Double Bass Any thoughts on adding an upright to the collection?

[Jason Sypher]

I don’t know where you’re located but there’s a nice Shen in the classifieds for sale by a TBer in Georgia. Already perfectly set up and played in.

 

[Acoop]

Unless you're really intent on learning to play the instrument well I won't bother. But I must admit an acoustic upright bass in any room is a beautiful thing.

 

[elberon]

Hey go for it but get a professional teacher (not the guitar teacher who also doubles on electric bass and mandolin). Just understand that most people can get passable tone and intonation (with frets you know) out of an electric bass in 5-10 minutes. On the double bass it will likely take years and even longer if you factor in playing arco. Don’t be one of those Talkbass people who are equipment collectors more than they are musicians. There are no shortcuts in learning to play the double bass well.

 

[Don Hergert]

Seems like it would be interesting to have an upright as another flavor in the bass collection. ...

So I gotta ask, how many of us here started double bass this way???

To the OP (who it seems may have been scared off), I'd say go with the double bass, but do manage your expectations. Since you've been playing for about 50 years, assuming that you're in or near your 60s now (as I was when I started double bass), I wouldn't expect to become the lead double bassist for the New York Philharmonic in this lifetime. On the other hand, you could have a lot of fun...

There are a number of wheel related ways to make double bass transportation more practical. There are also a number of chairs and stands and bags and cases and other accessories that are equally helpful. Do a search for these items here in the TB/DB/ accessories related forums, there is plenty of good information available.

There are options instead of getting a double bass, but nothing duplicates the tone and visual impact of a double bass. EUBs come close and get people by for travel, as do uBasses and acoustic bass guitars, but simply put, a standard size double bass draws people to it.

I'd say go for it. I've never regretted doing so myself.

 

[Ketbass]

The experience of producing sound on an acoustic upright is so visceral and addictive that you might want to try it before you go with an EUB.

Yes. This. I bought an EUB first, a Knutson Messenger Bass. Beautiful to play, fantastic sound, slightly smaller scale and I thought this would be a way to scratch that itch; and it was for a month or 2. Then my teacher “renovated” an Old Kay for a friend to buy, who didn’t buy it. But I played it and instantly fell in love with the sound and feel of an acoustic DB. I didn’t buy it from him as he decided to keep it for himself, plus I liked a thicker neck like my Knutson. I wound up finding and purchasing my Shen. Literally, as most have said, has changed my life as a “bass” player.

I continue with electric bass as projects need but only practice on my upright. I use the EUB for certain gigs, practice and when my body attacks itself and doesn’t want me to haul the beast around, but it has elevated my electric playing to that next level, so practicing on them is unnecessary. I can’t say it is so the other way around. I will be leaving on a 2 week vacation abroad soon and shiver at the thought of not playing a DB for that long, then coming back to 2 gigs the following week. Ugh… Stamina, intonation right out the window! Anyone know if you can “lip-sink” on DB?

 

[uprightbass.com]

Similar situation here. I can put down the BG for several months and pick it up and perform as long as my mind is still sharp from playing any other musical instruments during that time. But yes, if I put down the URB for more than a week, I feel atrophy. Intonation goes as well as dexterity. I make it a point to pick it up for 10 minutes each day to just to maintain my playing for days that I can’t practice.

That level of difficulty is what makes it so rewarding. Super expressive and almost 30 years later I never can remember a single day that I was bored with this instrument.

 

[Jason Sypher]

Yes. This. I bought an EUB first, a Knutson Messenger Bass. Beautiful to play, fantastic sound, slightly smaller scale and I thought this would be a way to scratch that itch; and it was for a month or 2. Then my teacher “renovated” an Old Kay for a friend to buy, who didn’t buy it. But I played it and instantly fell in love with the sound and feel of an acoustic DB. I didn’t buy it from him as he decided to keep it for himself, plus I liked a thicker neck like my Knutson. I wound up finding and purchasing my Shen. Literally, as most have said, has changed my life as a “bass” player.

I continue with electric bass as projects need but only practice on my upright. I use the EUB for certain gigs, practice and when my body attacks itself and doesn’t want me to haul the beast around, but it has elevated my electric playing to that next level, so practicing on them is unnecessary. I can’t say it is so the other way around. I will be leaving on a 2 week vacation abroad soon and shiver at the thought of not playing a DB for that long, then coming back to 2 gigs the following week. Ugh… Stamina, intonation right out the window! Anyone know if you can “lip-sink” on DB?

As an upright player I find I can barely play an EUB. All the technique and muscles used to play upright are virtually useless on an EUB. On upright I use my whole body to make the note and I need the whole body and weight of an upright to do this. With an EUB I find I’m just trying to squeeze the notes with my left hand which makes it difficult to get around while trying to hold the squirrelly thing up. I kind of think they are not elated in the least except for perhaps the note spacing.

 

[Ketbass]

As an upright player I find I can barely play an EUB. All the technique and muscles used to play upright are virtually useless on an EUB. On upright I use my whole body to make the note and I need the whole body and weight of an upright to do this. With an EUB I find I’m just trying to squeeze the notes with my left hand which makes it difficult to get around while trying to hold the squirrelly thing up. I kind of think they are not elated in the least except for perhaps the note spacing.

The remedy: sit. I can then bring the EUB into my body and dig in to strings. But each EUB design is different. I also have the stand for it, but it's one more thing to drag around and requires me to stand, of which my feet loathe.

 

[Don Hergert]

... And that again relates to the OP's questions and age situation -- in the latter part of your life, unless you're a rare person, your body starts at least subtly showing the results of wear and tear and hard work and to some extent, abuse.

If you've got joint issues or really any kind of mobility problems, or hearing problems, or really any other physical or sensory problems that maybe you were getting by with before taking up double bass, the double bass will help you become more aware of them.

Aside from being lots of fun for music, a double bass exercises a person's body and mind like no other musical instrument. It's like the extreme rock climbing gymnasium of music.

 

[Jason Sypher]

... And that again relates to the OP's questions and age situation -- in the latter part of your life, unless you're a rare person, your body starts at least subtly showing the results of wear and tear and hard work and to some extent, abuse.

If you've got joint issues or really any kind of mobility problems, or hearing problems, or really any other physical or sensory problems that maybe you were getting by with before taking up double bass, the double bass will help you become more aware of them.

Aside from being lots of fun for music, a double bass exercises a person's body and mind like no other musical instrument. It's like the extreme rock climbing gymnasium of music.

Yeah. It’s a valid point. With training, patience and an expert set up it can be done. But no matter how you slice it, doublebass is a commitment.

 

[Ketbass]

... And that again relates to the OP's questions and age situation -- in the latter part of your life, unless you're a rare person, your body starts at least subtly showing the results of wear and tear and hard work and to some extent, abuse.

If you've got joint issues or really any kind of mobility problems, or hearing problems, or really any other physical or sensory problems that maybe you were getting by with before taking up double bass, the double bass will help you become more aware of them.

Aside from being lots of fun for music, a double bass exercises a person's body and mind like no other musical instrument. It's like the extreme rock climbing gymnasium of music.

You ain’t lying about that!

 

[uprightbass.com]

As an upright player I find I can barely play an EUB. All the technique and muscles used to play upright are virtually useless on an EUB. On upright I use my whole body to make the note and I need the whole body and weight of an upright to do this. With an EUB I find I’m just trying to squeeze the notes with my left hand which makes it difficult to get around while trying to hold the squirrelly thing up. I kind of think they are not elated in the least except for perhaps the note spacing.

That's because you're using proper DB technique, thus also avoiding injury. I went through 4 different EUB's over the years (BSX, Azola, Stagg, NS Designs) before getting the SLB300PRO. Those prior ones I gave up on less than a year for the very reason you just mentioned. It was like relearning yet another instrument. URB, BG and then add the EUB. That was a lot of wasted money for something that always ended in the closet and getting sold. The SLB300PRO is finally one that felt authentic and sounds authentic (as in it sounds like a great bass through a great pickup and mic, though not that it sounds anywhere near as good as an unamplified bass). If you have plenty of experience on a URB, it's a good second bass to have. I got rid of my other bass (a hybrid Upton) when I got this thing because it just checks all the marks for the ideal gigging bass.

Note: For those on here who are beginners, I wouldn't recommend this bass for beginners start on it because it's way too forgiving. You can turn the gain really high and rely too much on amplification and play in a way that on a real URB it wouldn't speak nor project. On a real URB it would have feedback way before you got to this point. However if you have a lot of experience playing URB you just play it like you've always played your bass and there is no mental or physical transition.

 

[Martin Spure]

That's because you're using proper DB technique, thus also avoiding injury. I went through 4 different EUB's over the years (BSX, Azola, Stagg, NS Designs) before getting the SLB300PRO. Those prior ones I gave up on less than a year for the very reason you just mentioned. It was like relearning yet another instrument. URB, BG and then add the EUB. That was a lot of wasted money for something that always ended in the closet and getting sold. The SLB300PRO is finally one that felt authentic and sounds authentic (as in it sounds like a great bass through a great pickup and mic, though not that it sounds anywhere near as good as an unamplified bass). If you have plenty of experience on a URB, it's a good second bass to have. I got rid of my other bass (a hybrid Upton) when I got this thing because it just checks all the marks for the ideal gigging bass.

Note: For those on here who are beginners, I wouldn't recommend this bass for beginners start on it because it's way too forgiving. You can turn the gain really high and rely too much on amplification and play in a way that on a real URB it wouldn't speak nor project. On a real URB it would have feedback way before you got to this point. However if you have a lot of experience playing URB you just play it like you've always played your bass and there is no mental or physical transition.

I have exactly the same experience with the Italian MK Studio EUB. The haptic sensation when playing it (even unamplified) is exactly the same as when I play my URB, minus the volume, of course. It’s a perfect practice bass. And yet, my downstairs neighbours told me they could hear the vibrations through the endpin even when I played unamplified. So we did a test, and what worked best was an inflated kid’s bicycle inner tube with a small 25 x 25 cm wood plate on top. This effectively killed the vibrations downstairs (at least in my building).

 

[Jason Sypher]

I have exactly the same experience with the Italian MK Studio EUB. The haptic sensation when playing it (even unamplified) is exactly the same as when I play my URB, minus the volume, of course. It’s a perfect practice bass. And yet, my downstairs neighbours told me they could hear the vibrations through the endpin even when I played unamplified. So we did a test, and what worked best was an inflated kid’s bicycle inner tube with a small 25 x 25 cm wood plate on top. This effectively killed the vibrations downstairs (at least in my building).

That neighbor would not like me! I probably practice my upright on average four hours a day almost exclusively with a bow.