Double Bass Can anyone identify this EUB?

[336v]

Do you recognize this EUB?

The man plays is so effortlessly, it must be terrific setup to make it possible. Love it.

 

[Wasnex]

...but my guess is Eminence.

Eminence Electric Upright Bass (gollihurmusic.com)

 

[klyph]

I saw a local guy playing one of these strung with Eurosonics, through a Traynor 108. Sounded tremendous. Plastic strings, no body, lunchbox amp… made for a really nice “acoustic sound”. Of course, he’s also a great player…

 

[bherman]

Yup, it's an Eminence. Here's mine - strung with Spirocore Solos (the tension on these can tend to be a bit high due to the shorter tailpiece), Realist Lifeline pickup. Sounds great and fun to play, works well in a band setting due to 1) takes up less space on stage 2) not as feedback-prone as a full size DB and 3) easy to haul around.

I don't think that Golihur has them for sale yet, but used ones pop up here on TB once in a while.

 

[KUNGfuSHERIFF]

I had an Eminence and a Merchant Vertical Bass at the same time because I’m clearly insane.

The Merchant was basically a fence post with a neck and strings and other bits that made it sound close to a real bass. It was my winter gig bass because I figured even if I wiped out on black ice, the impact was unlikely to hurt it.

The Eminence never left the house and I quickly sold it. The thing was a toy.

 

[DoubleMIDI]

The tailpiece length has no influence on the string tension.
The string tension is the same at each point of the string.

But a shorter tailpiece has an influence on string coupling via afterlength and tailpiece.

 

[scubaduba]

I had an Eminence and a Merchant Vertical Bass at the same time because I’m clearly insane.

The Merchant was basically a fence post with a neck and strings and other bits that made it sound close to a real bass. It was my winter gig bass because I figured even if I wiped out on black ice, the impact was unlikely to hurt it.

The Eminence never left the house and I quickly sold it. The thing was a toy.

Interesting. I’m in the market for an EUB and was considering the Eminence. But if it is no better than a toy, I guess I had better keep looking.

 

[Wasnex]

Interesting. I’m in the market for an EUB and was considering the Eminence. But if it is no better than a toy, I guess I had better keep looking.

If you have the opportunity, play one and judge for yourself. If you want to emulate a more acoustic sound and feel, Eminence has some qualities you may like.



I sort of went the opposite direction and chose an NS Design. It sounded more like a fretless bass guitar.

 

[DoubleMIDI]

What I personally don‘t like about the Eminence is the T-foot. This is designed to avoid spinning of the instrument around its length axis which it does, but during playing I prefer to be able the instrument to rotate a bit when I want it (and then immediately fix the position with a sticky body support) similar like with the shoulder of an acoustic double bass. The T-foot does not allow this.

Soundwise acoustically the Eminence sounds in relation to an acoustic double bass like a viola in relation to a cello playing in the same range. So very little bass frequencies and more in the (upper?) middle range.

The good thing is the vibrating top that makes bowing a bit easier and the tone a bit livelier than a solid top EUB.

The NS instruments are expensive, normally come with a tripod which I don’t like as a DB player and the endpin assembly is rather expensive.

I got an old Clevinger keyhole EUB used for a reasonable price (5-string) that I modified over time (straight instead of angled foot for better bowing) new pickups on both feet (wood sandwiched piezo disks with dual impedance buffers). There is still something to do on the electronics (room is very limited), but for a solid body instrument I like it.

Anything better (like a MK Jazz or Classic) is out of my price range and I might prefer my acoustic DB in these cases anyway.
Things might be different if I had more (and well paid) gigs where the difference to a better EUB is audible.

 

[scubaduba]

I'd love to be able to try a MK bass. In the USA though they must be super hard to come by.

 

[Wasnex]

Soundwise acoustically the Eminence sounds in relation to an acoustic double bass like a viola in relation to a cello playing in the same range. So very little bass frequencies and more in the (upper?) middle range.

Pretty sure the Eminence is intended as an electric instrument and not meant to be played acoustically. The acoustic chamber, however, is intended to make the amplified tone sound more acoustic.

 

[scubaduba]

That's sort of what I was assuming too. But I've heard the SLB300 still sounds more realistic than the Eminence basses.

 

[Wasnex]

That's sort of what I was assuming too. But I've heard the SLB300 still sounds more realistic than the Eminence basses.

Although it was an older model, I demoed Yamaha's top of the line Silent Bass on the same day I demoed an Eminence. The Yamaha is the closest any EUB I have tried came to a real bass.

 

[DoubleMIDI]

Pretty sure the Eminence is intended as an electric instrument and not meant to be played acoustically. The acoustic chamber, however, is intended to make the amplified tone sound more acoustic.

On one of the European BASS convention concert I heard a duo concert with an Eminance acoustically and a viola. Very unusual, but not impossible.
And the resonance still influences the picked up sound, but not as much as purely acoustical.

If it‘s not the same it‘s always a compromise. Sometimes a bit more and sometimes a bit less.