My Christmas present to myself has finally arrived! ;D
It's an Electric Double Bass.
I started wanting one when I got the BR1600 back last Easter and immediately started recording acoustic songs instead of band songs. Nearly every recording I've made since then, which has a bass on, uses the "double bass" model in my Variax bass. It works ok but just didn't feel right.
The main thing in my mind was that I needed something without frets. So I was debating getting a fretless bass guitar or ... one of these beasts...
Before Christmas I tried a few fretless basses, and then finally laid my hands on one of these. With the help of Mrs R (the chicks love a double-bass player! :D) I decided that, although there was a bigger learning curve, the EDB was the way to go... so I ordered one.
It's a "Stagg 3/4 EDB in black with gig-bag". I had a good ole tonk on it last night, it is going to be very useful 8) 8) 8)
Needs some further "setting up" and fettling in and, I suspect, a decent set of "orchestral" strings... but it's making cool noises already :).
Hopefully, I'll have a chance to record a quick clip or something over the weekend - I'm already happy enough with my playing to post examples of it :o, that really surprised me... (but I've got a sore neck and shoulders to show for it though! :D)
Now you're really giving me GAS Andy !!
this looks amazingly cool !!!
(http://www.dv247.com/assets/products/50147_l.jpg)
You lucky fella. I like the sound of this. There's something eternally classy about the sound of a double bass on acoustic songs. I can see myself getting the bug for one of these too. No... stop it... must... resist, lol.
Looking forward to hearing how it sounds in a recording context!
The GAS is never ending :D
While I was waiting for this I started getting cravings for banjos... and harmonicas... and, of course, now I have this thing it won't be long before I need to get a bow for it :D
I have a feeling that the tone I'll get out of it will be less "acoustic" than the Variax modelling I've been using, but that it will gain in so many other areas...
My early plans at the moment are for "double-bass, telecaster, drums" blues/r&r recordings rather than anything folkie, but we'll see what happens when I plug it in!
This looks amazing Andy. There is a local blues/folky/jazzy duo here that the bass player uses something like one of these, and he goes out to a wah pedal and some other effect and then into a looper. What an incredible sound. The other guy plays acoustic. He lays down a bass pattern with fingers, loops it, then plays higher up to get a cello sound (using a bow) and uses his effects, fills the damn room with sound. They sound like a 4-5 man band up there. I can't wait to hear this in action.
Quote from: Bluesberry on January 07, 2011, 06:35:19 AMThis looks amazing Andy. There is a local blues/folky/jazzy duo here that the bass player uses something like one of these, and he goes out to a wah pedal and some other effect and then into a looper. What an incredible sound. The other guy plays acoustic. He lays down a bass pattern with fingers, loops it, then plays higher up to get a cello sound (using a bow) and uses his effects, fills the damn room with sound. They sound like a 4-5 man band up there.
Wow, sounds amazing...
Quote from: Bluesberry on January 07, 2011, 06:35:19 AMI can't wait to hear this in action.
Mebbe set your sights a little lower ... some tasteful "dum-dum, dum-dum, dum-dum-dum, duppety-dum-dum" perhaps :D
OK, I've set it up. This mainly involved cutting the nut slots a lot lower and experimenting with various heights for the bridge/action. It's a lot easier to play now :)
I'm surprised at how quickly I've adjusted to playing with no frets. My body hasn't adjusted to the new playing shape though. I feel like I've been through a heavy-weight boxing contest :D - back ache, neck ache, my right arm feels like someone's punched it repeatedly! At least it's not causing any new blisters...
It's sounding really good. It's never going to sound like an acoustic upright, too much sustain and "electric" stuff... but it has a voice all of its own that I rather like, in fact I've fallen in love with it already (even if it makes me feel like a physical wreck!).
Short demo in original songs: The Rutting Stagg (https://songcrafters.org/forum/index.php?topic=9906.0)
Although the demo doesn't show it, for some reason an upright really puts a bit of zing/rhythm into you while you're playing. Something that a bass guitar doesn't do (in my experience anyway). With this thing I find myself grooving and bopping along with it. I suppose it might be because it's almost like you're dancing with a partner (but plucking away at her in a most unseemly fashion!)
Another surprising thing is that I can play a bass line and sing a lead vocal at the same time with this! Never been able to do that with bass guitar, I've always found it just too difficult to get the timing right and deliver a decent performance in either department...
Ahh... happy days :)
very cool indeed
thats amazing!!! I used to play the big upright bass in high school!! Look how they have modernized it. LOL I bet it is fun to play!! Would love to get my hands on a big old upright again!!
PJ
(http://www.uptonbass.com/catalog/images/cache/UB_HybridGaryKarr_Deluxe.083120.JPG)
I have to admit, now that I've got this, that I'm starting to develop yearnings for the "real thing"... and that's after less than a week! ::) :D
The missus would probably draw the line though... and even I can see that fitting a real upright in our flat would pose a few problems...
Meanwhile, playing is coming along nicely - still causes a few aches, but my body's getting used to it.
And I've found out how to EQ it so that it sits very nicely on its own with a single acoustic guitar. All I've got to do now is learn how to restrain myself so that I play effective bass parts for the song, rather than the "lead-bass" I'm tempted to play all the time :D
If you're selling it cheap.... I love that thing! I've got a massive gas attack just thinking about it. It's about as cool of an instrument as I've seen in a while.
Did you get a bow with it also? Amazing what you can do with that!! Can't wait to hear it!!
PJ
No, no bow yet... wasn't planning on one originally, but I'm definitely thinking about it now :D
Apparently (from the talkbass forum) the factory strings aren't particularly good for bowing. And opinion seems to be divided on whether the bass itself supports bowing that well.
By the way, I'm stunned/horrified at how much double-bass strings cost though - combined with all the variations in what they're for and what they do. It sounds like once you've found the set you like then the price is reasonable because they last a long time... But figuring out the set you need could be very expensive if you start swapping and changing...
Quote from: AndyR on January 12, 2011, 01:37:17 AMBy the way, I'm stunned/horrified at how much double-bass strings cost though - ......
That is a major concern for me too, if I ever get to surrender to the GAS attack.... from what I've heard they cost about the same as a decent cheap guitar !!!
Yep, I've seen as cheap as £60-£70 (a set), but it looks like I'll be looking at £100-£120.
Having said that, as long as you don't damage them, it looks like you can get 4-5 years solid playing out of a set.
Hi Andy!
Congratulations for the doublebass. I used to play doublebass (the real thing), and I still own one. It is useful to make a fire, to use as a boat, or to smuggle dead bodies. That's for saying you did the right thing in going for the electric. The captation is a lot easier (e.g. my db makes the windows tremble, which i s not nice in a home studio), and it is more comfortable to play.
Be careful with orchestral strings! They are meant for... orchestra. The usually have a higher tension to be used with the bow and to make a lot of dB. You probably want some light jazz strings. I can't give you advice on them, but check dbass (late) godfather Niels Hennings Orsted Pedersen (NHOP for friends). He doesn't use orchestral strings... I suspect he used butter-strings.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6xk9Qvm4VoPS not my favorite song from him, but....
I've heard it again! what a blast of solo!
Thanks for that :)
I've been wondering about Orchestral strings because I've heard word that it's possible that they might make an EDB sound a little more "acoustic" if that's what you're after. I'm not convinced I need to go chase that too much because with some judicious EQng on a BR I can start getting close enough for my liking. On my BR1600 I've found the acoustic simulator patch is another route to go - getting some nice sounds out of it.
One of my gut feelings has been D'Addario Hybrids - partly because I see me wanting to be able to do some arco in the future as well as pizz. But whereas some folks seem to think that's the route to go, others seem to look down their noses at hybrids as "neither one nor the other".
I'm aiming at the moment for a folkie sort of vibe, capable of going with folkie acoustic guitars but also marrying up with blues electric and rock and roll. Not too worried/interested about slap. The impression I'm getting is that apart from "will the set take a bow without getting too scratchy" (and obviously volume's not a problem on an electric), most of it's going to be in your fingers anyway - so go for a set that feels right to play.
And thanks for the clip - I've been meaning to sit down and trawl the web looking for stuff to watch. I've been worried I might be in danger of damaging my left wrist, but I seem to be playing in pretty much the same sort of shapes as he does.
And funnily enough, my missus was telling some of her friends last night about my new bass. One of them went "Why? he doesn't play jazz..." ... when she got home she found that he was indeed noodling around in a very jazz bassist kinda way. It just kind of does it to you without you realising! :D
I'm not anywhere near this guy's dexterity though! :o I'd definitely need lighter strings at the moment to get near that!!
What gets me though, a few days ago I would have been thinking "a guy playing a jazz bass, yeah, cool...", but now I already understand what he was doing/saying scalewise etc... I was aware of the possibility, but I never expected this thing to drag me into jazz that quickly!
I learned classical double bass for 4 years. I invested a lot of time, effort (an money) and I even missed 1 year at uni because of the db, and I feel that's the intrument I play worse. I still have my db, although I dream of throwing him (yes, "him", not "it") from here
(http://rcicla.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/cabo_da_roca-lighthouse.jpg)
So far I lack the courage, and I'm afraid that evil beast will not break. As you can see, I still hold some grudge...
Anyway, I can't give you much advice on string brands. I'll just put some advice I should have been told:
1. Work your tone! Since it is an electrical, I personally wouldn't mind in abusing EQ and even some compression. I once recorded my db dry and the sound was so bad, I thought for years I played awfully.
2. Noodling with the db is fun, especially doing walking lines. However, be careful with your fingers' position. It is easy to get obsessed with the groove (rythm) and start play out of tune. (I wonder how the BR pitch correction works on the db...)
3. I like the bow a lot. You should go for it, but it is not that easy. I learned the German bow. In the beginning it is painful since you hold pressure with the right side of the index finger, and it is a part of your anatomy I use much. Now I'm confortable with the german bow, but each time a friend lends me a violin or a cello, I feel stupid because I can't hold their bow. Since you don't want to be a master bower, I suggest you go for a French bow. Less painful, and whatever you learn, you can take it to a violin or cello.
4. there are lots of jokes of double bassists. DON'T TELL NO ONE YOU HAVE ONE!!! ;-)
After all this rant, let me tell you that I envy you. I would love to do a reset and start all over again, but there are too much resentments... for now...
There's a good thing...
Once I was carrying the beast, and a very gentle old lady said (I'm absolutely sure was naively) "what a big instrument you have there".
On that moment, all my sacrifices were worth it and now I can die in peace.
M