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Double Bass Clevinger EUB megathread

#21
Left the appropriate feedback for this seller. In the overall picture of e-bay, I still feel I 'm ahead, but this was a burn.

When I get it back from the shop, and playing, I'll give a review and total of output for it.

I expect I will have a good bar banger out the deal, though nothing I could flip for a profit.
 
#22
steve in tampa said:
Left the appropriate feedback for this seller. In the overall picture of e-bay, I still feel I 'm ahead, but this was a burn.

When I get it back from the shop, and playing, I'll give a review and total of output for it.

I expect I will have a good bar banger out the deal, though nothing I could flip for a profit.
Click to expand...


I saw your feedback. Well Put. I see he has now responded and said it is untrue and a sad day for ebayers like this. It's sad that he can just come out and lie like this.
 
#23
So we are putting a Fishman full circle pick up and a couple of P bass pickups with a blender, tone and volume controls on the thing. Should be a couple of weeks.

Thanks to Jauqo for contacting me and telling me his experience with the seller.
 
#24
Hey all,

Can anyone give me a place to start here? I'm expecting an old Clevinger EUB via UPS on Friday; apparently the strings are pretty shot. I'm looking to play Latin stuff, as well as standard jazz (Ray Brown = ideal bass tone). I used to use spiros on my carved German bass, but 5-string upright is a new world for me, and I see that low B's are a bit of a rare breed.

I'm on a tight student budget right now, so I might look for used strings. I've heard Orch strings do well on stick-type EUBs to produce the thump I love so much. Also -- if anyone has some spares lying around they think would be appropriate, pm me!

Pete
 
#25
That low B is likely to be an expensive buying!
The best ones are probably the Spirocore and the Pirastro Jazzer.
Otherwise you'll get a very dark, or even muddy tone.
For the other ones, Superflexibles are nice and not too much expensive.
The most affordable are probably the Corellis 380M (nickels).
At first they are bright but settle in in a couple of weeks.
They are darker than their 370 series (tungsten), and less expensive.
I buy the 300M set, which is designed for half size bass, and even cheaper. But the gauge is the same as the regular ones...
(and they fit better on my EUB since they're two inches shorter)

Regards,
François
 
#26
This turkey has been in the oven since before the holidays.

Finally got brave and got the neck off. Seems there was a screw broken off in the heel, and then anther screwed in over top of it. Busted (correct word for what happened) it off, and cracked the neck and fingerboard a bit, but it can be glued.

Now the neck angle can be re set so I got an adjustable bridge, a BassMax from UR Bob and a donated Schaller magnetic pickup wired through a L.R.Baggs onboard blender that I got through StewMac.

When it is finished, it willbe strung with Eurosonic Mediums.

Should be woth the effort once it is completed. Goal is to have a reliable bar beater that I can take in place of my Englehart.

I hope the guy that I bought it from is enjoying his karma as much as I am running around sourcing parts and having it in the shop this long.
 
#32
Just got this back from my luthier! It was a back burner project for him, but it came together well after almost 15 months.

He built a custom sized bridge out of flamed maple, and large maple shim for the neck to get it to the proper angle.

The only authentic Clevinger part is the neck, and it is very nice. The fingerboard is rosewood, but it seems to be of reasonable quality.

Powered by the Schaller magnetic picup and a K&K Bassmax with a 3 way selector switch into a L.R. Baggs CTRL-X Blender.

Tried it out at the music store on a 4-10 Ampeg rig.

Really sounds good! The Schaller is a little weak, but the blender balances the two pickups out, and gives it a thick, and plucky sound.

Got several small room gigs in September, so its going to get put to the test.

Have a Fishman Platinum Pro Bass pre amp and Roland DB 500 amp to run it through.
 
#33
Sounds like you made some great modifications.

I had a 83 keyhole shaped Clevinger that I used for the longest time but recently got sold to fund my Juzek carved bass purchase.

Its really nice having the magnetic pick-up option for high volume situations.
 
#34
Back in the day, the only EUB's that ever seemed to show up at all arounf here were several Clevinger's and a Baby Bass (but just the one, owned at times by three different guys, but the same bass)

Now nobody has them anymore. I don't hear about them anymore. I only know one guy who still uses one now (Keith Grimwood of Trout Fishing In America)

What's the deal? I saw their website doesn't have the model that everyone used to have anymore, but it does have others that I've never seen in person.

Keith gets excellent sounds from his, but he's just really that good. I'm guessing normal people can't make them sound as good as he does.

What it the Clevinger story?
 
#35
A guitar player friend occasionally gigs with Jennifer and since I had not heard anything like what you're asking I was more than a little curious to find out. I had not visited Martin's website in quite some time either so I took a look to see what was going on.

Martin is obviously alive and well and still making basses in Oakland. If you've ever spoken to him about "bass" he's one of the most innovative guys on the planet. If you're concerned becasue he wasn't at NAMM the last 2 years I wouldn't worry. He's still going strong.
 
#36
I was thinking more on a local scale. I know his company is still making basses, but I hadn't seen anyone playing one around here in a few years.

Back in the late '80's - early '90's Clevingers were the ONLY kind of EIB you would see, at least around Dallas/Ft Worth. I still see some of the guys who had them, but none have one now. I was just curious: Where did they go? Was there something wrong with them that took a few years to notice? What happened? Why does nobody seem to have them?
 
#37
Honestly, I don't know what the "word on the street" is about Clevingers. But personally, having played many other EUB's out there like NS, BSX, Azola and Zeta, I consider the newer higher-end Clevinger models some of the nicest playing and sounding instruments out there.

The Clevingers may not be as hip today as they once were, but I think that is just a function of more competition and a different marketing approach. As far as I know, they mostly sell directly to consumers and do not use retailers like Bass NW or Bass Central.
 
#39
Bob's was the first one I ever laid hands on. I own one now, and can't imagine anything surpassing it in quality. The poster above hit the nail on the head- no marketing, and lots of high profile competition. Those that own them, keep them. I can count the used Clevengers I've seen on one hand with fingers leftover.
 

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