Double Bass EU vs Fretless

[Rumbledom]

I struggle with this issue. An EU seems to be more for guys who simply feel more comfortable playing in the upright position. It doesn't quite sound like an acoustic or a "woodsy" instrument. For me, it becomes a big "fretless."

But the same can be the case with the fretless. I did this recording using a fretless and have had several people ask if it's a "synth bass." ***??? http://www.youtube.com/watch? Warning: bass solo at 3:20 LOL.

v=bXQ5IU04Sf4&list=LL6LetgzUns3Lrif2Ha9VnlQ

Has anyone had the same issue where the instrument seems to fall between two worlds?

Incidentally, comments and criticism of the track are welcome.

 

[Clef_de_fa]

I'm quite happy with my NS Design DB. To me it sounds like a DB being amplified ... Also it is hard to play arco on a fretless

 

[DoubleMIDI]

The sound also depends a lot on strings, string tension and setup.

A fretless does sound different because of the strings, but also because of the low action.
You won't have a higher action on a fretless and probably wont' like (or your bass guitar won't like) a much higher string tension.

I once got a double bass string set form a manufacturer who only makes guitar and bass guitar strings, but no double bass strings before and they sounded like a bass guitar (and they were flatwounds of course). I wrote him and asked about the sound and he explained me, that the construction was the same as the construction of flatwound bass guitar strings.

They are different instruments. The EUB is closer in sound to the double bass than to a fretless, except you use a very low action and very low tension strings. But you cannot play the same stuff on an EUB that you can play on fretless, and playing feel is 90% double bass on the EUB.

And indeed, arco playing is difference as well as popping like on bass guitar strings doesn't work on a EUB (but old fashioned slapping might work).

 

[IronSpatula]

IME the difference is all in the attack. Pizz an EUB like you would a real DB and it will sound different from a fretless BG.

Also, I find that adding compression will easily make EUB sound like fretless. The envelope of the note is a really important component of DB sound, and compression takes it into BG territory pretty quickly.

As mentioned, playing arco does make for an easy distinction. But with the right amount of drive from my amp, I've gotten some pretty tuba-like arco sounds.

 

[DoubleMIDI]

The kind of plucking the string makes a difference too. Play an EUB like a DB and ist sounds even more like a DB.

Don't turn up the low bass frequencies (what a lot of BG players do), a DB has low frequencies, but they are rather weak compared to the lower middle frequencies.
Give the tone a much bass as absolutely needed and maybe a little bit less than this.

 

[damonsmith]

If you can't/don't use double bass technique, it is a big fretless. For me, I am a double bass player, I don't have much of a connection left to bass guitar, so I use my double bass technique in louder settings on my EUB.

 

[Pat Harris]

I love my NS CR4M for the fact that it has its "own" sound.

 

[Rumbledom]

I pretty much agree with everything that has been said. Another twist is that a lot of UB bassists like them but when people hire an upright player they tend to want to "see" the wood. And an EU in some ways works against them.

BTW< here's the track i was referring to. (The other link went somewhere else). I used high action and flats to get a more authentic sound and I think it emulates a EU but not quite an acoustic bass.

Close?

 

[Mystic Michael]

Has anyone had the same issue where the instrument seems to fall between two worlds?

I don't get why anyone would refer to it as an "issue". The sound of an EUB does fall somewhere between the sound of an acoustic upright bass, and an electric fretless bass - along with a certain additional quality of its own.

That's actually the point...

MM

 

[matthewbrown]

I think there are several other points to using an EUB, although your point about that sound is correct, too. Portability is a key factor for many EUB players who primarily play DB, but travel. There's also a lot of crossover fretless players like me, who couldn't play a DB, for physical reasons. But there is the sound, and good EUB's have their own sounds, many of them really ideal for some situations. I'm strictly a doubler, but when I'm playing a standards gig with a piano, out comes the EUB, because I think it's better than a BG in terms of sound with piano. With guitar, I like the fretless BG...