• 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 Ugly EUB's

ii7-V7

ii7-V7

Aug 4, 2002
748
257
Baltimore, MD
thedukeandduchesspodcast.com
#1
I find that when EUB makers try to make thier products look like skinny DB it just turns me off! I know that this is just me, but....Yuck! The C bouts and curves just don't look right to me when taken out of scale. I'd rather look at a NS than an Azola....Doesn't mean taht would be the entire basis of my decision but it does count for somthing. Still I'd prefer the neck/fingerboard and body to be two separate peices unlike a "Stick" bass.

Does anyone else find this to be true? What are the designs that you find unattractive?
 
#2
To be honest, I prefer the designs that approach the regular DB feel and concept.
I hate the instruments which are only a fingerboard. (no offense to people who own such instruments)
I began on regular DB, and I need a minimum of physical and visual details to feel comfortable on a EUB.
As a matter of fact, I own a Carruthers, but I don't like its look either, although it's more than only a fingerboard. I liked my old BugBass design much better!
 
#3
I too dislike the "stick," as I call it...I'm sure I'm not the first to think of that name. There's nothing there to keep the thing stable....I don't like tripods either.

I like having a body there to approximate the feel of a DB, but most that attempt to imitate the DB body style just seem ugly to me.

It seems that its hard to find anything that isn't a "stick" or a skinny DB body. Very little between those two spectrums.

Chad

*edit* I just realized that Steve Azola frequents this board. Please understand, Mr. Azola, that this is strictly my opinion of the design aesthetic's, not a criticism of its tone, or functionality. The design that primarily is unappealing to me is the BabyBass which I realize is actually an Ampeg design. Hey, there's no accounting for taste.
 
#5
Chad -

I cruise through TB when I can, primarily because I'm a bass player. I'm always curious about what's going on gear-wise in both the electric bass guitar world and on the double bass side. Once in while something pops up that either Jill or I feel warrants a public post or a private message to someone. But mostly I'm just keeping tabs on new amps and pickups, etc.

I'm certainly not offended by anything you said. There's a reason there's such a variety of body styles, construction methods, and pickup configurations on the market. Different things appeal to different people. Players differ in the priority they give to factors like natural sound character, upright feel, portability, aesthetics, price. As the saying goes, "ain't nuthin' like the real thing", but EUBs can be the right fit in certain situations.

Good luck with your project.

- Steve
 
#6
I appreciate your understanding that I was not maligning your product but rather expressing my tastes.

I wouldn't allow looks alone to make up my mind in choosing an instrument, but I'd be lying if I said that it isn't a factor. I don't care what the car I drive looks like, but I do care about the appearance of my instruments. That said. I'd play an Azola or Eminence in a heartbeat. But for desingng my own instrument I'll definetly deviate from the "stick" or the "skinny db" formulas.

Chad
 
#7
Hey Steve,
On a side note, I don't think your basses are ugly...in fact, I just bought 2!! I bought an Acoustic Babybass, but then, about a day later, another one popped up! I bought a Eurocoustic (which I have been wanting for a while now) and sold the Babybass to a high school that wanted an EUB and needed it sooner that a normal delivery time could accomodate. The whole transaction was sent my way by your awesome wife, whom without I wouldn't have located the Eurocoustic...I owe her, for sure! The bass is on it's on its way to me from Bill Merchant's shop....I just need you to give it a clean bill o' health, and I guess I'll be forced to take you and Jill out to lunch!

Man, I hope that the dollar/Euro balance could swing back our way a bit so that importing the Eurocoustic again would make financial sense....that bass sounds INCREDIBLE, and deserves to live again!
 
#9
For me, it has a lot to do with what the bass' function is. I use my Azola Bug when I'm on the road, and it's "sticklike" design is much appreciated when I'm schlepping it around on planes, trains, and in cabs. Otherwise, I use my double bass, but when I'm doing the hauling, I really don't want a minature DB to haul around. I just want a bass that plugs and plays great, and that's what this does.

The Eminence...the one that breaks in half....would be fine as well. Small is good.
 
#10
I'll may be in trouble for saying this, but I always think of acoustic basses as being at their best in great ACOUSTIC enviroments. Pickups, amps, effects, ect. distort the natural beauty of our wonderful instrument. Even the most incredible microphone in the world won't sound anything like the sound of the basswave travelling across a good room. The pickup or mic makes the great beauty of the instrument diminish. You will always lose a great amount of the detail of this beauty when you "plug in". Some very cool sounds none the less, but still a distortion of the natural power of any bass. Acoustic basses look cool on the bandstand, feel great, instill confidence on many levels, are more acceptable, have more history ect. Often, you aren't going to get the gig if you don't show up with "Big Mama", but I think that any serious acoustic player would have to agree that their favorite sound is in a great room with musicians and listeners who are sensitive to each others music. In our world, this has unfortunatley become a rare occurance, especially for "gigging musicians."

So I see the EUB as Godsend to UPRIGHT bassists in a world that has gone crazy with the idea of amplifying acoustic music.
 
#12
mrpc said:
I'll may be in trouble for saying this, but I always think of acoustic basses as being at their best in great ACOUSTIC enviroments. Pickups, amps, effects, ect. distort the natural beauty of our wonderful instrument.
Click to expand...

I don't know why you'd be in trouble. I think that most of us would agree. But that doesn't diminish the usefulness of an EUB. Not only are they compact, but they are also nearly silent when unplugged. When you have little ones around and can only practice at night this becomes a pretty big consideration as well. Also, with little onse its easier to get an EUB in an out of its hiding spot without major disruptions.

Chad
 
#13
>> Originally Posted by uprightbassghos
I decided to build my own. Picture of the prototype can be seen at [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] .


That looks a lot like the Alembic Classico....but I bet it didn't cost you $15,000 to build eh? <<

It costs about $250 in parts but about $1000 in tools. :)

I built 3, my bass teacher has one, I have one and another is gathering dust until I can find a box to ship it in and list it on eBay...
 
#17
>> Boy, am I real interested in talking to you.

What did you use for your fingerboard? When you say $250 in parts are you talking about tuners, bridge, piezo, etc?
<<

My first fingerboard was a Kay from Gollihur. Little did I realize it was already well profiled and sanded. I just planed some of the wood off the bottom. The second one I used was from another source and it was only $45 but was as good as the Kay. The one I used for my own bass was a blemished ebony one from Gollihur. Not checking it I just glued it on the the neck. It turned out the neck was not only 1/8" concaved in the center the center was actaully higher then the nut or tailpiec ends. I tried my best to dress it but made a disaster. I ended up getting another Kay from Gollihur. The tuners were from violin place in Maryland that I cannot find the name of. They are solid brass and were only something like $70. The main body is 3 pieices of maple from Home Depot laminated together. The "wings" are maple from a flame maple tree in my backyard. The prototype had the backyard maple on the front and back. The second one has plain maple on the front and scrap mahagony on the back. The one for me has the backyard maple and scrap mahogony on the back. The strings were strings I had lying around that were not really used. The tailpiece is a piece of agle iron. The briges I crudely carved myself. For the prototype (which my teacher now has) I used a K&K bass max which sounds great. The K&K, and all other pickups tried, did not cooperate on basses #2 and #3. I found the David Gage pickup is the only thing that gives an even tone with them. I'm no luthier so I can't say why the other pickups gave such volume discrepencies between the different strings.

I'll be happy to answer any questions, my email is [email protected].
 
#18
Also, had I known before, I would have done a better job with the endpin. I can't stand those EUB's on stands so I did design it that way, I like to move with my bass. The one my teacher has is just a wooden dowl that just plugs in the bottom with a rubber tip on the end. For basses #2 and #3 I put a metal rod on the back that can slid up or down. What I would do in the future is route out a channel in the back for the rod so it's not sticking out the back. The last thing I'd like to tackle is that thing that sticks to rest agains your body where on an regular UB the upper bout would rest. I have this crude piece of wood with a curved piece on the end. I'd love to find a more elegant solution.

Correction to the previous post. It's 4 layers of laminated wood. Looking at that protoype photo I see 1 dark layer. That's the oak. The prototype is laminated Maple, pine and some old oak hardwood floors. It was just supposed to be a prototype but Murphy's Law came true and it turned out to be the best one. &^(*& pine....
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back