Ibanez UB804 Upright Lefty conversion?

pjmuck · **Posted:** July 23rd, 2023, 7:59 am

I’ve been very intrigued by this instrument, a 34 inch scale mini electric upright. I am wondering how easy it would be to do a Lefty conversion, and whether or not there’s anything special to take under consideration. The nut would obviously have to be replaced. However, it looks like the strings can be switched and intonated, since each string seems to have its own saddle with intonation screw and height adjustment. And if the saddles’ grooves are string-specific, it also looks like the saddles/individual bridges can be easily removed and reversed. Side dots are on the bass side, so you’d lose those, but the front markers are so close to the G string side that you probably wouldn’t miss them. And I think I would actually prefer the volume and tell knobs on the opposite side too.

Does anybody on one of these and have you done a lefty conversion? or can you see any reason why I wouldn’t work?

https://www.sweetwater.com/c1317--Doubl ... lsrc=aw.ds

fivebass52 · **Posted:** July 24th, 2023, 4:56 pm

There's just a bit too much "mwah" in there for me... it would definitely be suited for playing in a jazz scenario, but for old-school blues, it doesn't come close to an upright, woody sound for me... years ago, I bought a Stagg EUB for $500, and it replicates that old blues sound I wanted... it's also a 3/4 scale neck, so on par with actual double basses... it just boils down to what you want to use it for, and the sound you're going after... the videos posted give an indication of its sounds/tones... I will say this though - carrying a 34" neck around is a lot easier than carrying my Stagg, which is 43-45"... and the case I bought for it is more like 5-feet total length...

screambasses · **Posted:** July 24th, 2023, 11:20 pm

I apologize for the huge goofy photo of me.

I thought the same thing when they first came out, so I got one and did the things you mentioned to it. There's plenty of room at the saddles to intonate, and I simply swapped their position. The position markers on the fretboard make it super simple to play. I love the tone of this bass, and yes, it isn't an upright bass - it's an upright fretless bass, with plenty of mwah. I use it instead of my actual fretless now. If you purchase from Sweetwater, ask for a discounted price. I always get one.

For those whom I am friends with on FB, there's a video of me playing Duran Duran's Rio on it. Until I screw the bassline up. :-)

pete

pjmuck · **Posted:** July 25th, 2023, 9:53 am

screambasses wrote:

I apologize for the huge goofy photo of me.

I thought the same thing when they first came out, so I got one and did the things you mentioned to it. There's plenty of room at the saddles to intonate, and I simply swapped their position. The position markers on the fretboard make it super simple to play. I love the tone of this bass, and yes, it isn't an upright bass - it's an upright fretless bass, with plenty of mwah. I use it instead of my actual fretless now. If you purchase from Sweetwater, ask for a discounted price. I always get one.

For those whom I am friends with on FB, there's a video of me playing Duran Duran's Rio on it. Until I screw the bassline up. :-)

pete

Glad to hear it was a simple conversion, Pete. How'd you replace the nut? (Or did you?). I do like the sound of these too, even if they don't replicate an upright exactly. (P.S. don't worry about your appearance. You kind of remind me of Jamiroquai, and he pulled off goofy pretty well, IMO. :lol:

). Are there strap buttons in case you wanted to play it horizontally like a typical electric bass?

pjmuck · **Posted:** July 25th, 2023, 9:55 am

fivebass52 wrote:

There's just a bit too much "mwah" in there for me... it would definitely be suited for playing in a jazz scenario, but for old-school blues, it doesn't come close to an upright, woody sound for me... years ago, I bought a Stagg EUB for $500, and it replicates that old blues sound I wanted... it's also a 3/4 scale neck, so on par with actual double basses... it just boils down to what you want to use it for, and the sound you're going after... the videos posted give an indication of its sounds/tones... I will say this though - carrying a 34" neck around is a lot easier than carrying my Stagg, which is 43-45"... and the case I bought for it is more like 5-feet total length...

I also own a converted Stagg, which I do like for more of an upright tone (though I don't feel it nails it closely either). I actually have a clip on mic when I use the Stagg and I blend it with the piezo amplified output, and that gets me much closer. I do like the Ibanez for it's own tone and the simpler portability.

fivebass52 · **Posted:** July 25th, 2023, 6:20 pm

pjmuck wrote:

fivebass52 wrote:

There's just a bit too much "mwah" in there for me... it would definitely be suited for playing in a jazz scenario, but for old-school blues, it doesn't come close to an upright, woody sound for me... years ago, I bought a Stagg EUB for $500, and it replicates that old blues sound I wanted... it's also a 3/4 scale neck, so on par with actual double basses... it just boils down to what you want to use it for, and the sound you're going after... the videos posted give an indication of its sounds/tones... I will say this though - carrying a 34" neck around is a lot easier than carrying my Stagg, which is 43-45"... and the case I bought for it is more like 5-feet total length...

I also own a converted Stagg, which I do like for more of an upright tone (though I don't feel it nails it closely either). I actually have a clip on mic when I use the Stagg and I blend it with the piezo amplified output, and that gets me much closer. I do like the Ibanez for it's own tone and the simpler portability.

I agree with you, in that the Stagg doesn't quite nail an upright sound, but I have a Walter Woods StereoCoustic, that has two separate inputs, so I'm able to EQ my P-bass in one channel, and the Stagg in the other. After that, it's all in the fingers... I also bought a Stagg bass stand, so I set it up on that, which keeps it ready to play depending on the song I'm playing...

screambasses · **Posted:** July 26th, 2023, 10:59 pm

pjmuck wrote:

screambasses wrote:

I apologize for the huge goofy photo of me.

I thought the same thing when they first came out, so I got one and did the things you mentioned to it. There's plenty of room at the saddles to intonate, and I simply swapped their position. The position markers on the fretboard make it super simple to play. I love the tone of this bass, and yes, it isn't an upright bass - it's an upright fretless bass, with plenty of mwah. I use it instead of my actual fretless now. If you purchase from Sweetwater, ask for a discounted price. I always get one.

For those whom I am friends with on FB, there's a video of me playing Duran Duran's Rio on it. Until I screw the bassline up. :-)

pete

Glad to hear it was a simple conversion, Pete. How'd you replace the nut? (Or did you?). I do like the sound of these too, even if they don't replicate an upright exactly. (P.S. don't worry about your appearance. You kind of remind me of Jamiroquai, and he pulled off goofy pretty well, IMO. :lol:

). Are there strap buttons in case you wanted to play it horizontally like a typical electric bass?

I just refiled the nut, and I don't think it would feel right slung over the shoulder. It mounts on an impressive percussion stand, though.

screambasses · **Posted:** October 22nd, 2023, 1:28 pm

Gonna be selling several instruments. I'll sell this for $1,000 shipped.

pete

screambasses · **Posted:** November 20th, 2023, 9:28 am

JFYI, this is on Reverb now. $925 shipped.

https://reverb.com/item/75209217-left-h ... -oil-burst

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Ibanez UB804 Upright Lefty conversion?

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