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Double Bass A/B comparison of ERGO versus WAV4

S

Schindler

Nov 11, 2009
9
0
MA
#1
I am getting ready to buy my 1st EUB. Can anyone that has actually played both these instruments give me an A/B comparison? My head is about to explode from reading "sticky mega threads".

I play a wide variety of music( roots rock/blues/pop/rock/R&B) so versatility of tone is important ( as opposed to just fixating on trying to sound like a real UB). I am only concerned with Pizz.

The $1000 price point is about what I'm looking to spend.

Thank you!!
 
#2
The Wav4 is more solidly built, hotter and more electric sounding. The ergo is warmer, WAY cheaper, way more like double bass but takes some fiddling with to get everything right, where the Wav seems solid right away.
As I would always say: you may only be concerned with pizz, but if you are concerned with playing in tune to any reasonable degree, the best plan is to practice with the bow and get a good upright bass teacher.
 
#3
Good point by you on the bow - I am currently taking lessons on a rented UB and my teacher made the same point about the bow. I should have said I am only concerned with the Pizz tone , as that's what all my gigging calls for, but i do in fact practice with a bow. Thanks Damon..
 
#4
When you say the Ergo is way more like a double bass.. can you elaborate? I think I was leaning toward the WAV just because the fancy website and name recognition are sort of reassuring. I won't have a chance to play either of these before making a purchase.
Thanks again..
 
#5
I've owned both. I sold the Ergo and bought the WAV. In my opinion both instruments need upgrades out of the box.

The stock strings that each bass comes with are terrible. My WAV has a much better pickup system then my Ergo had. I was always messing with the pickups and bridge on the the Ergo to get an even sound accross the strings. I found I did not like playing on a stand so I sold my Ergo and bought the WAV with the endpin stand. The NS Design endpin stand didn't make me happy, so I built my own.

Overall, I have had a much better experience with the WAV. I wish NS Design would redesign the stands but the bass itself has been outstanding.

Actually with new strings (I use D'addario Orchestral) and a decent preamp (I use a Fishman Platinum Pro), I find the WAV has a closer sound to an amplified acoustic DB than I could get from the Ergo.

Good luck
 
#6
Schindler said:
When you say the Ergo is way more like a double bass.. can you elaborate? I think I was leaning toward the WAV just because the fancy website and name recognition are sort of reassuring. I won't have a chance to play either of these before making a purchase.
Thanks again..
Click to expand...

The Ergo is a solid piece of wood - so you are amplifiying wood and strings just like a double bass. With the right set up and technique you can get a very woody sound out of the Ergo. In my experience the Ergos with more strings sound better.

The Wavs are very nice, have a lot of options and could end up being more versitile. I wouldn't mind having one at all, but I also love my Ergo.
 
#8
Just to clarify on the Ergo pickup, it is a piezo strip that sit right underneath the bridge. That means it is basically a copy of the Realist pickup. I had to do some fiddling with the bridge and ended up sticking a piece of cloth underneath the bridge and re-grounding it, but I got an even sound out of it.

I am very happy with the Ergo. It is a simple but very well designed instrument. Like the poster above, I have no experience with the Wav.
 

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