Eminence Megathread - Page 2

Bob Gollihur · #21 01-18-2002, 10:33 PM

I spent some time with a four and five string (high C) Eminence today, at the NAMM show. Mercifully, his booth is in a lower volume area of the show, and was able to audition it through a 2x10 Genz-Benz amp which is a tilt-back.

My concern was the change to the Realist pickup, but in conversation with Gary, the unit used with the Eminence are to his design specs. I learned some interesting facts about the Eminence and his modified units.

Bottom line is, I will be getting an Eminence shortly after I return to NAMM, and will begin to offer them on my web site.

As a player coming from double bass, today's experience confirmed my enjoyment of the instrument back at a past NAMM, and I'm now in the position to be able to stock and sell them.

Christopher · #22 01-19-2002, 12:30 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bob Gollihur
I learned some interesting facts about the Eminence and his modified units.

Don't keep us in suspense. What sort of mods were those?

FretNoMore · #23 02-01-2002, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dhosek
It's shown on the 5 string picture:
http://www.gelbass.com/PG_PRODEMBS5.HTM

-dh

From the pic it does seem to have a slightly narrow string spacing, can someone who has seen one in real life compare it to your average DB or other EUBs?

Mike Goodbar · #24 02-01-2002, 06:35 PM

I don't own one, but I'm thinking that the narrow string spacing is due to the fact that it is a 5-string.

I played a 4-string at a trade show and didn't notice closer string spacing. The Eminence, by the way, is manufactured by Christopher.

I enjoyed playing it. It felt quite natural to hold, and the purely amplified sound was much better than my Anglefarht plywood.

If I wasn't saving my bread for a new URB, I might consider buying one as a practice bass.

Pete G · #25 02-01-2002, 07:20 PM

I played a 4-string several months ago, and I found the whole "feel" of the instrument very similar to my standard 3/4 upright. In particular, I did NOT feel that the strings were any closer together than on my 3/4.

I travel a lot on business, and I've been thinking of getting an Eminence with a detachable neck to take on the road, so that I don't completely lose all those practice days. The acoustic sound is loud enough to hear it pretty well, but not so loud that I'd get kicked out of the hotel for playing.

Is that a crazy idea?

**Chris Fitzgerald** · #26 02-01-2002, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Pete G
I played a 4-string several months ago, and I found the whole "feel" of the instrument very similar to my standard 3/4 upright. In particular, I did NOT feel that the strings were any closer together than on my 3/4.

I travel a lot on business, and I've been thinking of getting an Eminence with a detachable neck to take on the road, so that I don't completely lose all those practice days. The acoustic sound is loud enough to hear it pretty well, but not so loud that I'd get kicked out of the hotel for playing.

Is that a crazy idea?

No, that's an "Eminently" practical idea. Bob Sinicrope (one of the guys I teach with at the summer Aebersold Camps) bought one last year for the same reason, and he loves it. He brought it to Louisville on the plane in this black case that was kind of round and looked to be slightly smaller than a set of golf clubs and slightly larger than a fishing pole. It sounded okay to me, and the travel option is indeed appealing.

Pete G · #27 02-01-2002, 09:59 PM

The strange thing is that I only play classical music - almost entirely arco. I don't play jazz or EBG - never have - and I STILL liked this thing. The one I played bowed very well.

FretNoMore · #28 10-25-2002, 08:23 PM

I'd like to try some lower tension strings for my Eminence EUB. I don't play with a bow, music is mostly jazz standards.

Some strings that have been suggested to me are Pirastro obligato, Schertner velvet and Thomastic weich (all names from a phone call, I may be incorrect on spelling etc).

Any comments, suggestions, recommendations, would be appreciated!

anonymous0726 · #29 10-25-2002, 10:54 PM

1 and 3 I have some experience with, and you'd likely be happy with either. I would lean toward the Obli's as a recommendation for pizz as they might reduce the negative aspects of the pickup a bit more than the Thomastiks. I think the Thomastiks might bow a bit better, but the difference is slight.

FretNoMore · #30 10-26-2002, 05:55 PM

Thanks. The Obligatos seem well liked enough from what I can see from other comments here as well, so I guess I'll start hunting for a decent price then!

FretNoMore · #31 01-25-2003, 11:03 AM

Just finished exchanging the stock strings (D’Addario Helicore?) with Obligatos, and I like it! They are much easier to play for my untrained hands, I hear a warmer (but perhaps slightly less percussive) sound, and best of all they almost totally cured a very difficult to play A string (there was a kind of wooden thunk depending on how and where I plucked the string). Looking forward to the next rehearsal now...

Mike Carr · #32 02-11-2003, 09:11 AM

I'm an American working bassist who spends most of my time working in Dubai, U.A.E. these days.
The ever increasing cost of air-cargo has made it very difficult for me to always have my double bass, a hybrid Schuster on the road with me. I've been fortunate to own a Carruthers E.U.B. and have been able to continue playing on what is more or less an upright "sounding" bass as a result. Still, after become quite attached to playing the "real bass" the Carruthers stick had become less than satisfactory. It does what it does very well but still left me longing for a more natural sound and feel.
So I ordered a new Eminence Removable Neck Bass, sight and sound unseen! I felt confident in this decision, because of prior good experiances dealing with (Al Hail!) Bob Gollihur. Bob was able to get the bass shipped to me very quickly and at a very reasonable cost.
I'm very happy to report that the Eminence is a truly fine bass, and lives up to it's claims. It is in fact in my opinion very close to a real double bass in terms of it's feel and response. It's sound when plugged in compares favorably to both my "real" double bass and many others that I have heard and played. The Realist pickup that is included with the Eminence works well with it.
The musicians I'm currenty working with were thrilled upon hearing the bass on my gig for the first time, comments have all been very positive, not only on the basses sound but on it's look as well. It's quite an improvement from the electric "pogo stick" that they had become accustomed to seeing me play every night.
I like this Eminence Bass very much, it really feels and sounds very good. I'm glad I risked it and will not be returning it to Bob for a refund!
I'm greatful to Talkbass for providing the kind of info that is nessasary to make decisions regarding a move like this, reading the comments and opinions of others regarding the Eminence and other E.U.B's was a great help to me. Thank you.

FretNoMore · #33 05-04-2003, 02:10 PM

Hi Rod!

Yes, I had an awful problem with the A string, which was improved a bit with Obligato strings. It's still there though, even if not so bad. I find technique has a lot to do with it, if I take real care to play distinctly it's better, but I'm having problems with quicker passages. Every now and then I get that ugly thunk from the other strings as well, but the A string is definitely the worst.

I have no other experience from DB playing, perhaps someone can tell if this can be a problem with other basses as well?

/Anders

**Chris Fitzgerald** · #34 05-04-2003, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ANGULAR OSTRICH

I have no other experience from DB playing, perhaps someone can tell if this can be a problem with other basses as well?

Could you describe the "thunk" in more detail? I've heard a fair amount of "thunky" type of noises come out of basses, and some of them are light years away from what I thought they were when I first heard them.

Rod B. · #35 05-04-2003, 11:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Chris Fitzgerald

Could you describe the "thunk" in more detail?

Chris, I'd describe it as a hollow wooden overtone. Almost as if you were tapping the top, but without the sharp attack of a knuckle. It's more soft and subtle like using the pad of a finger to tap. It happens mainly *for me* when the right hand is at about 2" up from the end of the fingerboard. If it's plucked higher the "thunk" is more intermittent.

Rod B. · #36 05-06-2003, 10:37 AM

I should also add, the "thunk" is a cross between that wooden overtone and someone popping their p's into a mic. It's there acoustically, it's not a problem with the Realist.

LowNote · #37 05-07-2003, 01:31 AM

I'm playing an Eminence with Velvet Garbo strings on it that came set up that way from Gary Bartig last December. I've not had any false sounds like the thunk described above on the A or any of the strings. That said, the Garbo's sound a lot like old style gut and the percussive "thunky" sound is what I really like about them.

My experience with the Eminence, at least with these strings, is that you have to really dig in and pull hard on the strings, just like you do on an acoustic bass, if you want the instrument to sound natural and bass like. It is this very non-electric bass like sound that I love and which has garnered a lot of compliments from other players, particularly drummers who say they can hear the bass clearly and find it easier to lock up with than an acoustic bass.

I'm taking the bass out on the road for an extended six-week trip that will take me round the world beginning this Sunday. It will be my first experience traveling with the bass, and I'm looking forward to seeing how it does. I'm going to take a set of Obligato's with me since I have some concern about how the Velvet's are going to handle being loosened and tightened up a bunch.

Rod B. · #38 05-07-2003, 02:10 AM

I like a warm percussive sound. But this is not a thump, thump, thump. It's kind of a tonk. It's very different from the sound from the other strings attack. Instead of the attack being percussive there's this tonk. I mean, you still have the basic tone, but then there's this added tonk.

I pluck fairly hard and have the action at 9mm on the E and maybe a hair lower on the G. I've tried the action from 11mm & 8mm to 8.5mm & 6mm, still there.

I appreciate the input guys. This is definitely a "false" sound. The sound can be heard acoustically, so it's not the Realist. Amplified, the sound is proportional to total volume. In other words, it doesn't get buried, it gets louder. It's annoying for live and would be totally unacceptable for recording.

The dealer is working with me to either get it solved or get another.

Mike Carr · #39 05-07-2003, 03:00 AM

I've been playing my Eminence since Febuary and have not experianced any sort of "thunk" sound on my A string, or anywhere else on the bass for that matter. I've tried the original strings, Helicores, Obligatos, Spirocore Orchestra Gauge and most recently Weichs, which by the way I'm liking most for the type of music that I most often use the bass for. This "thunk" sound just does not happen, either acousticaly or thru my very accurate amps, (Walter Woods, Raezers Edge and Clarus).
This makes me wonder if this has more to do with the way you play than the bass itself. The biggest, richest pitzacato sound can only be achived by striking the strings with more or less the side of your index finger, that how Ray Brown got it, and guys like the great Al Mckibbon and Senator Eugene Wright still get it. They rarely, if ever played on just the tips of their right hand fingers (bass guitar style), and only then just for speed. If they used a two finger style once in a while they still used as much meat of their fingers as possable, and nevertheless dug in!
Now while I havn't heard you play, the thunky, woody, hollow sound you describe sound suspisiously like the sound one gets when playing on the tips of your fingers, perhaps a bit too lightly at that. If you have caulouses on the tips from playing bass guitar on roundwound string (like I do) the sound can be even worse! Try getting as much of the side of your finger on the string as you can before letting it fly and see if that doesn't turn the "thunk" into some funk!

Mike Carr · #40 05-07-2003, 03:15 AM

Also, you might check to make sure your bridge is set and centered properly. If the bridge foot isn't sitting just right I've noticed the sound of the bass suffers a bit, with less of the good body sound. Then you wind up hearing too much "string", and can be noticed acoustically or while the bass is plugged in. That could certainly account for or at least add too what you might be describing as "thunk". I've noticed on mine that moving the bridge feet even as little as 1/8 of an inch in the wrong direction can change the sound a lot.