Electric Bass >> Upright Sound?
- Thread starter Elvisish
- Start date
No electric bass is going to fool the discerning listener, and as a bassist, I just PLAY an upright bass if I want that sound. But:
Mute the strings. Put a little strip of foam on the strings at or near the bridge.
Play with your right hand close to the neck. Play with your left hand in first position as much as possible.
Use suitable strings, like Thomastik-Infeld Jazz rounds or flats.
I don't know any EQ tricks. Perhaps gentle rolloffs below, say 100 hz and above like 500 hz?
Mute the strings. Put a little strip of foam on the strings at or near the bridge.
Play with your right hand close to the neck. Play with your left hand in first position as much as possible.
Use suitable strings, like Thomastik-Infeld Jazz rounds or flats.
I don't know any EQ tricks. Perhaps gentle rolloffs below, say 100 hz and above like 500 hz?
Bassman Brad
New member
This reminds me of an interview that I read a long time ago. (I think the article was in Bass Player, but it was many years ago, so I can't remember for sure. In fact, I don't even remember who the artist was that was being interviewed. But, the comment stuck with me, 'cause it struck me as funny.)
Question: "How do you get your bass to sound so much like an upright?"
Answer: "Turn down the tone knob."
Honestly, though, the guy was probably playing a Precision with flat-wound strings that hadn't been changed in YEARS. And he probably also had a playing style was very much like that of an upright player. That would be my guess, anyway.
Brad
Question: "How do you get your bass to sound so much like an upright?"
Answer: "Turn down the tone knob."
Honestly, though, the guy was probably playing a Precision with flat-wound strings that hadn't been changed in YEARS. And he probably also had a playing style was very much like that of an upright player. That would be my guess, anyway.
Brad
Rokket
Trailing Behind Again
That's funny! I agree though, with the fretless bass idea.... I have an ESP 5 string that I can get to sound somewhat like an upright by turning down the tone knobs and cranking the highs on my amp. But you can instantly tell it's not an upright if you listen close.Bassman Brad said:
Why not just rent an upright if that's the sound you want?
mshilarious
Banned
First time I played an upright, I was like wow, so this is what it's like playing a real bass 
The scale length is 8" longer, so you work out your fingerings differently. You try to plan for fewer position changes. You use your pinky more since the stretches are so far. You pluck with a different part of your fingertip, and you tend to play slower (fewer notes) and with extra volume, because an upright is a quiet instrument. On the other hand, you are free to explore more melodic or dissonant lines, because you have very little sustain.
The scale length is 8" longer, so you work out your fingerings differently. You try to plan for fewer position changes. You use your pinky more since the stretches are so far. You pluck with a different part of your fingertip, and you tend to play slower (fewer notes) and with extra volume, because an upright is a quiet instrument. On the other hand, you are free to explore more melodic or dissonant lines, because you have very little sustain.
Rokket
Trailing Behind Again
I haven't played one yet, but I want to, just to see what it's like. Problem is, I'm a lefty, so I would have to play it upside down (backwards, actually), or try to find one that is left handed (not going to happen). I wouldn't spend the money on one if I try it and don't like it... So I guess I will probably never play one....mshilarious said:First time I played an upright, I was like wow, so this is what it's like playing a real bass
Rokket said:I haven't played one yet, but I want to, just to see what it's like. Problem is, I'm a lefty, so I would have to play it upside down (backwards, actually), or try to find one that is left handed (not going to happen). I wouldn't spend the money on one if I try it and don't like it... So I guess I will probably never play one....
Well, unlike electric basses, the only differences between right- and left-handed URBs would be the fingerboard contour and the contour of the bridge, both of which could be done by a competent luthier.
Rokket
Trailing Behind Again
The only upright bass I've seen in person costed a whole lot more than I cared for. I don't know who it was made by, but it was beautiful. And had a big sign on it warning about fucking with it without asking for a sales rep. If I ever got a chance to buy one, I'd look into finding a competent luthier. But like I said, I haven't been able to play one, so I don't even know if I would like it....AGCurry said:
I've never tried to do that but I'd reckon micing it a little away from the amp would help. you'll get less of the metally string buzz and stuff than if you go direct. maybe micing it from inside a kick drum or acoustic would add some body sound to it.
just thinking out loud.
will
just thinking out loud.
will
mshilarious
Banned
Rokket said:
Yeah that's been keeping me from owning one, along with the size problem. The Engelhardt I rented was $1400 to purchase I think, and it wasn't that great.
Rokket
Trailing Behind Again
That's cheap compared to the one I saw. But it was over here in Japan, where things are more expensive anyway. The one I saw was almost $4400...mshilarious said:
I was drooling, but being realistic about it. I've seen an electric hybred for about $1500, though, but the amp for it was another $2000....
Stefan Elmblad
New member
There are korean built upright basses for about $800, but I don't know about the quality.
Bassman Brad
New member
There are also acoustic bass guitars that can sound exactly like an upright. Well, not exactly, perhaps, but close enough that nobody who heard it on a recording would know that it wasn't recorded on a real string bass (unless the listener is a string bass player and listens REAL closely). No, I'm not talking about the Fender and Washburn basses that look like acoustic guitars. Those sound like boomy acoustic guitars. I don't particularly care for those. I'm talking about the basses that were specifically designed to sound like an upright bass.
By far the most cost effective model that fits this bill is the Godin A4 or A5. (My next bass guitar purchase will probably be an A5, in fact.) There is also at least one other manufacturer who makes these kinds of basses, but they are very high end custom basses. You get to specify various exotic woods and stuff. If you are interested, then slide over to the TalkBass site and you will find many who can fill you in on more of the details.
Brad
By far the most cost effective model that fits this bill is the Godin A4 or A5. (My next bass guitar purchase will probably be an A5, in fact.) There is also at least one other manufacturer who makes these kinds of basses, but they are very high end custom basses. You get to specify various exotic woods and stuff. If you are interested, then slide over to the TalkBass site and you will find many who can fill you in on more of the details.
Brad
Interesting, I've never cared for the acoustic bass either, I suppose their best when their being amped, but that kinda defeats the objective. I've never heard of these types of bass; are they simmilar to hollow basses with the F holes that are supposed to give a more upright sound?
Bassman Brad
New member
Neither of the two companies that I know of who make these types of basses put F-holes on the tops. In fact, neither of them have ANY holes on the top at all. The Godin does have four teeny, tiny sliders on the upper bout, which control the vol. and the "graphic equalizer." From what I understand, the Godin requires a string change to sound like an upright. (With the stock strings - which are standard flats - I was able to get an A5 to do a very credible imitation of a fretless Precision bass.) The other company (the company name is just the name of the luthier who builds them, and I still can't remember his name) doesn't have anything on the top. In fact, there are no tone controls on that one at all. There is a vol. knob tucked in underneath (by the neck, I believe). That's ALL. You don't need any tone knob, since it is designed to do one thing and one thing ONLY - emulate the sound of an upright bass as closely as possible. Those are rather expensive, though. The Godin runs about $750-800 if you find somebody who will give you a deal. And it was about a year ago that I last had one quoted to me.
If you want more information, Godin does have a website. (They're in Canada.) I would also strongly recommend that you go over to the electric bass section of the TalkBass site and do a search or two. Lots of people over there have these basses, and can give you plenty of information. Way more than you probably want, in fact. They can recommend wood choices if you decide to have one of the custom ones built for you. They can tell you which strings do the best upright imitation, etc...
They're definitely cool. I want one.
Hope that helps.
Brad
If you want more information, Godin does have a website. (They're in Canada.) I would also strongly recommend that you go over to the electric bass section of the TalkBass site and do a search or two. Lots of people over there have these basses, and can give you plenty of information. Way more than you probably want, in fact. They can recommend wood choices if you decide to have one of the custom ones built for you. They can tell you which strings do the best upright imitation, etc...
They're definitely cool. I want one.
Hope that helps.
Brad
Terry Wetzel
New member
Hey Elvisish...
Glad to meet you and know that I'm not the only rockabilly purist around. I've recorded a good many songs from the rockabilly era qand all the original versions had upright acoustic bass. I've come close but, as has been said it's difficult to duplicate that sound. Usually I record the bass track with my Fender P straight in. I don't mic the amp. On mixdown I roll off below 80hz and add just a little at about 15khz to try and get a string sound. Then I record a second seperate track using a plastic drum brush on the side of a bass drum in sync with the bass notes. Some parts of this track i vary to get a skiffle effect. Add a little delay ,(slap back echo) and your done. Yeah, it wouldn't fool Bill Black but it suffices for a home studio budget. I hope this helps.
Glad to meet you and know that I'm not the only rockabilly purist around. I've recorded a good many songs from the rockabilly era qand all the original versions had upright acoustic bass. I've come close but, as has been said it's difficult to duplicate that sound. Usually I record the bass track with my Fender P straight in. I don't mic the amp. On mixdown I roll off below 80hz and add just a little at about 15khz to try and get a string sound. Then I record a second seperate track using a plastic drum brush on the side of a bass drum in sync with the bass notes. Some parts of this track i vary to get a skiffle effect. Add a little delay ,(slap back echo) and your done. Yeah, it wouldn't fool Bill Black but it suffices for a home studio budget. I hope this helps.