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Double Bass Azola EUBs Megathread

#501
gbarchus said:
I've had this since '97, a quality build and great customer support.

Steve found a nice piece of mahogany for me.

BugBass.jpg
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I'm intrigued by the bridge.....nothing like the non-plate Bug I have. Are those threaded inserts where the strings rest? And is there much difference in sound between your bass and the Bugs without the bridge plate? Beautiful instrument you have there!
 
#503
Francois Blais said:
Not normal at all.
Please post a pic of the bridge mounted on the bass.
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WP_20151004_11_43_35_Pro.jpg WP_20151004_11_43_55_Rich.jpg
Here is the current configuration. Note the small gap between the bridge foot and the diaphragm on the fingerboard side of the bridge. That used to bug me, because it suggested the full signal was not getting picked up by the passive pickups, but since I've relaxed about it, and played with a lighter touch, it hasn't happened again. It's good to get confirmation that this is not "normal". Where is a good source of bridge blanks for this bass? My upright Luther has no idea where to get a blank this size.
 
#504
This doesn't look like an original BugBass bridge, and indeed, the feet don't fully touch the diaphragms.
Steve had its own design.
You can get a blank wooden bridge that has similar size from Ray Ramirez:
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However:
I've found out, in years experiments with EUBs, that small bridges like that are not the best with a wing pickup like the one used by the BugBass, which is a K&K BassMax. (I actually bought a bridge from Ray a few years ago)
I got much better results with a regular 3/4 size bass bridge with the legs cut out.
EUB_004.jpg
 
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#505
Francois Blais said:
This doesn't look like an original BugBass bridge
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Francios, thanks again for the sound advice. I really appreciate it. I just got the bass back from a local luthier. She planed the neck to get rid of a bump, correcting the camber, and thereby also raising the nut about a millimeter to decrease the buzz. The most interesting thing was simply addressing the feet on the bridge. In the original photo those dimples of epoxy were actually suspending the bridge feet "on point". Our theory is that this is why the bridge was falling over while performing. Since getting the bass back today the tone is much more to my liking: the originally recorded flanging sound is no longer present, and so I was able to lower the action to get the tone I'm looking for, and I have high hopes the bridge won't wander in my next performance. The difference in tone simply due to removing that epoxy and planing the bridge feet so they are firmly seated on the passive diaphragms is tremendous.As an added bonus, the bass is louder too. What a difference a bridge makes! Also, for what it's worth, this is not a bug bass. It is one of the Ampeg branded Azolas. Serial #ABB70180.
 
#510
Yes, it's nice and not expensive.
I use one on my DB.
However, it didn't work that much good on the BugBass.
That's why Steve added a second one on the bridge in later versions.
With the small Azola bridges, a single BassMax was giving more bass and the top strings were weaker and sounded like they were far from the PU.
 
#511
I think the problem of weak high strings comes from the non-moving bridge feet and the pickup at the bass side only.
I have a acoustic bass that needed two element pickups until the soundpost that was very close to the bridge foot was repositioned more away from the foot. After that the single element pickups on the bass side only worked.
On my Clevinger solid body EUB I use a homemade two-element bridge foot pickup that works well (only a bit quiet) and a bass side bridge leg pickup (BassBalsereit) that doesn't represent the higher strings well.
 
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#516
Francois Blais said:
I don't know what's the pickup but I don't think it's a Bass Max.
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ok, would be good to know. I really like the sound of that electric upright from John Thorne. Not sure if it is the bass or if it's the pickup? but it's sounds really good and more like a real double bass. Better than most electric uprights I have heard. That's what got me interested. So any ideas?
 
#520
speyer said:
View attachment 835652 Im finally a proud Azola owner! BugBass with some nice upgrades... What a solid bass! Played it last night at Rehersal and absolutely loved it. Very upright like in feel and great sound overall. :thumbsup:
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Pat, I'm glad you like the Bug. It has been used on various Latin Jazz gigs and has been used a time or two backing up Ariel Pocock. Not by me but by a gent I have worked with.
 

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