New to eub playing looking for advice

playanaco · #1 11-05-2006, 06:22 PM

I recently purchased a yamaha svb 200 and am looking for advice on recommended strings, string height(bottom of string to fingerboard) and anything else anyone can offer. I get a thumping sound when I play which I don't like and am looking for suggestions as to how to rectify. I played upright years ago but mostly I am an electric player with some time now to get back into it.
Thanks, Playanaco

**Francois Blais** · #2 11-06-2006, 08:22 AM

Did you bring it to a qualified luthier to check the bridge height?
What are the heights under the E & G strings, between the fingerboard and bottom of strings, at the end of the fingerboard?

playanaco · #3 11-06-2006, 12:34 PM

There is no such thing as a luthier where I live and before I make the trip to Toronto I thought I would try learning all I could first. When I bought the bass the strings were very high and I have gradually been taking them down. The E string is still a bit less than 1/2 inch while the G string is a little less than 1/4 inch from the fretboard. I am not sure how low I can go before it is too low. I also experience a thumping sound from my fingers when I play. Someone told me that as I lower the strings the thump will go away. True??
Recommend a good set of strings? I have no clue what they come with new.
Have a great day.
Do you know Alain Caron? He is one of my favourites.Michel Denato is also a great player living in Montreal now. I knew him ions ago when he lived in Toronto.

mrpc · #4 11-06-2006, 01:45 PM

Is the neck angle on the Yamaha adjustable?

playanaco · #5 11-06-2006, 02:27 PM

No it isn't. I have small hands and want to get it down as low as I can but don't know anyone who has had experience with this puppy.
Thanks,

mrpc · #6 11-06-2006, 07:31 PM

OK, I see. Then I'd say that you will save alot of time and money if you let a Luthier set your bass up. It's no big deal, just to get going. Good luck!

playanaco · #7 11-07-2006, 07:13 AM

I think that I have the strings to about where ub players seem to have them set but it is this thumping sound that I am getting that is bugging me. Ideas anyone???? I did not get this sound when I played upright so I don't think it is my technique.

**Francois Blais** · #8 11-07-2006, 09:13 AM

And what strings do you have on?

playanaco · #9 11-07-2006, 10:03 AM

I have no clue what yamaha puts on them from the factory.

**Francois Blais** · #10 11-07-2006, 11:06 AM

Care to describe the silk colors at both the tailpiece and pegs?

playanaco · #11 11-07-2006, 12:54 PM

Yellow, black,red, green on the pegs and yellow thread wraped with red around it at the tailpiece. Boy I have been playing the bass all my life and changed dozens of strings and have never bothered looking at the colors on the strings. Have I been looking at the wrong ends? Maybe that's why I don't play like Jaco.
Thanks for your input

**Francois Blais** · #12 11-07-2006, 01:19 PM

Yellow is G or E ?
Is this solid red with a yellow twist or the reverse?

That said, there's a string ID applet here:
http://www.quinnviolins.com/qv_stringidsearch.shtml

playanaco · #13 11-08-2006, 06:04 AM

Yes they do have a yellow twist through them.

DaBassman · #14 11-08-2006, 07:34 AM

I just ordered D'Addario Helicore Med for my new Palatino EUB. They were recomended by a few folks in the Palatino EUB thread.

**Francois Blais** · #15 11-08-2006, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by playanaco

Yes they do have a yellow twist through them.

They could be Helicore Pizzicatos, but these have a maroon/yellow twist silk at the tailpiece, and the colors at the peg are:
G: red
D: yellow
A: black
E: green
This isn't the same order you gave.

These are pizz strings, they shouldn't be thumpy!
Maybe your action is just set too high.
Lowering it will give more fretless mwahhh.

playanaco · #16 11-08-2006, 02:43 PM

Francois, thanks for the site but i couldn't find them. each string has a different color at the pegs. E- Green, A- Black D- Yellow, G- red. Bottom of the strings are yellow wrapped with a red(maroon) wrapping around the yellow and a yellow twist. I don't remember giving you any color order but the colors you say are correct. If you think the action is too high what do you suggest? The G string is a shade under 1/4 inch and the E string is a bit under 1/2 inch. If the strings are as you say, are they a good quality string and appropriate for that bass?
Thanks

mrpc · #17 11-08-2006, 05:14 PM

What kind of amplifier are you plugging the Yamaha into? And does the bass have active electronics, and if so, have you checked the battery?

How much trouble is it going to be to have a luthier take a look at your bass in regards to the string height?

Can you get another local player to check it out and give you a opinion?

There alot of factors other than action height that could cause the problem you are describing.

playanaco · #18 11-08-2006, 07:28 PM

mrpc, I practice through a Roland DB 500. I haven't tried it through my Eden yet.The battery is strong. No luthier where I live. At least 2 1/2 hrs. away. No one plays eub's where i live. I think that the string height is pretty good now. I think that the thumping may be coming from the pickup picking up the sound of my finger hitting the fingerboard after passing over the string. I don't know any other way to play. Advice???
Thanks,
Ken

**Francois Blais** · #19 11-08-2006, 07:49 PM

Get a teacher!

mrpc · #20 11-08-2006, 11:10 PM

Tough to give advice without seeing what your doing there.