Bellafina Basses

[Moosebabe]

Greetings fellow bassists. I'm new to this forum, so please be patient. I play in a bluegrass band, and at the present time have a Cremona. It was an ok beginner bass, but as I have progressed, it no longer has the sound I want - it's a too tinny & sounds like crap. I'm in the market for a deeper sound at a mid-range price. Does anyone have experience with a Bellafina or could you recommend another brand for my type of music. Upright basses in my part of the country (North Dakota) are very hard to come by, and I would appreciate any recommendations from more experienced players.

[Cathead]

Well, everybody will have their own opinion of how to advise you and disagree with those who don't see it their way. I have found that one of the main points is to have whatever you buy properly set up. I have found my Engelhardt ES9 really suits me to a T and records really nice as well. It didn't break me up and sounds great! Your smaller hands will appreciate the slim neck, too. The plywood construction will stand up good to extreme temperatures and damp nights better than a carved bass and the plywood will thump good for bluegrass.

[Silversorcerer]

Originally Posted by Cathead

The plywood construction will stand up good to extreme temperatures and damp nights better than a carved bass .....

Warning, this might just be a myth that is so oft repeated it is now taken as fact. Some carved basses hold up to climate changes very well, and some laminated ones do not. My personal experience is that my carved Kremona has withstood temperature and humidity shifts that caused some hybrids to delaminate along the ribs. While the "conventional reasoning" is that plys are more durable, I don't think it is a proven point and in my case, it was the other way around.

In any case, the plywood bass I mention was not an Engelhardt-Link, which has a reputation for being durable, but not all plywoods are the same in that respect.

[Eli_Upright12]

[quote=Cathead;4542155] Your smaller hands will appreciate the slim neck, too. QUOTE]

I have to disagree with this and a lot of poeple will agree its not like EBG where smaller means easier and faster, smaller means chronic injuries and pain. a wider neck promotes good hand position and comfortable playing with good technique. Dont mean to be a jerk but I just thought I should put this in.

[Cathead]

OK.....plywood basses don't do better in adverse weather. Carved basses have many less cracks and splits in their tops and smaller necks are a no no. I just think I like my smaller neck better than my upright with the thick neck. I watched for 3 days for someone to help ya out Moosebabe, but I knew if a novice like me would make an effort that the more knowledgeable ones would correct me and that you would benefit from the information.

[Wyzird05]

I actually have quite a bit of experience with Bellafina as a brand, b/c I've sold them before. They are a house brand for Woodwind and Brasswind, and the model 50 and Prima are from a shop in Shanghai China. My bass, which is WWBW's Ren Wei Shi 705, is from the same shop and I've been happy with it. The model 60 is a Strunal of about the same price just labeled Bellafina.

All that said, I'd have to agree with the advice in the newbie links. A good setup and the ability to play before you buy are essential. If you want some more info feel free to PM me.