Double Bass The DEFINITIVE Palatino EUB Modification Thread

[joenoone]

And you need some kind of body support that sticks to your body. The polished metal ones won't do. Refining the idea of the previous EUB owner, I put two layers of rubber foam tube around the metal rod, the first spirally cut to get a smaller diameter and the second as is over the inner layer of spirally cut rubber foam. Works very well!

For my Palatino, I just used a pool noodle to fit around the bar. Works great as the original bar is really small.

 

[Deltatim]

This is my solution to stability. A home built EUB, Palatino-like. I used a 9 inchnmobile mount, and a piece of walnut I had laying around. Fully adjustable, and stows flat. Made a huge difference, feels much more like Big Thumper.

 

[GKon]

So I was thinking about putting in an upright bass endpin in the bottom of mine. I've seen that the inside is mostly hollow and I don't like the balance point of the standard leg (it wants to spin around backwards). Has anyone tried this?

If I remember correctly somebody tried this and posted about it on the Palatino megathreads but their result wasn't so good.
Don't quote me on that.

 

[GKon]

This is my solution to stability. A home built EUB, Palatino-like. I used a 9 inchnmobile mount, and a piece of walnut I had laying around. Fully adjustable, and stows flat. Made a huge difference, feels much more like Big Thumper.View attachment 2759098 View attachment 2759099

I like that a lot.

 

[GKon]

For my Palatino, I just used a pool noodle to fit around the bar. Works great as the original bar is really small.
View attachment 2758645

I did something similar by using the insulation that goes around plumbing pipes.

Also, I bent my body support bar to 90° . It allows the bass to press up against my body a lot more like an AUB would.

 

[TrendSpotter]

This is my solution to stability. A home built EUB, Palatino-like. I used a 9 inchnmobile mount, and a piece of walnut I had laying around. Fully adjustable, and stows flat. Made a huge difference, feels much more like Big Thumper.View attachment 2759098 View attachment 2759099

Hi - Can you give some more detail on the mount? What is it? Where do you find such a thing?

 

[Deltatim]

Hi - Can you give some more detail on the mount? What is it? Where do you find such a thing?

You can find a variety of flex mounts at any cell phone store. There are different length center sections to get the spaceing you want. Dont get the spiroflex type. Not secure enough.

 

[ddbassGA]

Late to this thread. I've had Ampeg baby bass, Clevinger, WAV, Ergo, Eminence, and CFB. None came close enough to the real bass to justify keeping for the twice a year I needed the portability. Picked up a PAL 550 Ebay special $349. The listing said pickup was bad and I tended to agree, it had a horrible booming, echoing, feedback sound. But after reading the threads it sounded like mine was par for a stock 500/550.

So today was mod day. I cut the curlicues off the tailpiece, filed down the welds and slipped cut lengths of automotive rubber vacuum hose ($1.50) down the rods. Boom, no more ringing tailpiece. Stopped at the bike shop and got a throwaway inner tube. Cut it the width of the pickup and double the length. Wrapped the pickup, attaching it with 3M 2-sided rubber tape. The bridge feet were angled exactly the wrong direction so the bridge angled up. I just turned them both 180° and the bridge now forms a 90° with the lower body. I put on a good set of D'Addario Zyex take-offs I had been holding onto. Added a good cane tip to the end pin. It has a metal washer in the bottom, but in also put a penny (perfect diameter) in there to keep the shaft from pushing through. Finally, I had a stiff leather shoulder pad from a guitar strap and I put that on the bout bar facing out and it keeps the PAL from slipping off my ribcage.. Voila! A stick bass that sounds and plays pretty darn good for under $400.

 

[ken downe]

Anyone tried a Nimomute ? Maybe the rubber under the bridge feet that we all use does the same thing?

 

[ricardex]

Hello gang!
I just wanted to share a little sample of how the Palatino sounds.
This is my The Police Tribute Band "Zendatta"
cheers!

 

[Wolf7]

Hi I'm new here.

According the "bicycle tube" modification on a Palatino VE-500...
What thickness are we speaking about? Does this matter in any way?

Thanx in advance

 

[carl h.]

I just used one I found on the side of the road. Thicker would be better than a racing tire, but you don't need a super thick tube either. Something like a cheap kids bike tube is fine.

 

[Wolf7]

Great. Thanks Carl. Let’s have a try.

 

[SteveBassJr]

Anyone know what kind of strings come stock? I am going to replace them not sure what to get. I play mostly jazz- blues - rock -funk.

 

[Marty Forrer]

In a post from much earlier someone was enquiring about a free-standing set up. The hot tip is to get a bongo stand, not a flimsy lightweight one, but a decent double braced one. They have a U shaped piece of steel that the bar of the bongos sits in. This is easily modified by removing the threaded rod, flattening the U in a vice and drilling four screw holes to screw it to the back of the EUB. Voila! Instant free standing EUB.

 

[Steven Auletto]

Just got a set of these for my Palentino. Big nylon/kevlar strings in several colors. $45 USD on amazon . They give you "6" string sizes to find your preferred feel and tone. Good for slap/ rockabilly type. I like 'em !
I was just getting some modifications done on it and had it supported in a corner for a photo.....and it quickly turned to one side and fell. The neck popped out and forward half way. no splintering, just separated all the glue lines. The neck joint had already given me concerns as it had finish cracks all around it.
I just bought it 10 days ago. In addition , all the front perimeter edges had a sharp separation line like a knife edge. It is actually 3/32" thick wood veneer glued and pinned onto the sides of the body. It had begun to delaminate causing the sharp edges. I have a considerable amount of woodworking experience, in addition to having build my own (limited production) line of custom electric basses....so repairing it is not a problem to me. I was bummed about the issues, but better now, than later ! I paid $350 cash for it at a pawn shop. I'll post pics of it once back together and with it's new paint ! Also trying the new ebay preamp/tuner setup, recommended in this forum.

Strings I bought, link to amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BBX2TWW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Steven Auletto]

All repaired and painted. I have to say, the level of construction quality in the body is terrible at best. the sandwich method is fine, but the blocking they used was up to 1/8" gapped from adjacent pieces. I will probably make a new body out of Mahogany down the road ( with flame maple top and back of course !). Anyway..... here are a few pics as of yesterday. The wire under the fingerboard is a piezo pickup temporarily in place to pick up the "slap" on it's own preamp. Still not done with trying different electronics yet. Sorting out what I like, what works and what does not. Thanks for this group ! Really helped me stay ahead of known issues, so I could address them sooner than later. Adapting from standard electric bass to upright is challenging for the right hand, learning a completely different "slapping" technique.... but I'm getting the hang of it !

 

[carl h.]

That's a lot of work there. Now it's time for a proper crutch tip (go to a good pharmacy, not a hardware store).

 

[Steven Auletto]

That's a lot of work there. Now it's time for a proper crutch tip (go to a good pharmacy, not a hardware store).

Great "Tip" ! (pun intended). I'll get one today, thanks for that !

 

[Barcza]

Hey, Whatever justifies yourself trying to continue using the Palatino is fine..

Don't lie to yourself though, the Palatino was an attempt at something.. I don't know what.. but something..

It was a failure.. It's heavy, terribly built with no thought out construction and structure, sounds is just an Electric bass, as that is all it is literally is, just standing up.. and has an absolute horrid stock bridge, I don't know why they even made those bridges.. the Tailpiece has the most horrid ring if you don't change it out or completely dampen it with something, the batteries.. the poles, the cheap tuning pegs, the god knows whatever thin rubbery strings that come on it, the pickup is.. eh.. what's the point, you fixed it all right?

Look, I'm glad you think it's good and for whatever reason it works for you ok. good. If you know someone who wants one (uh.. to modify I mean since you can't just use it normally) I will sell them mine.. I even have a good shipping box to send it in..

You can buy a nice Electric Bass which sounds the same if not better than the Palatino for 350 Euros..

If you like it, good for you but I don't know why you wouldn't just play electric bass buddy.. It's easier for everything and sounds better..

The jazz band leaders are more happy with an URB than El bass they think this is more jazz...And this is fretless and piezzo equipped sounds little different, bowable and because you play different way, upright, different fingerings, picking, the phrasing is different too....
When possible I bring my real Upright to jazz and acoustic gigs, on Funk, R&B gigs I bring my electric, and on budget jazz gigs I bring my modded Pallatino....