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Double Bass Ergo megathread part II

#481
Hi all, recently received a 4 string Ergo, and made the stand mods suggested, and ordered a light stand bag to carry the thing in. Really have not had a chance to play it much yet, and was going to spend some with it cause I finally got the stand where I liked it, and the tuner on the D string broke(i.e. something snapped inside and it no longer can bring the string up to tension). Emailed Jesse, and he is sending another one. In going through the Ergo threads, I remember seeing something about tuners, but I can't seem to find it now. Could we resurrect some of those discussions?
 
#482
gscroggin said:
I currently have Corelli's on my DB and have been very happy, especially with the play-ability in regards to my own dexterity. The only thing I've noticed is less overall volume vs. other strings I've used, but that likely wouldn't be a factor on EUB.
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Thanks for all the help guys. I finally got these ordered and put on a couple days. They sound much better than what I was using. So thanks again!

One quick question. I've read a bit about people cutting the excess strings at the top and the string unraveling. Should I not cut the excess? Seems like a simple and silly question, but figured better safe than sorry.
 
#483
clokwise said:
Thanks for all the help guys. I finally got these ordered and put on a couple days. They sound much better than what I was using. So thanks again!

One quick question. I've read a bit about people cutting the excess strings at the top and the string unraveling. Should I not cut the excess? Seems like a simple and silly question, but figured better safe than sorry.
Click to expand...

If you're cutting the string beyond the "silked" part, this is a danger. You can handle that by saturating a piece of light fabric or paper in super glue, and wraping around the string just below the point you cut. I do this all the time when adapting strings for my Ergo, and it keeps them from unraveling.
 
#485
Another question. What type of things am I looking for in an amp? I have a regular bass amp that works, but I feel like it may not be the best option. I'd love to get a smaller combo amp thats easy to tote around instead of a head and cab setup. I'll admit I don't understand the situation of the differences in a piezo pickup opposed to a regular bass pickup which I am clearly accustomed to.

Any help?
Thanks!
 
#486
You'll want a preamp between the Ergo and whatever amp you use. I use a Baggs GigPro; it has phase switch, bass, treble, gain, and high-pass filter.

I run that chain into a SansAmp Para Driver DI for color, then into any number of amps. Mine is a cello, so sometimes I use a Pod for guitar amp modeling. When I'm playing bass with it, I run into a Shuttle 9.0 and fEARful cab.

An amp that works quite nicely across the full range of my 7-string cello is a Crate acoustic guitar amp:

Link Removed

Yes, really. My cello goes down to Bb (a half step below the B on a 5-string bass) and is a fundamental-heavy sound, yet it works very well for lower volume gigs. They list this as "acoustic guitar amp" but really it's closer to "keyboard amp". The Roland KC series works nicely too, if you preamp before you hit the amp.

Really, with a preamp like the Baggs, or something similar that converts a high-impedance signal to lower impedance, any bass combo would also work. It becomes a matter of how you want to color the sound.
 
#487
Currently I have a a GK head and 4x10 cab setup. And after doing some research the impedance on the head is ok for the Ergo. However, I'm looking for something smaller and more portable. I hate lugging that thing around. I will when I need to, but just general jamming and practice I'd love to make things easier on myself. A nice little combo is ideal.

I want to sound as close to a tradition acoustic upright as I can. And I know Ergo will never sound the same, but thats another argument I am well aware of. But ideally thats the sound I am aspiring for in this venture.
 
#488
clokwise said:
Currently I have a a GK head and 4x10 cab setup. And after doing some research the impedance on the head is ok for the Ergo. However, I'm looking for something smaller and more portable. I hate lugging that thing around. I will when I need to, but just general jamming and practice I'd love to make things easier on myself. A nice little combo is ideal.

I want to sound as close to a tradition acoustic upright as I can. And I know Ergo will never sound the same, but thats another argument I am well aware of. But ideally thats the sound I am aspiring for in this venture.
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IMO any of the modern combos available will work and sound great for low to mid volume gigs. Like another person mentioned you may need to front end it with another pre, but I'd evaluate that after you find a combo you like. I've currently got a MarkBass Minimark, but I've also used GK, Carvin, Eden (8, 10, 12s)...they all work fine, just a matter of what grabs you tone wise. For an add on pre I've been using a Fishman Bii because I landed one for $40 on a blow-out. Works great with the Ergo and my Upton Revolution pickup on my DB. I don't always use it with the Minimark but I do with larger head/cab setups when I'm playing bigger or outdoor gigs.
 
#489
I've done something fairly insane with my Ergo. I have a 4-string that I tune CGDA. I had loaned it to a girl who wanted to learn to play DB, and got it back this week. Since the strings weren't tuned to pitch, I tuned the C down all the way to E. I could bow a pitch stable enough for a digital tuner to recognize it as an E, so I and recorded some samples, both arco and pizz, then tuned it up to Gb and then A. I also did samples across the whole bass with all the strings tuned normally.

Those super-low drones sound like combustion engines vibrating a ship's hull, and super-low plucks like lo-fi electronic kick drums. The Ergo's super-simple construction probably makes it much easier to get these notes to sound clear. Actually playing the string tuned that low live and getting it to speak consistently would be a huge pain, but get a few good notes as samples and you've got something awesome.
 
#491
lakefx said:
I just bought an Ergo from the TB classifieds. It hasn't even shipped, but I'm super stoked about it!

I haven't played upright in 15 years. Any specific techniques or suggestions that are significantly different playing an Ergo vs a typical upright?
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I currently have and use both a DB and an EUB, and the biggest thing I notice is the difference in body position and physical mechanics because the Ergo is bodiless. Sometimes it's a mental exercise for me to transition and feel comfortable.

Arco can be kind of a PITA too, but my technique isn't great these days period no matter what instrument I use. There are plenty of people that get along just fine with practice (and a supporting bridge system). The fretboard, scale, strings, attack, feedback from the instrument itself, etc. are all negligible IMO, given that you're trading a large acoustic instrument for a small electric one.

Good luck and have fun!
 
#493
lakefx said:
I haven't played upright in 15 years. Any specific techniques or suggestions that are significantly different playing an Ergo vs a typical upright?
Click to expand...
Playing itself, both arco and pizz, is pretty much the same. Standing next to it and holding it while playing is very different, but doesn't seem to make much of a difference in the lower positions. Higher positions, well, there's no body, that starts to feel significantly different.
 
#494
Hi Everyone. Thought you all might like to hear a new piece that I'm working on with the Ergo: https://soundcloud.com/timingout/freetime

I've got a 4-string plugged into a Gallien-Kreuger mb150, then line-out to my ipad for recording. I also played the drums and did the effects on a bowed cymbal during the intro. I boosted the bass recording's low-end (<100 Hz) and put an EQ gain in a broad peak around 600 Hz, just to make the bass clearer in the context of the drums, but otherwise, it's just the sound of the Ergo+Gallien Kreuger...highly recommended! Enjoy!
 
#497
pklima said:
I've done something fairly insane with my Ergo. I have a 4-string that I tune CGDA. I had loaned it to a girl who wanted to learn to play DB, and got it back this week. Since the strings weren't tuned to pitch, I tuned the C down all the way to E. I could bow a pitch stable enough for a digital tuner to recognize it as an E, so I and recorded some samples, both arco and pizz, then tuned it up to Gb and then A. I also did samples across the whole bass with all the strings tuned normally.

Those super-low drones sound like combustion engines vibrating a ship's hull, and super-low plucks like lo-fi electronic kick drums. The Ergo's super-simple construction probably makes it much easier to get these notes to sound clear. Actually playing the string tuned that low live and getting it to speak consistently would be a huge pain, but get a few good notes as samples and you've got something awesome.
Click to expand...

soundcloud?
 
#498
Not yet, there's a lot of really boring cutting and editing to do - it's hard to bow a note that low consistently so there are a lot of flubbed notes. The whole sample library will take a few more weeks. So far I've made 21 "imitation electronic kick drums" by editing and filtering both plucked and bowed notes, that was fun. I'll make a few more, but if you're curious the download link for what I've got done so far Invalid Link Removed should work for a few more days.

I do have finished samples of my double bass, including both arco and pizz plus a various thumps and slaps and scratchy noises, but that's not nearly as interesting as those huge Ergo samples.
 

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