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Double Bass Takamine B10?

junglebike

junglebike

Feb 14, 2003
658
54
51
San Diego, CA
www.mattcurreri.com
#1
Along the lines of the Barker, it seems, kind of a ABG/EUB/URB fretless crossover, with a 34" scale, for the low low price of $2500 -- anyone played one of these? There's one TB-er who'se got one, with a bunch of recordings up here: www.deborahjcarter.com

Sounds pretty good to me! Very much like a modern URB tone. Anyone else had experience with these? Not too much info about them out there.
 
#3
I've played one a few times. A very nice instrument - attractive woods and antique finish. It's more like playing a URB than you'd expect, with a nice arched ebony fingerboard. It's easier to play it upright on the spkie than in guitar position.
Not one for the traditionalists, but if you need a more compact instrument this may be useful. Not loud enough acoustically to hold its own in a group, but I guess that's pretty normal.
 
#4
Thanks for the responses -- I guess I'm just struggling with the role of the URB these days... as much as we talk about "tradition", and as much as we know how beautiful a well-played URB sounds, in the real world (i.e. my gig last night) I've got a crappy sound guy, feedback, a piezo pickup, not enough control over stage mix, etc, etc. I have no idea what the audience heard, or whether I was in tune.

Sometimes I get the feeling I'm playing a stage prop, and that sound-wise, it'd be just the same with my jazz bass. I guess I envision the B10 as a sort of a compromise that remedies some of the problems that come up trying to play an URB live, and also mitigates some of the difficulties inherant to URB playing (i.e. super long scale length, large size, etc.) Bottom line -- if it sounds better in the real world to you and the audience, it *is* better, tradition be damned. *rant mode off*
 
#6
junglebike said:
Sometimes I get the feeling I'm playing a stage prop, and that sound-wise, it'd be just the same with my jazz bass. I guess I envision the B10 as a sort of a compromise that remedies some of the problems that come up trying to play an URB live, and also mitigates some of the difficulties inherant to URB playing (i.e. super long scale length, large size, etc.) Bottom line -- if it sounds better in the real world to you and the audience, it *is* better, tradition be damned. *rant mode off*
Click to expand...
A very good point indeed.
What really counts is the final result, no matter what you use to get it!
Furthermore if you're more comfortable with the smaller instrument.
Is it bowable?
 
#8
francois said:
Is it bowable?
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I haven't actually tried to bow one (I've only ever played them in guitar shops) but the bridge/fingerboard radius certainly looks as though it's designed for arco. The first one I played had roundwounds and sounded more BG-ish, but recently there was an older one in a shop with flatwounds and it sounded much more like a URB (or at least a good EUB).
The used one was selling for $3000 Australian - the sales guy said retail was $5000!
 
#9
I always love reading these cranky emails by doublebass purists who scoff at any instrument that doesn't boast the same dimensions as the instrument they lug around..... Its like a red badge of courage or something- I have played double bass for 30+ years; orchestral, chamber, jazz, bluegrass- whatever. I also own a EUB, myriad fretless, fretted, 4,5,&6 string instruments, and have even played minimoog bass on stage- so get over yourselves- its the frequency and function that we are concerned with-
The Takamine propably isn't the right instrument to play the Hindemith sonata on, and my 110 year old german flatback isn't going to sound very good on "Thankyoufalettin'me Be myself Again"........

Right?
 
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#10
junglebike said:
There's one TB-er who'se got one, with a bunch of recordings up here: www.deborahjcarter.com.
Click to expand...

Yup, that's me. http://www.markzandveld.com
All the recordings of " 'Round Moonlight" and "Girl-Talking!" are done with the B10. On "Daytripper" I've used also Fenders, a Crafter 5-string acoustic and a Yamaha BEX that has an interesting mix of magnetic and piezo pu's. There are also video clips now on both sites.

junglebike said:
Sounds pretty good to me!
Click to expand...

Thanks. The thread that tumbao posted the link for features my opinions about the B10 - no need to repeat it here.

I also recently received from Takamine a custom built fretted version of the B10, for horizontal playing. There's a pic on my personal site.
 
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#11
francois said:
As far as I'm concerned, this is an acoustic BG, not an EUB.
Playing a BG in upright fashion doesn't transform it into an EUB, methinks.
If you play an upright horizontally, does that qualify it as a bass guitar?
Click to expand...

It is in fact technically an ABG, but it is designed to be played upright. Would that be an UABG :).

To me it feels more like a mini UR than a BG though.

Curiously, on several occasions announcers introduced me with: And on contrabass.....
Apparently, if it's played upright most people (but notably not Upright players) perceive it as an Upright.

If lay people ask me what it is, I generally describe it as a minicontrabass, that is avoiding the technicalities and most easily understood.
 
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#13
BassFelt said:
It is in fact technically an ABG, but it is designed to be played upright. Would that be an UABG :).

To me it feels more like a mini UR than a BG though.

Curiously, on several occasions announcers introduced me with: And on contrabass.....
Apparently, if it's played upright most people (but notably not Upright players) perceive it as an Upright.

If lay people ask me what it is, I generally describe it as a minicontrabass, that is avoiding the technicalities and most easily understood.
Click to expand...

Beautiful playing in all your ensembles.
 

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