Nathan East: TC Electronic Bass Combo Amp BG250 Family

Stagg Electric Upright Bass...arrived!

The Stagg electric upright bass I mentioned in a previous blog finally arrived after bring lost in UPS land for several days, arriving a week later than it was supposed to. Nothing like losing a 6 foot tall,  45 pound package! I'm just happy it was found at all. My fear was that some UPS worker found out what it was (especially when it's shipped in packaging with a picture of the item on it) and decided to have a jam session with it somewhere in Georgia (that's the last place it was scanned before disappearing). Everything was intact, however, when I opened the box, so all is well on that front.

On to the bass itself...

Stagg Electric Upright Bass

This electric upright looks and sounds good as all the reviews claim. The only issue I have with it has to do with the hip rest attachment. It places the bass too far away from my body to play comfortably. That being said, it's perfectly comfortable to play this bass without the attachment. It moves a bit when I'm playing arco (with a bow), but not enough to really complain about. I lowered the bridge action as far as it would go, and that really helped playability of the instrument for someone with small hands like myself. I wish the neck were a little less wide, but again, that's only because of the size of my hands.

The electronics are okay, and if any improvements could be made, that's the one I would suggest the most. I'm still trying to find the balance between the volume knob and the sub bass control knob in combination with my Ampeg Micro-CL amp. If the sub bass control is up in the least, the bass no longer sounds as much like an upright. The headphone jack option is cool for practicing in the living room when the rest of my family is watching TV, but I haven't tried the auxiliary jack yet. The pickup is powered by a 9-volt battery and is easily accessible, so I don't forsee any problems there.

My 11-year-old daughter messing around on the Stagg electric upright bass

My 11-year-old daughter is learning bass guitar and even she can play this electric upright with relative ease since the bottom peg adjusts to whatever height is needed.

Overall, I'm pleased with the Stagg Electric Upright Bass. I ordered mine through Big Apple Music in New Hartford, NY (via Reverb) and they offered a hardshell case option (along with the gig bag that usually comes with it), a German bow, and extra cables for $699. I couldn't find this deal anywhere else online, so if you want a few extras for a great price, check them out on Reverb or visit their shop online.

My 11-year-old daughter messing around on the Stagg electric upright bass

Stagg electric upright bass in hardshell case

Wearables for the Female Bassist

I've always had a hard time finding bass themed shirts for females, so I decided to design my own through Zazzle. Below are links to a few of my bass themed shirts for sale.

"All about that bass" with bass guitar graphic T-Shirt
by Nature_Doodles

Bassist with bass clef T-Shirt
by Nature_Doodles

"Drop it low" bass guitar headstock silhouette T-Shirt
by Nature_Doodles

Stagg Upright Electric Bass...on the way

My upright bass from 2007

Once upon a time (in 2007), I took double bass (aka upright bass, contrabass, bass fiddle) lessons in college, and as a result, I bought the cheapest, local upright bass I could find. The neck felt like a 2x4, but hey, it played okay and I didn't have much cash to spare at the time being a night/weekend college student and full-time mother of two small children in diapers. I'm not sure how it happened, but I somehow managed to fret away (haha) my private lessons talking about gear, learning very little on the actual instrument. By the end of the semester, we were jamming together to Led Zeppelin tunes--with me on electric bass instead of upright. I regret not learning more than I did, especially since I was invited to play upright in the local community band by the head of the music department. (Of course, he didn't know what he was asking since he hadn't heard me play upright). Soon after, I sold my upright bass (it never left my townhouse the whole time I had it) to a lady who wanted instrumental wall decor and continued to focus on the electric bass. I swore that one day, I'd return to the upright bass (when my kids were older) and learn to play it as well as the electric bass. My kids are now thirteen and eleven years old, so I figure the time has come. Yesterday, I ordered a Stagg EDB-3/4 electric upright (for portability) and I'm waiting (im)patiently for it to arrive. I've read good reviews about this bass and I'm excited to see what I can do with it when it arrives (hopefully by next week). Stay tuned!

Stagg EDB-3/4 electric double bass

 

Read the specs here.

Pedal Lineup (to date)

As a general rule, I don't play using pedals that often, but I still love having them around just in case I'm feeling like a change.

Here's my current lineup and video links where you can hear how they sound.

Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi (bass): As far as fuzz/distortion pedals go, this has been my go-to over the last few years when I want to add a little extra growl to my bass lines. Listen to it here.

Electro-Harmonix Bassballs: This is a funky little envelope filter pedal with optional distortion. I like to use it when I'm doing octave driven bass lines.  Listen to it here.

Aguilar TLC Compressor: For controlling my dynamics, this is the pedal I use (a gift from my husband).   Listen to it here.

Fender Mustang (PJ) Bass (2017)

Not sure what it is about being bedridden with a bad cold, but I tend to make large purchases when I'm in bed for long periods of time (once in a blue moon). This last month was no exception. A new issue of Bass Player magazine came in and flipping through its pages, I came across a review of the new Fender Mustang bass (with PJ pickup configuration). Since I bought my Gibson SG bass, I've been stuck on short-scale basses. I've had several Fender basses before and I have to admit that after playing them for a while, I always decided to sell them in favor of basses more comfortable to my smaller hands. Hence, the short scale bass. Until I read the review in BP magazine, I hadn't realized Fender made any short scale basses. After watching a few video reviews on the newer model of the Fender Mustang bass, I got on Reverb and ordered one. The following Saturday, it arrived, and after slapping some flat wound strings on it (I only play flat wounds these days), it was ready to go. As much as I love my Gibson, I have to say that this bass is a little more comfortable to play, neck-wise. It sounds great, especially with the toggle set in the middle to activate both jazz and p-bass pickups. It weighs a bit less than my Gibson too, so it has become my go-to if I'm just practicing at home.

Fender Mustang Bass PJ (2017) in Olympic white w/mint green pickguard

Fender Mustang Bass PJ (2017) in Olympic white w/mint green pickguard

Fender Mustang Bass PJ (2017) in Olympic white w/mint green pickguard

Read more about it from Fender.


Here's a little video of me messing around on it with Brad. (I'm running it through my Ampeg Micro-CL 100-watt amp).

Gold Tone Microbass (fretless) acoustic/electric

Years ago, I bought an Ibanez acoustic/electric bass and an Ibanez electric fretless bass. Neither one gave me quite the sound I was looking for in either an acoustic or a fretless bass guitar. Last year, I tried an ESP LTD fretless electric bass and it wasn't bad, but I just couldn't fall in love with it the way I wanted to love with a fretless bass. An upright bass was out (I'd had one of those before too) because of limited space issues and I'm not quite ready to try an upright stick bass yet (next on my list, though). Last spring, I bought a Gold Tone Irish tenor banjo (4-string) and loved it, so when I saw that Gold Tone made an acoustic/electric fretless micro bass (23" scale length), I was over the moon. The strings are Aquila high-tension polymer (looks and feels like rubber) which gives it an upright sound--another bonus feature of this little bass. And, best of all, it's perfect for travel. 

Read more about it here from Gold Tone. 

Here's a little video clip of me jammin' on it a few days after it arrived. (I'm playing through an Ampeg Micro-CL 100-watt amp).