Double Bass Similarities to Acoustic Upright

[S3Suggs]

What are some similarities and differences b/w the EUB and a 7/8's acoustic?

Thanks,
S3

 

[Francois Blais]

A 7/8 acoustic?
Why not, say, a 3/4 ?

Like its acoustic cousin, the EUB has a neck (some don't have a heel, but in most cases it,s pretty similar), fingerboard, bridge, a tailpiece (may be different but has the same purpose) and a body of some kind.

In fact, the biggest difference is the reduced body (which can be solid or semi-acoustic) and the need for amplification.
The rest is more or less the same.

Some EUBs are not bowable, but most are.

 

[Rick McLaughlin]

Every instrument is different, so you really have to try to play as many as you can. Like Francois says, 7/8 will be tricky. It's easier to find shorter scale than longer scale instruments. I endorse AlterEGO (like it says in my profile), and I think they can accommodate 7/8. Overall feel and sound are fantastic; bowing is great. http://www.Alter-ego.it
Best, Rick

 

[ChasFL]

In fact, the biggest difference is the reduced body (which can be solid or semi-acoustic) and the need for amplification.
The rest is more or less the same.

Francois,
What would you say would be the purpose of this one. It's a full body size of a DB (at least 2-dimensionally).

I play one and it has relatively the same playing feel as a DB, but I guess I would say that that I play it for the novelty, I like mixing up playing a EB with a DB, but that with this one you get a little more noticed as a musician when you bring something unique to the table.

 

[Francois Blais]

Well, its purpose is the same, no?
It's not really more compact than an acoustic though.
An interesting esthetic design.

 

[ChasFL]

Thanks, your'e right, the purpose is the same, I guess I was thinking of the question that would ask why upright bassists would want to play an EUB, and the most common answer I think would be compacticity, but this one wouldn't apply to that.

Here's another one I had looked at a while back Invalid Link Removed that doesn't really fit that mold of compactness, but has interesting aethetics as well. It looks like it changed names, when I first looked at it a few years ago it was called a Cetus bass but now it falls under the "Bridge" name.

 

[RBrownBass]

Thanks, your'e right, the purpose is the same, I guess I was thinking of the question that would ask why upright bassists would want to play an EUB, and the most common answer I think would be compacticity, but this one wouldn't apply to that.

There's no reason they wouldn't want to play one, other than possibly a greater emphasis on tradition (in terms of appearance as well as tone) among the DB community. It's all about what you want to hear... and, in the case of some listeners, see.

Slight rant lightly based on the question you've posed: It seems to me that the popular evolution of the bass took a turn when Leo Fender got into the game. The original Baby Bass could (should?) have been the next step, allowing double bassists another tonal option and the ability to play without fear of feedback or rooms or transport issues, but a lot of people who already owned and played AUBs didn't/don't want that for their sound. OTOH, the Precision opened the door for a lot of people who did not play DB and so maybe had fewer preconceived ideas about tone to express themselves. The slab's been allowed to sound like it sounds without anyone comparing it (favorably or otherwise) to an acoustic instrument. I've never read a post on this site asking why someone would want to play an EBG as opposed to an ABG. Never read one suggesting that an EBG should sound acoustic. For reasons unknown to me, the EUB has not yet experienced this liberation.

Here's another one I had looked at a while back Invalid Link Removed that doesn't really fit that mold of compactness, but has interesting aethetics as well. It looks like it changed names, when I first looked at it a few years ago it was called a Cetus bass but now it falls under the "Bridge" name.

I lusted after one of those for years before I got the Baby. Hope I don't sound like I'm on a crusade, but I'm in love with the sound of the Baby (mine has both piezo and mag pups) and there's no good reason IMO that it shouldn't have full membership in the category of instruments that have full value in and of themselves rather than simply as a substitute for another instrument.

Disclosure: I own an AUB, have owned two others, but none of them matched the quality -as instruments- of my Azola. But I've played enough good (and a few great) AUBs that I can make the call.

 

[Francois Blais]

<snip>The slab's been allowed to sound like it sounds without anyone comparing it (favorably or otherwise) to an acoustic instrument. I've never read a post on this site asking why someone would want to play an EBG as opposed to an ABG. Never read one suggesting that an EBG should sound acoustic. For reasons unknown to me, the EUB has not yet experienced this liberation. <snip>

Very interesting.
My opinion on this: the people on the other side of the forum are much more open-minded than on this side, with all due respect to everyone here.
There are a lot of purists in the DB world, thus the resistance you're describing.
Add to this that I'm on TB since its beginning, have been a moderator until recently, so I've seen a lot of people and read a lot of posts, so I've seen the proof of this many many times.
DB players are more anchored into tradition.
That's not criticism, just an observation.

 

[JtheJazzMan]

lots of people listen with their eyes too much.

as soon as they see you with an electric upright they immediately throw a whole bunch of connotations on you. youre judged before you even get to play a note.

i have a NS CR5M and love the tone. id love to play some of the EUBs i hear about in this thread and other threads, but id have to travel to america to check them out!

 

[ChasFL]

Quote: Chas
Here's another one I had looked at a while back Invalid Link Removed that doesn't really fit that mold of compactness, but has interesting aethetics as well. It looks like it changed names, when I first looked at it a few years ago it was called a Cetus bass but now it falls under the "Bridge" name.

I lusted after one of those for years before I got the Baby. Hope I don't sound like I'm on a crusade, but I'm in love with the sound of the Baby (mine has both piezo and mag pups) and there's no good reason IMO that it shouldn't have full membership in the category of instruments that have full value in and of themselves rather than simply as a substitute for another instrument.

Same here, I agree that EUB's should be in a class of their own, but I also think there is a distinct difference between the full body EUB's, such as those we have been discussing here, and those that relatively minimize the body element, which more or less leave you with just a neck on a stand or those with a minimal body to speak of.

I think there should be two distinct classes between the full body EUB's and the latter I mentioned.

 

[Francois Blais]

Thread closed.
Discussion redirected here: http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=532152

Best regards,
François
EUB forum co-mod