Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Double Bass Ibanez UB804 EUB.
- Thread starter Marty Forrer
- Start date
And now in FIVE STRINGS Woo hoo!!
Ships with a Lo B but I would probably go with a Hi C.
Ibanez Introduces Five-String Electric Upright Bass
Ships with a Lo B but I would probably go with a Hi C.
Ibanez Introduces Five-String Electric Upright Bass
I'm considering buying the UB804 to replace a more standard EUB with an endpin (Stagg EDB).
I'm wondering, would it be possible to just extend the stand length and not open the tripod legs so you can play it balancing on the closed tripod tip like an endpin? (with addition of some sort of body rest/shoulder attachment)
I'm wondering, would it be possible to just extend the stand length and not open the tripod legs so you can play it balancing on the closed tripod tip like an endpin? (with addition of some sort of body rest/shoulder attachment)
Why do you want to replace a Stagg EDB with an Ibanez? You better try it first.
I wouldn’t sell the Stagg unless you want to get something better (which would also be a lot more expensive) and have proven that it really is better (for you).
Personally I would rather take a Stagg (the the rosewood fingerboard) than an Ibanez for various reasons.
See the Ibanez as a bowable upright bass guitar which it really is.
I wouldn’t sell the Stagg unless you want to get something better (which would also be a lot more expensive) and have proven that it really is better (for you).
Personally I would rather take a Stagg (the the rosewood fingerboard) than an Ibanez for various reasons.
See the Ibanez as a bowable upright bass guitar which it really is.
That is a possibility but it might be difficult to balance. I play mine with the tripod legs partially extended for seated playing.
Is that scornful? I played the Stagg and IMHO the Ibanez UB804 feels and sounds much better with features that made it a much better choice for me.
I rather like the look, feel and sound of the Jatoba fingerboard and appreciate that it is a renewable resource. The compound radius is also a very nice feel and it certainly does allow for arco play. I also love that it is so easy to adjust with the truss rod, individual saddles and trims for the piezos. It comes with a semi rigid bag with a slot for my bow and a seperate compartment for the stand in a much more transportable size. For all those reasons it was a better choice.
Plus there is a five string version coming!!
I have experience with an angled endpin mounted close to the bridge.
If I use the bow, the whole instrument gets catches with the bow and turns around. After changing to a straight endpin it does no longer happen.
Bass guitar strings are very different from double bass strings. I once got DB strings from a BG string manufacturer from Asia and they sounded like a bass guitar on the Stagg, DB strings did not.
Since you only can mount BG strings on the Ibanez, it will always sound like a BG.
The body as one long fingerboard up to the bridge hardly does allow to pluck the string from the bottom like it is possible on a DB or Stagg beyond the end of the fingerboard. I also doubt that you can get the string action high enough to be comparable with the DB string action at the end of the fingerboard and string height is important for the sound. Too low and it sounds like a fretless BG.
So if you do not want a DB and also no DB-like sound go for the bowable BG the Ibanez is, but to stay closer to a DB, better keep the Stagg or upgrade to a 41” EUB with a real fingerboard ending at least 6 inches in front of the wooden bridge.
Since @Alib8 does not want a tripod I don’t argue against it here.
I only give advice from my experience. Do with it what you want, you alone are responsible for what you do.
I think the Ibanez might be a good instrument for a BG player who cannot stand the weight of a BG at neck and shoulders anymore and therefor wants an upright BG standing on the floor, but that might be a rather small market and still might not be a well working replacement for a BG.
If I use the bow, the whole instrument gets catches with the bow and turns around. After changing to a straight endpin it does no longer happen.
Bass guitar strings are very different from double bass strings. I once got DB strings from a BG string manufacturer from Asia and they sounded like a bass guitar on the Stagg, DB strings did not.
Since you only can mount BG strings on the Ibanez, it will always sound like a BG.
The body as one long fingerboard up to the bridge hardly does allow to pluck the string from the bottom like it is possible on a DB or Stagg beyond the end of the fingerboard. I also doubt that you can get the string action high enough to be comparable with the DB string action at the end of the fingerboard and string height is important for the sound. Too low and it sounds like a fretless BG.
So if you do not want a DB and also no DB-like sound go for the bowable BG the Ibanez is, but to stay closer to a DB, better keep the Stagg or upgrade to a 41” EUB with a real fingerboard ending at least 6 inches in front of the wooden bridge.
Since @Alib8 does not want a tripod I don’t argue against it here.
I only give advice from my experience. Do with it what you want, you alone are responsible for what you do.
I think the Ibanez might be a good instrument for a BG player who cannot stand the weight of a BG at neck and shoulders anymore and therefor wants an upright BG standing on the floor, but that might be a rather small market and still might not be a well working replacement for a BG.
I tried that, and found the stand too bulky and the large rubber blocks making an unpredictable pivot point - hence the endpin adapter that I made above. You'll need a body rest to stop the instrument rotating if you're using a bow, not so much issue if you're just playing pizz.
TBH I'm actually quite happy with how the Stagg plays and sounds (weed whackers + slap) but the primary reason I'm looking at the Ibanez is to find something easier to carry around on public transport or in cabs. It's usually a hassle to fit in cabs/ubers (usually get smaller vehicles, limited time to get in/out on busy streets etc), and with public transport it's still not exactly light enough to walk around on shoulder to/from stops if it's more than 15 mins (getting older I guess).
So I went ahead and got a fretless bass ukulele, and find myself just taking that to gigs for the convenience. Still miss the upright action, so looking at the Ibanez to see if it could be the halfway point between the ukulele and the Stagg in terms of carry size and weight.
I am guessing playing on a tripod with no body support will feel awkward after years of playing a regular acoustic double bass and now the Stagg, so that's why I'm trying to find out if I can make it work with an endpin + body support modification. Unfortunately no local shops to try the Ibanez before buying.
I saw your post and the body support actually looks great. Would it be possible for you to post some more detailed pictures of the endpin and body support modifications you did?
pm me - I can share SolidWorks files. My UB804 has been sold, mainly because the string spacing was too big for me. I've moved to a 5 string MK EUB and am considering getting the UB 805 for smaller string spacing and portability.
The UB804 may be the solution you're looking for. It has the ease of transport, a very similar feel to an upright and with the proper processing can fool the best of ears into believing it is an upright. Classical techniques of pizzicato and Arco are not an issue as both traditional and easier set up is possible. IMHO it is a worthy compromise.
My opinion is based on classical training and professional performance for 20+ years and an open mind and ears. And @DoubleMIDI I am exactly that old broke down player looking for a solution to keep playing an upright style instrument. I will grant that the stand and lack of shoulders might be an issue, but your diatribe on strings, playability and tone are not fact based which you would know from actually playing & hearing one.
I have played one at a Music Store, but only unamplified.
I don’t think that typical slap strings can be mounted on the Ibanez, you need BG strings for it, don’t you?
Not my cup of tea for the reasons I explained. As well as the NS instruments (tried at Music Store and Musikmesse Frankfurt) and the Ergo (which I haven’t tried yet).
Since @Alib8 comes from upright he might miss things from the Ibanez. The only way to find out is to try it.
I have no idea how heavy the Ibanez is together with the tripod, but it might even be heavier than the Stagg.
I think the bass ukulele is a good solution for portability. The only lighter upright I can think of is an Eminence or maybe a Palatino. The removable neck Eminence would be small enough, but taking the strings down every time when traveling even shorter distances might not be convenient.
There are indeed shorter instruments than a Stagg, but not much shorter if you still want to use DB strings. For the stick type instruments an NS is better because you can get an endpin and mount DB strings. But you need to find a solution for the neck heel.
Last edited:
@bassbrad / @ztan (or anyone else who owns it) - any idea how much the UB804 weighs around, including the bag and the stand? And is the bag comfortable to carry with the shoulder strap?
@DoubleMIDI Eminence looks nice, but I'm in the EU and probably doesn't come up for sale very often around here. Actually own the Palatino EUB (just in another country right now), it is heavier than the Stagg, but still fun instrument. Have taken a look at NS EUBs but couldn't justify their price point in my mind, paying less for Ibanez or more for something like an Eminence makes more sense to me.
@DoubleMIDI Eminence looks nice, but I'm in the EU and probably doesn't come up for sale very often around here. Actually own the Palatino EUB (just in another country right now), it is heavier than the Stagg, but still fun instrument. Have taken a look at NS EUBs but couldn't justify their price point in my mind, paying less for Ibanez or more for something like an Eminence makes more sense to me.
Did you consider a MK EUB from Italy? The basic Studio model might be good for you. Just ask Mirko for what you need to know.
The Eminence is sold by Jonas Lohse in Frankfurt, Germany, but it is not cheap. I also dislike the anti-turning solution with the T-shaped endpin without a body support.
With a single point endpin I can turn the instrument and fix the position with the body support, with the T-shaped endpin you need to lift the instrument for any amount of turning.
Even more expensive but a really nice instrument is the EUB from the German luthier Heiner Windelband. Very light and made like a real bowed instrument with a nice shape. The bag might be a bit heavy and bulky, cannot remember.
With a single point endpin I can turn the instrument and fix the position with the body support, with the T-shaped endpin you need to lift the instrument for any amount of turning.
Even more expensive but a really nice instrument is the EUB from the German luthier Heiner Windelband. Very light and made like a real bowed instrument with a nice shape. The bag might be a bit heavy and bulky, cannot remember.
The weight is about the same as my 2 bass gig bag and the single shoulder strap is ok for cross body carry, it would be easier with double shoulder straps. I would not like to carry it for very long or for long distances, if that was necessary I might look for a solution with double shoulder straps like a duffle or bat bag to put the Ibanez into.
@DoubleMIDI I do understand your reasons for not accepting the UB84 but IMHO it does provide a good solution or alternative to the Upright Bass, I do recognize and appreciate the differences. However as I contend it is a platform that allows classical techniques to be employed and practiced despite the mechanical differences and difference in resonance.
For a doubler or as in my case someone with physical challenges it does provide an alternative platform to be expressive and creative.
In my classical career I played 7/8 and full size 8/8 basses often with a fifth string, for jazz and musicals I played a 3/4. Due to injuries and arthritis I eventually had to abandon my upright playing a it was simply too high a price to pay in pain. Because instruments like the UB804 and the NS exist they allow me to once again practice and execute those hard won skills that I thought I had lost.
My contention is that as bass players in the 21st Century we should at the very least accept if not embrace these developments. The Ibanez UB804 is far closer to the upright bass than a bass uke for heaven's sake. Admittedly I have many qualms with the bass uke.
For a doubler or as in my case someone with physical challenges it does provide an alternative platform to be expressive and creative.
In my classical career I played 7/8 and full size 8/8 basses often with a fifth string, for jazz and musicals I played a 3/4. Due to injuries and arthritis I eventually had to abandon my upright playing a it was simply too high a price to pay in pain. Because instruments like the UB804 and the NS exist they allow me to once again practice and execute those hard won skills that I thought I had lost.
My contention is that as bass players in the 21st Century we should at the very least accept if not embrace these developments. The Ibanez UB804 is far closer to the upright bass than a bass uke for heaven's sake. Admittedly I have many qualms with the bass uke.
I found the didn't weigh much more than a normal bass in a gig bag. Strap fine, I didn't like the security of the internal bow holder .
Even better, an indestructable Pelican 1750 would take the bass in gig bag, stand, upper bout and endpin, mini amp, bowcase and can be wheeled around.
That shoulder attachment looks fabulous! But even better if you were to apply some finish.
I admit that I did reinforce the bow slot to protect the cheap but decent 1/2 bow I bought for mine. I found that my old bows over powered what the piezos could handle as I was used to playing Upright with much more force, the lighter bow forces me to use a finer touch.
Update: Just bought the UB804 after being able to get it shipped to a local store. Initial impressions are mixed, pending some modifications and new strings. I'll try to go into details once I resolve all the issues and do all the mods I have in mind.
-Heavier than it should be (the stand should really be an endpin with body rest, needs a backpack strap gig bag),
-Scale length just short enough to feel a bit cramped (maybe a ramp type continuation of the fingerboard on the body is required),
-String spacing is unnecessarily wide, but will probably get used to it.
-Sound is convincing enough with some foam muting.
-Heavier than it should be (the stand should really be an endpin with body rest, needs a backpack strap gig bag),
-Scale length just short enough to feel a bit cramped (maybe a ramp type continuation of the fingerboard on the body is required),
-String spacing is unnecessarily wide, but will probably get used to it.
-Sound is convincing enough with some foam muting.
