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Double Bass Finally got a good sound from my EUB

Ketbass

Ketbass

Supporting Member
Jun 20, 2020
703
1,062
Dayton, OH
#1
Just putting this out there. I have a Knutson Messenger EUB. I bought it a few years back as a dive into upright bass, but as I progressed quickly through that, I realized I needed a real three-quarter upright bass. So what to do with this expensive, very portable EUB? For a while, I used it here and there for a gig, but mostly I just use it in a jazz group that I play with in someone’s basement that I can’t get my regular upright bass down to, so that makes it very convenient. I have messed around with EQ settings and various pre-amps to make it sound even reasonably close to an upright without much success, using the built-in preamp set up. I stumbled onto the idea of putting a bridge wing pick up into the treble side of the bridge and it is a complete game changer. I recorded with my iPhone, two lines using both my upright bass acoustically and my EUB through an Fdeck pre-amp into my existing Acoustic Image amp and GB 112 cabinet. After a little tweaking, I could get a terrific amplified upright sound with the Messenger bass. So very close to my Shen hybrid on a recording. I would say it’s darn close to the Shen going through my Ischell contact mic. The reason it works better than the original electronics is that it only picks up the sound of the strings, the fingerboard and the bridge, which is pretty much what any piezo pick up does with an upright bass. The bridge wing pick I’m using is a Upton Rev Solo that’s been lying around since I bought the Ischell. In classic Talk Bass fashion I ordered another bridge wing pickup from Gollihur, The KNA WB-1 to compare (of course). As I fool around with the set up, I think I may just mount the Fdeck on the body of the bass with some Velcro, so I can make EQ adjustments easier and, always have it with me in case I’m not using my set up.

Anyway, thought I’d throw it out there. I’m sure some of you have already done this, but for those who haven’t read about it or haven’t thought about it, here it is.
IMG_5309.jpeg
 
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#2
Ketbass said:
Just putting this out there. I have a Knutson Messenger EUB. I bought it a few years back as a dive into upright bass, but as I progressed quickly through that, I realized I needed a real three-quarter upright bass. So what to do with this expensive, very portable EUB? For a while, I used it here and there for a gig, but mostly I just use it in a jazz group that I play with in someone’s basement that I can’t get my regular upright bass down to, so that makes it very convenient. I have messed around with EQ settings and various pre-amps to make it sound even reasonably close to an upright without much success, using the built-in preamp set up. I stumbled onto the idea of putting a bridge wing pick up into the treble side of the bridge and it is a complete game changer. I recorded with my iPhone, two lines using both my upright bass acoustically and my EUB through an Fdeck pre-amp into my existing Acoustic Image amp and GB 112 cabinet. After a little tweaking, I could get a terrific amplified upright sound with the Messenger bass. So very close to my Shen hybrid on a recording. I would say it’s darn close to the Shen going through my Ischell contact mic. The reason it works better than the original electronics is that it only picks up the sound of the strings, the fingerboard and the bridge, which is pretty much what any piezo pick up does with an upright bass. The bridge wing pick I’m using is a Upton Rev Solo that’s been lying around since I bought the Ischell. In classic Talk Bass fashion I ordered another bridge wing pickup from Gollihur, The KNA WB-1 to compare (of course). As I fool around with the set up, I think I may just mount the Fdeck on the body of the bass with some Velcro, so I can make EQ adjustments easier and, always have it with me in case I’m not using my set up.

Anyway, thought I’d throw it out there. I’m sure some of you have already done this, but for those who haven’t read about it or haven’t thought about it, here it is.
View attachment 7409655
Click to expand...
Curious…. How did you like the sound of the KNA compared to the Upton TEB solo? Thanks.
 
#3
UB-EB said:
Curious…. How did you like the sound of the KNA compared to the Upton TEB solo? Thanks.
Click to expand...
I’ll update that as soon as I get it and install it. My Rev Solo was acting up on the gig as I had already repaired it once. Doing the research on bridge wing p/us, I read all the reviews on the KNA. At about $90.00 cheaper, I thought I’d give it try.
 
#5
I’m very happy with the Rev Solo I have put on my Messenger bass, it just had problems before I installed it and I really was just testing out the theory. But it does sound really good. If the KNA works out, I’ll keep the Upton for back up
 
#7
It was muddy on the E & A strings when did my initial “clamped on” testing on the bass side of the bridge and the G & D strings were low on volume. I found it had better overall response on the treble side. No idea why. Maybe the larger strings have more tonal vibration that drown out the smaller strings(?) On my Shen Hybrid, its responses were much more even on the bass side but I was never really excited about the sound on that bass. I use an Ischell now on the Shen now and it is really nice
 
#9
Update. I tried the KNA DB-1 on the EUB. Neither treble or bass side of the bridge made it sound anywhere near as good as the Rev Solo. So the KNA will live on the bass side of the bridge of my Shen hybrid, where it sounds nice and blends well with my Ischell. There are a lot of rooms I can only use a piezo p/u so it’s a win for both basses
 

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