Ibanez UB804

About the Ibanez UB804

The UB804's skeletal mahogany body eliminates the resonating chamber a full acoustic double bass needs, relying on piezo pickups instead - but its real innovation is the Upswing mechanism, which lets the body fold down considerably smaller than its playing configuration, addressing double bass's notorious transport difficulty in a way most electric upright basses don't attempt. This makes it genuinely practical to carry on public transport or fit in a smaller vehicle trunk in ways an acoustic bass or even most electric uprights can't match.

As a 4-string configuration, it covers the standard double bass range expected in jazz, rock and studio contexts, giving a gigging bassist an instrument that delivers a recognizable upright bass character and playing feel without either the bulk of an acoustic bass or the compromise of playing a bass guitar when an upright sound is specifically needed.

Where to buy

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Source: https://reverb.com/item/99867376-ibanez-ub804-mob-mahogany-oil-burst-4-string-electric-upright-bass-ub804-mob-i260303080

Sound character of the Ibanez UB804

With a skeletal, foldable body and no acoustic soundbox at all, the UB804's entire tone comes from its piezo pickup rather than natural wood resonance - the result is a more direct, drier signal that needs an amp (and often EQ/effects) to add the warmth a fully acoustic upright gets for free from its body.

Technical data for the Ibanez UB804

The history of the Ibanez UB804

Ibanez's UB804 uses a folding Upswing body design specifically to solve double bass's notorious transport difficulty for gigging bassists.