"challenging"? ha...i'm 'challenged' enough as it is. i didn't mean to sound judgmental, but it really is all about what SOUNDS good to me.... and much less about what looks cool. it just struck me unusual seeing you mention the distinction that you play "unlined" as i had never seen anyone choose to mention that before.
i don't spend a lot of time looking at my left hand on any bass i play, fretted, fretless, or upright. it just so happens that the two fretless bass gtrs i have....well, my J-Bass is lined and the zebra wood P had the frets filed down leaving the 'cleats' as markers. would i look any cooler if they were blank 'boards???? pffft. not much of a concern to me.
Blues-On-Bass wrote:Played the Hard Rock Cafe in Dallas a few months ago. Even the veterans there had never seen an EUB like the Ergo before. We did an Everly Brothers song in two part harmony...used the EUB. Came out great...very old school...got a standing "O". Again, very rewarding. Give it a try sometime...
i've played a few EUBs and remain unimpressed. i think they're a compromise of both uprights and bass gtrs and fall short of both. yeah....i suppose they do hold some visual appeal and novelty interest to some, but soundwise they do little for me.
i had one of the more expensive Czech NRS EUB's for a few days w an eye towards purchase(unlined but w plenty of position markers on the side of the f-brd). i got it cos i was playing a lot of acoustic bass in a Gypsy Jazz trio and thought i could get a pretty close vibe w it while not having to cart around the big boy. not so much so.
whatta pain in the ass! attatching it to the stand.... and carrying the case that w bass and hardware weighed much more than my old Kay!. but what really helped me decide to send it back was that it couldn't cop a very good acoustic vibe. way too much sustain and mwaaaah even on the arco setting. and playing arco on it? points off.
i did think the "electric" side of it's tone was kinda cool but after spending some time playing it awhile, i put it down and plugged in my zebra wood fretless P and aha! THERE was my "electric" tone. so, back it (the NRS) went.
i feel for you, bro... sucks not being able to hook up w a good situation.
btw....like you, i too cut my teeth playing clubs in NYC and up in the Catskills in my youth.
straight ahead, keep keeping on.