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Electric basses which sound like an upright?

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jzucker

jzucker

Supporting Member
Feb 3, 2005
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Cleveland, OH
www.jackzucker.com
#1
Looking for something along the lines of the marcustico or "the base". Not looking for muted flatwounds on a rickenbacker. I'm actually looking for something that you could do a jazz gig with and get the sound of an upright bass. Something along the lines of these:

Considering the marcustico but there's a 5 month wait and he recommends 60% humidity and the warranty is void if anyone other than Marcus does any work on it which is a bit inconvenient considering he's 4000 miles from me!

Just found out about "the base" today but I have no idea what the price is...



 
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#3
bholder said:
Lots of previous discussion here: Electric bass guitars that "sound like an upright" (that thread has kind of died out)
Click to expand...

I know but most of those discussions didn't have any convincing options that actually sound like upright basses as the two videos I posted demonstrate. For example, the rickenbacker example in the original thread frankly sounds nothing like an upright...
 
#6
I still maintain that the closest I've heard is the Christopher DBG when played like an upright:



I have one, but I don't play it with good upright technique. Still sounds pretty good to me. :thumbsup:
 
#7
To me, uke basses get really close. Dunno if the cork-sniffing jazz crowd would let you get away with that, though. :D

Years ago I knew a guy who was the top n upright player in our area. He had back surgery and had to travel light and sit for gigs while he fully recovered. He pulled off a convincing upright tone on a Guild Ashbory. Again, not sure if "real jazzers" will gets down with the anesthetics.

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A friend of a friend in Nashville does jazz gigs on a Rob Allen Mouse fretless and has more gigs than he can handle.
 
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#9
bholder said:
I still maintain that the closest I've heard is the Christopher DBG when played like an upright:



I have one, but I don't play it with good upright technique. Still sounds pretty good to me. :thumbsup:
Click to expand...


it sounds way more electric than the two examples I posted. It has some acoustic sound but the two I posted actually would fool someone into thinking it's an upright
 
#14
The Bace is hard to argue against in terms of sound, it gets the closest because it essentially is a miniature double bass in construction. But that (in my opinion) disqualifies it as an "electric bass guitar".

The second one is nothing special to me, I don't think it's particularly closer (or further) from "DBG sounding" than many of the previously discussed contestants. Nothing new here. IMHO.

But please keep in mind what we're talking about is completely subjective, what is obviously true for one can be just as obviously false for another.
 
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#15
My best upright tone comes from my upright. Unfortunately due to the effects on my right side from a mild stroke about three years ago I can no longer play it.

Second best is from my fretted UBass, MBass and fretless Guild or Dearmond Ashbory, also now unplayable for the same reason.

Third is my Hofner ignition Club bass with nylon tapes and converted to VVT controls.

Fourth is my DIY '51 slab P with a Guitar Mill Paulownia body, Warmoth figured maple fretted neck wiith maple fingerboard a no name dual rail humbucking Strat style pickup and nylon tapes.

I had a NS CR4M but I wasn't fond of the tone and I couldn't play it now. My Warmoth fretless J bass with flats is OK but not very upright sounding.

I use as close to upright technique as possible which I find is a major contributor to the upright-like tone I'm looking for.
 
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#16
I’m glad this topic has resurfaced. I’d not seen one of the vids with the Christopher. It sounds good, and in the mix sounds close enough to do the job. As does the Marcustico.

As for the Bace, the guy who makes those is an occasional poster here. Before that, he was using the Takamine TB10. I have one of those, and by using orchestral strings I’ve gotten it about as close as one could hope to sounding like an upright. The link below is him, using it in a straight ahead jazz context. Note that of all the options, this is the one that actually PLAYS like an upright.

Of course, NONE of them will really sound upright. The Bace will be closest, because of its physical configuration. But that doesn’t mean they can’t be reasonable, and sonically pleasing and appropriate, substitutes in instances where an upright is not feasible. Personally, having recently made the switch to upright, I’m somewhat tempted to sell the TB10 (and my Portamento fretless 6) and reallocate those funds to other priorities. Because indeed, nothing sounds quite like the upright.

 
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#20
jzucker said:
wrong. Anyway, i'm outta here. Should have known this would devolve quickly into nonsense...
Click to expand...

You start a thread asking for suggestions only to poopoo all over any you were given. Now you’re butthurt about it. Glad to see you go. Next time you have an inquiry just figure that you already know better than everyone else and don’t bother to ask. Thanks!
 
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