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Double Bass Poll: The Best EUB
- Thread starter DrGroove
- Start date
I'm thinkin' of getting a Clevinger Concerto 6 string monster. Have any of you played a Clev Concerto?
You forgot the Emminence EUB from G.Edward Lutherie.
I'm new to upright, but as I have heard that these are good for BOTH bowing and pizz.
So far I am pleased, to my ear the pizz is very good,but I'm a newbie to UR. Bowing I can't say as my bowing is still crap!
Check my thread"Emminence buyer taken care of"
I'm new to upright, but as I have heard that these are good for BOTH bowing and pizz.
So far I am pleased, to my ear the pizz is very good,but I'm a newbie to UR. Bowing I can't say as my bowing is still crap!
Check my thread"Emminence buyer taken care of"
I've really enjoyed my Knutson Messenger bass by Knutson Luthiery. It's built like a tank and travels well. It's a little more traditional feeling and looking, kind of like the fender of EUB's. Lots of people have asked me to play it instead of elec. bass. I bought it nine years ago and if I were to buy a new and different make it would probably be the Eminence due to the trad. feel and look.
Originally posted by mchildree
That's the biggest damn earring I've ever seen!
Ray Brown only needs 4 strings.
- Mar 22, 2000
- 1,972
- 73
- Disclosures
- Big Cheese Emeritus: Gollihur Music (retired)
Sometimes the classics aren't enough, I guess. Reminds me of the story....
During a recording session, a very good classical guitarist played his solo for the piece, with, of course, the inevitable squeaks accompanying changing positions.
The producer came over and complimented him on his play, but asked, "can you stop making those squeaking sounds?"
The player replied, "Even Andres Segova makes those sounds!!"
"That's why he didn't get this call," the producer replied.
During a recording session, a very good classical guitarist played his solo for the piece, with, of course, the inevitable squeaks accompanying changing positions.
The producer came over and complimented him on his play, but asked, "can you stop making those squeaking sounds?"
The player replied, "Even Andres Segova makes those sounds!!"
"That's why he didn't get this call," the producer replied.
Is there anywhere else I could see a pic of the 7-string??? Sounds obscene to me (why more than 6 on any electric instrument), but I MUST SEE THIS DAMN THING.
- Mar 22, 2000
- 1,972
- 73
- Disclosures
- Big Cheese Emeritus: Gollihur Music (retired)
I have to chime in with the Messenger Bass, made by John Knutson (see it at: http://www.messengerbass.com/). I have had one for several years now and I'm very happy with it. It has a real fingerboard and bridge and feels and sounds very good. It is light and small and travels well.
In my senior year in high school (1988-89)I joined the band because they gave you an instrument to take home for practice. That led to a love for the upright, which led to be getting a fretless. I played fretless since 89 and about a year ago I decided I needed a change.
I realized I didn't want an acoustic upright, but that the fretless bass guitar couldn't be physically approached "correctly" for the sounds I heard in my head. So I looked into EUB's. It can get an "uprighty" sound, but it a genuinely electric instrument. After research I bought an NS Designs US Series 5 string.
It solved my problem! I'm sure there's other great EUB's out there, but for my needs I had to have a bass that functioned electrically because of the power of that, and also the approachability for the more physical playing and body-connection to what is being done when music is played in the fashion of an upright player.
It's easy to do some things that involve thumb-position for playing arpeggios, my vibrato seems to be more natural from that position. It also sounds good with effects (though I only own a looping pedal).
There's my two cents!
I realized I didn't want an acoustic upright, but that the fretless bass guitar couldn't be physically approached "correctly" for the sounds I heard in my head. So I looked into EUB's. It can get an "uprighty" sound, but it a genuinely electric instrument. After research I bought an NS Designs US Series 5 string.
It solved my problem! I'm sure there's other great EUB's out there, but for my needs I had to have a bass that functioned electrically because of the power of that, and also the approachability for the more physical playing and body-connection to what is being done when music is played in the fashion of an upright player.
It's easy to do some things that involve thumb-position for playing arpeggios, my vibrato seems to be more natural from that position. It also sounds good with effects (though I only own a looping pedal).
There's my two cents!
what, no eminence?!?
i've owned a very sweeeeet Azola Bugbass II, and will tell you, the craftsmanship is off the chart! literally spoiled me compared to all else i've seen, and in NYC, you see quite a few EUB's, including the NS Design 5 strng, and a BSX 4 string. unfortunately, i sold it to buy a Komet Constellation 30. still, regretting it.
but curiousity, however, piqued my interest in looking for a different flavor in a portable EUB, and i found the Eminence portable 5 string. WOW, great instrument.
but truth be told, when i first got it, i didnt like how the portable's neck didnt quite sit flush with the rest of the body. and tho, the dovetail joint was very tight and secure, i didnt like seeing a 1/4" gap on eiter side of the neck where it joined the body. again, the Azola's craftsmanship greatly spoiled me. also, the "bar" shaped foot is rather annoying, and i kinda wish it was a "ball" end like my old Bugbass. and the stomach rest isnt nearly as adjustable as the Bugbass.
but these are minor quibbles aside, cause, the rest of the bass is flat out superb! from the very attractive body's curvey, sophistcated volutes, to the sweeeet buttery subtly sunburst finish. i got quite the complements at my last rehearsal. and i really liked the massive brass bridge, and attractively carved headstock.
but, it was the SOUND made all the difference. acoustically, it just felt very alive. i could have gone on playing the guy without the amp!
plugging into my Alessandro or Acoustic Image head thru my Acme B-1 cab, the Realist's naturally dark voice was perfect for giving the smaller body a nice big bottom'ed push. the Azola's pickup system was nice, but was a little too brite and strident for my tastes. but, the combo of the woody & vocally notched Emnience sound, along the smokey, big bottomed Realist is exactly the sound i wanted in an EUB!
granted the Azola was a solid body, the hollow body makes all the difference in the world. still, i'd be very interested in what Steve can do, and his new "Euro-Coustic" series looks really inviting.
but i couldnt be happier with the sound of my Emninence. tho, i'm primarily an electric bassist, and the eminence aint exactly gonna instantly make me a switch hitter like John Patitucci, its sure fun trying to be! again, a very impressive toney instrument that has greatly excited me to go back to trying the wash tub, errr... skinny wash tub. 
i've owned a very sweeeeet Azola Bugbass II, and will tell you, the craftsmanship is off the chart! literally spoiled me compared to all else i've seen, and in NYC, you see quite a few EUB's, including the NS Design 5 strng, and a BSX 4 string. unfortunately, i sold it to buy a Komet Constellation 30. still, regretting it.
but curiousity, however, piqued my interest in looking for a different flavor in a portable EUB, and i found the Eminence portable 5 string. WOW, great instrument.
but truth be told, when i first got it, i didnt like how the portable's neck didnt quite sit flush with the rest of the body. and tho, the dovetail joint was very tight and secure, i didnt like seeing a 1/4" gap on eiter side of the neck where it joined the body. again, the Azola's craftsmanship greatly spoiled me. also, the "bar" shaped foot is rather annoying, and i kinda wish it was a "ball" end like my old Bugbass. and the stomach rest isnt nearly as adjustable as the Bugbass.
but these are minor quibbles aside, cause, the rest of the bass is flat out superb! from the very attractive body's curvey, sophistcated volutes, to the sweeeet buttery subtly sunburst finish. i got quite the complements at my last rehearsal. and i really liked the massive brass bridge, and attractively carved headstock.
but, it was the SOUND made all the difference. acoustically, it just felt very alive. i could have gone on playing the guy without the amp!
plugging into my Alessandro or Acoustic Image head thru my Acme B-1 cab, the Realist's naturally dark voice was perfect for giving the smaller body a nice big bottom'ed push. the Azola's pickup system was nice, but was a little too brite and strident for my tastes. but, the combo of the woody & vocally notched Emnience sound, along the smokey, big bottomed Realist is exactly the sound i wanted in an EUB!granted the Azola was a solid body, the hollow body makes all the difference in the world. still, i'd be very interested in what Steve can do, and his new "Euro-Coustic" series looks really inviting.
but i couldnt be happier with the sound of my Emninence. tho, i'm primarily an electric bassist, and the eminence aint exactly gonna instantly make me a switch hitter like John Patitucci, its sure fun trying to be!
again, a very impressive toney instrument that has greatly excited me to go back to trying the wash tub, errr... skinny wash tub. I'm glad to see that you are as happy with your new Eminence Bass as I am with mine. These basses are truly different than most other EUB's on the market. I don't think that they can be beat in terms of being able to produce a woody tone that compares favorably to a "real upright". You should have very little trouble getting used to the T shaped endpin, it helps a lot to keep the bass for getting away from you while being played in a standing position.
I'll be taking the neck off mine in a couple of days, I'm flying from LA to Osaka, Japan to begin a three month jazz gig at The Hyatt Regency starting early November.
It's a real pleasure not having to worry about flying with a "real upright" anymore, the flight case I used to have to use when traveling was one of the "anvil" type, a big rectangle shaped monster that cost many hundreds of dollars to fly air cargo. Now I just stick the Eminence in the golf club case, check it thru regular baggage and it flies just fine, no worries and a great sound.
I hope I don't sound like some sort of shill for Eminence, I paid for mine, no endorsments or any such thing. I got mine from Bob Golliher, he does sell them for a very fair price, quite a bit lower than the manufactures list. They are worth every dollar. I have not seen the new Azola hollow basses in person yet, I may be wrong, but their web-site does not offer a bass with a removable neck option. For me, the removable neck is one of the Eminence Basses strongest selling points, because with airplane overhead racks often too small these days to even accomidate a bass guitar in a gig bag I must have an instrument that fits in a hard case small enough to not be charged as "oversized" baggage by the airlines, my old Carruthers SUB-1 Bass could do this, but as good as it did sound, the Eminence beats it, both in terms of sound and looks, you would be surprized to know how many people are out there that are slow to warm up to the idea of a "stick bass" but are willing to accept the Eminence Bass, solely on it's visual merits, it's a shame that there are a lot of idiot bandleaders, who listen with their eyes, instead of their ears. Believe me when I tell you, a lot of these cats would cast a doubtful eye towards me when I used to show up on a gig with my Carruthers, and ask me "next time bring your real bass". That has never happened since I started using the Eminence!
I'll be taking the neck off mine in a couple of days, I'm flying from LA to Osaka, Japan to begin a three month jazz gig at The Hyatt Regency starting early November.
It's a real pleasure not having to worry about flying with a "real upright" anymore, the flight case I used to have to use when traveling was one of the "anvil" type, a big rectangle shaped monster that cost many hundreds of dollars to fly air cargo. Now I just stick the Eminence in the golf club case, check it thru regular baggage and it flies just fine, no worries and a great sound.
I hope I don't sound like some sort of shill for Eminence, I paid for mine, no endorsments or any such thing. I got mine from Bob Golliher, he does sell them for a very fair price, quite a bit lower than the manufactures list. They are worth every dollar. I have not seen the new Azola hollow basses in person yet, I may be wrong, but their web-site does not offer a bass with a removable neck option. For me, the removable neck is one of the Eminence Basses strongest selling points, because with airplane overhead racks often too small these days to even accomidate a bass guitar in a gig bag I must have an instrument that fits in a hard case small enough to not be charged as "oversized" baggage by the airlines, my old Carruthers SUB-1 Bass could do this, but as good as it did sound, the Eminence beats it, both in terms of sound and looks, you would be surprized to know how many people are out there that are slow to warm up to the idea of a "stick bass" but are willing to accept the Eminence Bass, solely on it's visual merits, it's a shame that there are a lot of idiot bandleaders, who listen with their eyes, instead of their ears. Believe me when I tell you, a lot of these cats would cast a doubtful eye towards me when I used to show up on a gig with my Carruthers, and ask me "next time bring your real bass". That has never happened since I started using the Eminence!
Hey Mike; nice gig! I've had nothing but great experiences during my tours of Japan. Whatta cool place. Have a great time.
I like the versatility of my Clevinger Deluxe 5 string. Good arco tones with full pizz too.
I use it mainly for tribal/middle eastern styles, but some jazz or funk too.
I use it mainly for tribal/middle eastern styles, but some jazz or funk too.
That would be me. I just asked over on BG why there's no EUB info around here.......
BTW, Mr. G's site is too much. In a good way.
-RH
