Bass Fiddles w/out Bodies

Subject: Bass Fiddles w/out Bodies
From: Gern
Date: 14 Mar 05 - 12:17 PM

Had a great weekend of live music here in the Tampa area: Natalie MacMaster on Friday night and Beausoleil Saturday. Two of my favorite fiddlers and enough roots to last a while. Both bands use those funky upright basses without the doghouse body--just a neck on a stand. Guess I'm past it by now, but what's the attraction of these instruments? Is it merely the convenience of moving them around? Both sounded just fine, with that nice round sound you get from an upright bass. What disadvantages do they present?

Subject: RE: Bass Fiddles w/out Bodies
From: PoppaGator
Date: 14 Mar 05 - 12:34 PM

Well, it's an electric instrument (like a solid-body electric guitar or electric bass guitar), so it doesn't need the big soundbox to create reverberation and volume.

For players accustomed to the acoustic upright bull fiddle, it's an electric bass that can be played in the exact same position and with the same technique, posture, etc., as their primary instrument. And it's better for travel, of course: less bulky, less fragile, etc.

The only disadvantage I can imagine is what you already pointed out yourself ~ you don't get that real acoustic sound. If you're going electric, though, it's certainly a viable alternative. I don't see how an upright electric bass would be in any way inferior to the more common guitar-style electric bass.

Subject: RE: Bass Fiddles w/out Bodies
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 14 Mar 05 - 05:56 PM

G'day Gern & PoppaGator,

Down here, in the Antipodes, I haven't really noticed any that I could describe as "... just a neck on a stand ...", but I've seen several instruments that have a full bass fingerboard and a rather diminished scroll and a body that is about the size of a cello on a 'weightwatchers' program.

I guess that means that the instrument has enough acoustic output to hear in practices, or even hold its own in a quiet session, but the spike that raises it to normal bass position can be slid back inside the body and it can be carried in a gig bag that's little bigger than a jumbo guitar's.

One of these, now played by the lovely Liz Frencham, of Jigzag, has been enough to stop me suggesting that the petite and vivacious Liz should take up mouthorgan! ... and it sounds just great!

Regards,

Bob

Subject: RE: Bass Fiddles w/out Bodies
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 14 Mar 05 - 06:09 PM

Errrr ... G'day again,

L'esprit de l'escaler:

I suppose the one down-side of Liz's new bass is, from the audience's point of view, that the extra height control of a smaller body and adjustable spike, means we no longer get to see Liz barefoot and on toe tips to play the low notes!

Regard(les)s,

Bob

Subject: RE: Bass Fiddles w/out Bodies
From: Leadfingers
Date: 14 Mar 05 - 06:15 PM

just the same as an electric fiddle - Easier to get a decent sound without all the technicalities of a 'body' to worry about ! Mate of mine has buuilt his own electric fiddle with a little speaker and preamp built in so he CAN play it acoustic as well as plugging in to an amp !!!