E-upright bass (Triumph), who is it intended for?

azzyrazzy

azzyrazzy

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Excuse me, but is it just me that wonders how Warwick would put two Andy Irvine videos of him making a spectacle of himself on trying to play the Warwick Triumph, at the very front page of the Triumph product section on their webpages?? I am flabbergasted as to how Warwick can think this will sell triumph basses. God bless this guy for his enthusiasm and he is probably a great guy, but he cannot play upright at all, his playing is an upright-disaster. (He does admit to being new at it, he is not at fault here.)

In trying to say something positive, it may be that Warwick is looking to go someplace new with the e-upright. What segment are you trying to reach with this plan? I am curious :)

Still though, it would seem to me at first glance that putting the triumph into the hands of a pronounced electric bassist and having him make videos of his baby steps for upright, and proudly displaying them on the Warwick triumph product page is a marketing failure at best.

Anyone else with thoughts?
 
I can see what you mean. Andy is a killer electric player, and I love his enthusiasm from the few of his videos I've watched.

His approach to the Triumph is far from traditional, and what he's doing doesn't appeal to me, but I'm sure it would appeal to a certain market segment and I'm also sure he's opening up new possibilities for the instrument.

Me? I'd love one to play straight ahead jazz with, but I can't afford one in the near future. I think they're gorgeous, and a Triumph is definitely on my wish list.

:d
 
Yes agreed, I'd love to own one to try to learn upright technique. :)
 
Is your problem with Andy or Warwick? I can't tell.

I'd say the bass is for whoever wants to play it, and for whatever style they want to play.
 
The guy has some killer chops on electric, and he´s doing some different approach to the "electric upright". I don´t see a problem with that. Of course, if you are an upright purist that video could make your ear bleed, but what the hell, the guy is just having fun with the bass.

Just my 0,2 Euro cents.
 
So much for an open mind Raimond.

IMHO Andrew Irvine does a great job demonstrating the Warwick this-is-not-your-mother's-upright-bass. I loved the first vid especially and would love to try the ace of spades and mellowship slinky in b-major on that triumph tbh. Sadly I cannot afford one at this moment.

If I'd grab one I'd think to myself "What would Les Claypool do?"

Keep up the good work Andy! Keep the vids coming.
 
DiMarco said:
So much for an open mind Raimond.

IMHO Andrew Irvine does a great job demonstrating the Warwick this-is-not-your-mother's-upright-bass. I loved the first vid especially and would love to try the ace of spades and mellowship slinky in b-major on that triumph tbh. Sadly I cannot afford one at this moment.

If I'd grab one I'd think to myself "What would Les Claypool do?"

Keep up the good work Andy! Keep the vids coming.
Click to expand...

Cheers to you. I love the distortion video with the Triumph. And it's a 5 string! Some people really have a hard time dealing with someone stepping outside the box in any art form. I embrace it.
 
As a (former) upright player, I think you have to treat an Electric Upright Bass as its own thing. Not quite an electric fretless, not quite an acoustic upright. The EUB will never have the same response or feel as an upright bass with a tone chamber, nor do you have to change the technique very much compared to the electric bass - the biggest difference being that you don't have to use thumb grip techniques on most EUB:s.

It has a lot of potential usage, for sure (EUB), but it can't (IMO) be treated as an upright, because it will never respond in the same way. Compare an electric guitar to an acoustic, and you might get what I am talking of :).
 
Now that I thought some more about it, my initial shock could have been me expecting to see something more traditional-like upright playing, bowing, classical or jazzy playing. To entice upright players to buy something electric, but in a familiar design. Open mind or not, I still think it's strange that they seemingly want to alienate the classical or traditional jazz player by demoing it with an electric player ONLY, with such a great looking instrument. I stand by that. :)
 
Listen to Guy Pratt playing his original Triumph bass with Guilmour:

[video=youtube;GKB63Z7CbOM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKB63Z7CbOM[/video]
 
Maybe not the most traditional aproach but I like it! After all it's an Electric upright, right??
 
Thats great!, Hw different would th sound of an EUB be to a Fl bass when played like that, pizzicato with a light touch relying on the amp? Personally i GAS for EUB to be able to play it arco.
 
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