Help me before I buy an upright!!!

Landy67 · #1 01-24-2013, 04:45 PM

Please, please, please! I'm so desperate for an upright bass, that I'm thinking of buying this charmer!

It's 100% made in America (of Taiwanese patio furniture parts.) I got to play it at the Winfield Bluegrass Fest this year. and both strings (A and D) play perfect! There is even a shingle nail in the back of the Pickax handle at or about the 5th fret so I know where I am when I'm playing!

...Or does someone have a better idea for a starter stand-up bass? I'm hoping to find something that I can play acoustic at bluegrass fests, but something I can transport.

What Bass/Cello sounds decent, playable, relatively low cost, and hopefully I can plug it in when I want to compete with a blues band?

Landy67 · #2 01-24-2013, 04:48 PM

Oh yea, I forgot to mention!!! I would love to learn to play with a bow! Does that make a difference with the choice of instruments?

singlemalt · #3 01-24-2013, 05:08 PM

Somewhere near you a double bass is gathering dust. Find it, borrow it, spend sometime with it. Live with it. Schlepp it up and down the stairs, in and out of the car, figure out where it lives in your house. Find out that they are loud and penetrating: there is no quiet headphone practice. Bowing practice gives the dogs something to howl along with.

You'll either get over the GAS you have or start looking seriously for a bass.

I had a buddy offer me a bass on "semi-permanent loan" last summer. He has a small apartment and nobody was playing the bass.

I was stoked! Got a Fishman pick up and pre amp and a bow, spent lots of hours playing it.

Ended up with hand pain and a renewed and more profound respect for guys who can play the upright. It's a big mountain to climb. Cured my GAS.

I've still got it, but when my buddy gets his new home finished, it's going back. I'm very glad I didn't sink a ton of dough into a bass. If I was going to buy an upright, I would only make a purchase of a bass I had time to know.

I've got more than enough to keep me busy with the electrics.

YMMV!

you did ask to be talked out of buying. I'm not saying it's not a worthy endeavor, just that making a purchase before getting handle on the scope of the project might not work out.

If you need a basic set up to amp your bass, and a decent beginner bow check my ads in the classifieds.

**mjac28** · #4 01-24-2013, 05:09 PM

I have crazy GAS for one also but the price always brings me out of my stupor.

Dazonbass · #5 01-24-2013, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by singlemalt

Somewhere near you a double bass is gathering dust. Find it, borrow it, spend sometime with it. Live with it. Schlepp it up and down the stairs, in and out of the car, figure out where it lives in your house. Find out that they are loud and penetrating: there is no quiet headphone practice. Bowing practice gives the dogs something to howl along with.

love it. Had gas for an upright and will mull over this

Jsn · #6 01-24-2013, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Landy67

...Or does someone have a better idea for a starter stand-up bass? I'm hoping to find something that I can play acoustic at bluegrass fests, but something I can transport.

What Bass/Cello sounds decent, playable, relatively low cost, and hopefully I can plug it in when I want to compete with a blues band?

If you follow the first link here...

BASS FORUM LINKS (Newbie Links): PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING NEW TOPICS

...you'll get the benefit of this community's collective experience.

Landy67 · #7 01-24-2013, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jsn

If you follow the first link here...

BASS FORUM LINKS (Newbie Links): PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING NEW TOPICS

...you'll get the benefit of this community's collective experience.

I hope I didn't offend... I mostly wanted to impress the members with the fact that I actually got top play that unique and custom bass.

Jsn · #8 01-24-2013, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Landy67

I hope I didn't offend... I mostly wanted to impress the members with the fact that I actually got top play that unique and custom bass.

No offense taken! On the contrary; we welcome converts to the Big Mistress (as I puckishfully call it). But it often happens that new seductees, in their exuberance, blast right past that top-of-page sticky, so we're used to gently pointing it out.

If that yard sale explosion had gotten you excited about the DB, just wait until you get a real one under your fingers! Bliss. (Well, bliss AND blisters

.)

Landy67 · #9 01-24-2013, 07:23 PM

I actually did read that post. I'm sorry to say, but I was more confused afterwards. I ended up with more questions the more I learned. When I got to the bluegrass fest, I asked to play all of the stand-up basses I could, so I got to try different sizes, strings, etc. I got to play a 3/4, full sized, and a cello. I think I need one of each, plus a UEB. Maybe a couple of each, so I can have some stung with gut and others with Kevlar...

Jsn · #10 01-24-2013, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Landy67

I got to play a 3/4, full sized, and a cello. I think I need one of each, plus a UEB. Maybe a couple of each, so I can have some stung with gut and others with Kevlar...

Tell your Significant Other that we took a vote, and you're authorized to go ahead with that.