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Double Bass Baby Bass megathread

That's nice guys, I saw Red Mithell for the first time in 1977 and bought my first upright the next day. He was a great inspiration on a lot of levels. I could rant about that but as for the EUB's, after my "Inaugural gig" on thursday I went to a coffee house and saw Bob Abbott playing a David Gage Amputee Upright. The bottom 3rd is missing and though it had a great tone and presence I think it lacked strength on the low E. That's why those Acoustic/Electric Bass Guitars bug me so much. You can't get a chamber big enought to resonate those low tones. It's much easier to do it with electronics. I owned one of the early Clevingers about 1980 and it sounded like a fender bass on steroids. My question is this. What EUB's on the marketmost sound like an acoustic bass and retain the bottom?
 
Scott Giambusso said:
I owned one of the early Clevingers about 1980 and it sounded like a fender bass on steroids. My question is this. What EUB's on the marketmost sound like an acoustic bass and retain the bottom?
I've not heard all of them, but my guess is that semi-acoustic models like the Eminence and the Lamario would approach the DB tone the most.
Of course the choice of strings makes a big difference too! :)
 
Paul Warburton said:
Whats that got to do with the double bass? And those ARE trully headstocks.
Believe it or don't, I rented one to play with "Little Stevie Wonder " in the 60's. The damn thing kept swinging around on me because they have no RIBS...I ended up playing the back as much as the front. If I tried to play anything higher than an F, I'd almost drop it.
Hey, I know what you mean about the bass swinging around. I have made a brace for my ampeg. I was frustrated, so I took a large stainless meat fork, opened up the middle of the fork, and attached it to the tube. I use my foot to hold the bass in place--it's just long enough and it really helps.
 
I bought an Azola Eurocoustic Carved Baby Bass from Steve Azola a year and a half ago. It is fantastic!! Unfortunately I have only gotten to play it twice on gigs. I hate the fact that this beautiful bass is just sitting around. I understand from Jill Azola that the exchange rate has caused them to quit importing these. Anyone have an idea how much I should ask for it if I decide to sell it?
 
Hi Jazzman :bassist:

I played a vintage style baby bass for years in a jazz and blues group, but sold it when the group broke up about 5 years ago. I miss it and was thinking on getting another one, but saw the Azola Eurocoustic and it caught my eye.

Would you be interested in letting it go for $500? Let me know what you think...

Thanks,
Chas
Sarasota, FL
:hiding:
 
I HAVE A FRIEND WHO IS NEEDING AN AMPEQ BABY BASS FOR HIS SON IN VENEZUELA, AND IT IS VERY DIFICULT TO FIND ONE IN THAT COUNTRY. I'M IN BOSTON NOW, AND NEXT MONTH I'LL TRAVEL, SO HE ASK ME TO FIND ONE FOR HIM, COULD YOU HELPME PLEASE?
 
Steve Lawson in the FAQ said:
Recently there have been quite a few posts in here asking questions about what bass to buy or what speakers to put in a cab or which bridge to stick on a Peavey bass etc.

While these are all perfectly valid questions, Michael and I are probably not the best people to ask those questions to, especially as there are specialist forums on talkbass where people who spend a lot of time researching those things will answer your questions.

The remit of this forum is to explore the 'outer limits' of bass playing - discussion about solo bass, new techniques, performance ideas, looping and processing sound, recording techniques for all of the above, and obviously specific questions about anything directly relating to the music that either of us make. Questions about the gear that we use are also more than welcome - we're likely to be able to speak reasonably authoritatively on those!

This isn't intended to halt any discussion, but you may notice your posts being moved to a more appropriate forum if you post a question here that we're really not in the best place to answer.

Thanks to everyone who contributes here - we really enjoy the discussions that ensue, and it's particularly exciting to see so many of you pursuing solo bass ideas and finding places to play and experiment. Keep it up!

Steve
www.stevelawson.net

this is the forum FAQ
 
There is a dedicated forum for electric upright basses ("EUBs") over on the double bass side of the Talkbass forums - you would be better off asking there.

I would think that your best bet would be to contact as many music shops as you can in Boston and NYC - plenty of musicians in Boston (Berklee) and the latin/jazz scene in NYC - something suitable might turn up.

Azola also produce a number of EUBs similar to the old Baby Bass.
 
Ray Ramirez makes some fine Baby Basses - http://www.rayramirezbasses.com

Actually, there are guys in Venezuela building Baby Bass replicas. I have no contact information, but one of them is called Julito, in Caracas, and sometimes offers his basses on sites such as Deremate or Mercadolibre.

There are also some Baby Bass builders in Colombia, check out Link Removed, for instance. Or Blady http://www.valgame.com/html2/blad.htm

I have no idea what they´re like quality wise, though.

Mikael