Active Band Man Chats - The Order of Gear Acquisition

What should we do this time?

What shall we do... We’ve had a lot of lighthearted episodes, so how about we get serious now?

Serious? I’m always serious!

Well, I mean, yes... (that’s why you’re kind of troublesome...)

Huh? Did you say something?

Nothing at all!

Who’s the walking topic?

I didn’t say walking, I just think you’re the topic...

(Ignoring that) Well, let’s get especially serious then.

Especially serious... Yes!

When you buy a new instrument...

Yes, yes.

You start wanting the related accessories, right?

Hmm... yeah, I guess so.

For me, I bought a ukulele last year.

Yeah, you did.

Here it is!

Right.

I was thinking about the order in which to buy the accessories. The case was included, so that’s good. Later, I bought a strap.

Yes, that’s right.

The tuner is built-in.

Excellent!

I tried it once live, but...

But?

I was wondering if I should get an effects pedal or a DI.

I see. So, you’re talking about the order in which to get those things?

Correct!

I did it! But, as always, the intro is a bit long!

With electric guitars, I know what I’m doing, but with ukuleles, I wonder if the approach is closer to that of bass guitars.

Ah, so you mean the importance of DI and preamps is similar, right? I think so!

For example, how did you set things up when you bought your EUB, Horry?

I see... this is more about my personal approach, not general theory.

Oh, first show me the image of your EUB, Gen-san! (EUB’s nickname) Gen-saaaaan!

Here it is. Ibanez UB804-MOB.

Ibanez / UB804-MOB

It comes with a case, and no need for a strap or pick.

Ah, I see. Normally, when I buy a new bass, I also buy a new case and strap. But for the EUB, I can only use its specific case, and I don’t need a strap. Plus, I mainly play with my fingers.

What should we start with for this one?

Well... in this case, I think it’s a bit of a special situation, but I started with a shielded cable.

Ah, starting with the shield, huh? Very defensive!

Exactly, I tend to be more about defense... more of an armor shop guy than a weapon shop guy... wait, that’s not it!

A careful, clever comeback. By the way, I’m the type to spend all my gold on the strongest weapon I can get!

Of course, you’re going for the shielded cable!

Yeah.

For a regular bass, I usually use the cable I already have, but for the EUB, since I don’t move around (or can’t move?) while playing it, I don’t need such a long cable. Even a 3-meter one gets in the way. So, I bought a shorter one. Right now, I’m using a 1.5-meter cable.

I see.

At first, I bought a 1-meter one, but it was a bit tight, so I upgraded to 1.5 meters. Sound House lets you search by length, so it’s really easy to find.

You never forget about promoting Sound House! Good job!

Of course lol. Next up is the preamp. I tried a few of my own preamps at first, but none worked well. Of course, I think it could work depending on the sound I wanted.

I’d love to hear about the preamp! Since it’s not a piece of gear I’m familiar with.

If you’re someone who prioritizes the original sound, maybe it would work, but most of the ones I have are on the more quirky side too...

Ah, the quirky bassist speaks!

Who says that!? Anyway, I suddenly remembered the One Control Crimson Red Bass Preamp...

One Control / Crimson Red Bass Preamp

It’s beautiful because it’s red!

Because it’s red lol. I thought it might be a good fit because my EUB has the same scale as a regular bass, making it more bass-like than other EUBs. So, I thought this preamp would work. The claim that it delivers a ‘double bass-like sound with an electric bass’ really caught my attention!

With an EUB, it’s likely to get even closer to a double bass sound!

While it’s not quite the same as a double bass, I think I managed to capture a similar texture with it. I’m currently using it to shape my sound, though it’s more of a light seasoning. Next, I’ve got the BBE Sonic Stomp MS92.

BBE / Sonic Stomp MS92 for Bass

That’s some cool gear!

This is mainly for adjusting the low-end. Some venues have their own acoustics, and sometimes the bass comes out too strong. In those cases, the PA team might ask me to cut back a bit, so this helps with that.

I see.

I initially tried to fix it with EQ, but it took too long... probably because my sound design skills aren’t great... With the Sonic Stomp, it’s just two knobs, so it’s simple! Plus, it’s not just EQ; it has an exciter element, which also improves the clarity of the sound. It’s great—I might get another one for another board! I think it could work for guitar too. Want to try it?

It’s pretty cool.

I also use a booster during live shows, but I’m just repurposing one I was already using. Sometimes, I even use distortion. And, well, maybe a bow.

A bow! What about arrows?

Arrows? Oh... I don’t need them!

Can you fight with that?

It’s not a weapon, it’s an instrument! Take instruments, not weapons! Since I got the EUB, I wanted to try using it. I played contrabass in the brass band when I was in high school, so I’ve had some experience with the bow, even though that was decades ago!

You used it in my solo album, didn’t you?

Yes, that’s right. So far, it’s the only time I’ve used the bow. I’ve used it once live, but I’m still a bit unsure about it. I can redo things in recording, but in a live setting, I can’t quite get the sound right yet... I need to practice more before using it live.

For guitar or ukulele, the only thing that is similar to the bow is the pick, I guess.

Right, it’s more about the technique-related items.

I really enjoy playing the ukulele acoustically, so before buying any effects, I got a capo for it.

They have specific capos for ukulele? The size is different, so you can’t just use a guitar capo?

A guitar capo is a bit awkward to use on the ukulele.

You don’t know until you try it.

Exactly.

So, I talked about the order in which I gathered equipment for my EUB, but in the end, I had to try it out live and then pick up what I needed based on the results.

Yeah, you figure it out as you go, depending on your experience.

When you buy a new instrument, you have to try it out in a live setting or in the studio, and then experiment to match the sound with the rest of the band. For some people, it’s different if they have a clear idea from the start, though. Some instruments are just perfect right from the beginning.

That’s pretty rare though.

But an ukulele and EUB... doesn’t this seem like a very niche example? I wonder if beginners can relate...

(Ignoring that) So, because everything is?

For love!