• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Double Bass Recognise This?

#21
KUNGfuSHERIFF said:
I see at least nine serious mistakes in those photos.
Click to expand...
I got... 1. neck too short before it hits the "heel," and 2. guitar-style top mounted tailpiece (no tailgut)... 3. uh.. control knobs are in a weird spot?

Edit.. after looking at pics of other EUBs, this thing actually looks pretty normal? I guess the strings are through the body? What are the nine issues KungFu?
 
Last edited:
#22
It reminds me of the old [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] (Compact Upright Bass) Custom. I'm not sure if Atelier Z made these in-house or contracted them out to a firm like Oriente, who built the [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] for Atelier Z.

The original CUB was discontinued some time ago in favour of the URB, but a revised model (the CUB "Travellin' Bass") was released in the last few years.

If it is an older CUB, it will be well made and have quality hardware and electronics.
 
  • Like
Reactions: SAlcott, slowjam98 and Oz levett
#24
Dabndug said:
It reminds me of the old [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] (Compact Upright Bass) Custom. I'm not sure if Atelier Z made these in-house or contracted them out to a firm like Oriente, who built the [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] for Atelier Z.

The original CUB was discontinued some time ago in favour of the URB, but a revised model (the CUB "Travellin' Bass") was released in the last few years.

If it is an older CUB, it will be well made and have quality hardware and electronics.
Click to expand...

Good find, thank you! It does look very similar to the one in your link. I will be seeing this in the flesh at the weekend so I'll feedback on how it sounds and plays.
 
#25
Dabndug said:
It reminds me of the old [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] (Compact Upright Bass) Custom. I'm not sure if Atelier Z made these in-house or contracted them out to a firm like Oriente, who built the [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] for Atelier Z.

The original CUB was discontinued some time ago in favour of the URB, but a revised model (the CUB "Travellin' Bass") was released in the last few years.

If it is an older CUB, it will be well made and have quality hardware and electronics.
Click to expand...
I think that has to be it, has the same 4 small circles (knobs?) under the E string. I knew someone here would get it!
 
  • Like
Reactions: nbsipics and Oz levett
#26
For 200 that might be ok.

The missing vibrating tailpiece let the underlengths ring. Putting some foam at the tailpiece end of the strings pressing against them can help.

A main no-go might be a non-D and non-Eb neck. I would check that first.

If the fingerboard profile is less curved than a DB fingerboard bowing might be hard to almost impossible (without taking a neighbor string too by accident). Changing that often is impossible and if it still is possible that costs probably as much as the bass itself. Not a problem if you don't want to bow at all.

EUBs have very often a lot of conceptual problems. In most cases no double bassist or DB builder is involved in development. So it is hard to get a good EUB that is not too much expensive.

That instrument is a bit better than a Stagg EDB in quality. Better tuners, better bridge. Probably better fingerboard.
Knobs are not a a good position, but acceptable. Piezo pickup could be added, but with a solid body, you need a two-element one. The magnetic should work for a blues band or anything that gets loud but not for bowing.

If you want a serious EUB get something different and pay five to ten times as much. If you want some fun for a tight budget, get it.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Oz levett
#27
Sure. Starting from the top:

1. Lack of scroll a positive for portability but may rob instrument of fundamental.

2. Open-back pegbox whose cheeks progressively narrow toward the nut appears excessively fragile and at risk of shearing off following lateral impact.

3. Fingerboard material is unidentified, which is never good. Or cheap to replace when it wears out.

4. Overstand is nonexistent and fingerboard appears mounted to body, meaning instrument will never sound or respond like a double bass, only vaguely look like one.

5. Bridge overly thick by a factor of 100% or more.

6. Bridge misaligned.

7. Tailpiece is completely wrong. Whoever is responsible for that should be fired immediately.

8. Strings are a mismatch of Helicore Hybrid E and Pizzicato ADG, which is not a selection anyone would deliberately make, suggesting a lack of care by current and/or prior owner.

9. Overall fit and finish is difficult to determine from photos but appears to be on a par with Stagg and similar instruments sold in mall music shops.

Bonus/10. What is up with that pickup? What on Earth will you do when it eventually fails and needs to be replaced?
 
  • Like
Reactions: nbsipics, Oz levett and unbrokenchain
#33
Dabndug said:
It reminds me of the old [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] (Compact Upright Bass) Custom. I'm not sure if Atelier Z made these in-house or contracted them out to a firm like Oriente, who built the [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] for Atelier Z.

The original CUB was discontinued some time ago in favour of the URB, but a revised model (the CUB "Travellin' Bass") was released in the last few years.

If it is an older CUB, it will be well made and have quality hardware and electronics.
Click to expand...

Wow, nice pull. That has got to be it.
 
#34
I'd go $200 without blinking. The scroll (or lack thereof) doesn't worry me. My Merchant Vertical Bass has the same type and has survived years of travel and use. The bridge can be fixed/replaced. The tailpiece-who cares? It's an electric instrument-all the tailpiece does is hold the strings. The pickup(s) look like standard-issue Fender Mustang/Musicmaster type in a housing; not too hard to work on if necessary. No way to know exactly where the neck heel is from a frontal shot combined with some lens angle distortion; same with bridge/fingerboard curvature. The most problematic thing I see is how to balance it in playing position. Bill Merchant solved that with a horizontal bar that attaches to the endpin, which works fine.
 
  • Like
Reactions: unbrokenchain
#35
I'd guess that body support is attached by a pivoting ball joint, that the strings go through the body and that the "tailpiece" is just a cover (judging by the length of silk exposed). Neck angle/overstand is likely to be much different than an acoustic DB (or nonexistent as KFS suggested) but since there's not much body to speak of, I couldn't see it being much a problem with the bow really, as long as there's enough radius to the board. The bridge does look funky but that could be fixed.
I've never played an EUB and don't have a need for one, but I've sure spent $200 on stuff way sillier than this thing.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Oz levett
#37
KUNGfuSHERIFF said:
I had and gigged an MVB for years too.

Bill carves the pegboxes to be stronger than the average DB scroll, but this ain’t that, and I’ll guarantee you the wood it’s carved from isn’t as good.
Click to expand...
Why so negative? Atelier Z isn't exactly known as an "off" brand. They do some pretty high end stuff. I don't think they're quite as incompetent as you seem to think. Some folks here even prefer them to their American made counterparts...
 
  • Like
Reactions: B-Mac, SAlcott and statsc
#38
bholder said:
Why so negative? Atelier Z isn't exactly known as an "off" brand. They do some pretty high end stuff. I don't think they're quite as incompetent as you seem to think. Some folks here even prefer them to their American made counterparts...
Click to expand...
The Atelier Z Bass Owners Club
 
  • Like
Reactions: bholder

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back