I've just bought my first EUB, a Aria SWB Lite One. It has a threaded plate on the back which looks like its for a stand. Does any one that uses the Aria SWB use a tripod stand? And if so any ideas where I can get one? I believe the thread is the size used on camera tripods....
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Double Bass Aria EUB megathread
- Thread starter jjq
- Start date
I've been using my Aria SWB lite for about 6 months in a piano / bass / vocal trio & getting on really well with it. The instrument plays very easily & the transition from my jazz bass to the upright was fairly easy.
Is anyone out there using one of these & if so any advice on the tone settings in order to achieve a double bass sound.
PS anyone know anything on the history of the Aria's? - mine shows as made in Japan.
thanks
jeff
Is anyone out there using one of these & if so any advice on the tone settings in order to achieve a double bass sound.
PS anyone know anything on the history of the Aria's? - mine shows as made in Japan.
thanks
jeff
Hi Jeff.
Wow, another Aria Lite player - there's not many of us about!
I've been using a SWB lite one for just over a year and TBH, I'm still working with the tone.
So far, I've found that with the bass set to 3/4, the treble set to 1/4 the volume at 3/4 (the output is really hot on my bass - too much volume and my preamp distorts...) and bit of compression (using a Tech21 bass compactor), plus a good DB plucking technique, I can get a reasonable approximation of a double bass sound.
I think that the best approach is probably using the right sort of strings. As far as I can tell, strings designed for pizz playing on an acoustic bass will be very bright and have a lot of sustain on an EUB. Hybrid or orchestral strings will be duller sounding and have less sustain and so may better suited to the EUB.
I've no idea what the stock strings are but they've a bit too much sustain for my liking so I'm taking the plunge and buying a set of Helicore hybrids this week. I'll let you know how they turn out.
BTW, don't you post on BC as well?
Cheers
Dave
Wow, another Aria Lite player - there's not many of us about!
I've been using a SWB lite one for just over a year and TBH, I'm still working with the tone.
So far, I've found that with the bass set to 3/4, the treble set to 1/4 the volume at 3/4 (the output is really hot on my bass - too much volume and my preamp distorts...) and bit of compression (using a Tech21 bass compactor), plus a good DB plucking technique, I can get a reasonable approximation of a double bass sound.
I think that the best approach is probably using the right sort of strings. As far as I can tell, strings designed for pizz playing on an acoustic bass will be very bright and have a lot of sustain on an EUB. Hybrid or orchestral strings will be duller sounding and have less sustain and so may better suited to the EUB.
I've no idea what the stock strings are but they've a bit too much sustain for my liking so I'm taking the plunge and buying a set of Helicore hybrids this week. I'll let you know how they turn out.
BTW, don't you post on BC as well?
Cheers
Dave
Hi al.
Merged several Aria EUB threads together into a sticky megathread.
Hope this helps!
Regards,
François
Merged several Aria EUB threads together into a sticky megathread.
Hope this helps!
Regards,
François
Dave
thanks for the response - i agree that it seems necessary to have the treble at about 1/3 & the bass at 1/2 plus. I have been experimenting with an EBS microbass & am not getting bad results but would still like to make it better.
Everyone seems to be talking about the Stagg so it's nice to find someone else to compare notes with on the Aria. Do you use a stand? There seems to be several suggestions floating around of what to use but i haven't tried yet.
Still cautious about changing the strings as it's so expensive if you make a mistake - let me know how you get on. Maybe some advice will appear from anyone else who uses the Aria
PS you're correct i also post on BC & the Ernie Ball forum re my Stingray.
What sort of music are you using the Aria for? You can find some of my tracks on Link Removed. but at the time i recorded these i was using my fender jazz. Will try to get some tracks added with the Aria.
cheers
jeff
thanks for the response - i agree that it seems necessary to have the treble at about 1/3 & the bass at 1/2 plus. I have been experimenting with an EBS microbass & am not getting bad results but would still like to make it better.
Everyone seems to be talking about the Stagg so it's nice to find someone else to compare notes with on the Aria. Do you use a stand? There seems to be several suggestions floating around of what to use but i haven't tried yet.
Still cautious about changing the strings as it's so expensive if you make a mistake - let me know how you get on. Maybe some advice will appear from anyone else who uses the Aria
PS you're correct i also post on BC & the Ernie Ball forum re my Stingray.
What sort of music are you using the Aria for? You can find some of my tracks on Link Removed. but at the time i recorded these i was using my fender jazz. Will try to get some tracks added with the Aria.
cheers
jeff
I know what you mean about the cost of strings! There's loads out there and everyone uses something different... Corelli, Obligatos and the Helicores seem to come up a lot but helicores are readily available here so that's what I've gone for. Unfortunatley, there's no way of finding out what strings will suit your bass until you try them. Ho hum.
I don't use a stand - I like to lean into the bass and move around a bit. I've experimented quite a lot with endpin height/bass angle, etc and I now have the bass at about a 60 degree angle with the body extension just below my ribs.
I'm playing jazz/soul stuff - my band myspace page is in my signature. It's a live recording and I had the tone a bit more bassy than I would use now but it's not far off the sound I use.
I post on BC as TheRev, so if you want to chat there, look me up.
Cheers
Dave
I have just acquired an Aria SWB-04. I have little experience of dealing with piezo AND magnetic pickup systems. I am trying to get as close as I can to a DB sound. I would be interested in hearing from someone with the same bass as to what strings they would recommend, in fact any assistance or comments would be welcome. Thank you.
Check out Gollihur's page
He has a list of which strings work well with magnetic pickups
I am using Corelli on my Aria
I would really like to get a string that has a stronger fundamental
I tend to use mag pu for some songs and the piezo for others
My new Wizzy Combo sounds much better than my others(SWR,PJB and GK) The Wizzy and PJB have 10k ohm input but the PJB lacks the bottom and warmth of the Wizzy
Thanks
Robert VanLane
He has a list of which strings work well with magnetic pickups
I am using Corelli on my Aria
I would really like to get a string that has a stronger fundamental
I tend to use mag pu for some songs and the piezo for others
My new Wizzy Combo sounds much better than my others(SWR,PJB and GK) The Wizzy and PJB have 10k ohm input but the PJB lacks the bottom and warmth of the Wizzy
Thanks
Robert VanLane
I've just put a set of medium Helicore Hybrids on my SWB Lite One and they're a vast improvement on the factory strings.
The tension is lower, the feel is softer and there's a lot more growl
. It definitley sounds more DB-ey than before.
They've only been on a week so I expect the sound to change (for the better hopefully) but so far, I'm pretty happy.
The tension is lower, the feel is softer and there's a lot more growl
. It definitley sounds more DB-ey than before.They've only been on a week so I expect the sound to change (for the better hopefully) but so far, I'm pretty happy.
Ok - here goes with an update having used the Aria in all of my bands, country, rhythm and blues & jazz over the last few weeks.
The bass performs really well, the change of strings to helicore hybrids has definitely improved the tone. I still use the bass going through the EBS micro bass & EBS compressor & reverb units, (only a slight amount of reverb).
The tone is clearly not that of a double bass but i do not view that as a bad thing, the Aria has a sound of it's own, mellower and fuller than any of my electrics, precision, jazz & stingray. I think that those of us using these should not be defensive about it "not being a double bass". The instrument stands on it's own merits.
From the non musician audience the bass attracts a lot of attention as they are still quite rare to see in pubs, restaurants & functions. Most people who have spoken to me find the sound pleasing & the drummer from last nights gig commented that he felt there was more room in the songs, probably because i was conscious of not trying to play the same lines as i would have on the normal electrics.
My only problems with the Aria at this time is that i find the end pin not really long enough so i knocked up a little wodden block stand - approx 2 inches high - to make the playing position more comfortable whilst not having to extend the pin to it's absoloute maximum.
Also the volume control is quite noisy when being adjusted - does anyone else have experience of this & any solutions.
I do believe that we will see more EUB's being used in the future and that they will not be substitutes for acoustic double basses, the Aria has managed to perform very well in a variety of stiles. I'm sure that one day i will want to buy a more upmarket EUB, (suggestions welcome), but in the meantime i'm happy with what i have.
Jeff
The bass performs really well, the change of strings to helicore hybrids has definitely improved the tone. I still use the bass going through the EBS micro bass & EBS compressor & reverb units, (only a slight amount of reverb).
The tone is clearly not that of a double bass but i do not view that as a bad thing, the Aria has a sound of it's own, mellower and fuller than any of my electrics, precision, jazz & stingray. I think that those of us using these should not be defensive about it "not being a double bass". The instrument stands on it's own merits.
From the non musician audience the bass attracts a lot of attention as they are still quite rare to see in pubs, restaurants & functions. Most people who have spoken to me find the sound pleasing & the drummer from last nights gig commented that he felt there was more room in the songs, probably because i was conscious of not trying to play the same lines as i would have on the normal electrics.
My only problems with the Aria at this time is that i find the end pin not really long enough so i knocked up a little wodden block stand - approx 2 inches high - to make the playing position more comfortable whilst not having to extend the pin to it's absoloute maximum.
Also the volume control is quite noisy when being adjusted - does anyone else have experience of this & any solutions.
I do believe that we will see more EUB's being used in the future and that they will not be substitutes for acoustic double basses, the Aria has managed to perform very well in a variety of stiles. I'm sure that one day i will want to buy a more upmarket EUB, (suggestions welcome), but in the meantime i'm happy with what i have.
Jeff
Hi there, I have just bought an SWB lite one as a foray into the double bass world. Bought this bass after a beer at work followed by a trip into the local music store. Always seem to buy something under those conditions. Retails around $1795 here in Australia, got it for $1260 so I am pleased. Not planning to switch strings due to cost. Was wondering if anyone tries to dial in the sound with a parametric eq and what kind of settings used.
I boost the bass , cut the treble and put foam under the strings at the bridge. Also back off the volume and pluck the string hard.
That gets me a good upright bass using a EA 200 combo
Thanks
Robert VanLane
That gets me a good upright bass using a EA 200 combo
Thanks
Robert VanLane
Thanks Robert, will try the foam under the strings and see how it sounds. I have just picked up a presonus parametric eq on ebay, anybody out there use one of these for the aria?
Beware when you use electronic devices:
The input impedance must be 1 megaohm or higher if you use a piezo pickup and the device is the unit you plug the pickup in first.
Otherwise, use a high impedance preamp first to buffer the piezo against the lower input impedance of the electronic devices that follow.
Piezo pickup loading result in a thin, brittle, faint tone.
The input impedance must be 1 megaohm or higher if you use a piezo pickup and the device is the unit you plug the pickup in first.
Otherwise, use a high impedance preamp first to buffer the piezo against the lower input impedance of the electronic devices that follow.
Piezo pickup loading result in a thin, brittle, faint tone.
I figure the swb lite one must have a preamp built in as it uses a 9V battery at the back but I can't be sure as I can't find any real specs on the electronics. Has an active bass and treble pots. Anyone got any ideas? 10kOhm on the input to the presonus eq by the way... bought it so will find out soon if it sounds thin, brittle and faint.
Thanks Jeff, I don't have the reverb or the compression pedal from ebs but I do have the valvedrive and that seems to add a lot of warmth and presence to the the sound. I will try my compulator for compression and I have a boss multi fx pedal I can use to add the reverb. Will give it a go. I must say I am much loving the EUB. Its more physical and I am loving the challenge and the new tone I have now. Joy
Totally agree. I bought it to use in my jazz / easy listening trio but have had such fun that i'm now using it in my rock & roll / country band & also in a R&B band.
I find using it makes you think very carefully about what you are playing - the electric bass lines do not always transfer across very well. In general i find that i am playing less notes & certainly not doubling up with my right hand fingers.
Just great fun
I find using it makes you think very carefully about what you are playing - the electric bass lines do not always transfer across very well. In general i find that i am playing less notes & certainly not doubling up with my right hand fingers.
Just great fun
