I've been thinking about buying an EUB to be able to practice when I travel. There's probably a thread on this but I can't find it -- EUBs which roughly simulate the feel of an upright standing, are portable, and which can give information to the player when not plugged in and playing arco. Thanks! And please point me to the relevant thread if I've missed it!
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Double Bass Good EUB for Arco
- Thread starter garrett2
- Start date
I use an Eminence EUB for the uses you are describing. I play it extensively in a bluegrass band and an Americana cover band (think Wood Brothers, Chris Stapleton). I do some arco but not much, and its fine. The key is string choice and pickup/preamp selection. I am using Evan Pirazzi Weichs, and it works quite well. Pickup is a Realist Lifeline, I use it with a Mesa preamp but there are many that will work fine. One thing that I’ve found that helps is to use the boost when playing arco - but actually setting it at a lower volume than when playing pizzicato - so in essence my boost button is serving more like a “cut” - since arco generally reproduces louder than pizzicato when amplified.
For arco instruments with a vibrating top or where the bridge feet reside on a hanging piece of wood that can vibrate up and down are best for a well responding string. Neither of these instruments give you a real DB sound, the resonance frequencies of the smaller top are too high or the resonance has a lower complexity, but they work for practicing. Even my solid body EUB is loud enough for arco playing at home without amplification, but my wife calls it „the mosquito“. So you loose the bottom acoustically but it can work.
If you look for a vibrating top, get one where the bridge feet have some distance to the ribs or the top cannot be driven well. So, better not a Palatino or similar.
The Eminence is OK, but you need to check if you like the T-endpin.
You cannot turn it which is intended, but I prefer a body support and a single point endpin where I can correct the angle of the bass to my body in case I don‘t like the actual one. With the Eminence you need to make a step.
I put some rubber foam tube around my body support so it sticks to my clothes and doesn‘t slip.
If you look for a vibrating top, get one where the bridge feet have some distance to the ribs or the top cannot be driven well. So, better not a Palatino or similar.
The Eminence is OK, but you need to check if you like the T-endpin.
You cannot turn it which is intended, but I prefer a body support and a single point endpin where I can correct the angle of the bass to my body in case I don‘t like the actual one. With the Eminence you need to make a step.
I put some rubber foam tube around my body support so it sticks to my clothes and doesn‘t slip.
I have a BSX Allegro and currently have it strung with Solo Perpetuals. It sounds okay, but I just don’t feel the bass well when bowing the strings. I’ve tried Spiro Weichs / Solos and Obligatos. I may go back to the Obligato D/G. The lack of feel is just the the nature of an EUB I think.
First, what's your budget?
Second, how do you travel? Plane, train, automobile?
Third, I recommend you pony up for either a headphone amp, or a pedal that has a headphone jack. You'll hear yourself much better that way.
Yamaha SLB300, then. It’s not perfect, but it’s closest to the “real” arco DB experience I’ve ever encountered, both aurally and ergonomically. See the thread here to learn how I’ve optimized mine.
I regularly practice on the SLB300 unplugged. It has a generously-sized interior resonating cavity.
