Antigua Basses?

buffalobillh · #1 09-02-2005, 03:44 PM

Anyone ever heard of them? Are they a chinese stencil? A guy in my area is selling them for $270 - 3/4 laminated, bag, and bow. Has all parts, but needs setup. He claims he has a fully carved Antigua for $550. Unless this is one hell of a steal, I figure you get what you pay for. Some chinese crap, I suspect. I've never heard of Antigua Basses. Can anybody shed some light on this? I certainly don't have any intention of purchasing, unless it's a real hell of a deal.

Bill

Thedeadking · #2 09-11-2005, 09:30 AM

Im curious about the same thing. This guy on ebay is selling them for $189.He is located in texas as well. It might be the same guy. http://cgi.ebay.com/GERMAN-DESIGN-UP...QQcmdZViewItem

He said these are Antigua basses made in indonesia and they have a 5 year manufacture warranty.You think with a 5 year warranty it might be safer to get one of these if something happens,but I as well cant find any information on the company.

**Freddels** · #3 09-11-2005, 09:43 AM

A warranty is only as good as the company behind it.

KSB - Ken Smith · #4 09-11-2005, 11:43 AM

Antigua is an island in the Caribbean. What will they name this junk after next. I would prefer to see the names of the makers like "jo han pou" or "sum yng jrk" rather than Italian, German or some other phony baloney type name. I thing Shen is one of the Only Chinese makers that actually tells you WHO made the Bass.

PB+J · #5 09-11-2005, 12:27 PM

It seems to me--and I have not tried one of these, or any of the cheap east asian imports--that maybe these are not so bad. You can automate a lot of the production with cnc machines, and laminates pressed onto a mold. Bob Gollihur sells brand new engles for I think 1200, and engles are, if not great, at the very least dependable. I played one for four-five years. It's not even remotely close to my Shen 7/8 (flatback, willow), but it's a bass and it plays. I'm just thinking if englhardt can get one to market for 1200, indonesians can probably get one to market for half that. I have a Gitane Django-style acoustic guitar that's a superb instrument, and it was 600 bucks. The bottom end of instrument making has been given a huge boost by computer controlled carving machines.

But having said that, I would never buy it without trying it. My experience with the inexpensive chinese made guitars, like the Saga Gitanes, is that they are HIGHLY variable. I'd expect the same of these--highly variable. You might get lucky, but the odds are against it. On the other hand, it might be a perfectly workmanlike bass that you'll eventually outgrow. I would not buy it withotu trying it, and I'd rather pay more to try what a local luthier/dealer has

KSB - Ken Smith · #6 09-11-2005, 01:46 PM

For $200-$500 what kind of Fingerboard, Tailpiece, Bridge, Tuners, Endpin, Strings and Wood materials can you buy including Blocks, Lining, Neck wood, Bass Bar and Soundpost?
Now you have to add in Labor. Workers in a Chinese shop about 10 years ago made about $80./month. If they worker 40hrs it's 50 cents/hr. More hours = less hourly pay. Oh, and did I menion glue and Black paint for the Fingerboard and Tailpiece? The get much more these days but still cheaper than western developed countries.

After you play a piece of junk like this for a Year or two and then need work on it you will see just what you have bought. You will need a Bridge, Fingerboard, Strings and Tuners at the least to keep it playable. Now, add 'western' labor and markup for good componants and you will have spent several times the original cost and value of your Bass just to get it up to a HighSchool rehearsal level instrument....... OR...... Buy a well made, lower cost Plywood or Wood Bass from Bob or Green or Shen, etc and pay less than the total you spent going the cheap way and you will have a better Bass to play for years