zeta educator

acphipps · #1 10-27-2005, 06:42 PM

hey this is rocky, i am new to the forum. i bought the zeta educator about 6 months ago, and just can't find a way to make it sound good. i have not tried the orchestra strings yet(jargar, perilli's, etc.) i also play electric some. i am playing through an ampeg b2re and aguilar 112. the electric sounds good, but the upright sounds to compressed. also pizz sounds ok, but arco sounds flat awful especially on the g string. i mainly bought it for the portability, but i realize i gave up on the sound i was looking for in an upright bass. if i would have known about this forum 6 months ago, i would have probably bought an acoustic upright. any suggestions? (sell the zeta and buy the acoustic hehe) thanks for any help

**Francois Blais** · #2 10-27-2005, 07:53 PM

Hi, and welcome aboard!

Which strings do you have on?
If you don't know, what are the silk colors at both the tailpiece and pegs?

Thanks,
François

acphipps · #3 10-28-2005, 05:54 AM

I am not sure what strings they are, but they have yellow and blue at the ball end, and a dark blue at the top. I work at a local music store (Mcfadyen Music) and we have an acoustic upright there. I loaned it out so I could get a feel for it and loved the way it felt it just wouldn't stay in tune very well. It had a solid top and where I live it is very humid in the summer. Through reading some of the other post a laminate top doesn't go out of tune as bad. I think the Engelhardt stuff might be right up my alley. With some minor modifications from my luthier in the repair shop.

**Francois Blais** · #4 10-28-2005, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by acphipps

I am not sure what strings they are, but they have yellow and blue at the ball end, and a dark blue at the top.

Do you mean navy blue with a yellow spiral?
At the peg end: are they all the same color?
D'Addario Helicore orchestrals are navy blue with a yellow spiral, and the peg end colors are, from E to G: green,dark grey,gold,red. There's a dark blue ring too, that indicates medium gauge.

Quote:

I think the Engelhardt stuff might be right up my alley. With some minor modifications from my luthier in the repair shop.

If you already make up your mind to sell the EUB and get the acoustic, should we continue to talk about this?

Regards,
François

acphipps · #5 10-28-2005, 07:23 PM

Yes that must be them, b/c what you described is exactly how it looks. Since I just bought it convincing my wife that I am going to get rid of it right now is the tough part.
The strings feel really stiff, and kind of hurt my fingers after a while. Any suggestions on a good string that will give me a little more acoustic sound instead of a really big fretless sound knowing that the pickup sounds a little too compressed already? I played a 1/8 Kay that had black nylon strings on it and I liked the sound, but arco probably wouldn't sound that good with those strings? I never got a chance to try it. I guess I am just trying to make the EUB thing work right now to where I am satisfied, you know?

shwashwa · #6 10-29-2005, 04:52 AM

i have tried that bass and i really thought the sound was pretty bad no matter what i tried to do with it. that's zeta's bottom of the line model if i'm not mistaken. there are eub's out there that can sound way better. my messerger for instance.... but, try a preamp. you're going to need some serious tone sculpting with that bass

acphipps · #7 10-29-2005, 05:39 AM

Thanks, I have tried the K&K 2 channel preamp, and that helped it some. any other suggestions?

shwashwa · #8 10-29-2005, 06:02 AM

try a better preamp...also maybe an eq. but i cant remember if that bass has active electronics or not. if it doesnt, you'll need a preamp that can accept piezo's, but try a better one than the k&k. k&k is good, but i've had one. i dont consider it "pro" quality....i'm having great success with the sans amp para driver

**Francois Blais** · #9 10-29-2005, 09:07 AM

Helicore Orchestrals are typically arco strings, but the G & D are somewhat bright. You'd get a much warmer, DB like sound, with Pirastro Flexocors (regulars, not the Original Flexocors).
Maybe your action is too low, and gives too much fretless mwahh ?
Raising it will result in a stiffer feel though.
It's normal to feel that DB strings are stiffer than bass guitar.
Do you practice on it regularly?