Anyone familiar with the Christopher DB503 Upright Bass?

geojam · #1 08-14-2006, 05:33 PM

I ran into a great sounding Christopher bass that had DB503 (or DB501 as it was handwritten) on the label, being made in 1999. It had a set of Velvet Garbo's on it and sounded great! Ebony appointments and it looked like all solid woods were used but it was difficult to really assess the back and sides. Rough asking price was around $1700.00. The only drawback was the gloss finish, blinding...

Is anyone familiar with this bass?

I'm very interested in purchasing it but can't find a bit of info on the beast except minimal stuff on the Christopher site.

FidgetStone · #2 08-14-2006, 05:50 PM

I have a 304 hybrid that is quite nice. The 500 series is fully carved. I would think that a 503 in good shape for $1700 is a very good deal.

MarkRubin · #3 08-14-2006, 05:54 PM

I'd buy it!!!
I had one and let it get away and miss it quite a bit. Loved it with the garbos especially.

**Damon Rondeau** · #4 08-14-2006, 06:05 PM

Yep, that sounds like a deal. My Chris hybrid and I are still getting along great.

Greg Clinkingbeard · #5 08-14-2006, 06:14 PM

Buy it!!!!!! The gloss is easy to kill.

JimmyM · #6 08-14-2006, 07:16 PM

I don't know what you guys have against a gloss finish. I love them. My bass looks like they dulled it with a potscrubber. It looks good but I'm tempted to pull out the buffer and shine it up.

Greg Clinkingbeard · #7 08-14-2006, 09:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KSB - Ken Smith

Ok, I'll show you 'Dull'; http://www.kensmithbasses.com/Double.../bis_fullr.jpg
http://www.kensmithbasses.com/Double...esBass/137.jpg
http://www.kensmithbasses.com/Double...s/IMG_1460.jpg

Three different Basses. What's not dull is the sound. I prefer dull to blinding someone approaching with a drink in my direction..

Yup, that's pretty dull.

5stringDNA · #8 08-14-2006, 09:58 PM

$1700 is a great price on a 500 series Chrissie- if everything is in proper order, I would jump on it. Christopher makes a quality bass form what I have experienced and heard.

Greg Clinkingbeard · #9 08-14-2006, 10:09 PM

I play a Christopher ply and although it doesn't sound particularly good, it doesn't sound particularly bad either. I've gotten several compliments on the tone since I put Spirocores on it. It cost me $850 used. My teacher told me to never sell it. "It's your 'rain' bass", he's told me.
Based on my experience, I'd love to a 500 series for twice what I paid. If you don't like it, you can always send it to me at a profit.

JimmyM · #10 08-14-2006, 10:13 PM

Hey, those are beauties, Ken. I would probably say no, you shouldn't gloss those basses up. But if you have one that's already glossy, let it shine!

flint · #11 08-15-2006, 09:08 AM

for 1700 you probably can't go wrong. I paid a good bit more for the one I've got. It's a 303 hybrid, and after a quality setup and some string experiments I truly love it's tone.

christ andronis · #12 08-15-2006, 11:59 AM

I've got a 600 series Christopher which, according to the specs, is the same bass with some upgrades. They're both carved, spruce top, maple back & sides. I'm in agreement with all here who had positive things to say. And if you're getting it for $1700...GRAB IT NOW!!!

Peck_Time · #13 08-15-2006, 03:15 PM

I'll complete the line-up by saying that my 400 series flatback is a good bass, and that $1700 is a steal.

geojam · #14 08-15-2006, 11:35 PM

Folks, thanks again. The Bass in question is actually a DB501T and I understand the 'T' stands for the tuners used (Tyrolean?). It's been professionally setup and did I say it has phenominal tone..? At the same shop that I found the Chrissy there was a 48' Kay and a couple of fully carved old German basses. I can say that the Chrissy can stand up to all of them for le$$ investment. I guess the next step is to open the checkbook tomorrow. Sold two nice 'Slabs' just to stand next to this bass.

Hey Ken, have you been playing your basses next to the campfire again?

**Damon Rondeau** · #15 08-16-2006, 07:01 AM

A carved Chris for that kinda cash? I think that makes you one of the luckiest TB'ers so far this year. Way to go!

FidgetStone · #16 08-16-2006, 05:29 PM

Allow me to join Damon in being very jealous. I hope that your good luck continues. You did great. . .

Damon, as a fellow 303 owner, if you are not jealous, I have enough for the both os us.

5stringDNA · #17 08-16-2006, 08:46 PM

Nice score man! I woudl have jumped all over that!

geojam · #18 08-17-2006, 10:29 AM

Folks, this just got very complicated as the dealer in question called before I headed down to buy the bass and informed me that the DB501t Christopher in question is actually all Plywood... His repair tech straightened out the record for him. I couldn't see the ply in the sides at all - very good stain job. And like I said - it was a '500' series Chrissy which should be solid woods. It did sound phenominal...

This is an FYI.

christ andronis · #19 08-17-2006, 10:39 AM

You can always call Concord International and ask them!!

Keyser Soze · #20 08-17-2006, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geojam

Folks, this just got very complicated as the dealer in question called before I headed down to buy the bass and informed me that the DB501t Christopher in question is actually all Plywood... His repair tech straightened out the record for him. I couldn't see the ply in the sides at all - very good stain job. And like I said - it was a '500' series Chrissy which should be solid woods. It did sound phenominal...

This is an FYI.

This is bizarre. AFAIK, the Christopher 100 and 200 series have always been laminates. The 300 series is the hybrid line, the 400, 500 and 600 series are carved. At least that's what I was told by Cindi at Concord in 2003 when I was trying to sort out all the BS that several local and several out-of-state violin shops/retailers were feeding me.

It seems like the shop you're dealing with doesn't know what they have. Do you know how they acquired the bass? As a trade in? Are they a Christoper dealer, that is, do they have other, new Christophers in the shop? If not, maybe they don't know that the bass is carved (?!)

$1,700 is less than 50% of the "MSRP" of the 500 series basses.

Call Cindi at Concord, ask her if, in 1999 (or ever), there was a 500 series plywood bass. If she says no, RUN to the dealer and buy the bass.

I bought a 400 series in 2003. It's just gotten better and better sounding since then. A few -- quite a few, actually -- popped seams early on but that's not an issue -- an inherent issue, anyway -- any longer. Christopher is a great bang-for-the-buck bass, especially if you pay less than "MSRP." And then get it to a good luthier.