Stagg!!!!

[yorks5stringer]

[quote name='Mateybass' post='647831' date='Nov 7 2009, 01:44 AM']My battery just ran out this weekend. It was the original battery from when I bought the bass in February this year.

If anyone finds out what the exact cause is, perhaps they could let me know so I can add it to my list and maybe work out a procedure for those who's basses are out of warranty.

Cheers
Ian[/quote]


8 months, I barely got 8 hours! I've got my local shop on to the Stagg rep, D Hunter on Monday, so will see what transpires....

[butterfingersbeck]

Just got my Stagg - it's a blue one. Very nice to play. My only issue is the amount of hiss from the headphones. It seems to be constant regardless of the volume and tone settings. Is this right, and will I also be getting hiss from the 1/4" output? I hope not!

Otherwise, a lovely instrument,and well worth the price I paid.

[yorks5stringer]

Update on the Stagg electronics saga: they're understandably not keen on EDB's being shipped back and forward around the country so have told me they will send out new electronics modules for owners to fit themselves. I guess if you are not keen/competant, then the shop you purchased it from ( who you need to approach in the first instance anyway) should be able to do the swap for you. I'm now waiting for my module to come through and will fit it myself.

[butterfingersbeck]

[quote name='yorks5stringer' post='657683' date='Nov 18 2009, 12:02 AM']Update on the Stagg electronics saga: they're understandably not keen on EDB's being shipped back and forward around the country so have told me they will send out new electronics modules for owners to fit themselves. I guess if you are not keen/competant, then the shop you purchased it from ( who you need to approach in the first instance anyway) should be able to do the swap for you. I'm now waiting for my module to come through and will fit it myself.[/quote]

Is this related to the hiss, the hum or the battery life?

[Mateybass]

[quote name='butterfingersbeck' post='657702' date='Nov 18 2009, 12:21 AM']Is this related to the hiss, the hum or the battery life?[/quote]

This is related to the short battery life on some basses.

The hiss is probably caused by the onboard headphone amp and shouldn't be present at the 1/4" jack socket. I've never noticed any hiss from the headphone amp but then my ancient Sennheiser headphones are 600ohm impedance. I've never tried it with a pair of 8ohm headphones.

If your Stagg is humming, that's an easy fix, see previous posts, or see [url="http://www.flickr.com/photos/52673786@N00/sets/72157622373540977/detail/"]here[/url]

[Mateybass]

[quote name='yorks5stringer' post='657683' date='Nov 18 2009, 12:02 AM']Update on the Stagg electronics saga: they're understandably not keen on EDB's being shipped back and forward around the country so have told me they will send out new electronics modules for owners to fit themselves. I guess if you are not keen/competant, then the shop you purchased it from ( who you need to approach in the first instance anyway) should be able to do the swap for you. I'm now waiting for my module to come through and will fit it myself.[/quote]

Presumably they want the old module returning. I wonder if you could take some photos of the old board before you return it? I'll try to spot the difference between my known good board and a faulty board.

Cheers

[butterfingersbeck]

Thanks!

Here is my first recording with the Stagg. It's a rough-and-ready version of Joe Zawinul's classic "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy". There are two Telecaster tracks - sorry about the playing, but guitar's really not my instrument! Percussion is a loop I made in HammerHead 1.0, a great freeware TR-808 simulator. I can only apologise for the suspect intonation on the Stagg - it's the first time I've played upright bass for years, and I'm not that proficient anyway. But the sound is great.

[attachment=36618:mercy.mp3]

[butterfingersbeck]

[quote name='butterfingersbeck' post='658070' date='Nov 18 2009, 01:35 PM']Thanks!

Here is my first recording with the Stagg. It's a rough-and-ready version of Joe Zawinul's classic "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy". There are two Telecaster tracks - sorry about the playing, but guitar's really not my instrument! Percussion is a loop I made in HammerHead 1.0, a great freeware TR-808 simulator. I can only apologise for the suspect intonation on the Stagg - it's the first time I've played upright bass for years, and I'm not that proficient anyway. But the sound is great.

[attachment=36618:mercy.mp3][/quote]

I'll re-record it sometime using a Wurlitzer piano instead of the guitars - it's one of my favourite songs to jam on, and the original Cannonball Adderly recording has that amazing combination of Wurly and acoustic bass. If you haven't heard it, it's on YouTube. Essential listening for upright bassists, vintage keyboard nuts, just about anyone...

[yorks5stringer]

[quote name='butterfingersbeck' post='657702' date='Nov 18 2009, 12:21 AM']Is this related to the hiss, the hum or the battery life?[/quote]

I get little hiss even on phones, some hum which I dial out on my amp, but the bane of my sad existance is poor battery life. I suspect the replacement module may be identical to what it replaces but if its different I'll try to take a photo.

[butterfingersbeck]

One other thing - the bridge seems to be leaning a few degrees towards the nut. Is this a problem, and if so can I just slacken off the strings, reseat the bridge and retune?

[Mateybass]

[quote name='butterfingersbeck' post='659910' date='Nov 20 2009, 09:58 AM']One other thing - the bridge seems to be leaning a few degrees towards the nut. Is this a problem, and if so can I just slacken off the strings, reseat the bridge and retune?[/quote]

I noticed that problem on mine too but I just nudged it back into an upright position without slackening off, it seems to happen when the strings are slackened off and retuned that it goes slightly out of alignment, screwing the bridge allen bolts all the way down whilst holding the thumbscrews to preserve height for the action seems to do the trick. It certainly hasn't moved again, even after transporting it to several gigs.

[butterfingersbeck]

[quote name='Mateybass' post='660749' date='Nov 21 2009, 03:57 AM']I noticed that problem on mine too but I just nudged it back into an upright position without slackening off, it seems to happen when the strings are slackened off and retuned that it goes slightly out of alignment, screwing the bridge allen bolts all the way down whilst holding the thumbscrews to preserve height for the action seems to do the trick. It certainly hasn't moved again, even after transporting it to several gigs.[/quote]

Thanks a lot! I did this and it looks a lot better. Not getting much treble response through my PC speakers - all the delicious buzzes and swells I hear unplugged are getting lost, and it sounds a bit too much like a fretless bass guitar, even with the Sub Bass full off. Any thoughts?

Simon "Butterfingers" Beck
London SE26

[Mateybass]

[quote name='butterfingersbeck' post='661271' date='Nov 21 2009, 07:16 PM']Thanks a lot! I did this and it looks a lot better. Not getting much treble response through my PC speakers - all the delicious buzzes and swells I hear unplugged are getting lost, and it sounds a bit too much like a fretless bass guitar, even with the Sub Bass full off. Any thoughts?

Simon "Butterfingers" Beck
London SE26[/quote]

Do you have a sub unit on your PC speaker setup, or are they reproducing anything in the midrange? I'd recommend trying it through a bass amp, it should sound a lot different with a bit of midrange response from those speakers.

[yorks5stringer]

[u]How to replace the electronics module on Stagg EDB[/u]


1. Remove screws from module and end pin compartment, and put them somewhere safe!
2. Remove any shielding tape from the end pin compartment ( I have a feeling mine is not standard and was added by the last user but could be wrong?)
3 You should now be able to see the wires and how they sit in channels. Remember or sketch/photograph their position.
4. Unscrew the 2 screws from the jack socket, again put these somewhere safe.

You will have been sent a new module (which is identical) minus knobs ( these just pull off the old ones) and new wires to the piezos. I did not change the piezo wires, I can't see why these would be an issue?

5. Unsolder the 3 wires from the jack socket, making a note of which wire goes where.
6. Unsolder the red and black power wires next to the jack wire socket on the module( making a note of which way round they go).
7. Unplug the piezo wires, again note their position,the module is now free of any connections and can be put to one side ( for a project...?)
8. Solder the red and black power wires back onto the new module
9. Feed the grey cable into the jack socket space and re- solder all the connections from the new module onto the jack, red, white and ground.
10. Plug in the piezo wires to the new module.
11. At this point find screws and screw in 1 to the jack socket and 1 into the module plate and test everything works!
12. Remove screws and feed all cables into channels, I then relined my cavities with adhesive foil making sure some will touch the control cavity cover which is lined as well. I kept the foil away from the end pin path so it does not touch it and possibly cause intereference?
13. Replace all screws, care with the one over the end pin as it only short and on mine hardly grips.
14. Enjoy your new quieter and greener Bass!

Edited December 5, 2009 by yorks5stringer

[Mateybass]

[quote name='yorks5stringer' post='675025' date='Dec 5 2009, 03:51 PM']You will have been sent a new module (which is identical) minus knobs ( these just pull off the old ones) and new wires to the piezos.[/quote]

I presume this is the new board to replace the battery-eating one. Have they asked for the old board back? If not, I'd be very interested in comparing your faulty one with my known good one so I can spot the difference and write a mod procedure for out-of-warranty owners.

Where the instructions you posted as provided by the supplier? If so, I'm not sure how they expected you to change the peizo wires without slackening the strings and removing the bridge

[yorks5stringer]

The module is absolutely identical and they have not asked for it back, ( nor did they enclose any fitting instructions!).
You are correct in that replacing the piezo wires would have meant slackening strings and removing the bridge and possibly some more soldering too ( the wires had the plugs on one end that fit into the module but the other end were unfinished), so given I had a gig Sat night and it arrived around 2.00 pm I applied some pragmatism to the replacement and left well alone!

[Mateybass]

[quote name='yorks5stringer' post='676692' date='Dec 7 2009, 01:31 PM']The module is absolutely identical and they have not asked for it back, ( nor did they enclose any fitting instructions!).
You are correct in that replacing the piezo wires would have meant slackening strings and removing the bridge and possibly some more soldering too ( the wires had the plugs on one end that fit into the module but the other end were unfinished), so given I had a gig Sat night and it arrived around 2.00 pm I applied some pragmatism to the replacement and left well alone![/quote]

I think the piezos are finished, they don't have anything on the end of them so no soldering would be required. They are cable type piezos and just poke through the holes in the endpin cavity and lay in the bottom of the bridge sockets.

The modules probably look identical but at a guess, I'd say there is an incorrect component fitted somewhere which under a magnifying glass would show up a component with a different value to the correct one... no doubt a manufacturing fault and someone picked up a tray of 1k ohm surface mount resistors instead of 10K ohm.... or some such mistake

Anyway, glad to hear you're all sorted now

Edited December 8, 2009 by Mateybass

[Karen]

[quote name='yorks5stringer' post='657683' date='Nov 18 2009, 12:02 AM']Update on the Stagg electronics saga: they're understandably not keen on EDB's being shipped back and forward around the country so have told me they will send out new electronics modules for owners to fit themselves. I guess if you are not keen/competant, then the shop you purchased it from ( who you need to approach in the first instance anyway) should be able to do the swap for you. I'm now waiting for my module to come through and will fit it myself.[/quote]


Stagg sent some new electronic bits to the place I bought mine from, however, that didn't seem to solve the battery (lack of) life problem so they got the whole instrument replaced. The new one has a much better battery life - now measured in months rather than minutes - but it also has a much more bass guitar sound than the old one so I'm not entirely sure I like it as much. I suspect this is a much to do with the strings as anything else, so I'm saving up for some replacements...

[derrenleepoole]

I was wondering if anyone has or knows of any modding done to the Stagg EUB? In the short time that I owned the Palatino EUB, there sprung up a huge modding scene on them - things like stands for hands free playing, pickup upgrades etc. Was wondering if anyone had done something similar?

Annoyingly, the Stagg when it first came out was £250, it's now closer to £350. More annoyingly, I had the chance to purchase one for £200 way back in the day and never did. I'm considering one, but I'm interested to see if anyone has improved upon the design?

[lemmywinks]

[quote name='derrenleepoole' post='1028178' date='Nov 18 2010, 04:55 PM']I was wondering if anyone has or knows of any modding done to the Stagg EUB? In the short time that I owned the Palatino EUB, there sprung up a huge modding scene on them - things like stands for hands free playing, pickup upgrades etc. Was wondering if anyone had done something similar?

Annoyingly, the Stagg when it first came out was £250, it's now closer to £350. More annoyingly, I had the chance to purchase one for £200 way back in the day and never did. I'm considering one, but I'm interested to see if anyone has improved upon the design?[/quote]


Mateybass did a few mods for his with online pics. I think most of the mods for the Palatino were to solve problems not present in the Stagg, such as the tinny trebly piezo and lack of stand. The Stagg has a commercially available stand and the tone is good out of the box

Common things to do on a Stagg are lining the control cavity, wrapping the endpin to solve the rattle problem and using foam/rubber dampeners at the bridge

[derrenleepoole]

[quote name='lemmywinks' post='1028290' date='Nov 18 2010, 06:52 PM']Mateybass did a few mods for his with online pics. I think most of the mods for the Palatino were to solve problems not present in the Stagg, such as the tinny trebly piezo and lack of stand. The Stagg has a commercially available stand and the tone is good out of the box

Common things to do on a Stagg are lining the control cavity, wrapping the endpin to solve the rattle problem and using foam/rubber dampeners at the bridge[/quote]

Those mods seem about right for the Stagg. The Palatino, which I've owned, was a great bass on paper, but had too many problems to get it right. The weight in particular was problematic, as foot couldn't support the weight properly and would often slip over time, and the weight would also pull the bass around and make for awkward playing.

The Stagg have it right I think. It is after all a copy of the Aria SWB, and that seems to be a winning design

[butterfingersbeck]

Just looked at Thomann's website - they still have the EDB listed (at a higher price than I paid) but they also have a more expensive model with an ebony fingerboard. Only one small photo, but it looks identical to the EDB apart from a slightly different pegbox design. Apparently it's SO new that it isn't even on Stagg's own website...

[butterfingersbeck]

BTW, I've reviewed my right-hand technique, and I'm getting a much more authentic sound by using the side of my index finger instead of my fingertips! Seems that if you play it like a bass guitar, that's the kind of sound you'll get. Interestingly, many years ago I tried the opposite - standing a bass guitar upright on a chair and playing it with the side of my finger, and indeed I got a sound which was reminiscent of an upright bass!

[Dr_Tom]

Hi,

Just bought a Stagg EDB off a fellow basschatter a few days ago and as soon as I got it home and tuned the G string the nut cracked and bit flew off, fun times.

Does anyone know where I can get a replacement?

I've measured it as being 1 11/16ths inches in length (which I think is standard bass guitar nut length) but its the height at 9/16ths or 14mm which is obviously a lot bigger than bass guitar nuts.

I'd be grateful for any suggestions

Cheers
Tom

[yorks5stringer]

[quote name='Dr_Tom' post='1239146' date='May 21 2011, 11:25 AM']Hi,

Just bought a Stagg EDB off a fellow basschatter a few days ago and as soon as I got it home and tuned the G string the nut cracked and bit flew off, fun times.

Does anyone know where I can get a replacement?

I've measured it as being 1 11/16ths inches in length (which I think is standard bass guitar nut length) but its the height at 9/16ths or 14mm which is obviously a lot bigger than bass guitar nuts.

I'd be grateful for any suggestions

Cheers
Tom[/quote]

Go to your local supermarket/petshop and buy a big fat dog bone. On a band saw cut off a section and gradually shape to fit. Cost around 50p! Or I can let you have piece of ebony to do the same to?

Edited May 21, 2011 by yorks5stringer