Evertune bass

[velvetkevorkian]

https://www.evertune.com/bass/index.php

 

Seems like a solution in search of a problem to me, anyone going to save up for one?

[BreadBin]

I know of a couple of people who swear by them. Looks like it could be good for down tuning.

[BigRedX]

I know more than few guitarists with OCD tuning habits between songs who would benefit from one of these fitted to all their guitars.

 

However... like so many devices that rely on modifying or replacing the existing bridge on your instrument it only works with standard designs and in the EverTune case not even all of those. There also appear to be a number of compromises for guitar techniques to do with string bending and of course you can't have a vibrato unit. Also you are tied to specific string gauges to keep within the operating parameters of the bridge.

 

The website is very coy about how this actually works and finding out any information required some serious digging.

 

I wouldn't mind having one on a bass but due to design, string numbers and string spacing at the bridge of the basses I currently use I can't see one being available to suit me any time soon. 

[fretmeister]

It's a very clever system.

 

I saw a great vid about the guitar version and setting it up differently for recording rhythm and lead parts. When set for rhythm bent notes did not change the pitch at all. It negated the effect of inadvertent bends or pressing too hard on the board. None of that caused the pitch to go sharp.

Then set it differently to allow for bending for solos and vibrato etc, but still maintaining rock solid tuning even with string slippage from bending.

 

It's witchcraft!

[NancyJohnson]

I'll add my comment with a firm level of hmmm.  The current band tunes down a half or full step - my basses run 45-105/130 Elixirs - things don't get particularly sloppy.  I'm quite a hard-hitting pick player; once I'm in tune, things are stable.

 

On the strength of the video on the Evertune site, I'd concur with @velvetkevorkian that this product is clearly more of a solution for a problem that doesn't really exist.  My basses are all set up well; I only have one bass where it was absolutely necessary to swap out the stock bridge and all the other bridges are stock.  The basses intonate, the machines are of a decent quality, there's no real string slippage and I stay in tune irrespective of whether I'm tuning off D/Eb/E. 

 

What on earth is this bridge going to give me over a stock unit?  We are obsessed with unnecessarily updating things on our basses; we spend good money on an instrument, then we rip out the pickups or hardware in the belief that there is betterment to be had.  It's a nonsense.  

 

[BreadBin]

49 minutes ago, NancyJohnson said:

I'll add my comment with a firm level of hmmm.  The current band tunes down a half or full step - my basses run 45-105/130 Elixirs - things don't get particularly sloppy.  I'm quite a hard-hitting pick player; once I'm in tune, things are stable.

 

On the strength of the video on the Evertune site, I'd concur with @velvetkevorkian that this product is clearly more of a solution for a problem that doesn't really exist.  My basses are all set up well; I only have one bass where it was absolutely necessary to swap out the stock bridge and all the other bridges are stock.  The basses intonate, the machines are of a decent quality, there's no real string slippage and I stay in tune irrespective of whether I'm tuning off D/Eb/E. 

 

What on earth is this bridge going to give me over a stock unit?  We are obsessed with unnecessarily updating things on our basses; we spend good money on an instrument, then we rip out the pickups or hardware in the belief that there is betterment to be had.  It's a nonsense.  

 

You aren't really tuning that low by modern standards. Plenty of bands are down in the F# below low B range. Floppy strings are an issue here.

[Kev]

I keep trying to understand what this is and what it fixes.

 

Someone layman terms it to me.  I play 4 string basses in drop B tuning.  My basses intonate as well as I could expect and never need to be retuned during a typical set.  If I was to use this bridge, when and where would I see a benefit?

[NancyJohnson]

3 minutes ago, BreadBin said:

You aren't really tuning that low by modern standards. Plenty of bands are down in the F# below low B range. Floppy strings are an issue here.

 

Modern standards.  Chuckle.  Damn those Chopin and Liszt guys.

 

The dude on the Evertune video is playing a Fender Precision in standard tuning for the purpose of the demonstration; he's alluding that this bridge is going to revolutionise tuning accuracy and firm up all the other bells and whistles.  Nah. 

 

When I'm playing the five string, I'm going down to an A below B, OK granted still a few half steps above F#, but beyond this anyone would need to consider a more permanent set up things to make the bass more playable (different string choice/truss rod/intonation) rather than it expecting to perform non-sloppy miracles at the players whim.  I'm sorry, but it's not April 1st.  This is a solution to a problem that doesn't exist.

 

 

[neepheid]

[BreadBin]

1 hour ago, NancyJohnson said:

 

Modern standards.  Chuckle.  Damn those Chopin and Liszt guys.

 

 

 

Remind me which of their compositions used a very low tuned electric guitar or bass again please? 😉

 

1 hour ago, NancyJohnson said:

When I'm playing the five string, I'm going down to an A below B, OK granted still a few half steps above F#, but beyond this anyone would need to consider a more permanent set up things to make the bass more playable (different string choice/truss rod/intonation) rather than it expecting to perform non-sloppy miracles at the players whim.  I'm sorry, but it's not April 1st.  This is a solution to a problem that doesn't exist.

 

 

 

You appear to making the classic mistake of assuming that your experience applies to everyone.

It is a problem for some - you don't have it and that's fine, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist (much like hand pain on jazz necks)

[BigRedX]

AFAICS it works by holding each string at a constant tension that is user adjustable within certain tolerances - hence the need to stick to pre-approved gauges for each tuning. If you don't do any intentional string bending, the tension of each string should never change. For guitarists there is a compromise with how it is set up the respond to note bends between sensitivity to bends and the ability the the system to stay perfectly in tune. No mention of how it deals with finger vibrato, I suspect that will be too subtle to register on the system.

 

I've got to say I'm intrigued, and would like to try it. It might be great or might be the mechanical version of bad autotune for stringed instruments. Unfortunately as I said in my original post on the subject there's unlikely to be a version that will fit any guitar or bass that I play any time soon.

[Kev]

27 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

AFAICS it works by holding each string at a constant tension that is user adjustable within certain tolerances - hence the need to stick to pre-approved gauges for each tuning. If you don't do any intentional string bending, the tension of each string should never change. For guitarists there is a compromise with how it is set up the respond to note bends between sensitivity to bends and the ability the the system to stay perfectly in tune. No mention of how it deals with finger vibrato, I suspect that will be too subtle to register on the system.

 

I've got to say I'm intrigued, and would like to try it. It might be great or might be the mechanical version of bad autotune for stringed instruments. Unfortunately as I said in my original post on the subject there's unlikely to be a version that will fit any guitar or bass that I play any time soon.

I'm still not following.

 

With my regular bridge, when does my string pull out of tune with regular playing, or when does the tension change?  What will the Evertune change for me?

[BigRedX]

4 minutes ago, Kev said:

I'm still not following.

 

With my regular bridge, when does my string pull out of tune with regular playing, or when does the tension change?  What will the Evertune change for me?

 

It's a product that has been designed primarily for guitarists and they have decided to test the water with a bass version designed to fit a standard 4-string P or J style bass. It's probably of less use to bass players, but it depends on whether or not an instrument that should only need to be tuned once a day (and maybe not even then) is of any value to you. I'd like to try a version on my Eastwood copy of the Shergold 6-string bass because I thrash the higher strings quite hard when I'm playing "guitar" parts on it, but they are unlikely to make one for such a niche market.

[Kev]

1 hour ago, BigRedX said:

 

It's a product that has been designed primarily for guitarists and they have decided to test the water with a bass version designed to fit a standard 4-string P or J style bass. It's probably of less use to bass players, but it depends on whether or not an instrument that should only need to be tuned once a day (and maybe not even then) is of any value to you. I'd like to try a version on my Eastwood copy of the Shergold 6-string bass because I thrash the higher strings quite hard when I'm playing "guitar" parts on it, but they are unlikely to make one for such a niche market.

So it's primary purpose is to hold tune?  How can a bridge achieve this,without the tunining machines and lack of locking nut coming into play?

 

I'm not trying to be argumentative, I'm honestly just totally lost as to its purpose or how it works

[velvetkevorkian]

As I understand it, it's basically some springs that will keep the strings at a constant tension, even if other forces are applied elsewhere. I've read that it can prevent the effect you can get when playing heavily where the note goes slightly sharp then settles to pitch, which I think might be more exaggerated at lower tunings?

[Kev]

Okay, so say for example you have cheap or lousy tuning machines that slip and let the bass go out of tune occasionally, or in different temperatures the neck shifts and the strings thus go out of tune, this bridge will stop that from happening?

 

It still seems like it solves the most minor of inconveniences though, unless there is something else it does that is revolutionary?  There was SO much excitement on socials when it was announced and I'm clueless as to why, as it can't possibly be for tuning stability.

[fretmeister]

5 minutes ago, Kev said:

Okay, so say for example you have cheap or lousy tuning machines that slip and let the bass go out of tune occasionally, or in different temperatures the neck shifts and the strings thus go out of tune, this bridge will stop that from happening?

 

It still seems like it solves the most minor of inconveniences though, unless there is something else it does that is revolutionary?  There was SO much excitement on socials when it was announced and I'm clueless as to why, as it can't possibly be for tuning stability.

no, that’s not it.

 

If you pluck a sting hard then the initial attack is slightly sharp and then it settles. If you squeeze a string on the board too hard it goes out of tune. If you inadvertently bend a string it goes sharp.

 

Doesnt matter how well your bass is set up, it does it. It may not matter to you.

 

But with this bridge it does not happen. It maintains tension even if you try a hard bend on a string to TRY and bend by a tone (if you set it up that way) it will not change pitch while you bend.

 

Of course you might not see a need. But think beyond your use. What happens if you are duplicating a piano or synth part and the bass note gets the entirely normal Pitch Arc with the initial attack being a little sharp compared to the other instrument and it annoys you on the recording. That just won’t happen with this bridge.

 

It’s not just tuning stability, it’s tuning maintenance no matter hard or soft how you play.

 

I won’t need it, but I can see how it could be very useful for a recording bass.

 

If I was in the market to replace my recording guitar I’d have the guitar version in a heartbeat.

[Kev]

18 minutes ago, fretmeister said:

no, that’s not it.

 

If you pluck a sting hard then the initial attack is slightly sharp and then it settles. If you squeeze a string on the board too hard it goes out of tune. If you inadvertently bend a string it goes sharp.

 

Doesnt matter how well your bass is set up, it does it. It may not matter to you.

 

But with this bridge it does not happen. It maintains tension even if you try a hard bend on a string to TRY and bend by a tone (if you set it up that way) it will not change pitch while you bend.

 

Of course you might not see a need. But think beyond your use. What happens if you are duplicating a piano or synth part and the bass note gets the entirely normal Pitch Arc with the initial attack being a little sharp compared to the other instrument and it annoys you on the recording. That just won’t happen with this bridge.

 

It’s not just tuning stability, it’s tuning maintenance no matter hard or soft how you play.

 

I won’t need it, but I can see how it could be very useful for a recording bass.

 

If I was in the market to replace my recording guitar I’d have the guitar version in a heartbeat.

 

Thank you, that's made it click for me.  It's certainly clear that it's not for me, as it sounds like it'll suck the life and dynamics out of a bass line even more than what normally happens in a studio!  I can perhaps see the application, but have to say in all the years I've been tracking bass, I've never run into that tiny variance in pitch ever being an issue.  And what on earth happens when you bend a string then, what would that sound like, just the same?? 🤔

 

So presumably this bridge locks in place somehow, so changing tuning mid gig would be an issue?

[velvetkevorkian]

Yeah changing tuning on the fly would be a no-go. It doesn't lock, but there are springs that maintain tension, similar to a guitar vibrato bridge.

[fretmeister]

10 hours ago, velvetkevorkian said:

Yeah changing tuning on the fly would be a no-go. It doesn't lock, but there are springs that maintain tension, similar to a guitar vibrato bridge.

Not true.

 

It can be set up to allow some “tuning” variation like bending notes. But it will then always return to original pitch even if the string has been stretched.

 

The official guitar videos are ok, but the best one I saw was on a Devin Townsend rig rundown type thing.

 

I’ll see if I can find it.

[Kev]

1 hour ago, fretmeister said:

 

It can be set up to allow some “tuning” variation like bending notes. But it will then always return to original pitch even if the string has been stretched.

 

I'm lost again 😅 so it does allow pitch changes, or can this only be achieved with heavy bending?

[fretmeister]

2 hours ago, Kev said:

I'm lost again 😅 so it does allow pitch changes, or can this only be achieved with heavy bending?

 

Basically, you set the sensitivity of the spring system in the back. So little things like gripping too hard won't change the pitch at all, but a definite effort like bending a string will.

 

Told you - it's witchcraft!

[velvetkevorkian]

But e.g. switching from standard tuning to drop D mid-set wouldn't be possible, right?

 

I'm definitely more interested to try one now...

Edited April 21, 2023 by velvetkevorkian

[BreadBin]

6 minutes ago, velvetkevorkian said:

But e.g. switching from standard tuning to drop D mid-set wouldn't be possible, right?

 

I'm definitely more interested to try one now...

I don't think you can go to drop-D with this system. 

[BigRedX]

There are two ways you could do this. 

 

You could re-tune the Evertune bridge to D. It's probably not as quick and easy as using the machine head, but it could be done.  

 

However you could also set the bridge up so that dropping down to D was outside of the sweet spot. Then when you tune to D either manually or using a D-Tuner the string will drop to the correct pitch. You won't get the benefits of the Evertune bridge on that string while it's tuned to D but it will return to perfect E when you retune.