zero9

That looks great.

Can't comment on Rolf's wobble board though.

I'm sure that some EUB's sound more 'authentic' than others, to emulate an acoustic double bass. Physics dictate that an EUB designed as an electric instrument it's not going to sound like a acoustic double bass.

EUB's sound differently, just as bass guitars sound differently, otherwise we might as well all play a Fender P.

I'd sooner go for a Kala U Bass to give a closer approximation of an upright tone, but it doesn't cut it in the visual stakes

I'd recommend the OP try as many different instruments as possible before deciding.

The action on an acoustic is generally regarded as being higher than an electric, although I did play one at a bash once which had incredibly low action. It all depends on the neck relief / quality and how low you want the action to go. It is down to personal preference and playing style.

Because it will involve reducing the saddle height (assuming it's a plastic saddle), just take it down a little bit at a time, until you reach a height which suits your preference. Similarly with the nut, just take it down a fraction at a time until your happy with the action.

Whilst the neck may be straight, the join to the body may not, which could give a higher action than expected. Provided there is plenty of saddle height to play with, it's worth lowering the height by filing, although I would recommend getting a second saddle to experiment with and keep the old one just in case.

Look at the Morley range of pedals. There will be one which will do what you want.

[quote name='Passinwind' timestamp='1419126337' post='2636889']


Not if you play arco.
[/quote]

Good point

One of the best things about my former NS upright was indeed that you could bow on it.

I like his playing on some of the earlier Al Di Meola stuff.

Choose whichever appeals to you most. Jazz harmony is more niche, the groove thing is more universal.

EUB's occupy a nice little niche between an electric bass guitar and a double bass, but don't sound anything like a double bass. An electric fretless with tapewounds will do just as well as an EUB to simulate a DB. However, an EUB looks cool and gets good feedback from an audience. There is no real benefit spending loads of money on one as they all sound pretty similar, and experimenting with strings can produce more effective results to move closer to a proper upright sound. Just go for the one you like the look of most.

Absolutely, there's good and bad, whether played slap, finger, pick, teeth, or tap style. I like the sound of a bass being slapped, provided it's done tastefully and well.

Not sure I can stand this any longer...

One who isn't anti.

I wonder how many music stands is too many for a band.

If the drummer shows up with a music stand I'm off.

Until I've mastered 4 strings, I won't be taking up 5 or more strings.

Just because it is possible doesn't make it right.

Try some tapewound strings first. That might warm it up a bit.

I had a little Hartke 30W bass combo once and it was great. Plenty of poke for practice or small rehearsals. I would normally recommend a small bass combo, but find them a bit limited on features. I could recommend a Roland CM 30, which is excellent for £160 new. It's not a bass combo, but a monitor, with 3 channels and has various inouts for aux's etc. I mainly use it for keyboard, however, I've run a bass guitar through it and it's great. More versatile than a bass combo, with plenty of bottom and volume

Do you have anything at home you can plug a bass into, such as a hifi, or some computer speakers? These would be fine for low volume practice, however, you may need either a small mixer or interface in between

Thanks Nik, that's a great result.

The best function bands I've seen didn't use any stands / iPads / crib sheets. They were professional bands, not ones relying on lots of different deps.

Don't overlook the type of wood used in your speaker cab, or the type of wooden floor it sits on. This will have a greater effect on the final tone than the type of wood used in the instrument

I have no objection to bands using music stands. From the bands I've seen, the better ones don't use music stands and are on the whole more professional and engaging.

Did an outdoor ging once with a 'function band'. The singers shared a music stand with lyrics on loose bits of paper. It was quite funny when there was a gust of wind...

Sunshine of your Love by Cream or Come Together by the Beatles

Perceived volume depends on many factors. If you're just starting out, it may take a while to get your core strength built up to play 'louder'. Some players sound louder because they're able to dig in more due to years of practice. The strings do make a difference, however, most of it is down to your skill / technique / experience on the instrument. If you want to go as loud as possible (acoustically), you'll need high tension steel strings and the biggest bass possible, as well as years and years of solid practice. I've used Rotosounds RS4000 before, as described by Clarky, and concur that these aren't particularly 'loud', compared to other strings such as steels, but again, it depends how you play them.

People still use paper, I though it was all iPads these days
The band in the foyer at a recent Gabriel gig each had an iPad, clamped to their mic stands. Even Peter Gabriel and his crowd used screens on stage.