Double Bass Electric upright bass for Psychobilly?

NeesiesNotDead

NeesiesNotDead

Sep 29, 2024
45
38
719
#1
This question has been asked a lot id assume but I am a classical player originally but need to purchase my own upright bass preferably an electric upright bass since it’s more affordable and can work for electronic side projects but I am going to be playing Psychobilly style bass in a bit of a slower punk/riot girl band aswell as wanting to do some bluegrass and electronic maybe jazz and need something maybe that is less than $600 but the things I have found are all sold out I was looking at a Palatino 550 just as a starter but I’m not sure if it will be accessible. Is there any very cheap recommendations that can work for Psychobilly slap bass well and also what strings would be good to use for this on an EUB? Any advice from upright players for what you think I should know would also be very appreciated!
 
Sort by date Sort by votes
#6
If I am understanding correctly, you do not presently own an acoustic bass? I really think you want an acoustic bass. I'm far from a psychobilly expert, but I imagine those kinds of bands and fans would strongly prefer an acoustic from the visual aspect alone. It's not like you can stand on an EUB.

And you definitely want acoustic for bluegrass. And if you want to keep the classical thing going, you'll need an acoustic.

If you already have an acoustic and are looking to add an EUB to your arsenal, disregard my post.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 00null00
Upvote 0 Downvote
#7
Lee Moses said:
If I am understanding correctly, you do not presently own an acoustic bass? I really think you want an acoustic bass. I'm far from a psychobilly expert, but I imagine those kinds of bands and fans would strongly prefer an acoustic from the visual aspect alone. It's not like you can stand on an EUB.

And you definitely want acoustic for bluegrass. And if you want to keep the classical thing going, you'll need an acoustic.

If you already have an acoustic and are looking to add an EUB to your arsenal, disregard my post.
Click to expand...
I borrow an acoustic at my school but with all the new members to the orchestras there are no longer enough for me to take one home and having just an acoustic does not seem to work the best for recording with my limited space and budget though if the current EUBs I am looking at I may buy a half size acoustic though it costs more and having to pay extra for pickups and a gig bag and all of that would be far outside my current budget
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
#8
NeesiesNotDead said:
I borrow an acoustic at my school but with all the new members to the orchestras there are no longer enough for me to take one home and having just an acoustic does not seem to work the best for recording with my limited space and budget though if the current EUBs I am looking at I may buy a half size acoustic though it costs more and having to pay extra for pickups and a gig bag and all of that would be far outside my current budget
Click to expand...
As far as pickups, a Vic's Model B runs only $45, and is a quality pickup. And if you just need a cheap bag to cover and carry your bass, you can find something on e-Bay for well under $100, especially if you look at used. Even Gollihur is selling a bag right now for $75.

And you can talk with faculty members at your school about a way to find an affordable but serviceable acoustic bass to take home with you. I'm sure they would want you to have one to practice on. A double bass and an EUB are essentially two different instruments.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Keith Rawlings
Upvote 0 Downvote
#9
Lee Moses said:
As far as pickups, a Vic's Model B runs only $45, and is a quality pickup. And if you just need a cheap bag to cover and carry your bass, you can find something on e-Bay for well under $100, especially if you look at used. Even Gollihur is selling a bag right now for $75.

And you can talk with faculty members at your school about a way to find an affordable but serviceable acoustic bass to take home with you. I'm sure they would want you to have one to practice on. A double bass and an EUB are essentially two different instruments.
Click to expand...
Thank you for the pickup recommendation! And I am aware they are basically 2 different instruments but I do want to play both, one reason I wanna get an EUB right now is because it might get a more distorted growly sound for more punk songs in my band aswell as some electronic ideas I have in mind and I am just not very strong so carrying an acoustic around and storing has been a struggle for me
 
  • Like
Reactions: Lee Moses
Upvote 0 Downvote
#12
Writing extended run-on sentences without punctuation, subjects, objects, or sentences essentially shows contempt for the readers who have to exert themselves to interpret that kind of writing. "I'm not going to spend the time to make what I write easily readable and understandable; I'm going to make the reader do that!"
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bag of Lazers, Phreaky Phriday, RomanS and 1 other person
Upvote -1 Downvote
#17
One of my adult friends' teenage daughters told him that the "current" generation(s) consider using punctuation in texts rude..like, being ostentatious or condescending.

That means "showing off" or "assuming one is superior."

.....(..is there a word for "generation-'splaining?)....;):roflmao:

I agree that NOT using it is a drag, disrespectful, and makes the written word difficult to read.

Anyway...O.P....check out the Stagg basses. You could find one used for around $600 or less, and they really play OK. I was very pleasantly surprised when I played one. I bought something appreciably better, but it was also appreciably more expensive. The Stagg will serve you fine for your goals.
 
  • Like
Reactions: NeesiesNotDead, Keith Rawlings, AGCurry and 1 other person
Upvote 0 Downvote
#19
NeesiesNotDead said:
This question has been asked a lot id assume but I am a classical player originally but need to purchase my own upright bass preferably an electric upright bass since it’s more affordable and can work for electronic side projects but I am going to be playing Psychobilly style bass in a bit of a slower punk/riot girl band aswell as wanting to do some bluegrass and electronic maybe jazz and need something maybe that is less than $600 but the things I have found are all sold out I was looking at a Palatino 550 just as a starter but I’m not sure if it will be accessible. Is there any very cheap recommendations that can work for Psychobilly slap bass well and also what strings would be good to use for this on an EUB? Any advice from upright players for what you think I should know would also be very appreciated!
Click to expand...

If you become serious about PsychoBilly (PsyB), the double bass you get won't just be a double bass, it will be one that is strong enough to repeatedly step on and dance on as you play, and your technique will include serious slap. While I am not a PsyB player, it happens that my double bass, an Alcoa, is one that would be sought after for PsyB music because of its strength, so I'm a little familiar with it. You might get away with an EUB for casual PsyB, just like you might also get away with a bass guitar, but serious PsyB players tend to use strong -- at least ply -- double basses. BTW, the recommendation for a Vic's pickup is a very good one for this genre (and a lot of others).

Since treatment of a double bass for serious PsyB and RaB is a little rough, if you're honest about it I doubt if you'll be permitted to borrow a standard double bass for this, and even rentals may be hard to find. Most standard double basses are really not intended to be stepped on.

If you become serious about bluegrass, there again, an EUB isn't going to work; bluegrass folks have a strong preference for acoustic instruments, including double basses. I've seen a few EUBs on stage with bluegrass but only in a situation where the performer had to fly from somewhere and therefore had to compromise and bring a more portable amplified instrument, but on stage they do tend to get negative comments no matter how well they are played, and for most bluegrass jams any amplified instrument would be a serious target of complaints.

I have seen a number of top jazz performers using EUBs; I'd guess you wouldn't have much if any problem with an EUB in that context.

Worth mentioning, a decent EUB -- especially one you want to use the bow with -- might cost you as much or more than a nice used ply double bass.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: NeesiesNotDead, AGCurry and 00null00
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back