In praise of an EUB, RIC and 2 way switch box

[bob_atherton]

A few weeks ago I got my long awaited EUB, a Steinberger CR4M. I wanted to wait till I had some gigs under my belt before passing judgement on it. To say that I am thrilled with it would be a major understatement.

I had gotten into playing my RIC FL a lot recently and if I only took one bass to a gig this was the one, but somehow felt it was lacking the ultimate in tightness for funk, would not allow me to do those fast picked lines and was not quite double bassy enough.

Since the arrival of the EUB I always take that and a fretted RIC to every gig and I am like a dog with two tales.

I use a two way switch box to chose the bass, and on one number that is an Islamic jazz, (strange but true) piece I actually play both. A bit like a double neck I guess. This number is in Am and it starts using the Steinberger. At one point I play an open ‘A’ on the Steinberger, then play and open ‘A’ on the RIC, hit the switch and continue on the RIC without any loss of note.

Don’t ask me which instrument I prefer because it would be impossible to chose between them; it really is like playing a double neck, albeit that the necks are quite far apart.