I'm going to put a set of used Spirocores on the Palatino when it arrives. My local luthier also suggested something like a 1/8th size bass tailpiece should fit, so I'll probably do the pully/gut mod, too.
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Double Bass Palatino Megathread part I
- Thread starter Nohandles
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Do they sound very jazzy to you? jazz is a music that you play. isn't it?
the spirocores sound good both arco and pizz.
but is also said that i do not have experience with other upright bass strings.
but i heard about lot of upright bass players who use them. they seem to be very popular for jazz players.
the spirocores sound good both arco and pizz.
but is also said that i do not have experience with other upright bass strings.
but i heard about lot of upright bass players who use them. they seem to be very popular for jazz players.
Just 14 or 15 more shopping days til Xmas and I got this one in under the wire. The latest installment of my continuing adventures in VE 500 mods. For your enjoyment:
I didn't credit the K and K pre-amp in the video but it was what made the pickups do their stuff.
I didn't credit the K and K pre-amp in the video but it was what made the pickups do their stuff.
It's just like every other Palatino EUB. It just has Spirocore strings on it. If you still want to see a picture I can do it, though.
I'm sorry. I saw how my post might be confusing and I edited it to say "the Spirocore strings". My fault.
My used Palatino arrived yesterday, and I strung it up and played it for a while today through my Contra. A few observations, mostly not too original:
1. Yes, the strings are not very good. Used Spiros will go on some time today or tomorrow.
2. The end pin is too short, and too slippery. Comparing it to my Azola Bugbass, it's poorly engineered, too. Steve managed to make a simple and effective end pin with one clamp. These guys couldn't get it right with two. I'm going to replace it with either a piece of aluminum or fiberglass tubing. Probably aluminum. Might replace the whole thing.
3. The bridge is way too short.
4. As most everyone has noted, it sounds twangy and metallic.
5. Bridge placement on the p/u is critical. A slight tilt and string balance (EA vs DG) goes haywire.
6. The side extension is uncomfortable and doesn't stay put. I should make my own that just slips in the upper hole.
7. It's HEAVY- nearly 18lbs. If they'd routed out more woods and used lighter hardware, particularly for the endpin, they could knock off a lot of weight and make it better sounding.
Still, for what I paid ($400 delivered) it's a pretty good starting point. Strings go first, then the bridge, then maybe tailpiece, then fdeck preamp and rewiring to get rid of the switch and pilot light. (And a big thanks to Ethan for fast shipping and good packing!)
1. Yes, the strings are not very good. Used Spiros will go on some time today or tomorrow.
2. The end pin is too short, and too slippery. Comparing it to my Azola Bugbass, it's poorly engineered, too. Steve managed to make a simple and effective end pin with one clamp. These guys couldn't get it right with two. I'm going to replace it with either a piece of aluminum or fiberglass tubing. Probably aluminum. Might replace the whole thing.
3. The bridge is way too short.
4. As most everyone has noted, it sounds twangy and metallic.
5. Bridge placement on the p/u is critical. A slight tilt and string balance (EA vs DG) goes haywire.
6. The side extension is uncomfortable and doesn't stay put. I should make my own that just slips in the upper hole.
7. It's HEAVY- nearly 18lbs. If they'd routed out more woods and used lighter hardware, particularly for the endpin, they could knock off a lot of weight and make it better sounding.
Still, for what I paid ($400 delivered) it's a pretty good starting point. Strings go first, then the bridge, then maybe tailpiece, then fdeck preamp and rewiring to get rid of the switch and pilot light. (And a big thanks to Ethan for fast shipping and good packing!)
I would like to hear how any members may have swapped out that noisy power switch. Does replacing the volume pot with one that has the power switch built into it make sense?
I don't know the exact process, but my technician did for me a thing like that for my request just few weeks ago. i hated the noisy switch and the red diode was dimmed and once i forgot to turn off the switch all night and the battery was waisted.
so he bypassed the power switch and as he said, he just changed the direction of the cables on the power switch and now, the power is engaged only when i plug in a guitar cable, and the red light turn on to red. when i unplug the cable, the circuit is disengaged. like any ordinary active bass. in this arrangement, the power switch is always on the "on" position, and the headphone out jack doesn't work anymore but i never used it anyway.
i hope i explain it well because i am clueless in electronics, but it was looked like a simple electronic job.
and replace the input jack. replacing the cheap and poor jack with good locking Nutrik input jack, was one of the earliest upgrade i did for the Palatino.
so he bypassed the power switch and as he said, he just changed the direction of the cables on the power switch and now, the power is engaged only when i plug in a guitar cable, and the red light turn on to red. when i unplug the cable, the circuit is disengaged. like any ordinary active bass. in this arrangement, the power switch is always on the "on" position, and the headphone out jack doesn't work anymore but i never used it anyway.
i hope i explain it well because i am clueless in electronics, but it was looked like a simple electronic job.
and replace the input jack. replacing the cheap and poor jack with good locking Nutrik input jack, was one of the earliest upgrade i did for the Palatino.
I replaced the G and D with (lightly) used Spirocores; played a bit better but that did nothing for the tone. I took the bass over to Rob Wilson's shop to show it to him. Rob was out but Andy and I spent a few minutes talking about what might be done to improve it. He liked the idea of putting in a tail cord- he said that allowing the tailpiece to rotate around its axis would improve it, as well as getting rid of the twang end echo in the metal tailpiece.
While I look around for tailpiece materials I decided to fit a new bridge. Here's a pic of one I sawed out of maple that's being fitted:
Link Removed
Right away this bridge is more stable than the supplied unit. It's not adjustable but that shouldn't be necessary as this instrument isn't going to move much with the weather! When I get the string height where I want it I'll pretty it up more. Might cut away more material as well.
While I look around for tailpiece materials I decided to fit a new bridge. Here's a pic of one I sawed out of maple that's being fitted:
Link Removed
Right away this bridge is more stable than the supplied unit. It's not adjustable but that shouldn't be necessary as this instrument isn't going to move much with the weather! When I get the string height where I want it I'll pretty it up more. Might cut away more material as well.
I wouldn't do that, as you'd still have the possibility of it accidentally getting switched on. Or you might do that and do the output jack power switching trick as well.
The preamp on mine doesn't seem very noisy so I'm probably going to leave it for now and just replace the power switch with jack switching.
Hey out there in talbass land:
Well it's just about the end of the year and look how far we've come. I'd like to send a shout out to everyone who posted here this last year regardless of " mod" or non-"mod" or anyone in between.
The old VE 500 is still chugging along just fine and I did one more minor mod to deal with the ocassional ground problem I find at certain venues. I drilled a small hole in the end of the stock tailpiece and soldered a wire with an alligator clip on the end so I could clip on to a pickup and ground it out if need be.
My new years resolution is to work on a better tailpiece. I may try to use an old upright tailpiece and cut that down to size if possible. I will post a new video on Youtube when time and mods permit. Happy New Year.
Well it's just about the end of the year and look how far we've come. I'd like to send a shout out to everyone who posted here this last year regardless of " mod" or non-"mod" or anyone in between.
The old VE 500 is still chugging along just fine and I did one more minor mod to deal with the ocassional ground problem I find at certain venues. I drilled a small hole in the end of the stock tailpiece and soldered a wire with an alligator clip on the end so I could clip on to a pickup and ground it out if need be.
My new years resolution is to work on a better tailpiece. I may try to use an old upright tailpiece and cut that down to size if possible. I will post a new video on Youtube when time and mods permit. Happy New Year.
About to order a new set of strings for mine, going with the TI Spirocores- should be a nice improvement over the stock set still on it. Wondering about which length to order, 3/4 or 1/2? 1/2 seems to be the right length for the Palatino, anybody using them? And if I go with the 3/4, trim the string ends or just let them be? Thanks much for any help!
Thanks for the info, Nohandles- I appreciate it. This should be a very good week for my Palatino, as I'll pick up the strings I ordered (I did go with the 3/4 set) and also should receive my fdeck pre-amp. This thing is so much fun to play now, can't imagine how much more it's going to be with these updates!?!
I'm thinking of replacing my strings on the Palatino (well, not thinking...it has to happen...stock strings are too stiff and they're getting out of tune a lot).
I keep hearing a lot about D'Darrio Hybrid Lights here. I've also heard others.
I'm looking for a sound that can be versatile enough to do mostly baby-bass-like dark sounds and woody upright for jazz work. Light tension is a must for me. My main gig is electric work and I don't want to be putting my wrist through a workout just to play. I've played a friend's baby bass and it was so a joy to play (I also use Light Gauge electric bass strings) because his strings we're nice, loose, and close to the fretboard.
What strings would people recommend for use with a palatino VE-500 and for the uses I need it for, and where are the cheapest places to buy double-bass strings.
How I wish there was a webstrings.com for double-bass strings!
I keep hearing a lot about D'Darrio Hybrid Lights here. I've also heard others.
I'm looking for a sound that can be versatile enough to do mostly baby-bass-like dark sounds and woody upright for jazz work. Light tension is a must for me. My main gig is electric work and I don't want to be putting my wrist through a workout just to play. I've played a friend's baby bass and it was so a joy to play (I also use Light Gauge electric bass strings) because his strings we're nice, loose, and close to the fretboard.
What strings would people recommend for use with a palatino VE-500 and for the uses I need it for, and where are the cheapest places to buy double-bass strings.
How I wish there was a webstrings.com for double-bass strings!
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