Another Newbie's thread asking for your help/opinion

[bardban]

Hey everyone!

As the title of this thread says, I'm a newbie in double bass and I would like your opinion/help... Few months ago I realise that I would be more than interested in making the transition from electric to double bass. So, I bought one of this stagg's upright electric basses. I have to say that this instrument helped me a lot (although it had quite a few problems...there are several threads for these around) ,but after an accident during transportation it broke in the upper part of the neck...anyway I thought that it was a waste of money to fix it due to the fact that I bought it for 478euros approximately 668 us $ and service would cost at about 280-320$

So I saved a few bucks and decided to buy an acoustic one, after I played in my teacher's ones and kinda loved them!

After a long search on the internet, (cause the music stores in my city don't have classical instruments or they can bring one-two models maximum) I found this one on thomann :

http://www.thomann.de/gr/christopher...trabass_34.htm

I've heard that christopher make high quality of instruments and I think this one seems a good choice in this price...

What do you think? Do you know this model?
And of course if you have anything else to suggest me in this price range (cause it's already enough money for me...) please do!

Thanks a lot in advance for your time!

PS: This may be a stupid question but I'm also worry about the size of the bass...I'm 1.71m tall and I wasn't able to play easy on my teacher's 4/4...This 3/4 would be fine for me? Thanks again

[joshmickelson]

from one noob to another:

I've heard good things about Christophers. I actually went to the Lone Tree symphony here in Colorado (a small community symphony), and their 4th seat bass player had a christopher that sounded nice.

That said, you should try playing whatever you purchase before coughing up the money. Or better yet, have your teacher or an experienced player go in with you.

[crowsmengegus]

I know a DB student who plays on one of these. It's a solid, well made bass and doesn't sound bad. Pretty boomy, and likes bright strings. I'd say it would be a good first bass, especially if your options are limited. Also, a 3/4 is the size you want.

They sell a hybrid christopher, which may sound substantially better for arco playing, so depending on your musical interests, I'd consider it. Also, if there is any possibility to shop for basses locally, I'd do that first before ordering off the internet. Good luck!

[bardban]

Originally Posted by joshmickelson

from one noob to another:

I've heard good things about Christophers. I actually went to the Lone Tree symphony here in Colorado...

Yeah...you are totally right about getting one experienced player with me. I actually asked for my teacher's help on this and he told me that he had played in the past with this instrument. The fact that you saw a christopher live and you are saying it sounds nice is important cause I couldn't find any videos on the internet of christopher's cheaper models...

Originally Posted by crowsmengegus

I know a DB student who plays on one of these. It's a solid, well made bass and doesn't sound bad. Pretty boomy, and likes bright strings. I'd say it would be a good first bass, especially if your options are limited. Also, a 3/4 is the size you want.

They sell a hybrid christopher, which may sound substantially better for arco playing, so depending on your musical interests, I'd consider it. Also, if there is any possibility to shop for basses locally, I'd do that first before ordering off the internet. Good luck!

Your infos are very useful! Unfortunately my options are limited so I thought this model was a good opportunity for me... Also the fact that I cannot see it before I buy it is a big problem, I agree...I wish I could find it somewhere around here, but only two stores sell dbs in my local area and they have one model each. A chinese one for 1000$ approximately and a Strunal (made in czech republic) for 2000$...

Thanks a lot both of you guys for your time and help!! I really appreciate

[bardban]

Two dealers in my country told me about Gewa Allegro 2090$ (not sure though waiting for a call) and Schroetter AS-060-B-0 (1920$)

http://www.gewamusic.com/
http://www.aschroetter.com/

What do you think about these two? I know that both companies are in Germany, but Schroetter instruments are made in Brazil while Gewa are made in Germany...to be honest I am not sure what this means

Have any of you saw or played an instrument like these?

[AMJBASS]

I have one, and its a terrific sounding plywood. I have actually just recorded it on an a new Parisian style album, and it sounded great(although the recordings won't be released for a bit). I have had several Christophers and they have all been solid dependable instruments. You will need to get a setup done though as they don't play well straight from the factory.

[MIKMAN]

Dear friend the Christopher laminates are decent instruments, with a robust construction and a loud pizz sound. Their arco sound though is not so good, so if you are intended to do orchestral work you should try somehting else. In your price limit another option is to buy a Hora hybrid, which can be strung with EP Weichs and can deliver not only a boomy piz sound but also a particularly good arco sound. As far as it concerns the Strunals, they are represented by the Mavromustaki's brothers in their two shops in Thessaloniki but they bring only the lower part of the product range. Lakis, your teacher, used a hybrid Strunal 5/35 with a modest sound but he sold it last year, as i remember. You can send me a PM and you can visit me in Larisa or in Thessaloniki, in order to see and try my basses and exchange information about bass resources.
Mike