Hollowbody EUBs have a wooden enclosure, which, whilst having a much smaller hollow body cavity than that of a double bass, is still large enough to give the instrument some sound output without amplification, at least for individual practice in a small room.

Though the EUB retains some of the tonal characteristics of the double bass, being electronically amplified it produces its own, unique sound.

Some EUBs have larger bodies, including the upper bouts, to aid the player in performing higher pitches.

[1][2] However, in the 1930s and 1940s, neither the transducers nor the amplification equipment then available could accurately reproduce the deep tones of the acoustic double bass.

In comparison with other electronically amplified string instruments, such as the electric violin, viola and cello, the EUB has been taken up by a wider range of players, perhaps because a traditional upright bass's size and weight makes it challenging to transport when compared to smaller instruments in the family.

Double bass players use features of the instrument such as the neck heel and edge of the upper bout as tactile positional references.

The rear of the body of an upright bass is usually braced against the hip with player standing or knee if sitting.

However, since hollow-bodied EUBs do not have a large resonant cavity like a double bass, they cannot reproduce the lowest notes of the instrument without an amplifier.

While these small resonant chambers are usually not large enough to provide much acoustic amplification, they do change the tone and response of the instrument.

EUB players who use the bow need to use the appropriate pickup, microphone, and preamplifier/equalizer combination to avoid the tendency for the amplified tone to be scratchy and high-sounding.

While hollow and 'floating top' models produce a more resonant tone, they are also more prone to feedback; as such, solid-body EUBs may be the best choice for bassists who play in loud styles, such as jam bands or metal fusion groups.

If the bass is higher than this, discomfort in the muscles of the neck may be experienced after playing long passages in the first position.

If the bass is too low, the player may need to bend or stretch when attempting to play notes at the higher end of the fingerboard.

The left hand is used to stop the strings by pressing down with the fleshy part of the finger, generally using the ball of the thumb at the back of the neck to obtain pressure.

On the shorter scale EUBs, bass guitar fingering can be used over a large portion of the fingerboard and thumb positions may not be necessary.

On the longer scale models, due to the larger distances between notes, the double bass (Simandl) fingering method usually has to be used.

By using suitable (gut or synthetic core) strings and adjusting the amplifier tone and distortion controls, an EUB can emulate an acoustic double bass.

The Ampeg 'baby bass' has been popular in Cuban music since the 1960s being used by such performers as Cachao Lopez and Andy Gonzalez.

Houston-based musician Damon Smith uses a 7 string Ergo EUB tuned (low to high) BEADGCF for free jazz and improvised music.

The Japanese band MUCC's bassist YUKKE used an electric upright bass during the promotional tours for their album Gokusai on the track "25ji no Yuutsu".

Ævar Örn Sigurðsson of the Icelandic black/death metal act Zhrine uses an electric upright bass both in studio and live.