Craptastic Chinese basses revisited...

[bleepo]

When we are swearing off chinese basses, is it all?

Some of the chinese basses i've been looking at have looked decent. I understand the $500 ebay models, and the CHEAP imports, such as Palatino, etc... But surely SOME basses must have some value.

The bass that has my eye at the moment is a lightly used chinese built Stentor. It's the fully laminated student model. $1600cdn with a decent bag, and a french bow. There was also a Kai Ming fully carved that projected nicely, but with it's strings didn't respond well to my attempt at arco playing, at at $2200 without a case and bow, is less cost effective.

Granted I did come across a few chinese ply's that were garbage even to my rookie eyes and hands. A Fujiyama with terrible action, poorly planed figerboard, and no sustain.

I am thinking of selling my Stratocaster and amp to possibly make the step up to a Chech bass, but although I don't/can't play it, it was my dads and has sentimental value. He kept telling me to sell it after he gave it to me, but it'll be hard to give up.

[Steve Killingsworth]

Sell the amp but keep the Strat. If you sell it, the day will come when you wish, for purely sentimental reasons, you had kept the guitar .

And I have never heard anyone on TB say all Chinabasses are bad. Search the archives and check out numerous threads on Shens, Christophers, Eastman, and a few others.

[bleepo]

I was misguided. I made the mistake of seeing made in China and shunning it right away. Should I believe in that case, that the Stentor might not be a bad choice?

I agree on the guitar... I don't want to sell it. It's never a good idea in my head to sell ANY guitar. Amps can go, and are replaceable. But no 2 guitars/basses/doubles are the same.

[Steve Killingsworth]

There are a few current or former Stentor owners here. I think Wil Davis has one. You might PM him for some additional information. Also, use the search function in the basses forum. There are several threads that discuss Stentor.

[bleepo]

I always hit up the archives, but there is very little mention of them, so I thought i'd ask. A few people mentioned the carved models, as well.

[Frank Louis]

I know it's off topic but get an appraisal on that amp before you sell it. Some of the vintage Fender tube amps from the 60's and 70's are worth some good money to collectors and guitar buffs.

[TenorClef]

[quote=bleepo]I was misguided. I made the mistake of seeing made in China and shunning it right away. Should I believe in that case, that the Stentor might not be a bad choice?QUOTE]

Their is an excellant article somewhere on this forum looking in some detail at the recent quality control tightning over the last 2-3 years of student line Chinese instruments. You would do well to check out several of them. Infact just found the article-

http://www.stringsmagazine.com/issue...113/china.html

Andreas Eastman, Johannes Köhr, Andrew Schroetter and several others are worth trying and none are likely to break the bank. The Schroetter sells for about $1250 which is what i'm presently playing on. Solid carved top, real ebony fittings, great projection and nice to bow with.

They are going from strength to strength IMHO and the prices are very competitive with western companies due to cheap labour costs. Infact i would'nt be surprised if 90% of student instruments are now made in the far east.