Which EUB for the best upright sound.

[kjb]

I was thinking of getting a real acoustic, but they're just so big, and it seems like it's very easy to buy something that is............

A) Not very good.

Going to end up costing a lot to have put right, or set up.

So now I'm thinking EUB.

I've read that some sound like a fretless, which I don't want.

I've got a bit of a short list, as follows.

1) Clifton, I've heard only good things about these, and there's one for sale on here.

2) Bassix, I've heard some good things about these as well, and again there's one advertised on this site.

3) Steinberger CRT, I really like the look of these, I haven't played one yet though.

4) Have one made, the Shukers look really good for the money, I'd like it on an end pin though, I don't like the cymbol stand.

Cheers

[wateroftyne]

I had a lot of luck with my Bassix. The model I had had an acoustic chamber and a great pickup system, so it sounded more like an URB and less like an upright fretless bass.

[quote name='kjb' post='41440' date='Aug 4 2007, 11:09 PM']I was thinking of getting a real acoustic, but they're just so big, and it seems like it's very easy to buy something that is............

A) Not very good.

Going to end up costing a lot to have put right, or set up.

So now I'm thinking EUB.

I've read that some sound like a fretless, which I don't want.

I've got a bit of a short list, as follows.

1) Clifton, I've heard only good things about these, and there's one for sale on here.

2) Bassix, I've heard some good things about these as well, and again there's one advertised on this site.

3) Steinberger CRT, I really like the look of these, I haven't played one yet though.

4) Have one made, the Shukers look really good for the money, I'd like it on an end pin though, I don't like the cymbol stand.

Cheers[/quote]

[chrkelly]

Any of the hollow body Azolas, no question! [url="http://www.azola.com"]http://www.azola.com[/url]. Amazing instruments and amazing customer service. Stay well clear of the NS Design. Its a great instrument but in a class of its own. It sounds absolutely nothing like a upright as you know it.

[OutToPlayJazz]

As you can see from the avatar, I've got the Warwick Triumph - It's sublime! I get a great sound from my MarkBass stuff with it & when I play at the Sands Venue at Gainsborough, they put me through a lovely SWR stack. The engineer there says it's the most authentic & lovely sounding EUB he's worked with

[endorka]

[quote name='chrkelly' post='41475' date='Aug 5 2007, 03:40 AM']Stay well clear of the NS Design. Its a great instrument but in a class of its own. It sounds absolutely nothing like a upright as you know it.[/quote]

In my experience, that's a bit strong - while it doesn't have the resonance of a real DB, I've been gigging for around six months now with the entry level NS WAV4 and the feedback I get is that it sounds like a DB amplified through a pickup when played pizzicato, and like a DB through a mic when played arco. For gigs when a drumkit is involved it does a damn good impression of a real DB, and I've even used it for a couple of classical works, with impressive results.

As long as you stay away from the magnetic pickups and use the piezo only in "arco" mode, it shares many of the characteristics of a DB sound. If you use other combinations of pickups and the "pizz" setting, it will tend to sound like a large fretless bass. Using proper DB strings and proper DB technique also helps.

I have a "free jazz" clip recorded 2 months or so after I received the NS; since then I've raised the height of the strings and improved my technique, so it sounds more like a DB now than it did when I recorded this clip;

[url="http://www.jenniferclarkbass.com/audio/BassSolo.mp3"]http://www.jenniferclarkbass.com/audio/BassSolo.mp3[/url]

Jennifer

[url="http://www.jenniferclarkbass.com"]http://www.jenniferclarkbass.com[/url]

[paul, the]

[quote name='endorka' post='41753' date='Aug 6 2007, 12:30 AM']In my experience, that's a bit strong - while it doesn't have the resonance of a real DB, I've been gigging for around six months now with the entry level NS WAV4 and the feedback I get is that it sounds like a DB amplified through a pickup when played pizzicato, and like a DB through a mic when played arco. For gigs when a drumkit is involved it does a damn good impression of a real DB, and I've even used it for a couple of classical works, with impressive results.

As long as you stay away from the magnetic pickups and use the piezo only in "arco" mode, it shares many of the characteristics of a DB sound. If you use other combinations of pickups and the "pizz" setting, it will tend to sound like a large fretless bass. Using proper DB strings and proper DB technique also helps.

I have a "free jazz" clip recorded 2 months or so after I received the NS; since then I've raised the height of the strings and improved my technique, so it sounds more like a DB now than it did when I recorded this clip;

[url="http://www.jenniferclarkbass.com/audio/BassSolo.mp3"]http://www.jenniferclarkbass.com/audio/BassSolo.mp3[/url]

Jennifer

[url="http://www.jenniferclarkbass.com"]http://www.jenniferclarkbass.com[/url][/quote]


It sounds a bit restricted but very realistic (to my naive ears anyway). More so when fully accompanied.


Much better than I had expected a EUB to sound.

Edited August 6, 2007 by paul, the

[Paul Cooke]

guy in Cheltenham town center on Saturday was playing an "upright". On closer inspection, it turned out to be an East European fretless Jazz clone held inside an outer shell with a long spike to rest it on the ground with. It sounded very upright like... Think he had very "dead" flatwound strings on. Very "thumpy"...

The guy on the drums was playing an assortment of pots and pans that had had skins stretched over the open ends...

[daflewis]

i'm with jennifer on this one,

have a Steinberger CR5M and, yes with the magnetics on and the original strings it does sound somewhat like a fretless though with it's own unique sound really; but with the piezo and DB strings as the CRT would have, it has a great amplified sound - given that any amplified DB loses something of the original.

i used my EUB on a production of west side story and while the conductor was a little unsure when i turned up with it, he was over the moon once he had actually heard it, (and i'm sure we all know how "conservative" most classical musicians can be!)

[zero9]

I haven't tried any EUB's other than the NS CR4, and with the right type of strings it can sound very close to an amplified DB. As the majority of EUB's don't have an acoustic body, you're relying on the piezo pickup system and the sound will be governed by type of strings, action and more importantly how you play the instrument. If you set the action closer to that of a DB, use DB type strings and play it like a DB you're going to get as near to a DB type sound as possible.

Hope this helps

Regards,

Wil

[chrkelly]

Apologies to all those NS design users out there, but just couldn't get a sound I liked. I tried various setups and strings (steel and synthetic core) but ended up selling mine after 2 months. I also found that because the fingerboard is flush to the body, there is limited space to put your thumb and then it's quite difficult to get the full weight of your arm into each note.

[Fretless Eric]

After trying many I was split between a Bassix for the great sound and playability or my current squeeze, a Yamaha SLB200. I have yet to get a true double bass sound from it but that's more from lack of trying.

Playing in electric bands I have personally found it sufficient to get the shape of the sound right and as long as I have that I need little more. I'm sure it can be got close but there are many that add pick-ups to the Yamaha, in particular the Fishman "Full Circle" and, I'm told, the Schertler.

It plays great too, although if anyone can get me a cheap add on shoulder extension then let me know as Yamaha want an absolutely crazy amount for what is a small bit of wood and what should have been a standard part, bastards.

I didn't like the NS [matter of taste] but it looks great apart from the lined fingerboard.

Alan of Bassix is an approachable bloke too.

Edited August 14, 2007 by Fretless Eric