Double Bass If you had a choice - 4/5/6 String EUB...?

[jharms80439]

This may be a deep philosophical discussion, so I apologize in advance. I'm stuck and would appreciate some of the TB wisdom to help me settle a future decision for me.

If you really had a choice to purchase a well executed (what ever that may be for you) electric upright bass but that you had to really play, which would you buy?

I've had some recurring tendonitis in my left wrist and my electric bass days are officially over. I am in the process of selling all of my bass guitars and will have some cash to spend on a new EUB. I am also in a situation where I already own a 4 string NS Design CR4M. With a neck heel and the peg stand, I'm really happy with the performance, the playability and the stability in the Colorado winters. Before you start flaming me too bad, I do own an acoustic upright - four string - that I am happy with. The Colorado winter is cold with wide temperature extremes and with the snow, the risk of slipping, falling and damaging my upright is too high. Therefore playing outside of my home with anything but my EUB is just better managed with an electric upright bass. Frankly, I love my acoustic, but it's not going to leave my house anytime soon - winter, summer, spring or fall...

Musically, today I play gospel with my church, I regularly sub for some well regarded jazz basists locally and I play a bunch of solo stuff at home just to keep amused. The split between Arco and Pizz is about 60/40 (respectively). I am less worried about pizz with a 5 or 6 string bass as I am with being able to play well Arco. Even though I pretty much learned how to play bass on a couple of six string basses and have had my share of four stringers and seven string basses too, I am concerned that the bow playabiltiy of an extended range bass - i.e. outside of a four string or a five or a six string.

I only wish for a low C extension in my gospel and classical stuff a few times each year. In jazz, I'd never need it and may just be in the way. In gospel, the high C would be a waste, but in jazz, I sometimes wish I had it. At home playing what I feel, I do wish for a high C for cello work and the added string would put less strain on my wrist in thumb position.

So if it was your money, you were in my situation and you were really going to play it, what would you buy?

Would you buy a spare four string EUB?

How about a four string EUB with a C extension for those once in a while low notes?

Would you buy a five string EUB strung BEADG?

Would you buy a five string EUB strung EADGC?

Or would you buy a six string EUB strung BEADGC?

The good news is that I really don't "need" to do anything so saving the money is always an option too, but if it was your money and you were going to buy another EUB - and you had to play it Arco and Pizz - what would you buy?

 

[Barry Clark]

Actually have one being built! 8 string Ergo: F#-B-E-A-D-G-C-F

 

[jharms80439]

Barry,

Congratulations on your soon to be received Ergo!

So you chose the 8 string EUB route. Pizz would be a gas, but I don't know if I could keep them all quiet with a bow...

What sort of music do you play that you chose to buy an 8 string?

 

[Barry Clark]

Barry,

Congratulations on your soon to be received Ergo!

So you chose the 8 string EUB route. Pizz would be a gas, but I don't know if I could keep them all quiet with a bow...

What sort of music do you play that you chose to buy an 8 string?

Thanks!

Well, I already own a 4 and have been very happy with it. I loved it so much, it slowly became my only bass. I liked it because when I played pizz like an upright, it sounded like an upright and when I played it more like an electric bass guitar in terms with how the fingers strike the strings, it takes a sound more like a fretless bass guitar. Definite differences, but all improvements on the bass guitar to me. This is the sound I have spent more than a decade to find.

The type of music I play ranges from metal to jazz to rock to punk to rockabilly.

I am picking up arco playing but I can definitely hear its applications in jazz and metal.

Why an 8? After playing a few metal tunes on the four string and having so much fun on the the manufacturer's personal 8 string, it occured to me that the changes that would have me making dramatic movements from one part of the neck to the others would be shortened by more strings above and below. Granted, this applies to any music style, but the metal songs I play tend to have faster changes than songs from other genres that I play and if the jump is big enough, it can get a bit funky if I don't get there quick enough. It smooths out quick enough, but for a moment... ewwwww.

 

[jharms80439]

So you chose an 8 string to keep the proximity of the strings close so your key changes don't interfere with the music. Makes perfect sense!

If I was playing speed anything I'd probably do the same!

Fortunately, 240bpm Bop or Ska is about as fast as I get and even then there aren't a whole bunch of long distance string changes to worry about.

Probably 99% of the tempos I play are below 180bpm too. So for me that sort of range isn't necessary.

Once upon a time I owned a Conklin strung F# to C. I didn't find "much" use for the F#. Even the lowest pedal notes playing Gospel weren't clear so I restrung it B through F.

Do you ever think you'll use a bow on it or are you pizz only?

 

[JtheJazzMan]

5 Strings seems enough for me playing arco.

I think if i wanted more range I would change the tuning into 5ths rather than add another string

 

[jharms80439]

You know, once upon a time I used CGDA tuning on both my EUB and my acoustic. Unfortunately my acoustic just didn't have the pizz response for the C and it just sucked on my acoustic. My luthier tried resetting the sound post and all of the tricks he knew but nothing really worked. With the bow, man that C string was a cannon! (And) pizz it was a wimp...

I think that the 5ths tuning on an acoustic may really require a good bass with a really resonant top and replacing my acoustic really isn't in my budget - yet.

Since I've switched back over to 4ths tuning over the last year or so, I really don't have an inkling to go back to 5ths while I'm playing jazz and/or pizz as much as I do. If I was just playing classical, then no problem - I'd stay with CGDA tuning in a hearbeat and I might even think of adding a high E - (wow now that's high!).

Gospel, classical, jazz, bluegrass - all arco and pizz - not a chance even with my EUB as my primary instrument of choice as long as I'm playing acoustic at home too. It's either switch all out or none at all - I'm getting too old to play both 4ths and 5ths at the same time...

 

[DavidMP]

I don't have first hand experience but it should be able to bow up to 7 strings since gambas and violones had that many strings and were bowed.
I vote for a 6 string tuned B0-E1-A1-D2-G2-C3 so you would have both options any time anywhere.

 

[damonsmith]

I have a 7 string Ergo I play mostly arco. I'd get an 8, but the one I have is just so nice - not that the 8 wouldn't be.
I worry about the high Fs, but something will get figured out, I am sure. Arco and the additional overtone series make the extra string more interesting. I don't miss them on my double bass but they keep me from missing the double bass when I play the Ergo.
At least get a 6 string.

 

[Barry Clark]

5 Strings seems enough for me playing arco.

I think if i wanted more range I would change the tuning into 5ths rather than add another string

I hear ya. I went with 7's in bass guitar only to find that I didn't use the extended range portion of it that much so I went back to 4 only to then realize that I really liked being able to continue on up the scale without changing my hand position.

 

[jharms80439]

When I was playing my 7's (piano and 7 string bass lounge gig - it paid so don't laugh...) I had a bit of tendonitis then too and found it a great option to move across the fingerboard instead of up the neck. Worked great then for me and that what has be thinking of moving towards a 6 string EUB...

 

[DoubleGStrap]

Hello All,
I just received my new Ergo 6-string last Wednesday and couldn't be happier:

It is a 6-string tuned F#-B-E-A-D-G
I normally play 5-string electric BG tuned in the standard B-E-A-D-G, but was looking for something different that could go a little lower. Like some of the previous posters already mentioned, I really like the ability to stay in the same position but still have more of a range as well. I am in a Heavy Metal band and was primarily looking for the EUB so that I can play it arco, and it does not disappoint and can be played with ease either arco or pizz. Whether or not I can do it any justice remains to be seen...
As far as the Ergo EUB itself goes, the pictures don't do it justice. Excellent craftsmanship throughout and I couldn't be happier with the sound or playability. I have never played an acoustic double bass so I can't directly compare it to that, but that's not what I was aiming at when I got the Ergo anyways. Maybe someday when I can afford it I'll give a "real" double bass a try, but for now, my Ergo has motivated me to improve my game by making me want to practice every spare minute I have. I just cannot stop playing it, even if I'm just practicing bowing the open strings from F# up to G then back again I could do that all day.

 

[SteveC]

Interesting thread. I am using a friends WAV4 for our jazz stuff. I am debating buying my own as the WAV is fine, but I had an Azola Bug Bass a few years ago and it was much better. I play a 5 string fretted bass,and am considering this right now. Do I get an Azola 4, or maybe an NS Omni bass? I don't know. I tend to play more traditionally when I play upright, so a 4 is probably fine. That said, the Omni is interesting as it can be played in an electric or upright way and can be made to sound more like a fretless electric or EUB. I'm not entirely convinced that you need the 41" scale to get the upright sound. Once you get electronics involved the playing field gets more level.

 

[Francois Blais]

That said, the Omni is interesting as it can be played in an electric or upright way and can be made to sound more like a fretless electric or EUB. I'm not entirely convinced that you need the 41" scale to get the upright sound. Once you get electronics involved the playing field gets more level.

With the right string choice, and proper technique, you can indeed get a realistic upright tone from a short-scale instrument.
A string muting device can help too!

 

[SteveC]

I'm leaning to an Azola Bug Bass or Eminence. The NS are nice, but it seems (according to reviews) that they sound more like a fretless electric than an upright.

I am familiar with the Azola, but the Eminence gets rave reviews as well. Both are the same price - $2,600 ish range. Not sure what to do.

 

[Barry Clark]

When I was playing my 7's (piano and 7 string bass lounge gig - it paid so don't laugh...) I had a bit of tendonitis then too and found it a great option to move across the fingerboard instead of up the neck. Worked great then for me and that what has be thinking of moving towards a 6 string EUB...

You got that too, eh? I have not had any problems since I started playing the extended range basses and even less since moving to EUB. Wrists stay straighter.

 

[coyoteboy]

Is the 6-string Ergo full scale? (41"+) what are you using for that low F#?

 

[babebambi]

I am just starting on my CR4M. But already I am starting to want a 5 string BEADG.

But all my BG's, except one, are 4 strings; so why do I want that fifth on the EUB?
Its the thudding sound I get after plucking a note and the finger hit the lower string.

 

[solutionbassist]

Actually have one being built! 8 string Ergo: F#-B-E-A-D-G-C-F

horay for the low F#!!! and my band director still believes no such thing can exist...........

 

[Jon Moody]

With the right string choice, and proper technique, you can indeed get a realistic upright tone from a short-scale instrument.
A string muting device can help too!

I'm using my KYDD Carry-On 6 string in a theatre pit right now, and the sound guys are amazed that it sounds so much like an upright, with as little as it is. Since I don't do a lot of bowing with it (compared to the upright), I put some rounds on it for a little more growl. It has a little more of the fretless electric sound at this point, but like mentioned, proper technique really makes a big difference.