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Double Bass Teacher or Luthier bias against EUB's

#2
chaddukes said:
I heard mention in another thread about teachers not wanting to accept students who don't use Acoustic basses.

Is there a bias against EUB's? Do luthiers complain about setting up EUB's? What are your thoughts about this?

Chad
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I can't speak about teachers, but the luthiers I've brought EUBs to were very open-minded and liked to work on them!
 
#3
I have to chime in here, first of all because I'm from Bel Air, MD and I notice that's where chaddukes is located.

And also because we've had *so* many bass teachers and school music programs recommend EUBs for their students through the years. Especially for growing kids, sometimes EUBs are less cumbersome to carry, etc ... as long as the chosen EUB has the proper reference points and scale length so an easy transition can be made to the acoustic upright. That's been our experience anyway.

As far as luthiers who specialize in acoustic instruments are concerned, some of them may not want to mess with the on-board electronics with which many EUBs are equipped. But there shouldn't be any issues with fingerboard planing or any other basic woodworking issues. It really depends on the luthier, some are more open-minded than others. Guitar tech-types can usually handle any wiring repairs or pot replacements, that sort of thing. But it's often best to have the person who built the EUB do any work to it, if that's a cost-effective option.

- Steve
 
#4
As a teacher, I would have to assess each situation independently. If it was a second bass for a student, and occasional lesson was on the stick, I wouldn't have a problem. If it was a student that had no interest in exploring double bass, but wanted to augment his Slab arsenal with the stick, this would be fine as well.

Other than that, though, the stick has almost nothing to do with the bass once you get past basic left hand issues and would probably cause a mess down the road with someone who really wants to play the real bass. All of the time (months and years) needed to learn how to produce project a sound from the monster fiddle would have to be made up at a later date, meaning that time on the stick is likely time lost on a number of important issues with playing the double bass.
 
#5
Well, my situation is that I am saving up for a "real" bass. I'm not going to invest in a cheap plywood instrument. I'm going to save up and get a decent instrument that I won't outgrow in a year. In the meantime I can build an EUB. I'm fairly handy, and quite confident that I can build something decent. The neck will be a copy of a normal DB neck (Eb neck) and all other dimensions will be as identical to a DB as possible. This will get me started while I save money for the next year or more to get an Acoustic bass. But I figured that I would take it to a luthier to have them look it over and do the final set up.

I mean wouldn't it be better to be playing than not?

By the way, Mr. Azola...I didn't know you were from Bel Air, MD.

Chad
 
#6
chaddukes said:
I mean wouldn't it be better to be playing than not?
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I suppose, but wouldn't the wordworking time be better spent playing? You can get a good ply in the $1,500-$2,000 range. I spent most of my professional career on a plywood bass and don't feel that I've suffered because of it, although I wasn't working on the bow at all for that time. I'd say that if you can swing the money, a good ply bass is still a better deal than busting up your hands for how many weeks (or months) and then still not having time on a real bass.
Just my thought on it...
 
#10
Carrying them around is a minor issue, really, unless you're talking airports. People that have not moved them much make a bigger deal out of this than bass players. I think a lot of us cart the things around with pride -- kind of a war medal of sorts...
 
#11
chaddukes said:
Well, my situation is that I am saving up for a "real" bass.
Click to expand...
Well, if you don't consider an EUB to be real, don't waste your time/money on one. Hang out for the instrument you really want.

My own view is that my Warwick Thumb, my fretless Jazz, my EUB, my borrowed URB and my home-made one-string broomstick are all real basses that make real music when used appropriately.
 

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