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Double Bass Upton Bass Club
- Thread starter kamakiriad7
- Start date
Another late bloomer here . Been playing electric bass since I was 17. Had a cheap China Upright about 10 years ago. ( It was crap, unplayable ) Turned me off . But the Upton Youtube video's caught my eye.
Gary & Eric came across a real down to earth people. They took the time to explain there whole concept. ( Old world ethic's ) Simple put they care, a lost art. Have not decided what style UB-Bass I want yet.
But there will be one in my future.
Gary & Eric came across a real down to earth people. They took the time to explain there whole concept. ( Old world ethic's ) Simple put they care, a lost art. Have not decided what style UB-Bass I want yet.
But there will be one in my future.
I bought my Upton Hawkes plywood upright back in 2005. It's been the perfect bass for me.
Most of the time I play it in small rooms through a K&K Sounds BassMax pickup plugged directly into a MarkBass MicroMark combo amp. For larger gigs (like the one in the picture), I usually just go direct into the PA.
-- Arte
Most of the time I play it in small rooms through a K&K Sounds BassMax pickup plugged directly into a MarkBass MicroMark combo amp. For larger gigs (like the one in the picture), I usually just go direct into the PA.
-- Arte
I finally got to meet Eric and play a bunch of Upton double basses. They were all beautifully made with great designs and well finished. As expected the sound and playability were superb and they are a lot of fun to play. I really liked the hybrid travel bass they had and it was incredibe value.
Attachments
Opinion needed!
I have a 2008 hybrid superswing with innovation Rock a Billy strings. I play mostly jazz and some bluegrass.
Problem: my bass is really quite low volume.
Is this a string issue? I like lower tension strings. Thoughts anyone?
I have a 2008 hybrid superswing with innovation Rock a Billy strings. I play mostly jazz and some bluegrass.
Problem: my bass is really quite low volume.
Is this a string issue? I like lower tension strings. Thoughts anyone?
I I haven't been playing upright all that long but I think it could be a string issue or a sound post issue. If I'm not correct on that please someone else chime in. I do know that I've tried different strings on my bass and some have been much louder than others. Also when I moved the sound post it made a big difference.
I think the response to different strings and moving a sound post would also depend on your particular bass. There are probably generalizations that can be made but each bass will have its own characteristics.
I had a '10 Upton hybrid that wasn't the loudest bass, but held its own. The Innovations should have plenty of volume despite low tension. Are you comparing it to another bass that sounds louder when you play it? What feedback do you get from listeners? As players our ears aren't in the optimal position to judge sound.
Is the bridge sitting squarely and correctly on the top? Any space under the bridge feet? If the bridge isn't correct, sound won't transmit efficiently. Also, the Innovations that I've used (not a fan of the Rockabillies, but love me some Super Silvers) seem to respond favorably to an assertive pizz technique, so pull from the shoulder and elbow.
The issue may also be in the color of your bass. It's a generally accepted fact that blonde basses aren't as loud as their darker counterparts...
Is the bridge sitting squarely and correctly on the top? Any space under the bridge feet? If the bridge isn't correct, sound won't transmit efficiently. Also, the Innovations that I've used (not a fan of the Rockabillies, but love me some Super Silvers) seem to respond favorably to an assertive pizz technique, so pull from the shoulder and elbow.
The issue may also be in the color of your bass. It's a generally accepted fact that blonde basses aren't as loud as their darker counterparts...
Where to start.
I am comparing it to my 61 kay s1
It is a blonde hybrid superswing
The bridge is correct according to my repair shop
I think the strings is at the bottom of the volume issue.
Are super silver's low tension and smooth like the rockabilly strings.
I like the feel slot but the volume isn't much. Soft and sweet she goes.
I am comparing it to my 61 kay s1
It is a blonde hybrid superswing
The bridge is correct according to my repair shop
I think the strings is at the bottom of the volume issue.
Are super silver's low tension and smooth like the rockabilly strings.
I like the feel slot but the volume isn't much. Soft and sweet she goes.
I have an Upton 2013 hybrid. With both basses wearing Spirocore mediums, with med-low string height, I could easily pull the same volume compared to my '51 Kay M1B. The quality of the sound from the Upton was much better. That quality, plus the easier playability of the Upton, are the reasons I replaced it with another Upton - full ply 7/8ths.
I think the SS have a bit higher tension. Volume was about the same when I briefly tried the RBs on my Epiphone, but I don't have direct experience comparing them on my Upton hybrid. I had the hybrid strung with Evah Slaps for a while, which are quite low tension, and they were very quiet - my theory was that the strings didn't have enough tension to drive the (non-deluxe) top - but sounded great on my ply Epi.
Are the bridge notches correct for the diameter of the strings? Sight your bridge from the side of the bass to see that it's sitting square to the top. The process of tuning tends to pull the bridge forward, and once the feet aren't making good contact, you're not transmitting the string vibration to the top.
Good luck with figuring this out-keep us posted!
Are the bridge notches correct for the diameter of the strings? Sight your bridge from the side of the bass to see that it's sitting square to the top. The process of tuning tends to pull the bridge forward, and once the feet aren't making good contact, you're not transmitting the string vibration to the top.
Good luck with figuring this out-keep us posted!
I took a road trip to Mystic, CT yesterday to bring home my new Upton Standard Laminate!!
