Looking for Bass dealers in No.VA/D.C. area

DryBones · #1 09-30-2007, 10:59 AM

Hello,
My son is playing bass in the High School orchestra and we really need to buy him a better bass than the one provided from the school. He just made Senior Regional Orchestra and will be trying out for the state orchestra in the future. Does anybody know of a good reputable dealer in the northern Virginia/D.C./Maryland area that would have a selection to try before we buy? I hate the idea of buying a bass on the internet. BTW, we are looking to spend no more than probably $3000.

thanks for your help in advance,

Jason

casualmadness · #2 09-30-2007, 11:03 AM

Check out Jive Sound in Alexandria. Jong has some really nice gear in there. Nice guy too.

DryBones · #3 09-30-2007, 11:28 AM

thanks for the quick info. His website looks like all electric bass though. I am looking for an upright bass for orchestra use.

brooklynbassed · #4 09-30-2007, 08:59 PM

Try www.bobshouseofbasses.com. Bob is a fine bass player, a very warm guy, and is very knowledegebale about basses for students and professionals. I have recently done business with him, and I highly recommend him.

Everett Boyd,
Originally from DC, now in NYC

PB+J · #5 10-01-2007, 10:17 AM

Bob is great to deal with. I bougth my Shen from Bob. You could also try David Mainsbridge in Annapolis. He's a luthier who does only bass. Google "Chesapeake Bass Viol Shop". He has a lot of basses in stock at various price points. Brobst violins in Alexandria usually has a few basses, from student grade to professional. Chuck Levins also carries double basses--you have to ask for Byron and be taken upstairs

Bob and Mainsbridge are the most knowledgeable players and have the biggest selection. Bob is a terrific orchestra player

If you're willng to drive further there's Shank Strings in Elizabethtown, PA

wineaux · #6 10-01-2007, 12:30 PM

I, too, have had good dealings with Bob. After the purchase, from Bob's or anywhere else, your next stop should be a luthier who can set up the bass for orchestra playing. For my two cents, the best luthier in the area is John Lemoine. He does set up and repair work for the National Symphony Orchestra, so he'll know what your son needs. He's located in DC.

Good luck in the search, and good luck to your son as he joins our fraternity!

NWBass · #7 10-01-2007, 12:39 PM

There's also Thomas Wolf in The Plains, VA. He fixed a crack in bass very nicely and has a pretty decent selection of basses. He's about an hour west on 66 from DC. http://www.lowstrings.com/

I've also been to Shank's in Elizabethtown and he does good setup work and has loads of basses. I've bought some stuff from Bob, but only over the phone so have never been to his shop. I've heard good things.

PB+J · #8 10-01-2007, 01:02 PM

I will say my only regret about buying from Bob is that he's not a luthier. It would have been better to establish a relationship where the guy who sold me the bass was the guy who worked on it. That being said, Bob was gracious, patient, and extremely helpful

DryBones · #9 10-01-2007, 04:12 PM

Can anybody tell me about Engelhardt basses? are they a good quality instrument for the price? Would they fit my sons high school/college needs or should I look at something higher priced? Also, anybody ever done any business with FretwellBass.com?

thanks again,
Jason

Pete G · #10 10-01-2007, 05:07 PM

For something this important to you, it's worth a drive up to Elizabethtown, PA to see Mike Shank. He can not only sell you what you need, he'll set it up beautifully, and he'll stand behind it too.

It's worth a couple of extra hours of driving time!

PB+J · #11 10-01-2007, 05:48 PM

I had an englhardt EM-1 for years. It paid for itself several times over in jazz gigs. They're solid and dependable and affordable, but they are all plywood and can be a bear to get a decent sound out of. But they are used in highschools across America for exactly what your son is doing. If you just want an engelhardt, Mainsbridge carries them, sets them up (crucial, absolutely crucial) and will work on adjustments. He'll charge extra for it, but it'll be worth it. He's a real character too--a nice guy, likes to talk. I think you can expect to pay around 1500 with a setup. I would not buy one without having it professionally set up.

Chuck's carries the Engle's too, and will be cheaper but less attentive. I assume money is an issue--if you can, get a more experienced player to go with you to check the instruments out

ERIC A · #12 10-01-2007, 05:58 PM

I have purchased 3 basses from Bob (Bob's House of Basses) over the past 7 years, and have found Bob to be one of the most ethical businessmen I have ever had the pleasure of dealing with. Also, if you are looking for a great luthier, try giving Jim Kuykendall a call at 301 633 6321 (as a bonus he is located about 3 miles from Bob’s).

John Sprague · #13 10-02-2007, 09:08 AM

So you've got Tom Wolf and Bob Kurts, both very good shops, so the remaining that I know of are Brobst Violins and Potter's.
Good luck!

brooklynbassed · #14 10-02-2007, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DryBones

Can anybody tell me about Engelhardt basses? are they a good quality instrument for the price? Would they fit my sons high school/college needs or should I look at something higher priced? Also, anybody ever done any business with FretwellBass.com?

thanks again,
Jason

I recently played a bass at Bob Kurz's (Bobs House of Basses) in your price range that was carved and quite nice for the money. It was not a plywood Englehardt. In fact it was an Eastman. He has a decent selection of basses that would be good for an aspiring student in high school and going to college. Although he is not a luthier, Jim Kuykendall, mentioned in this thread, does quite a bit of his set-up and repair work. As others have said, in one way or another, you can buy a bass (new or old, from a reputable dealer in MD,DC,VA or PA, or even on craigslist

, and in any price range), but it needs to be set-up correctly for the player who will be using it.

Best,
E.B.

PB+J · #15 10-02-2007, 10:59 PM

I re-read your original post and i think your son has outgrown a plywood englehardt. Check out some of the Eastmans at Bob's--I did, and they were good although I much preferred the Shen I took home and am still in love with

thesneakyjesus · #16 10-02-2007, 11:19 PM

I love bob to death, BUTTT

I was in your same position a few years ago.
I bought an eastman from bob, and I don't love it.

It's a carved chinese bass. It's alright. They can be REALLY great, but you need to get it set up by a professional lutier.

Seriously, but is awesome, but he just can't set a bass up the right way. I'm not bashing, but this is just my expierence.

I would reccomend getting a bass from him though. Maybe you could take it out for a week, take it to a proper lutier (like Brobst).

My buddy has a bass that was made for him at brobst that is really excellent in the $4000 range. It's definitly worth looking into. It takes a bit, but they REALLY stand behind their instrument.

thesneakyjesus · #17 10-02-2007, 11:26 PM

heck!

I hate to say this. But you might be best off checking out some of the new standard basses from new york or the wan bernadel.

Just search their names of here.

New standard's are probably in the advert on the left, same with the wan.

Also look into upton bass and lemur music.

Really, don't limit yourself to VA/DC.

If he's an orchestral player, he might be studying rabbath pretty soon. It's a really popular thing in VA these days.

DryBones · #18 10-03-2007, 06:18 PM

The reason we are limiting ourself to this area is because we don't want to buy sight unseen. I really want my son to get his hands on the bass and get a feel for it. We have been referred to Lemur Music but I don't want to buy from CA and have to deal with shipping an instrument of this size all the way across the country. I will look into Bob's and Tom Wolf definitely (he is only about 8 miles from me).

thesneakyjesus · #19 10-03-2007, 09:28 PM

I definitly think that if you're going to spend $3,000 that it's not a big deal to make a deposit to the new standard guys for them to ship the bass to you for like $150. Good luck though for sure. I don't want to sound like an ass, and I wish you guys the best luck. It's a big step, and the set-up of a bass has a HUGE factor in how the bass will play, and how the bassist can develop on the instrument.

DryBones · #20 10-03-2007, 10:16 PM

well it sounds like I have a very good bass luthier that lives/operates less than 10 miles away so I should be good there for now and in the future. Plus the New Standard and Wan-Bernadel run around $5K not $3k which is a huge difference for me and my budget.thanks for the interest.