So I took the plunge...

[franzbassist]

I've ummed and ahhed about getting an EUB for a long time, but the music my band have been playing in the last year has made having [i]that[/i] sound all the more appropriate, so I finally took the plunge last week and got an Aria SWB Lite-BIS courtesy of Al at The Gallery.

Wow...

So why the Aria? Well, I spent a good amount of time on the WAV and a few minutes on a Palatino as well, but to me the Aria is a much better instrument both in terms of playability and especially the sound you can get out of it. I'm sure this is due to the two pickups; the piezo gives a lovely air to the notes, with lots of finger and body noise, while the magnetic pickup dials in lots of body. The two band eq works on both pickups at the same time, so you balance the output of each pickup using their volume controls. A little bit of hiss from the mag, but I can live with it and may improve the shielding in due course if it proves to be an issue.

I've played a lot of fretless, almost exclusively in the last few years, so the plain fingerboard holds no fear for me, and even the bigger stretches due to the longer scale are okay as I have big hands. The neck is obviously much deeper though, so that will take a bit of getting used to, as will the higher action, but that's all part of parcel of going upright I guess.

So I dive straight in and take the bass to rehearsal the night I get it. I set the end pin so first position is at eye level and make sure I'm plucking the strings near the end of the fingerboard with the side of my fingers. Straight away the tone is really good, with the bass carrying through really well, and the band absolutely love the look and tone.

So I am really chuffed. The Aria is a quality starter I think, and should keep me going for a good few years.

Gareth

[guyl]

Great - glad to hear it's working out for you.

[Cat Burrito]

Good to hear. As a recent covert to double bass I have 3 bits of advice that got from this site and consider essential. Apologies if you know all this but it may be useful to anyone reading the thread who is new to this and doesn't know;

1) Get a cheap tuition DVD as it will show you correct positions etc & iron out bad habits. Failing this (or better yet) bite the bullet and get a couple of lessons. It is different and it's just to prevent you cementing bad habits into your style at the early stages of you crossing over.

2) Get a powerball if you don't have one. You can pick up injuries easier so you need to train for match strength

3) Practice little and often - build it up.

You'll have loads of fun. It really is great playing this style.

[philw]

Gareth

Congratulations! When I got my NS CR4 all those years ago it wasn't just a revelation in terms of sound but in terms musicianship also. The physical demands of double bass make you think much harder about what you play. You have to get more value out of each note because you physically can't play quite so many of them. You'll find your electric bass playing changes too.

On thing I'd seriously reenforce though is that you get a few lessons – if only to ensure you're not getting into any habits of technique that will result in injury. I did exactly that in my early weeks of EUB and if I'd gone on without having my technique corrected would probably have ended up with a chronic left hand tendon problems. I mean, considering what's going arrive on your doorstep in a few weeks, we don't want you with your left hand permanently in an ice bag.

Phil

PS. Preferably get yourself a classically trained DB teacher. You can learn the basics of arco then too.

[scojack]

Nice one Gareth,

As a long time BG player (like me) , how are you finding adopting to the Left Hand Technique?

IanM

[franzbassist]

[quote name='scojack' post='630073' date='Oct 19 2009, 09:29 AM']Nice one Gareth,
As a long time BG player (like me) , how are you finding adopting to the Left Hand Technique?
IanM[/quote]

Hi Ian, and to everyone else who has helpfully responded so far.

I think that is the thing that'll take the most adjustment, and also why the suggestion of lessons is a good one. I've been watching a lot of DB players on Youtube and the like and trying to see what they do, and combine that with what feels comfortable to me. I have pretty big hands so it doesn't seem to be an issue with the stretches, but my thumb seems to shift position a lot depending on which string I am playing and where on the fingerboard I am. Sometimes it's flat and facing up to the head of the neck, othertimes just the thumb pad is pressing on the back of the neck, and a couple of times I've found myself gripping the neck baseball style.

General update: Played the bass a lot over the weekend, in short bursts, and I'm getting very comfortable with it. There seems to be a slight rattle when I play open E hard, but you can't hear it amplified so it isn't an issue. I'm thinking a set of better strings may improve it even more, as the strings seem pretty tight compared to the amount of oscilation a lot of players get in videos I've watched; I'm thinking light Thomastik Spirocores may be the ones to get? Also planning on upgrading the end pin to something more substantial as the original flexes a bit too much for my liking. Also need a stand and decent hard case...

Cheers all

Gareth

[BassBod]

Good to hear you're enjoying it. Getting "the right" strings for upright is a real learning experience compared to BG, so here are my suggestions - hope it helps.

Focus on the sound you want to make first..but also consider the feel. They vary much more. If you want a twangy, NHOP type sound or growly jazz then Spirocores are a safe bet, or the LaBella black nylon (steel core, so ok with mag p/up) are great, and a bit less tension. There are also "older" sounding strings like the Innovation sets which have a softer more "acoustic" sound. I like these on EUB, as they help produce a good acoustic feel - I know the metal wound versions (140H?) work with a mag pickup, but most of them won't as they have no metals in the construction.

Have a look at Bob Gollihur's site for useful comments?

Best of luck, and take it easy

BB

[franzbassist]

BB

This is all new to me, and as DB string are pretty pricey I'd like to make an informed first choice as I don't want to be changing sets on a regular basis! Starting with a quality set of strings that are generally popular is as good a place to start as any; it'll certainly help me set an (ahem) baseline on which I can make more informed decisions in future.

What do I want in terms of tone? Well, initially I'll be using the bass for some country, folk and old blues tunes, so I guess I want something that sounds traditionally "acoustic" and woody, but I also want something that isn't too tight under the finger, with a bit of "give" but not too much roll under the finger.

Cheers

Gareth

[BassBod]

That sounds like the Innovations 140H set to me - around £80? The only issue I had with them is the metal windings can "creep" on the nylon (?) core a bit..but they never fell apart in the 3 plus years I used them! I'm using the Rockabilly version now (plastic outer windings rather than metal).

Have a look at Bob G's descriptions...but remember the mag pickup. Also Talk*ass is full of "opinions" about strings..but more for purely acoustic qualities than EUB uses.

[TheRev]

I have Helicore hybrids on my Aria and they produce a much more mellow DB like sound than pizz strings like Sprios. You could also try the Helicore orchestrals which are even more thumpy! The general rule of thumb is that EUBs have a much brighter response and more sustain than DB, so to get the same sort of tone from an EUB as from a DB, you have to go a step darker with the strings. i.e. if you want a pizzacato, jazz, spirocore sort of sound then you need to use hybrids or nylon strings to take away some of the sustain and top end of the Aria.

Pirastro's Obligatos are a great string getting close to the Db sound on EUB, but they are known for rolling under the fingers, which you say you want to avoid.

Dave

[franzbassist]

Thanks Dave. Does your Aria have the mag pickup as well as the piezo? I am very aware of the need to pick strings with good metallic content to make sure I can use both pickups.

[TheRev]

No, mine's one of the earlier ones with just the piezo pup. In your case, synthetic strings like the Obligatos won't be any use but the Helicore hybrids will still work. They have a steel rope core with dampening material wrapped round it to reduce the sustain so there'll be enough metal to generate a signal.

Over on the Talkbass EUB froum there's a lot of love for the Corelli 370M strings. I haven't tried them yet as my Aria doesn't get a lot of use since I bought my Eminence but they would seem to be ideal for your needs.

[Doddy]

Nice one for taking up the upright.
You should look into getting a few lessons on technique. DVD's are great,but you need someone
to point out any mistakes you may be doing,that you would not notice(or just let slide)if you go it
alone.
I wouldn't bother with a powerball personally (no offence BurritoBass). If you learn correct technique
from the start you shouldn't pick up any injuries. Just take it easy to begin with and if you feel any pain,stop
playing and look for a teacher. I've been gigging on upright for about 10 years and never had a problem.

Try and learn some basic arco technique too. It will improve your intonation no end. The Bow doesn't lie.