I switched between a WAV 4 and BG for years in a roots rock trio. It worked well. I got more questions about it than any other instrument I ever played! Some posing for pics, too!
BBB
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BBB
Looking at all these responses, I get the impression that the main problem probably lies in the cost... I don't know any EUB, that comes even close to a real double bass in terms of sound and playability, yet is also so much cheaper than a decent double bass.....
I do. BSX Allegro (2nd hand)
Let me know if you’d like to hear it on some records, and there’s a record with some tracks on DB and others on the EUB.
It’s pretty easy to pick up in my experience. Just a matter of being diligent to practice playing notes in tune.
Currently playing it in 3 different bands and no complaints from anyone. Also, our sound man loves it.
Let me know if you’d like to hear it on some records, and there’s a record with some tracks on DB and others on the EUB.
It’s pretty easy to pick up in my experience. Just a matter of being diligent to practice playing notes in tune.
Currently playing it in 3 different bands and no complaints from anyone. Also, our sound man loves it.
That might work... I wasn't able to check an Allegro out...but in Europe even used ones are in a price range, where you could also find an "working" Upright bass..but that might be different in the US...
I really would like some examples especially for the pizz sound, because examples on YT or somewhere often remind me very strong to "fretless bass guitars"...
A video! This was with really high tension strings, but still sounds good. It’s a desk recording.
Held by Trees - Solice (mostly EUB, some electric 4 string bass)
Held by Trees - Solice (mostly EUB, some electric 4 string bass)
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I was just having this conversation with Steve Wishnevsky of Wishbass. I have a few of his instruments.
"I'm a pitchy singer. I've noticed that sometimes people turn away in horror when I sing. I sound fine in the shower, in the car etc. but those are generally times when I'm by myself. Maybe it's the presence of others that throws me off. It's probably the same with the fretless electric bass. Right?"
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Long time BG player here, I bought a NS NXT4 a number of years back, was playing in a blue grassy band and the NS with 42” scale has an attack, decay and thump that works well IMHO, sound is kind of like a deader amplified DB. I went EUB because at the time my main car was a Miata, not many DB’s will fit.
Decent EUBs show up all the time on Talkbass classifieds. I bought a Steinberger CR4 upright here a while ago for $1,100 that sounds amazing with a first generation GK200mb combo (yes--the amp matters). It bows like butter and sounds great. It sounds very much like an upright to me. This model is piezo only, no magnetic pickup so it isn't good for slapping. I haven't checked the classifieds for an EUB lately because I'm very satisfied with what I have.Looking at all these responses, I get the impression that the main problem probably lies in the cost... I don't know any EUB, that comes even close to a real double bass in terms of sound and playability, yet is also so much cheaper than a decent double bass.....
I used to have an acoustic (real) double bass, but then moving and having smaller playing areas led me to the EUB. Since 1996 I have only had this Zeta, which I particularly love to play using a bow. Sound is amazing with my Genzler preamp and Two Notes CabM+ for 3 Sigma IRs ("The Hawk" bass). Still, when I go to the luthier's shop, I would LOVE to get a real double bass again! This one is fine until that time...
Waaay back there was a very prolific TB/DB poster named Bruce Lindfeld. (I'm sure old-timers remember TalkBruce.) He went straight to EUB and hewed to it for a long time. Near the end he finally embraced DB and you could feel his satisfaction across the internet.
Slightly sorry for the derail but this thread brought Bruce to mind.
Anyway, here's a 20+yo thread on gigging with EUB. As with so many TB/DB topics it seems like it still resonates.
Slightly sorry for the derail but this thread brought Bruce to mind.
Anyway, here's a 20+yo thread on gigging with EUB. As with so many TB/DB topics it seems like it still resonates.
I don't doubt about the sense of EUB's in a lot of situations (I've been playing one for a long time, and I'm currently having another one built) and it's certainly also a matter of personal preferences and expectations regarding sound, but "sounding very much like an upright" already indicates that there are differences...
and I never found an EUB "like" an Upright.. for that I wouldn't replace or change from DB to EUB...but one could certainly debate at length "what percentage" of sound quality and playability is achieved in each case...
D
I don't see most audiences noticing or caring about the difference in sound.
Makes sense. There's physically more wiggle room before your intonation gets noticeably off, with the longer scale of the DB.
On fretless BG the scale is much shorter, so there's less room for error.
Depending on the fretless BG, anyway. Mine (Ibanez SR370EF) has a 34" scale.
To throw another wrench in the works: for most of the past 2 years, I've played with the BG more or less vertical. Long story why, but I had one or two folks ask if I did that because I was used to upright/DB.
The answer is no, I play/played that way because I could not play a BG in the "usual" orientation due to an arm injury (forearm can't supinate fully).
Recently I found a way to play standing up, but the BG must be at a fairly steep angle, as far out as the strap will allow. Probably looks like I'm trying to be "cool" but in reality, it's the only way it's possible for me to play BG standing up.
No problem at all playing EUB/DB, since the neck is vertical. Tried it on someone else's Shen.
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Agreed in every way. I didn't mean to convey the EUB is the same. It's a very different animal. There were certainly times when a good EUB came in handy. There are transport and venue considerations. There was a while when I was recovering from a back injury that I relied on the Steinberger. There's nothing like the real thing. No debate here at all.I don't doubt about the sense of EUB's in a lot of situations (I've been playing one for a long time, and I'm currently having another one built) and it's certainly also a matter of personal preferences and expectations regarding sound, but "sounding very much like an upright" already indicates that there are differences...
I like it - reminds me of ECM artists early on, Are you guys based out of Europe or UK
The smaller the band the more the sound difference between DB and EUB matters.
Good EUBs are at least as expensive as a medium quality DB.
At least some band leaders want a DB for look and (on smaller bands) for sound.
If you think getting an upright bass guitar, better stick with your fretless.
DB strings make half of the sound the other half pickup and body resonance.
A vibrating top helps a bit too, but the resonance frequencies are too high to sound like a a DB.
It is easy to learn a wrong DB technique with an EUB. You need a teacher, at least for half a year.
Some DB scale EUBs have a long neck and short body, that is not good to learn DB as the the stop at the neck heel at at the fifth or minor sixth. Don‘t buy a cheap EUB, you might need to modify a lot and they still sound somehow electric. Even used expect to pay around US$2000.
It might depend a bit on the music style weather an EUB will be accepted or not. Traditionalists wouldn‘t. Latin/Salsa is OK.
In experimental music it might exciting to use the bow (but that’s another chapter).
Good EUBs are at least as expensive as a medium quality DB.
At least some band leaders want a DB for look and (on smaller bands) for sound.
If you think getting an upright bass guitar, better stick with your fretless.
DB strings make half of the sound the other half pickup and body resonance.
A vibrating top helps a bit too, but the resonance frequencies are too high to sound like a a DB.
It is easy to learn a wrong DB technique with an EUB. You need a teacher, at least for half a year.
Some DB scale EUBs have a long neck and short body, that is not good to learn DB as the the stop at the neck heel at at the fifth or minor sixth. Don‘t buy a cheap EUB, you might need to modify a lot and they still sound somehow electric. Even used expect to pay around US$2000.
It might depend a bit on the music style weather an EUB will be accepted or not. Traditionalists wouldn‘t. Latin/Salsa is OK.
In experimental music it might exciting to use the bow (but that’s another chapter).
Because it‘s the same, just upright and to some extend bowable.
The only valid reason IMHO for playing a BG EUB is if you cannot hold or play a BG for health reasons. You get nothing from a DB except a very little bit of bowability.
ah yes, thanks for the reply.
one primary reason i bought two barker basses (one fretted, one fretless) is so i wouldn't have to wear an instrument throughout a gig. not for health reasons, but personal preference. it felt very freeing, being able to play & walk about without an instrument strapped to my body ... so, with additional context, your reasoning makes sense to me as well.
i feel your pain. i have a 32" scale barker bass, an EUBG, and i've found myself checking for the 'fret dots' when i discerned wonky intonation via the ear test ... and saw that i was right on the 'fret' dot. i think it might have been a tempered tuning issue magnified by the medium scale. sometimes you have to play in front of or behind the lines ~
