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Anyone play or own a Carruthers bass?
- Thread starter Thir13teen
- Start date
Most (if not all) EUB's have pre amps that need a battery or batteries.
That being said, how much...….
Change the battery. I’m looking for a gig bag or case for mine. Would you sell one of the cases?
Thanks, folks.
(1), Verily, "underwhelmed" is apt -if one is looking to be overwhelmed. For me, "whelmed" is enough: it is what it is, and does not pretend to be otherwise. Over the years, owners have customized their Carruthers with better pick-ups; I replaced the stock bridge (in western MA) with an old one from a 3/4 bass. I see it as a "utility" bass for an upright-only player, tolerable for tight spaces and hot weather.
(2) So, there IS a battery in the back? There are set screws at top and bottom of the plastic plate - but also a tiny Allen-wrench-type hole in the middle - beyond my pay grade. Might have to take it to a guitar shop.
(3), Sorry, but cannot sell the gig bag separately.
Just to get reacquainted with the feel of it, I popped in an Underwood pick-up and plugged into a Genz-Benz Shuttle 6. Quite honestly, the lows are warm and on par with many an amplified upright; the highs are a but thin. That said, the strings are well-worn Tomastik Spirocores.
Based on prices on the Reverb website, and without the Underwood, I'd ask $1,000 for this puppy.
(1), Verily, "underwhelmed" is apt -if one is looking to be overwhelmed. For me, "whelmed" is enough: it is what it is, and does not pretend to be otherwise. Over the years, owners have customized their Carruthers with better pick-ups; I replaced the stock bridge (in western MA) with an old one from a 3/4 bass. I see it as a "utility" bass for an upright-only player, tolerable for tight spaces and hot weather.
(2) So, there IS a battery in the back? There are set screws at top and bottom of the plastic plate - but also a tiny Allen-wrench-type hole in the middle - beyond my pay grade. Might have to take it to a guitar shop.
(3), Sorry, but cannot sell the gig bag separately.
Just to get reacquainted with the feel of it, I popped in an Underwood pick-up and plugged into a Genz-Benz Shuttle 6. Quite honestly, the lows are warm and on par with many an amplified upright; the highs are a but thin. That said, the strings are well-worn Tomastik Spirocores.
Based on prices on the Reverb website, and without the Underwood, I'd ask $1,000 for this puppy.
OK, The battery casket is open, revealing a very conventional 9V battery. It never occurred to me that there would be a pre-amp built into this device. Now the bigger challenge: convincing the singer on this Sunday's gig to accept the Carruthers - that playing outdoors in 90-degree heat, canopy or no canopy overhead, poses a significant risk to the health of a conventional upright.
I first met John in 1978 when Alembic referred me to him to fix an issue with my Series I circuit. James Demeter was his electronics guy at that point, and he took care of the issue. John did some touch up and patch work on my bass, and it was perfect. That started a lifelong relationship between me and John, and has lead to me owning multiple basses of his over the years. John's innovations and influence are far reaching in the guitar industry, and virtually any modern instrument owes something to Carruthers. He has been employed as a consultant to virtually every major manufacturer from Fender and Gretsch to Yamaha. Modern manufacturing methods in many cases are a direct result of John's designs. Needless to say, John has "been there and done that", and you will never meet a more knowledgeable luthier/machinist.
I currently own two Carruthers basses, a four and a five string of the modern era. They follow John's philosophy of what works best for the working musician. Light weight, sustain, tonal complexity and variability, and simple road worthy construction. John does not use the typical EMG pickups and circuit. They are stacked single coils that can be split, and have a three band EQ. Everything John does has a lot of forethought and experience behind it. He has his opinions, and sometimes he can seem stubborn about them, but the bottom line is he puts out a fine product that is made in house (unlike a Sadowsky), and has a lifetime of knowledge involved with the design. That knowledge comes from having worked on or built a guitar for virtually every major artist over the past 50 years. Both of my basses are fantastic for recording as well as live performance.
I currently own two Carruthers basses, a four and a five string of the modern era. They follow John's philosophy of what works best for the working musician. Light weight, sustain, tonal complexity and variability, and simple road worthy construction. John does not use the typical EMG pickups and circuit. They are stacked single coils that can be split, and have a three band EQ. Everything John does has a lot of forethought and experience behind it. He has his opinions, and sometimes he can seem stubborn about them, but the bottom line is he puts out a fine product that is made in house (unlike a Sadowsky), and has a lifetime of knowledge involved with the design. That knowledge comes from having worked on or built a guitar for virtually every major artist over the past 50 years. Both of my basses are fantastic for recording as well as live performance.
TLJ,
Thank you for the stout and articulate defense of Mr. Carruthers. Far be it from me to question his experience or reputation. My reservations about his electric upright have to do with me, not him.
Whatever upright bass I play, I look for sound and physical compatibility. To my ears, the Carruthers EUB has a sort of "orange" tone; it won't respond beyond a low threshold when I try to "dig in; and the angle of the belly bumper isn't ergonomic.
Having said all that, I still couldn't part with it when a prospective buyer offered me my asking price.
Limitations aside, it's still a handy tool to keep in the shed, and the transaction would enter a file called Yet Another Bass Sale I Regret.
Thank you for the stout and articulate defense of Mr. Carruthers. Far be it from me to question his experience or reputation. My reservations about his electric upright have to do with me, not him.
Whatever upright bass I play, I look for sound and physical compatibility. To my ears, the Carruthers EUB has a sort of "orange" tone; it won't respond beyond a low threshold when I try to "dig in; and the angle of the belly bumper isn't ergonomic.
Having said all that, I still couldn't part with it when a prospective buyer offered me my asking price.
Limitations aside, it's still a handy tool to keep in the shed, and the transaction would enter a file called Yet Another Bass Sale I Regret.
I visited his shop in Venice back in 1994. A buddy of mine was getting one of his EUBs.
I played a few of his electrics. I found them to be kind of big and clunky, not to my taste anyway.
The B string on the fiver that I played was not very good at all. Very floppy and hollow sounding, with a significant drop off in volume compared to the other strings.
I played a few of his electrics. I found them to be kind of big and clunky, not to my taste anyway.
The B string on the fiver that I played was not very good at all. Very floppy and hollow sounding, with a significant drop off in volume compared to the other strings.
I have relied on John Carruthers since I was 17 years old...and I am old as heck now. I have three of his basses currently, and they span from the 70's to today. All are great, and John has been one of the most influential people in instrument design and construction in the past five decades. Check out this video where I play my oldest Carruthers with the reverse P pickups John pioneered with Lee Sklar. I am playing through a Fender rumble combo that happened to be sitting next to the sofa at Norm's.
Carruthers basses are among the best. John is one of the top bass builders in the world. I have five and been playing them for some 30+ years. The note quality is exceptional and practically everywhere I've played, in and outside the country, people want to know what bass is that you're playing.
I recently got one of John's new Lee Sklar replica basses, and it is mind blowing! I have one for stock here at the shop too.
