Quote:
Originally posted by Spearhead
I have opted not to get something cheap or chinese and instead want a good entry level student model that is well built |
The Christopher is a Chinese bass, but it represents the very lowest level of the really good Chinese basses.
It's as different from a CCB (Cheap Chinese Bass) as a Chevette is from a Corvette.
There's nothing wrong with the better Chinese basses, such as Christopher, Hima, Shen, & Eastman, but they are, of course, priced accordingly.
You're considering the all-plywood Christopher & Sunrise versus a Hybrid Strunal, if you mean the A535 (5/35) or A520(5/20).
Hybrids really aren't horses of the same color.
The carved top on the Strunal will probably make it sound better than either of the all-plywood basses. It'll be louder and have a more open, less percussive sound.
Of course that's "probably"... All basses are individuals, and all setups are done by different people. A really bad or badly set up fully-carved bass won't compare favourably with a really good plywood that's been set up well.
You can also get hybrid Christophers, but they run about $600 more than the hybrid Strunal.
Check out Jim Laabs' Frankfurt
http://www.jimlaabs.com/stringinstru.../frankfurt.htm
The Frankfurt (which I think is also Korean) is described as having
Solid Carved Spruce Top from Fridgid Slow Growth Climates The description sounds like it is a hybrid for $899. You could call them and talk to Troy Laabs about it. 1-800-657-5125
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Sunrise?? Well some arch-top guitars that you find are made just like a carved bass, in that they start out with a piece of wood that is as thick as the swell is high.
So if there's a half-inch swell, the wood starts out at least half-inch thick. Then they carve out the underside where the swell will be, and carve the top side around the edges, where the swell won't be, until it's down to final thickness, maybe 1/8 of an inch(actually a little less for a guitar).
Then there other arch-tops which have tops that start out as a 1/8" flat sheet of wood, which is softened then pressed over a form. This saves tons of time & wood, and the sound is very similar to one with an actual carved top, but not the same.
This has been going on for decades, and the majority of the arch-top guitars you find for sale these days are made that way, since the market for $3000+ guitars isn't that wide.
There basses around now, too, that are "Solid Wood", but not carved. They're formed just like the $500-$1500 arch-top guitars.
If it makes a difference to you, and if you see a description that says "Solid Wood", you might want to get a clarification on that. Some of Lemur's Sunrise models are described as "fully-carved", and some as "Solid Wood".
I've also heard that the Lemur's Korean Sunrise basses aren't the equal of what's sold cheaper at
www.jimlaabs.com.
Luscombe Violin sells the Christophers already set-up, or they knock off 10% if you want to have it set up locally.
http://www.violins.ca/basses.html The cheapest model all-plywood that still has ebony fittings runs $1500.(get no "ebonized" fingerboards!)
If you're looking at the Strunal 5/20 or 5/35, they are hybrids, and I think the first Hybrid Christopher runs $2125
