Small & portable EUB?

[project_c]

I'm looking for EUB recommendations, I need to find one that is playable / giggable, gets as close to upright jazz kind of vibe as possible, can handle public transport & silent practice (so no hollow-bodies). Size is top priority, needs to be as small as possible and fit into in a very small home with a very small home studio.

Budget - not sure, would prefer under 1K, but let's say not much more than 2K.

[Marc S]

I too was looking for the same thing. The closest I found to the sound of an acoustic upright, was my Eminence (now since sold). It had a small hollow body though - I realise you had stipulated that you didn't want a hollow body - but this to me, is why when amplified, it still retained a sound close to an acoustic upright. I've had and tried a few EUB's without any form of hollow body, and they never quite match the sound of my old Eminence...

I'd say although it has a small hollow body, the un-amplified sound is quite quiet (but not silent) so if you get the chance - give one a try....
My current EUB is a KK Baby bass, bought from Happy Jack of this forum. It's a bit smaller than the Eminence, as it packs down quite neatly. Amplified, the sound is not quite that of an acoustic DB, but it's got quite a nice sound. It doesn't sound like a big fretless bass guitar, as some EUB's can sound, and again, I'd recommend you try one if you get the chance...

I've heard several sound clips of Yamaha Silent Basses (SLB's) and they do seem to sound quite like an acoustic DB.... from what I've heard recorded. Of course, in a recording, we don't know what post production and sound tweaking has gone on....

As ever, it's best to try as many options as you can, to make your own informed choice - but as there seem to be fewer DB players around, and even fewer EUB player / owners, that may not be so easy. Can you start a thread, asking whether some local, friendly EUB player might help you with a tryout? Might be worth asking? If you were closer to me in South Wales, you'd be welcome to come & try my KK baby bass...

Anyhow, don't rush into anything, and best of luck with your search

PS. My DB playing started with a Stagg. They're quite cheap, esp second-hand and worth a try - although mine didn't sound very much like a DB, despite my efforts. (saying that, it got me into the wonderful world of DB)

[philparker]

Without repeating everything Marc S has detailed - I would go for either the Eminence or the Yamaha SLB 200.

[petebassist]

Having tried a couple of EUBs in a shop (Stagg, Aria SWB Lite), the main issue with the stick basses seems to be that they swivel a bit, or can be a bit wobbly when the end pin is right out. As to sound and build quality, that's a different matter from what I read. The Yamaha SLB-200 seems to be the most highly rated EUB (check out Chris Min Dokey on youtube), and I've read good reviews sound-wise for the MK electric upright made in Italy. Be interested to hear how you get on...good luck.

[TPJ]

Buy [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/291335-fs-clarkson-a-one-off-eub/"]Beedster's Clarkson EUB[/url]. If I were nearer to him I would have bought that for quiet practice and better transport. At £200-250, what a deal

Edited April 24, 2017 by TPJ

[Huge Hands]

I enjoy my NS Design NXT5. I like the fact that it is by default on a stand, so I can walk off and not have to worry about laying it down somewhere, but the stand is still light enough to allow you to swing the bass back and forwards a bit when you're getting excited. Mine was about £1K new, so I'd have thought a second hand one on here will get you well under budget. You may even get the more expensive CR5 - I think I saw one on here recently for just over £1K.

I have said on here before that it may not sound like a DB when you're stood right next to it playing it, but if you later hear it on a recording, it does a fair approximation. I also find the dots on the fretboard helpful (I'm sure others would see that as sacrilege!

The only down side for me is transport - it comes in a gig bag which comes with what looks like a shoulder strap, but it can't actually deal with it being carried in this way for too long. Mine snapped where it is stitched to the bag and dumped the bass on the floor chipping the headstock - the best I got out of the distributor was another bag which is just as weak. There is a flight case option, but that looks really heavy and expensive. Short trips are ok, but I used to commute all over London on trains/tube with mine, hence the easy damage. Just transporting it in the car, normally carrying it with just the side handle, it should be more than fine.

Edited April 25, 2017 by Huge Hands

[TheRev]

There's a Bassix EUB in the for sale forum - they don't come much more compact than that.
Can't vouch for the sound but I'm pretty sure the Bassix instruments have an acoustic chamber to make them more double bassy than yer typical solid stick EUB.

[Marc S]

[quote name='TPJ' timestamp='1493043355' post='3285118']
Buy [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/291335-fs-clarkson-a-one-off-eub/"]Beedster's Clarkson EUB[/url]. If I were nearer to him I would have bought that for quiet practice and better transport. At £200-250, what a deal
[/quote]

I was about to suggest this too Beedster is a top BC'er and that's a good price
Re the swivel problem mentioned above - I meant to mention that in my comments about the Stagg, but yes, it definitely suffered from this problem. Although not always (depending on surface etc) - I did see some suggested remedies for this on here somewhere....

But the add on "appendages" for the SLB also look a good solution - maybe you could fashion something to suit Beedsters EUB?

[philw]

Have to say, the OP subject triggered my ironic smile. I mean, when Leo Fender came up with the first P bass, it was effectively a, "small and portable EUB" that he had in mind.

However, I didn't just come here to be a smart-arse. What about the NS Omni Bass? Much smaller than all the other suggestions 'cause it's 34" scale. I've always liked the Omni Bass idea and do occasionally (like, well, now) wonder about swapping my NS CR4 for one: https://thinkns.com/instrument/ns-design-omni-bass/ns-design-omni-bass-nxta/

Phil

[Marc S]

[quote name='philw' timestamp='1493191614' post='3286275']
........What about the NS Omni Bass? Much smaller than all the other suggestions 'cause it's 34" scale. I've always liked the Omni Bass idea and do occasionally (like, well, now) wonder about swapping my NS CR4 for one: [url="https://thinkns.com/instrument/ns-design-omni-bass/ns-design-omni-bass-nxta/"]https://thinkns.com/...omni-bass-nxta/[/url]

Phil
[/quote]

Yes, I'd seen the Omni bass too. It definitely looks very interesting and certainly one to consider for those switching straight from Bass Guitar, as the scale length is the same. I've not had the chance to try one, but wish I could, out of sheer curiosity if nothing else...

The only problem is, that they're rather more expensive than the OP's budget, and they don't seem to come up second-hand (maybe as there aren't many around anyway?)

Marc

EDIT: If you do manage to get one Phil - let me know - my sister lives in Brighton and I promise to bring nice biscuits!

Edited April 26, 2017 by Marc S

[philw]

[quote name='Marc S' timestamp='1493192848' post='3286292']
The only problem is, that they're rather more expensive than the OP's budget, and they don't seem to come up second-hand (maybe as there aren't many around anyway?)

Marc

EDIT: If you do manage to get one Phil - let me know - my sister lives in Brighton and I promise to bring nice biscuits!
[/quote]

Well I've seen the odd one or two for sale second hand over the years but, yes, they are pretty rare. Having said that, the NXT version of the Omni is £1200 new, which would fit the OP's budget.

I'm not going to get one for a while yet, although the first signs of arthritis in my left hand may well make 42" scale double bass an increasing challenge in the not too distant future. We'll see.

It's open house here for Basschat members with nice biscuits, with or without a NS Omni Bass.

P

[JapanAxe]

If you want the sound but aren't too fussed about the look, what about a fretless kala U-bass?

[v8bass]

There's the KYDD carry on

30" scale and without the stand around 6 lbs in weight , think there's a pic of Bruce on his motorbike somewhere , bass over back off to gig .

Can be played Pizz or Arco and silent ish for late night practice too

Sound wise it's all down to strings , daddario Chrome's as supplied are meh ish but experiments with others yield not so bad results

Then there's pickups too of course mag /piezo etc

A minefield but fun to experiment with

Good luck with the search

Gary
( rubbish eub er )

[yorick]

I've been using a Dean Pace bass for a while now. Electric bass scale length and sounds pretty good. Comes with a drum type stand it bolts to, so it's pretty stable.

[alyctes]

I'm going to go left-field and say Ashbory. They sound pretty convincing (so long as you don't need a bow), and you can't get more portable.

[tayste_2000]

I've got a KK Baby Bass KB-1 I've been thinking of getting rid of if you're interested, I got it as an easy to move Double Bass alternative for practices but have decided just to suck up the hassle of moving the real thing

[Marc S]

Having owned and played a couple of EUB's, DB's, an Ashbory and currently the owner of a Kala
I must say, there's nothing quite like an acoustic DB. The Eminence was definitely the closest in feel and sound (with some EQ'ing)
The KK is also a great bass, and does feel more like a DB than some EUB's (sounds good too, and not just for Salsa!)

Re the Ashbory and Kala U-bass suggestions - both are valid choices for a very small, portable option. They approach the sound of a DB, but they aren't quite there. There are indeed similarities in the their sound, but I never found them to be quite as satisfying or quite as natural. In fact, I found the Ashbory very tricky to play. I certainly disliked the strings it came with, and I did try a different set of strings, but also disliked the feel of those, and somehow, I just couldn't get on with it...

I get on better with the Kala, and prefer the sound it produces. The strings IMO are better and produce far less "drag" on the left hand, compared to the Ashbory. But again, they're overly chunky, and a little "sloppy". I may try some Aguillar Reds on it, as they're slimmer and have more tension, apparently.

Yes, an Ashbory / U-bass is a nice suggestion, but it doesn't quite cut it, compared to an acoustic DB. I usually carry the Kala as spare - just in case a string breaks or I get a pickup problem, and the Kala is so small, it's easy to pop in the car boot. I sometimes plug it in to jam about before the gig starts, or during a break between sets, and it does usually require more fiddling around with EQ and levels to get it sounding more DB-like. But perhaps this is an unfair comparison, when side by side with the "real thing"

I'd still suggest the OP tries one though - they can be fun

Edited April 27, 2017 by Marc S

[project_c]

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone, lots to think about. The size is a top priority because of the commute thing, and even my car is tiny, it's a 2 seater so not even a back seat to put stuff on.

Re. the Kala basses - I tried one and hated the feel of it, felt like I was yanking at spaghetti on a tiny guitar... but that's just my impression of the feel of it, sound wise they're great.

Like the look of the NXT Omni a lot, going to look into that. The 'swivel' issue on some EUB's puts me off a bit, but without trying them it's hard to say how much it will bother me.

[quote name='tayste_2000' timestamp='1493253917' post='3286964']
I've got a KK Baby Bass KB-1 I've been thinking of getting rid of if you're interested, I got it as an easy to move Double Bass alternative for practices but have decided just to suck up the hassle of moving the real thing
[/quote]

I do like the look of these, I'll drop you a PM.

[pmjos]

I use an NTX5 - I have looked at all of the other options but the NXT ideal if you are using both EUB and Guitar.

1. Its small and light in a way that most EUBs aren't
2. Its a fair approximation unless you are a serious player in which case you aren't going to get one for 1K anyway
3. It stands up when you are not playing it so no falling over pr propping up on stage
4. it looks cool
5. People like Niel Fairclough use them - ok with me.

[wateroftyne]

What's the KK like in a non-salsa situation? All the decent clips I've seen seem to fall into that bracket.

[pmjos]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0I7E3Bie_mA

in at 2/47

Admittedly a CR version but hey.........

[wateroftyne]

[quote name='pmjos' timestamp='1493304647' post='3287324']
[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0I7E3Bie_mA"]https://www.youtube....h?v=0I7E3Bie_mA[/url]

in at 2/47

Admittedly a CR version but hey.........
[/quote]

It's instant Tony Levin!

[Marc S]

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1493304595' post='3287323']
What's the KK like in a non-salsa situation? All the decent clips I've seen seem to fall into that bracket.
[/quote]

They are fine for other genres too. I bought mine from Happy Jack. He tells me that they are popular with Salsa players because at one time, the only bass available to Salsa bands in South America, was the Ampeg original on which the KK was based....

I've used mine for more folky, rootsy, bluesy stuff and it's great
I recently added an additional pickup too. I had a Shadow preamp, with 2 piezo pickups (one for each side of the bridge)
I replaced one of the Piezo's with a slap pickup (bought fairly cheply on ebay) and I really like the sound I get from that. It picks up more of the clicky / slap sounds when I'm playing that style.

It's a great result for me too, as I've got a ready made backup pickup system - I can just revert to the KK fitted pickup if the battery in my Shadow preamp dies... The bridge fitted to the KK is unlike other EUB's, as there's a sort of metal bar around the bridge - I first thought this must be to protect the bridge. It actually does protect it when in the gigbag, but it's also part of the pickup system

I'm really pleased with mine

Edited April 27, 2017 by Marc S

[ivansc]

I have a Bassix Jaza - the smallest full scale length EUB Alan ever made.

Fits in the gig bag for my Danelectro baritone guitar! I had the pleasure of hearing it being played by a proper double bassist last night and was knocked out with how good it sounded in the hands of a capable player, which I am not yet.

Unfortunately he did say he isnt going to be making these in the newly reborn Bassix series, so it looks like the second hand market is our best bet.

P.S. IF you decide to go this rout and can find a SMALL KK at a fair price, I would be up for a swap if it helps. Doesn't really matter to me what I learn on so long a it isn't a Stagg.

Still got a sore thumb from the one I had briefly!

Edited May 8, 2017 by ivansc

[JPJ]

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1493304595' post='3287323']
What's the KK like in a non-salsa situation? All the decent clips I've seen seem to fall into that bracket.
[/quote]

Nip round any weekend and try mine Michael. I think you'll be surprised how flexible she is