. Can anyone definitively educate me on the difference between Brazilwood and Pernambuco? Last I heard, they both come from the same tree.

dchan · #16 01-19-2007, 07:14 AM

Of course, when I mean "will generate a thinner, nasally sound," I mean in a general sense, that a decent pernambuco bow will get a better sound than the usual brazilwood bow you see being sold, not that one of a kind "brazilwood" bow that will outplay many of the famous-maker pernambuco bows.

Also, this refers to my experience with pernambuco and brazilwood bows thus far, and I haven't hunted high and low for the holy grail of bows yet.

As for the difference between pernambuco and brazilwood, I've heard the same thing. Pernambuco is supposedly the center "heartwood" of the tree, and brazilwood is wood from the outer rings of the tree. But definitively, I can't say for sure, as different "sources" will say something different.

But let's not go too off-topic and turn this into a thread about bows.

reedo35 · #17 01-19-2007, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arnoldschnitzer

Last I heard, they both come from the same tree.

You are correct, they both come from the same tree, But what they call brazilwood is the outer layer of the tree, and pernambuco is the wood closer to the heart, which is more dense and stiff, and darker than the outer layer.

Tritonis · #18 01-19-2007, 08:29 PM

My Hawkes Hybrid has a huge sound, so I don't think it's Upton.

Silversorcerer · #19 01-21-2007, 05:28 PM

Different models same maker or even the same model same maker are going to vary a bit. It does take a few years for a carved top to open up. Even after almost 2 years I can now and then detect a sort of small leap in resonance in my bass, but the biggest thing is that there is a world of difference between what one hears standing next to a bass playing it and what someone hears out in front of it. I remember the first time I heard someone else play my bass, just plucking it lightly, and I was thinking holy moly! I probably need to tone it down some. No wonder the guitarists are using amps with me. It might not be that extreme with your bass, but what you hear from the basses around you is going to be more than what you hear from yours anyway. It takes some space for the low frequency waves to project. Also I notice I can hear my bass better if I am on a stool as opposed to standing. If you are new to the bow (I would consider that anything less than 3 years) then how much volume you can get with a bow depends on so many things that take experience and experimentation. It is critical that the speed and pressure and tension of the hair all be just right. Also where the bow tracks is critical. The rosin and the hair can make small but audible differences as well.