Double Bass NS Wav 4 on a LOUD stage...

[Danho]

Hey kids! Here in the Columbus blues community, the standard is playing LOUD... putting a magnetic pickup solved that problem on my upright, but I prefer synthetic gut strings.
How will the Wav 4 handle a loud stage? I am tempted to pick up a used one.

 

[Persona87]

I have the NXTa, but it's similar enough. It is just as feedback-resistant as a solid-body electric bass because it has no chambering. I will say that the bass may not handle synthetic gut strings well. I tried using D'addario Zyex on mine and I had a string break almost immediately.

 

[KUNGfuSHERIFF]

An EUB will play fine loud (I once discovered the resonant frequency of a town during an outdoor gig) but fake gut strings are kinda lost on an EUB.

 

[Danho]

Thanks! I plan on using steel on the EUB. My issue with the piezo pickup on my upright is that is was no different than sticking another mic on the guitarist’s amp...

 

[jthisdell]

I have used Obligatos on my NXT and have never had a problem except on crappy stages that were all vibrating. An hpf helps a lot.

 

[Danho]

HPF? & vibrating stages are a huge problem even with my beloved magnetic Schaller, Moses, and Krevo pickups. (From the 20 years I've been using them...)

 

[equill]

HPF? & vibrating stages are a huge problem even with my beloved magnetic Schaller, Moses, and Krevo pickups. (From the 20 years I've been using them...)

HPF = High-Pass Filter
It rolls off the lower frequencies, to tame the boominess.

 

[equill]

fake gut strings are kinda lost on an EUB.

Useful to know; I was thinking about putting some kind of synthetics on my WAV once it becomes my backup/other EUB, to mess around with rockabilly-type slapping.

 

[KUNGfuSHERIFF]

Without the resonance of a hollow body the sound is just...eh.

 

[Danho]

Useful to know; I was thinking about putting some kind of synthetics on my WAV once it becomes my backup/other EUB, to mess around with rockabilly-type slapping.

Without the resonance of a hollow body the sound is just...eh.

(I’m going to sound bitter here...) If the guitarist/drummer/etc. is so loud that they vibrate the wood of the bass more than the strings do, the sound is shot anyway. I’ve never had someone turn down after explaining that to them.
(Now less bitter...) I just love playing upright.... also the music, and the people. Using the magnetic pickup lets me stay active in this fun scene.

 

[equill]

Without the resonance of a hollow body the sound is just...eh.

I'll carry on whacking the metal-wound strings into the fingerboard and see just how long it lasts, then

 

[Danho]

I'll carry on whacking the metal-wound strings into the fingerboard and see just how long it lasts, then

I’ve played Rockabilly since 1990 & branched out in 1998. LOVE slapping!! Bring it into every style I play! For the first time after years of spirocores, eurosonics, & whatever flavor of the week strings, I’m trying fake guts before dropping the money on real ones... love them so far!

 

[KUNGfuSHERIFF]

Try real gut. The synthetics can’t touch them.

 

[Zbysek]

EUB handles loud stage well.

Sometimes, I experience vibrating of the stage being re-amped through the bass. This occurs usually on hollow stages, especially if the bass rig or subs were placed on the stage.

Lifting the bass rig usually helps.

The above problem is a minor one and does not come close to problems with DB on loud stage.

 

[Danho]

Try real gut. The synthetics can’t touch them.

What brand of guts do you like? I am really enjoying the Superior Bassworks strings that I’m using now.

 

[turf3]

Well, I am not an expert on playing bass in loud blues bands, but I would suggest that the right tool for the job might turn out to be an electric bass?

 

[Jeff Kissell]

Well, I am not an expert on playing bass in loud blues bands, but I would suggest that the right tool for the job might turn out to be an electric bass?

This is very true... however, I'm in a similar loud stage situation using a P-bass and I miss the physical nature of upright. I really just prefer playing music on the longer double bass string length.

-J