Possible dipping toe in EUB water here

[thunderbird13]

grrrr this thread is not doing my GAS any good.I played a Stagg in a shop 3 years ago and I can still rememeber how smooth it felt playing it

The one thing about DB that concerns me apart from the size and the volume is the physial effort it takes to play it. I'm sure you'll get used to it in the end but I've had problems with my tendons before and I'm not sure I want to risk that again !

Perhaps its not snobbery but the EUB vs DB argument reminds me of the electric vs acoustic drum argument but at the end of the day if you play EUB and are happy to play that live or at rehearsal then thats what you ( or perhaps thats me ) should get

[geoffbassist]

#thunderbird13

I wouldn't worry about the physical side. You play with straighter wrists than on BG and by using the weight of both arms you can pull a big sound with very little effort. I'm not a big guy and I have no problems. You also don't have any weight like you do with a bass guitar strap which is good for your back.
A well set up instrument and a few lessons from a good teacher should help you get started.

[thisnameistaken]

[quote name='thunderbird13' timestamp='1332519826' post='1589555']The one thing about DB that concerns me apart from the size and the volume is the physial effort it takes to play it. I'm sure you'll get used to it in the end but I've had problems with my tendons before and I'm not sure I want to risk that again ![/quote]

I've got women's wrists too, bass guitar can really cause problems with my tendons these days but I seem to be able to play as much double bass as I like and get no such problems. The technique for DB is much easier on your wrists. I did initially have some discomfort in my plucking hand because I was using my wrist too much but Geoff (above) showed me how to avoid that and I don't have any issues now.

[TheRev]

Mate, don't worry for one second about whether you're doing the right thing - I think I speak for everyone on the DB forum when I say that you will not regret going upright. It was the best thing ever to happen for my bass playing, both technique and career wise.

It sounds like you'd rather have an acoustic bass but are looking at electrics due to space limitations. This is a valid consideration, and one which led me to move on from my first EUB (Aria SWB) to an Eminence, despite the Eminence costing the same as a decent laminate or solid top acoustic. However, when I finally went 'f#*k it' and bought a 3/4 acoustic, I found it didn't take up a much space as I thougt - a slight reshuffle of the furniture revealed a convenient DB sized gap.

On the other hand, your boss sounds more amenable to the most compact solution to your desires..... which makes choosing the EUB route the obvious way to go.

The Stagg is decent for the money - I've seen ropey ones and I've seen good ones so make sure you check it over before you buy. If the budget can stretch to a second hand Aria SWB, then even better.

If you can only afford & accommodate a Stagg, then get a Stagg and get playing. Less chat, more bass... Just do it.

It won't really matter, in 8 months time you'll be posting about how your boss is much more attracted to you now that you play upright bass and is insisting that you get an acoustic as that would really ring her bell.....

[fumps]

well i spoke to my other half about me getting an upright & explained what i wanted to do with one & she flipped (in a good way) i'm a bit of a song bird, i can sing but dont do it in front of people. Hayley will often be doing something upstairs & i will be singing something while playing acoustic guitar. she will sneak downstairs & sit outside of the door. she keeps saying that i should sing more.

The idea of the upright is perfect for me because of the way you stand. i've decided to change some songs to play upright & sing for the first time. Hayley is very excited & cant wait for me to take the upright plunge, Hayley has even offered to take some of her much loved art off the wall to give me space to store my Bass guitar so the Upright can be stored on the floor!!!.......i was gobsmacked by the offer.......it's all falling into place in a way i could not imagine.

Yes guys i would really love to get a full double bass but i really do live in a tiny house so it literally would not fit in our livingroom without totally dominating it.

I'm extremely excited by this change, i've been giggling like a school boy all weekend

[geoffbassist]

Great news fumps. Enjoy!

[TheRev]

See? Chicks dig double bass ;-)
Excellent news, & good luck with your bass hunt.

[Silvia Bluejay]

As everybody else has said, got for it, Fumps - you'll love it. I play both, and get a different kind of kick from each, as some songs are more suitable to one or the other.

Props to Mrs Fumps too! I don't find it surprising that a loving partner would be happy for her man to get the instrument he wants. Of course there are logistic and financial considerations, but it seems natural that, if you live with a musician - and presumably knew that he was a musician when you started dating him - you shouldn't see his passion for music as a rival in your relationship but as a way to make you both happier. So her encouragement bodes extremely well for both of you.
Before I became a musician myself I lived with a guitarist, and loved every note he played - and every song or special guitar sound he created and dedicated to me - and was happy for him to spend some of his income on instruments, gear and bands as opposed to - say - an extra holiday, because going to his gigs was just as much fun.

Edited March 26, 2012 by bluejay

[artisan]

[quote name='bluejay' timestamp='1332759872' post='1592560']
As everybody else has said, got for it, Fumps - you'll love it. I play both, and get a different kind of kick from each, as some songs are more suitable to one or the other.

Props to Mrs Fumps too! I don't find it surprising that a loving partner would be happy for her man to get the instrument he wants. Of course there are logistic and financial considerations, but it seems natural that, if you live with a musician - and presumably knew that he was a musician when you started dating him - you shouldn't see his passion for music as a rival in your relationship but as a way to make you both happier. So her encouragement bodes extremely well for both of you.
Before I became a musician myself I lived with a guitarist, and loved every note he played - and every song or special guitar sound he created and dedicated to me - and was happy for him to spend some of his income on instruments, gear and bands as opposed to - say - an extra holiday, because going to his gigs was just as much fun.
[/quote]
what a lovely lady you are bluejay

[Silvia Bluejay]

[quote name='artisan' timestamp='1332760368' post='1592573']
what a lovely lady you are bluejay
[/quote]

Aw, thank you! Perhaps something to do with being a bass player, too

[fumps]

[quote name='TheRev' timestamp='1332756742' post='1592481']
See? Chicks dig double bass ;-)
Excellent news, & good luck with your bass hunt.
[/quote]
ha ha ha ha ha
Thats so so true, although i think i should wear a tie when playing a db.........although if i wear a tie i just look like a money lender lol

@Bluejay. yes she has a massive amount of respect for musicians, she has a large group of friends who are very musical so when she met me she was chuffed i was also into music as a passion: The Bass is something that has always been a big part of me & although i did drop out of being into music (Fed up with ego's) i dodged any kind of pull to go back.
It was Hayley who dragged me back kicking & screaming .......so it's her fault basically !

A real passion never goes away, it may lie dormant for a while......but it's in your blood forever!

[Silvia Bluejay]

[quote name='fumps' timestamp='1332761424' post='1592601']
A real passion never goes away, it may lie dormant for a while......but it's in your blood forever!
[/quote]

Absolutely. And Hayley and music are clearly entwined and deeply ensconced in your heart! Wonderful.

[fumps]

[quote name='bluejay' timestamp='1332761716' post='1592605']
Absolutely. And Hayley and music are clearly entwined and deeply ensconced in your heart! Wonderful.
[/quote]

She is i love her in words i will never be able to express......I'm blessed with her & my son.

[BassBod]

HHhhmmmmm.........shouldn't we be talking about pickups and strings again by now????

[Mr Bassman]

[quote name='fumps' timestamp='1332763208' post='1592643']
She is i love her in words i will never be able to express......I'm blessed with her & my son.
[/quote]

Well that should get you a few brownie points!

Now go and get an upright before she changes her mind

[fumps]

[quote name='Mr Bassman' timestamp='1332797709' post='1593400']
Well that should get you a few brownie points!

Now go and get an upright before she changes her mind
[/quote]
No it's now agreed lol
Just waiting for funds. i cant wait (I'm already working on my ideas on Bass guitar)

[bremen]

hey fumps, just picked up a stagg (on the way home from a weekend mountain biking in yorkshire dales) and loving it...my Mrs thinks its the coolest thing since bass itself, first rehearsal with band next Sunday, I'll let you know how it goes!

[fumps]

[quote name='bremen' timestamp='1334086926' post='1610812']
hey fumps, just picked up a stagg (on the way home from a weekend mountain biking in yorkshire dales) and loving it...my Mrs thinks its the coolest thing since bass itself, first rehearsal with band next Sunday, I'll let you know how it goes!
[/quote]
Mate you have just said Bass & mountain biking in the same post.......i now love you lol

I was out this weekend on my local trails........the forest missed me & the trails loved me this weekend.

Good to see mate you have made the leap ! I told my other Bass playing mate i am getting a Upright & he asked if he could "Come round my house to play" lol

.........................awwwwwwwwwwwwww now i'm getting giddy again

[bremen]

You're going to love me even more; I'm about to confirm that yes, you really do need to get an EUB :-)

Spent 6 days noodling with it, suffering a tender right index finger but not as bad as I feared. Intonation was somehow easier than on a fretless, maybe because the fingers are naturally perpendicular to the fingerboard rathe than at an angle. The depth of the neck is a bit of a shock initially but it's surprising how you get used to it. Still haven't got the hang of the dusty end though - the neck runs out about the 9th 'fret'.

Took it to rehearsal last night and EVERYONE in the band just loved it at first sight. And much to my surprise I found that I could play nearly all the set on it. Some sounded better, all sounded different. It was big fun, the physicality of it. It was like mountain biking as opposed to road riding, the instrument is a bit bigger and heavier and not as smooth, but you can chuck it around, grin a lot and get very dirty.

The stuff that didn't sound as good (or called for use of the dusty end) I played on fretless, as usual. It felt like playing a teaspoon. So easy! And maybe because my left hand is getting stronger, the tone was better than before. Just a little practice on an upright has definitely improved my BG playing.

So I'm going to play it at a gig on Tuesday. I really didn't think I'd be able to so soon, and I'm a right lazy bastard, but it's made a huge difference to my enjoyment of the band (who also are delighted).

(Gushing rave review over, niggles upcoming: feel free to skip)

The instrument I got had been fettled by a luthier. Previous owner said he'd made it a lot easier to play, but he didn't do anything beyond filing the nut and lowering the bridge.

The headphone output is pretty useless, very hissy.

Some complain of hum from poorly shielded electrics. Absolutely not an issue with mine.

The bit of wire that you use to brace yourself is flimsy and rattly. You can hear it amplified when playing solo.

I haven't spent a lot of time adjusting my amp but I think it could do with a bit of EQing to remove a certain plasticky tone. It certainly needs a very different EQ to my BG.

Strings are very expensive, like half the value of the instrument. So it follows that if I buy good strings it'll improve the tone 50% . I have no idea where to start though. I guess I should practise a lot and decide how much of an increase in tension/weight I can tolerate before deciding.

My giddiness has only just begun

[fumps]

.......awww now see what i did ?




.........................goddam messed up my pants

[BassBus]

Oh, get a room.

[artisan]

there great aren't they.
hey frumps i'm taking your soon to be new Stagg upright to my local jam tonight

[Silvia Bluejay]

I want into the love-in too! Upright heaven (no pun intended)!
I'm expecting delivery of this baby within the next few days. And then my GAS will be appeased for a loong time (that is, at least as long as it'll take my now-depleted bank account to recover).

[url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/ns_design_nxt_5_bass_lh_ab.htm"]http://www.thomann.de/gb/ns_design_nxt_5_bass_lh_ab.htm[/url]

I'm still hugely into my bass guitars and my upright 4, but the above, if problem-free, will be the love of my life.

[bremen]

[quote name='fumps' timestamp='1334582428' post='1617958']
.......awww now see what i did ?




.........................goddam messed up my pants
[/quote]

Know how you feel. I sh*t myself the first time I heard the open E string.

[artisan]

[quote name='bluejay' timestamp='1334595607' post='1618259']
I want into the love-in too! Upright heaven (no pun intended)!
I'm expecting delivery of this baby within the next few days. And then my GAS will be appeased for a loong time (that is, at least as long as it'll take my now-depleted bank account to recover).

[url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/ns_design_nxt_5_bass_lh_ab.htm"]http://www.thomann.d..._bass_lh_ab.htm[/url]

I'm still hugely into my bass guitars and my upright 4, but the above, if problem-free, will be the love of my life.
[/quote]
ooh nice,congrats on your new baby Bluejay,bet you can't wait for that to arrive,exciting isn't it.