I ordered the Upton Hawkes Hybrid.

[BRIDGE]

Last week I finally decided on the Upton Hawkes Hybrid, after many months of research and trying to find the best deal. I could not find anything of both high quality and affordable price locally, and on the advice of many of the posters here (and my bass teacher-to-be, who I trust very much,) went with the Upton despite the horror stories about the long waiting period.

Josh from Upton's sales department was extremely helpful. The service was extremely friendly, and very professional. The bass is going to have a dark finish similar to the pictures of the Professor on their site, and will be set up with medium action and Obligato strings. It will also come with Upton's deluxe case, and their $99 bow (French style.) My teacher was a little bit uncertain about the quality of that bow when I told him about its low price, but said to get it anyway since it's still a good deal with regards to the company's reputation. Does anyone here have any experience using the cheap Upton bow?

I am trying to figure out the best way to spend my time until the bass arrives and I can be given some formal instruction in technique. I figure the best thing to do is to work on my music theory, so I've been playing along with some jazz charts in the Real Book on electric. So far, so good. Never played much jazz on bass before, though I have played jazz saxophone. Is there anything else I can do - finger exercises or something, I don't know? - that will give me something of an advantage once the bass actually arrives?

[Eric Swanson]

Congratulations on making your decision. This should be an exciting time!

I can't think of anything that would be that helpful as far as "feel" and strength. My guess is that other folks would know more about that.

When I was younger, I used to obsessively squeeze my fingers and thumb together to try to build strength when I wasn't playing/practicing. I have no idea if it did anything but release teenage energy. Ditto with nervously "practicing" right hand pizz on any stationary object.

I also used to rub the edge of my thumb's last joint on hard things (I remember using the desk edge in school) to (supposedly/hopefully) develop/deepen my thumb position callous. Again, I think this may have been more about self-mutilation, nerves, and mis-directed teen hormones than anything particularly constructive.

My experience is that time on the bass may be the most fruitful thing. The feel of the vertical, curved surface will be all new, so even trying to play the EB in a vertical position won't be that transferable. Most of it is muscular memory and strength with a certain, idiosyncratic set of muscles. Practice and playing will develop them best.

Perhaps you should do all of your errands and visit your friends/family. If you are like many of us, once your bass arrives, you will be busy .

[chuck1073]

I'm using an Upton Workshop German bow. I'm only a beginner to arco so I don't have much of anything to compare it to. It seems very nicely made though and I'm having a great time learning on it.

Congrats on the Hybrid. That's one popular bass.

[Jeremy Allen]

Originally Posted by BRIDGE

I could not find anything of both high quality and affordable price locally, and on the advice of many of the posters here (and my bass teacher-to-be, who I trust very much,) went with the Upton despite the horror stories about the long waiting period.

Who's your bass teacher-to-be? I know I've been recommending the Uptons to some of my students in the jazz department here at IU if they happen to be shopping in that price range, because I played an Upton ply that a touring bassist brought through town last spring. Gary Upton could suddenly find that he's shipping four basses to 47401...

[BRIDGE]

The one and only RON KADISH!!!!

He told me to email you, actually, and ask to check out the Upton bass that he claimed you owned - maybe he was mistaken, if you said you only just played one that someone else brought. But I never was able to get through to you. (I did not know you were on this forum at that point. Coincidence.) Anyway Ron plays in my dad's band - the Postmodern Jazz Quartet.

[Jeremy Allen]

Originally Posted by BRIDGE

He told me to email you, actually, and ask to check out the Upton bass that he claimed you owned - maybe he was mistaken

Hmmm, he may have been thinking of the New Standard Cleveland plywood bass I owned until last August and which he played once when he was over at my house for a lesson--I don't think I've ever discussed Uptons with him, and the only time we've had one through Bloomington (to my knowledge) was when Corey Dimario brought his last spring.

If you don't mind, I'd love to know when your Upton hybrid arrives and to maybe take a look at it if that's OK. I was very impressed with the plywood version, and I'd like to see the hybrid in person.

Congrats!

[Cathead]

I was highly considering either the Upton ply or the hybrid. I e-mailed them with some questions, but they never did e-mail me back. Could be they're too busy to take another order?

[gcbake]

I was at IU between 2000-2003, I did the Master of Music Technology at IUPUI. I was an Education student at IU but had tons of fun in Dr. Bakers jazz improv class......I am really an electric player but just ordered an Eberle ply from Ideal Music in NYC. I looked into the Upton, but for the money i could not pass up the Eberle. Any experience with that bass?

[Silversorcerer]

You might want to read some of the 800 double bass links over at Bob Gollihur's site. There is much good information that beginners can benefit from.

Whatever you play currently, stop looking at it. On the DB, there's not much to look at while you are playing. Concentrate on hearing. You can't really train your hands yet, so work on your ear.

[BRIDGE]

Originally Posted by Jeremy Allen

If you don't mind, I'd love to know when your Upton hybrid arrives and to maybe take a look at it if that's OK. I was very impressed with the plywood version, and I'd like to see the hybrid in person.

Congrats!

Yes, I will let you know when it gets here - should be late January if I'm lucky, late February if I'm not so lucky, probably will be somewhere in between.

[yankeeblues]

Hiya.

My son just picked up his Upton Hybrid last weekend. All USA. dark varnish. So far, he loves playing it and I love listening to it (ok, I work from home and hack it when he's at school...)

We got a mixed set of Spirocores and Obligatos for piz/arc flexibility. The low end rattles our house, in a good way.

I will post some pics of here as soon as I take some. We had a long wait for ours...it was well worth it and we were not misled at any point in the process. Their bows in the shop looked like good values to me although I have more of an eye for quality than specific bow smarts.

[R.J.Ravlin]

Well, I've been reading the mail for a while now and decided to jump in. First of all hello to folks here on Talk bass. I have picked up a lot of good info reading through the DB threads. I have a big interest on this thread with respect to Upton DB. I ordered an Upton Hybrid last July. I was told last week that it was 99.9% chance of receiving the bass by 12/04/07. After a few delays due to transioning to to building them completely here it looks like that date is a good one now. I have had the opportunity play a friends Upton lam blond super swing. He has Obligatos on the bass at present. It sounds real nice and the set up is also very good. I look forward to making the trip to Conn. in a couple weeks.

[Jeremy Allen]

Originally Posted by R.J.Ravlin

I ordered an Upton Hybrid last July. I was told last week that it was 99.9% chance of receiving the bass by 12/04/07.

That seems too long to have to wait. (I think it must have something to do with switching over to the all-domestic construction as you say.) I must say, every single bass I've ever ordered on demand has taken much longer than advertised to make it to my door (this includes a Hamer bass guitar, a Knutson electric upright bass, a Moses graphite neck, and a New Standard Cleveland plywood bass). Maybe manufacturers should just pick a realistic production time and advertise it instead of getting our hopes up!

To gcbake--I don't know anything about Eberles, but I have an inkling of what those basses in the Ideal music sale might be all about. The best thing you can do is earmark $200--600 for a professional set-up by a reputable bass luthier once you get the instrument--they'll adjust the nut, plane the fingerboard, maybe fit a new bridge, and look into the tailpiece, tailpiece wire, and endpin. This step makes all the difference in the experience you will have with the bass and should by no means be overlooked. Nick Lloyd in Cincinnati is well worth the trip, although if you don't want to make the drive the guys at Frank's Violins in Broad Ripple will also be able to help you. Good luck!

[Silversorcerer]

Well, I can understand the extended waiting with Upton switching manufacturing locations. Also, the finishes that they use just take much longer to dry between coats than faster drying finishes like nitrocellulose or poly lacquer. That delivery time should come down a good bit on the laminated and hybrid basses once they get settled with the state-side construction.

When I ordered my Kremona, it was shipped well within the promised time frame, which was 10 weeks at the outside. That is for is for a fully carved swelled back DB with nitrocellulose finish from a small shop in Bulgaria. I received progress reports during that time and I think the shipping was 2 weeks of the total time. It seems like a hybrid would go much faster with so much less carving going into it. Of course Kremona doesn't do laminated basses or hybrids, so that is still probably the minimum time to hand carve, finish, and ship a bass from that shop.

[ZuluFunk]

I looked around for a long time for an upgrade from my Engelhart (which is solely for the slapping stuff now) so I can improve my playing for jazz opportunities. It was a tough decision, but I must admit, they were very accomodating at Upton. Fact is, though, other people I almost bought from were in some cases even more helpful. They had some better quality basses too. However, it came down to price. I'm not good enough to justify paying over $5000 for a bass, and I certainly don't play for a living.

The hybrid with the UB Blacks didn't play as quick or responsive as I'd expected or hoped at first. It's probably more the strings than anything. They have taken some getting used to. I was hoping to find improved intonation, better dexterity, and more even volume...just by getting a better bass. It doesn't work that way.

It's by far a better bass than the ES9. Everything just fits better. The neck feels better. I like the look of the extended fingerboard. The individual tuners are neater looking too. It's not a flawless bass...but I am certainly very happy so far with the value.

The tone is dark, but with a little bit of airyness. There is a nice sing up the G string that rings nicely. I'm not a great player, so I can't expect too much. I'd love to let someone who really knows how to play take it for a spin while I sit in the back of the room.

If I had $10,000 to spend on a bass, there were a few I might have bought. But I am very happy with this bass. It should get better in time, I hope that has mostly to do with my playing improving.

[lowEndRick]

Originally Posted by ZuluFunk

I looked around for a long time for an upgrade from my Engelhart (which is solely for the slapping stuff now) so I can improve my playing for jazz opportunities. It was a tough decision, but I must admit, they were very accomodating at Upton. Fact is, though, other people I almost bought from were in some cases even more helpful. They had some better quality basses too. However, it came down to price. I'm not good enough to justify paying over $5000 for a bass, and I certainly don't play for a living.

The hybrid with the UB Blacks didn't play as quick or responsive as I'd expected or hoped at first. It's probably more the strings than anything. They have taken some getting used to. I was hoping to find improved intonation, better dexterity, and more even volume...just by getting a better bass. It doesn't work that way.

It's by far a better bass than the ES9. Everything just fits better. The neck feels better. I like the look of the extended fingerboard. The individual tuners are neater looking too. It's not a flawless bass...but I am certainly very happy so far with the value.

The tone is dark, but with a little bit of airyness. There is a nice sing up the G string that rings nicely. I'm not a great player, so I can't expect too much. I'd love to let someone who really knows how to play take it for a spin while I sit in the back of the room.

If I had $10,000 to spend on a bass, there were a few I might have bought. But I am very happy with this bass. It should get better in time, I hope that has mostly to do with my playing improving.

Is this one of the new US-made Upton Hybrids? If so, when did you get it?

[ZuluFunk]

Originally Posted by lowEndRick

Is this one of the new US-made Upton Hybrids? If so, when did you get it?

Nope...this was one of the last European ones. That's fine with me. I mean, they'd been running those factories for decades. I figure they have thier production under control.

It was about an 11 week wait I think.

[ZuluFunk]

Another view

[yankeeblues]

Here's a pic of my son's new USA Hybrid, 3 weeks old. It's actually a bit darker than the pic; almost chocolate.

[Cathead]

Wow, man! That's a looker!