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Double Bass Eminence EUB--String Height--Pickup

G

gypsydjango

Jul 9, 2009
460
71
UK
#1
Two queries for those who play the Eminence:

a) I believe that to get a good sound from the Eminence you need a fairly high action. What do you consider to be a high action?--measuring the string height from the end of the F/B.

b) I find that the fitted stock 'Realist' pickup works very well at the nut end of the F/B but does tend to loose a little volume as one plays higher up the F/B---approx. from the D on the 1st string upwards. Have you tried other pickups on the Eminence that gives better results? If so what is your prefered pickup? Do you use a pre-amp? If so which one?

I look forward to your replies. Many thanks.
 
#2
mikejdexter said:
Two queries for those who play the Eminence:

a) I believe that to get a good sound from the Eminence you need a fairly high action. What do you consider to be a high action?--measuring the string height from the end of the F/B.

b) I find that the fitted stock 'Realist' pickup works very well at the nut end of the F/B but does tend to loose a little volume as one plays higher up the F/B---approx. from the D on the 1st string upwards. Have you tried other pickups on the Eminence that gives better results? If so what is your prefered pickup? Do you use a pre-amp? If so which one?

I look forward to your replies. Many thanks.
Click to expand...


I'm with you on both accounts, sort of. The fitted Realist seems to like the higher action, and likes a softer, more mid-scooped amp setting.

I was just about to post a rant about the Realist and the Eminence before I read your post. I struggled last weekend on some fly gigs to get an articulate sound out of the Realist. Anything approaching a "loud" volume (which is one place where an Eminence can really help out) and the Realist loves to get all weird. I think the piezo electric film is just TOO sensitive to top vibrations. Loud monitors and/or bass rig and it gets really phasey and strange souding. I lost a lot of fundamental sound, especially, as you were saying, when venturing up the neck where there's no money anyway. (By the way, forget putting the Realist under the "G" foot to get more articulation in the upper registers...nightmare on a festival stage). Also, it's a great idea to get away from the amp a bit with the Realist...scoot that sucker back 3 or 4 feet.

I'm a firm believer in the notion that not all pickups work for all basses. I've used the Full-circle on the Eminence and it rocked, and I've also played a different, earlier made Eminence with a Realist that sounded WAY better than the one I'm using now for some reason. I run everything through a Fishman Pro Platinum bass pre-amp, which really helps any pickup in my opinion.

This weekend I'm trying my favorite pickup for my Wilfer upright, the Revolution from Gary Upton, on the Eminence. I'll try to remember to let you know how it goes. -DK

PS
I haven't measured the string height, but I'm finding myself raising the action more and more, simply because I need some kind of resistance from the Eminence to mimick the workout I get when playing my real upright. I'm not a high-action guy by any means, but I think that not only does a higher action help the Eminence sound more acoustic, but it helps me play it more like a real upright...if that makes any damn sense at all. There's not really a body to push against, so maybe the string height being higher tricks me into playing less like I'm on my Fender bass...a longer waist extension helps a bunch too. Gary Edward will make one for you if you email him.

PPS
Always mute the afterlengths behind the bridge on the Eminence. Really helps any p'up's clarity on the EUB.
 
#5
Alain Bass said:
Hi

Could you give us a little bit more about the comparaison with the Realistic, expecialy does the Upton support more the high level than the Realistic ?
Thank's
Aalin
Click to expand...

The Upton is a hotter, more focused sound.

The Realist has a pronounced mid-range "bark" that I don't like and am constantly EQ'ing out.

The Realist's mid-range sound is just fine at lower volumes...maybe, just maybe, it helps the Eminence sound more like a true upright, or at least like a true upright with a pickup.

At high volumes (backline on last gig was an SWR stack, 4x10 + 1x15), on larger stages, or just louder ones, the Upton immediately sounded larger, more focused on the bottom end, and more even up the neck, especially in thumb position.
Granted, once you approach a certain amount of volume, the bass sound you're going to have to live with is more "electric" sounding, especially w/ the Eminence.

My theory is that w/ high volume situations, there's more acoustic energy than just the vibrations the strings/bridge stimulating the top of the bass. Since the Realist is between the foot and the bridge, it likes to pickup more sympathetic vibrations. This could also have something to do with the piezo electric film the Realist uses, but I could be totally off base (yawn) here. I always liked the sound of the Upton better than the Realist on my big bass, so I decided to give her a try on the EUB. When a large line-array rig w/ a pretty massive subwoofer set is employed, especially when the subs aren't flown (sitting on the ground, or worse, under the stage), the Realist is a nightmare.

I should mention that the Upton I'm using is one of the earlier models that is much thinner, so it fits in the smaller Eminence bridge.

I run any pickup through my "swiss army knife," my Fishman Pro Platinum Bass preamp. Upright or electric, I never leave home without it.

Recently I put my Wilfer bass in the shop and borrowed a rather ugly but incredible sounding German bass that has the Clevinger Natural Presence pickup on it. Sounds A LOT like my Upton, and, on this particular bass, maybe even better. Would be a great candidate for EUBs since it's so small.

General thoughts:

I'm a firm believer in different pickups for different bass/players. It's always a compromise, and I'm not slamming Realist OR Endorsed by Upton or anything. Fishman now has my back, but I've had theirs for years, because that preamp is a major problem solver.

I'm really hoping to try blending a Krivo magnetic pickup in w/ a piezo at some point..Viktor Krauss style. I know it's counter intuitive, but I really like the sound of a magnetic pickup on the upright. If it's going to be loud, it's not gonna sound like a real upright anyway, so why not get as much headroom before feedback as you can, so you can be heard and dial in some big bottom end. It sucks to play a big beautiful upright only to realize they couldn't get enough low end out at Front Of House.

Hope some of this helps. -Dk
 

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