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Double Bass Palatino Megathread part I

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#281
I experimented with my Palatino this weekend and ended up getting some really good results with a thin piece of wood veneer sealed up in heat-shrink tubing (I've got some big stuff that fit pretty good. It's much harder than innertube rubber would be, but my bass sounded pretty good anyway. All I wanted to do was to make the D and G louder, so I stuck it under the E and A foo tof the bridge. Seems to have worked out pretty well. Mine is on top of the pickup, under the bridge foot.

I run mine thru an Ampeg PB250 PortaBass head and 1x12 w/ horn cab. I can run it almost flat and it sounds great. I played the other night with my "big rig" (old Carvin Pro Bass head, 2x10 and 1x15 cabs) and couldn't get the right tone out of it. Something about the cabs or the amp or both, I dunno. The mids just weren't detailed enough sounding. I'm probably spoiled by the Ampeg, it's got SUCH a clear tone, and the Carvin is much more a "rock electric bass" amp. Go figure.

Anyway, I'm getting rid of these Piastros on mine, got some Spirocores on the way. I always played those on DB, and loved them.

Matt Farrow
 
#282
pharaohamps said:
I experimented with my Palatino this weekend and ended up getting some really good results with a thin piece of wood veneer sealed up in heat-shrink tubing (I've got some big stuff that fit pretty good. It's much harder than innertube rubber would be, but my bass sounded pretty good anyway. All I wanted to do was to make the D and G louder, so I stuck it under the E and A foo tof the bridge. Seems to have worked out pretty well. Mine is on top of the pickup, under the bridge foot.

I run mine thru an Ampeg PB250 PortaBass head and 1x12 w/ horn cab. I can run it almost flat and it sounds great. I played the other night with my "big rig" (old Carvin Pro Bass head, 2x10 and 1x15 cabs) and couldn't get the right tone out of it. Something about the cabs or the amp or both, I dunno. The mids just weren't detailed enough sounding. I'm
probably spoiled by the Ampeg, it's got SUCH a clear tone, and the Carvin is much more a "rock electric bass" amp. Go figure.

Anyway, I'm getting rid of these Piastros on mine, got some Spirocores on the way. I always played those on DB, and loved them.

Matt Farrow
Click to expand...
It it .030 or .020 vaneer?
 
#283
I'm looking to pick a Palatino up soon. How loud is it unplugged? I ask because one of it's many functions will be to practive after the wife goes to bed. My acoustic upright is just too loud.
 
#285
Also remember that the stock Palatino has a headphone output, so you can make it as loud as you want. It's fairly loud unplugged, but not loud enough to play with other people. My Palatino has a new preamp, and the headphone out is disabled, so I run mine thru a Bass POD (original, not XT,) on the Tube Preamp setting. Sounds fine.

BTW, Nohandles, the veneer was 1/64th, so that's like 0.0156".

Matt Farrow
 
#286
I've been interested in DB for a while, and a cheap EUB is more practical for me at this point for reasons of portability and price. I have some questions about these Palantinos, and please keep in mind that I'm pretty new to all of this DB lingo:

Can you play with a bow (arco?) and fingerstyle (pizzicato?) without changing your setup on these Palantino basses?

What kind of string would you recommend? I'll be playing both pizzicato and arco, and my main gig is with my Church Choir. I'll be playing through an Ampeg B-3158.

Is an external preamp really necessary, or will the one of the bass and the one on my amp be sufficient?

What are all the mods recommended for one of these basses? (keep in mind my budget is very limited!)

Slightly OT: Besides an EUB and my amp, what else might I need? I know I'll need some sort of stand for the bass, and the cymbal stand sounds interesting. Anyone have a photo of the bass and how it attaches to the stand?

What kind of bow would you recommend for a beginner?

Is there any piece of equipment that I'm missing? I've read of people talking about Rosin, that's for the bow, right?

-David

jamiefoxer said:
thanks Nohandles...as soon as I can raise the funds, I'm getting myself a Palatino...gonna keep my eye for it. It would be nice if someone on this thread could compile all the "improvement" suggestions on one easy to read FAQ or website page that people could reference...having to dig through the entire thread is time consuming. I spent 2 hours this morning reading the entire thread.
Click to expand...

+1. This would be extremely helpful.
 
#289
ElBajista said:
What kind of bow would you recommend for a beginner?

Is there any piece of equipment that I'm missing? I've read of people talking about Rosin, that's for the bow, right?

-David
Click to expand...

Hey David,

Check out Bob Golihur's bows, Link Removed , i picked up a brazilwood german before i left for school @ Berklee and my teachers up there think it's great. (so do i) The price was very very fair and the service is unbeatable. As far as rosin, i would check out the carlsson's rosin also available from bob.

-Walt

also, thanks everyone for making this such a helpful thread, my palatino's coming in next week! :hyper: :hyper: that faq would be very helpful
 
#290
Just a double post,

First, I played my first upright bass yesterday (a vintage Ampeg Baby bass at a latin jazz gig). I was messing around on a friend's bass during the breaks. 10 minutes later, I was landing 95% of the notes correctly...my fingers just seemed to know the accurate distance. I'm sold...I got to get myself an upright! :)

Second, where are the Palatino VE-500 soundclips. Without the ability to hear a Palatino, I really don't want to risk spending any money on them. Any YouTube recordings of the Palatino?
 
#293
jamiefoxer said:
Second, where are the Palatino VE-500 soundclips. Without the ability to hear a Palatino, I really don't want to risk spending any money on them. Any YouTube recordings of the Palatino?
Click to expand...

I'd be really interested to hear soundclips too.

I've been put off buying any EUB I've seen so far because they just don't sound hollow. Do the chambers on a Palatino make a lot of difference ?

Andy
 
#295
in fact, to be really helpful, it would be AWESOME if someone on this thread could show off their Palatino on video (YouTube would be excellent), and then show a "step by step" process of adding some of the recommended sound upgrades and showing off the comparisons.

It's a video like THAT, that would guarantee that I go out and Purchase a Palatino. My experience listening to EUB's right now is limited to Ampeg Baby basses and replicas, an Eminence bass, and whatever bass Tony Banda (of Poncho Sanchez' band) plays (I think it's a Dean upright...but I'm not sure).

Of course, I'm attracted to the Palatino because of the price of it...but I'm worried about its construction (will it break on me easy), and sound.
 
#296
The BIGGEST thing that these basses need is new strings. The factory strings are worse than you can imagine. Trust me.

A good setup is a must, too - if you can't do it yourself a local luthier can help you out with this. My Palatino had the strings falling off the fingerboard due to a neck set issue, and since I couldn't fix that I had to re-cut the bridge slots. I also trimmed the bridge down a bit while I was at it. Before, it was just too high and much too high. Now I can go from a nice clear arco classical tone to a fingerboard-buzzing jazz tone with the adjuster wheels.

I pulled the crap-ola stock preamp out of my bass and replaced it with one I made. I sold one to gfred, and he seemed to like it. I am thinking about putting in a "wing" pickup also, probably just going to put a jack on the face of the bass underneath the tailpiece to plug it in. I'll then replace the tone knob on my new preamp with a blend control. We'll see how it goes.

They're good basses, but I'd recommend playing a couple and picking the one that speaks to you if at all possible. New strings and a good setup are the only things it reall needs, and the rest is just gravy.

Matt Farrow
 
#297
How much would replacing strings, bridges, pickups, etc...whatever is the recommended repairs cost.

I probably can get an Ampeg baby bass replica from a maker in Colombia for about $1,000. If I'd have to pay $650.00 for a Palatino on Ebay, and then have to put $400.00 or so in repairs anyway...I'd rather go with an Ampeg replica.
 
#298
Has anyone got a feel for how much the hollow chambers in a Palatino affect the sound ... in contrast to solid or 'slab' eubs ?

I'm primarily a bass guitar player on a quest for the best upright sound I can get without having to lug around an upright. I've tried a couple of EUBs and I'm not happy yet 'cos nothing I've heard sounds hollow.

And before anyone says ... I do know that if I don't get an full upright, then it will never sound like a full upright ... I just want to get as close as I can.

Cheers, Andy
 
#299
All I can say is that everytime I play it someone says to me, "Damn that thing sound like a real upright...."
I haven't even changed the stock strings yet or noodled with the preamp. I just added the foam under the bridge. I run it thru an Ampeg BA112, sometimes with a Sans amp, sometimes not...
I'm a BG player too, so my ear most likely isn't as fine tuned into the DB sound as most folks here....
It sure is fun to play!:hyper:
 
#300
DaBassman said:
All I can say is that everytime I play it someone says to me, "Damn that thing sound like a real upright...."
I haven't even changed the stock strings yet or noodled with the preamp. I just added the foam under the bridge. I run it thru an Ampeg BA112, sometimes with a Sans amp, sometimes not...
I'm a BG player too, so my ear most likely isn't as fine tuned into the DB sound as most folks here....
It sure is fun to play!:hyper:
Click to expand...

I have to say I agree 1000% with DaBassman but I do have 2 other acoustic double basses. With very little work you have a top notch bass. I have played an Eninance and it is real nice but for the price you can't justify the extra expence. Since I got my Basic Black amp I don't do to much to get ready any more. I used to preamp but it doesn't need it. I do like to run through the Sans amp though because I can dile in the sound for the room I'm playing in. All in all this bass can't be beat for the price. My only complaint was the JUNK bag it came in. So I have one made for it.
 
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