This is an Engelhardt???!!!

[Bass Barrister]

My teacher is having some serious luthier work done on his 186ish German flatback. I use his bass when I have lessons with him. Yesterday, he told me he had borrowed a bass from a friend and began to play some Bach on it. He looks at me and says, "Ya know, not bad for an Englehardt"

Yup, that's what it were all right. I opined that this must be one of the S-1 models. We look inside and learn it's an EC-1, which does not even come with an ebony fingerboard. This one did not even have an adjustable bridge. We could not figure out what strings were on there but the bass was actually easy to play and the sound was . . . quite decent.

So what's the story here? Who knows? At least we know that someone knew how to set up this lowly and oft reviled (especially here) student grade plywood instrument to sound credible. I'm certainly not suggesting that everyone dump their $20k Alfredo Parmesano Vesuvios and get an Engel. What is would say is that a bass buyer with limited funds has an additional option if he/she is willing to exercise patience in finding a decent luthier and working closely with such a professional.

[Freddels]

Was the neck thin? That was always my complaint (among others) with mine.

[400$Bass]

I have a 1999 E-1 Engelhardt which my wife bought for 400 dollars. This Bass is in excellent condition. Included also in the deal was a nice gig bag, books, and two tuners. I elected to have it set up by a competent Luthier and the bridge was reworked and adjustors added. Also, I bought a German Bow.

Now I am a serious student and a happy little camper. Life begins at 56 !!!!!

I know It will probably never grace of halls of Carnegie Hall or any other notable place where grand music is played.

However to me it sounds great and is just right for a newbee. Yes I have entered the world of Bass Clef, without spending a "King's Ransom", to get started.

Now looking down the road I see an Engelhardt Swingmaster being added to my collection of instruments.... The Swingmaster in Blonde really spins my beanie.

If I just knew someone who could/would play "flight of the bumble bee" on my Engelhardt.... hhhhmmmm, I just wonder if that has been done?

[400$Bass]

This is a photo of my Engelhardt...and my maiden voyage at posting images... *note...don't hold your left hand like this...think..."holding" a can of coke.

[400$Bass]

Oh boy...this is fun... Thanks to a nice Gent in Conn. for all of his help.

No I have not been drinking...Just having a lot of fun with my BASS.

[bass_snake]

Cool bass 400.

Fred

[Gearhead43]

My EC1 looks alot like yours 400, except mine is alot darker and cost me $600.

A well set-up Engel can be a nice sounding bass, and last a very long time and take the abuse of hard gigging. The thin neck is a problem for some, but not for others.

I would not expect to use mine for Classical or even Jazz, but for the music I play it suits me fine.

[400$Bass]

Originally Posted by Gearhead43

My EC1 looks alot like yours 400, except mine is alot darker and cost me $600.

A well set-up Engel can be a nice sounding bass, and last a very long time and take the abuse of hard gigging. The thin neck is a problem for some, but not for others.

I would not expect to use mine for Classical or even Jazz, but for the music I play it suits me fine.

*******************************************

My Engelhardt has been used fairly regularly most of the past ten years. If it had any major craftsmanship or constructional issues, I would think these would have came about by now? So to me I'm thinking it was initially "made right" from the factory.

For 600 bucks it seems you got a nice deal on your bass also. How old is yours?

Thanks for the post.

[Kenny Allyn]

My friend "Slick" Joe Fick ... maybe, just maybe the best Rock-a-Billy bass players in the county putting his Swingmaster through it's nightly workout.



... Joe says he goes though one about every two years you can see why HERE

[drurb]

Originally Posted by 400$Bass

Oh boy...this is fun... Thanks to a nice Gent in Conn. for all of his help.

No I have not been drinking...Just having a lot of fun with my BASS.

My pleasure! Your sheer joy in those pics is what it's all about. IMO, the type of bass one is playing is not even a close second in importance.

[TroyK]

Your wife got such a great buy on that bass.

Engelhardts are fine basses for a lot of stuff. Why not play jazz on them? I've done it and seen it done. They're durable and can produce a pretty good punchy sound when set up properly.

Bop on, guys!

[Marcus Johnson]

Hey 400$.... I had a really nice blonde Engel pass through my life a few years ago, it was great. I mostly used it as a loaner/rental, or if I didn't want to use my main bass outdoors. Almost mint condition.

The price? $400....

[dlargent]

Originally Posted by 400$Bass

I know It will probably never grace of halls of Carnegie Hall or any other notable place where grand music is played.

I have a 1997 Engelhardt, looks exactly like that one, and I have played Carnegie Hall with it.

One piece of advice - if you can play that bass at a lot of outdoors gigs in the direct sun, the orange/red hue mellows out nicely to more of a brownish color. Not that I don't love the orange color of an Engelhardt!

[Gearhead43]

Originally Posted by dlargent

I have a 1997 Engelhardt, looks exactly like that one, and I have played Carnegie Hall with it.

One piece of advice - if you can play that bass at a lot of outdoors gigs in the direct sun, the orange/red hue mellows out nicely to more of a brownish color. Not that I don't love the orange color of an Engelhardt!

+1 My EC1 is much darker - more of a honey-blonde to dark red shading. The nitro finish darkens over time. This is why the Swingmasters start out "natural" colored, and then darken into blondes over time.