I'm 17. I've been playing electric bass for 6 years. I've been playing double bass for 2. Let me tell you the story. I got an electric bass in 6th grade because my friend got a guitar and wanted some one to jam with. I played on my own for 3 years. Finished my begining bass book in 3 months and kept learning songs out of guitar mags and playing by ear. In 9th grade my friend who played percusion in the band wanted me to play bass in the newely forming jazz band in which he was playing drums. The jazz band was extracuricular and after a year the director asked me to join the marching/concert band. In 10th grade I signed up for band and played electric bass in the marching band for football season and when january came the school pruchased a double bass and I've been playing that in the concert and jazz bands ever since. Now I'm a seinor and plan on studing music in college. Now there's a problem. I need to purchase my own double bass. It's not as simple as running to the store and getting one either. I live in Standish MI. It's a 30min drive to the nearest music shop.
The only one that caries basses only caries 2 Engelhart models, one is 3/4 the other is 1/2, and their prices are rather high. Now what I would like to do is Purchase a bass via mail order or possibly online auction. The only hitch is I don't know squat about double bass manufacturers and distributers. Electric bass is no problem. Anyway, my question is what specifically should I get. Please post or e-mail me with any brands and/or models and/or dealers I should seriously consider. And I'm olnly looking to spend up to $1500.

Thanks,
Travis

Since you have $1500 to spend and seem rather serious about DB, I'd recommend against purchasing the cheaper Chinese instruments that have cheap strings and "ebonized" fittings, such as the Cremona and Palatino basses. http://www.lemurmusic.com and http://www.stringbass.com, two online and mail-order operations of good standing, offer several decent laminated and hybrid-construction instruments with ebony fittings from the Czech Republic in the $1500 range. Neither stores include setup in their prices, though, so you should budget an extra $300 or so to get whatever instrument you buy in playable shape. If you're skittish about purchasing an instrument sight unseen, I guess you could visit Shar Stringed Instruments in Ann Arbor, MI. Call ahead though; they don't list their stock of basses online.

i dont know how helpful this will be, but here is a link that may provide some info also:

http://www.basschurch.com/

While you're at it, don't bother with anything other than 3/4 size unless you're unusually short or tall. 3/4 is the most used, and easiest to resell.