Just about to put this on my 3D printer to try. 22.mm (7/8") standard mount upper pipe to 11x400mm carbon fibre rod adapter, M6 clamping screws.
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Double Bass Ibanez UB804 EUB.
- Thread starter Marty Forrer
- Start date
Just about to put this on my 3D printer to try. 22.mm (7/8") standard mount upper pipe to 11x400mm carbon fibre rod adapter, M6 clamping screws.
I'm about to order one of these basses and am really looking forward to getting up to speed on it. After playing the upright bass all through school, college and afterwards professionally I had to retire from playing the doghouse due to hand and shoulder issues. I've been seriously missing many aspects of that technique including my hard won arco skills. I toyed with the idea of an electric scale eub for a long time even, building several prototypes, consulting with several builders but money is always an issue. This Ibanez UB804 hits all the right points and it is a price even my wife can support.
Hopefully soon I can start getting back some of those jazz gigs.
Hopefully soon I can start getting back some of those jazz gigs.
It arrives on Tuesday along with a 1/4 size Vingobow French bow and Hidersine rosin. Pulled out my old primers* today mapping out a practice schedule to get my chops and intonation going. I still have both my old orchestral bows, GOK what they are worth now, and a cake of Pop's but I think finesse is the way to go instead of power.
*Simandl, Bille', Ray Brown for starters as well as 20 jazz standards to start.
*Simandl, Bille', Ray Brown for starters as well as 20 jazz standards to start.
I added the endpin to the normal top part of the stand - the tip position is super adjustable, but the centre of gravity is weighted towards the strings and the UB804 fat stick likes to rotate a lot wherever I balance the instrument. I think it probably needs an adjustable upper bout to be used with an endpin. I'll experiment a bit more. May be usable, but maybe that is why Ibanez only supplied the stand.
You'll need a T Bar to connect to the post that will mimic the side bout of an upright bass if you want it to balance like on on an endpin or a fixed base to keep it from spinning.
It has arrived and I'm digging it. First impressions are very favorable, the neck is much more upright thick than expected but once I get everything all adjusted it will be great. The truss rod had no tension on it at all so I gave it some torsion and let it settle for a couple of days and see where it is at then I may adjust the bridge [lower] a teeny bit. Already riffing and playing a few simple tunes but will need to do lots of scale, chord and arpeggio work to get facile for walking lines. Already started my arco exercises as that was a big factor in this choice. Of course it does play well with my effects.
I have decided to add an Alto TX310 powered speaker for practice and acoustic volume gigs instead of a small bass amp and will likely use a Zoom B3 as a preamp as it has an xlr input only but at 15 pounds and 350 watts under 200 bucks it was a no brainer.
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Not much action over here, bummer.
I have tried the Alto TX310 with the UB804 and it is perfect in size and sound only caveat is it has an XLR input only. To my ear the Alto TX310 is characteristic of a studio monitor in a rugged package just as the larger TSL215 I've been using for years.
I tried my Zoom B3 as a preamp that worked perfectly and sounded nice with several of the amp, preamp and effect choices and the XLR is at a nice level to drive the TX310 quietly plus it has a built in tuner.
I then tried the setup with a DI as a just in case and it worked fine with a cheap passive DI, Radial JDI, Countryman Type 85, Rupert Neve RNDI and the @Sushi Box FX Finally Tube DI. Adding the Sushi Box Underground Accelerator added additional tube warmth and depth to each of the DI boxes.
For the bow side of things I still have my heavier orchestral French and Butler bows put away in cases but wanted a lighter bow as I felt that finesse rather than power was needed, that also informed my choice of rosin. Here I went with an inexpensive Vingobow 1/4 size Black horse hair Brazilwood bow that feels nice and has good balance and Hidersine VP-036B rosin. I think the lighter bow was the right choice especially after practicing with it, still much work to do to reclaim my past level of skills.
I'm doing several practice sessions a day to build up my strength and endurance to avoid and injuries. Each session begins with a warm up, then some technical drills from Simandl or Bille`, then work on some actual music by playing through melodies and changes to jazz or original tunes. Once my left hand strength is better I will add cello studies to the technical side to really work the arco skills. All said I am very pleased for the 2 weeks at this point.
I have tried the Alto TX310 with the UB804 and it is perfect in size and sound only caveat is it has an XLR input only. To my ear the Alto TX310 is characteristic of a studio monitor in a rugged package just as the larger TSL215 I've been using for years.
I tried my Zoom B3 as a preamp that worked perfectly and sounded nice with several of the amp, preamp and effect choices and the XLR is at a nice level to drive the TX310 quietly plus it has a built in tuner.
I then tried the setup with a DI as a just in case and it worked fine with a cheap passive DI, Radial JDI, Countryman Type 85, Rupert Neve RNDI and the @Sushi Box FX Finally Tube DI. Adding the Sushi Box Underground Accelerator added additional tube warmth and depth to each of the DI boxes.
For the bow side of things I still have my heavier orchestral French and Butler bows put away in cases but wanted a lighter bow as I felt that finesse rather than power was needed, that also informed my choice of rosin. Here I went with an inexpensive Vingobow 1/4 size Black horse hair Brazilwood bow that feels nice and has good balance and Hidersine VP-036B rosin. I think the lighter bow was the right choice especially after practicing with it, still much work to do to reclaim my past level of skills.
I'm doing several practice sessions a day to build up my strength and endurance to avoid and injuries. Each session begins with a warm up, then some technical drills from Simandl or Bille`, then work on some actual music by playing through melodies and changes to jazz or original tunes. Once my left hand strength is better I will add cello studies to the technical side to really work the arco skills. All said I am very pleased for the 2 weeks at this point.
For no good reason in particular, other than to join in the Ibanez UB love, here are some pics of me gigging with mine!
Welcome @pedrodelawasp great photos, I hope we can get more conversation happening here.
My UB804 is taking up nearly all my practice time ~ my other basses are feeling unloved.
My UB804 is taking up nearly all my practice time ~ my other basses are feeling unloved.
Prototype upper bout. Just need to play on it for a while and decide if it needs alteration, or I can proceed to finishing. 2x 11mm carbon fibre struts to attach to a 3D printed baseplate that fits where the original stand was, extension endpin works, but is a bit flexi (10mm carbon) and I'll need to upsize the extension to something stiffer.
Attachments
If anyone is interested, the Pelican 1750 without foam works well as a roller case - will fit the UB804 gig bag inside it with enough space for a bow in a case, cables, and a few pedals or a micro amp. Robust enough to defeat most baggage handlers.
Dunno if it was an old battery or if I have been practicing that much but I've already had to replace the battery.
I'm thinking about making the step from fretless eb to upright, but I'm scared getting a doghouse will feel like starting all over.
Curious - do jazz cats sneer at these, or are do they accept them since people play them vertically?
That's not really a factor in my decision making process, really just curious.
Curious - do jazz cats sneer at these, or are do they accept them since people play them vertically?
That's not really a factor in my decision making process, really just curious.
In my experience too many jazz folk base bass depending on what they see, if it isn't the doghouse then it don't count. It isn't just jazz folk either. Your skill playing said instrument don't mean diddly. Sad but true. You will have to forge your own acceptance. Even players like Tony Levin or Miroslav Vitous are seen as lesser because they choose to play EUB instead of the doghouse.
While the scale will be familiar the neck is more like an upright both in the shape of the fingerboard and the neck, it may feel a clubbish at first but the shape is to facilitate proper technique for playing vertically.
Yeah - it's weird how that appearance thing works with basses. Kinda dumb but I have to admit I'm not immune. If I glance at a stage and see a player in a sharp dark suit and full db, I'm ready to like what they play.
Anyways.
I wonder if making half the jump - from eb to this ibanez in-between instrument - would be better than making the full jump to the wooden ship.
I love the idea of the db, and the sound, and can hear myself on one, in my mind.
But the details and logistics of the things are a seriously big strike against taking the plunge.
I'm playing an EUB out of physical necessity as the old beast is not something I can handle anymore although at one time I was a professional level player. The reduced scale and body on a stable stand makes it possible to recreate my hard earned skills and play music I love.
I’m a lefty and I’m considering buying this and having my luthier pal make a new nut and adjust the bridge to accommodate flipping the the strings. Any thoughts about how this might work out? A dealer on Reverb felt it was possible to do. Thanks in advance. Happy holidays, may you get lots of bass goodies!
This might work on a solid body EUB (with a new nut, and maybe also a new bridge for the different groove sizes for the strings), but most often not for a hollow body EUB and never with a DB unless you want to get a edgy or spend a whole lot of money for a new bass bar, a new soundpost and opening and closing the box which is the most expensive thing.
Usually left handed players play the normal right handed DB as it is. If you ever might want to play DB, better learn it to play like a right handed player.
