Looking For a Place To Buy a Bass....

Cathead · #1 03-13-2007, 04:45 PM

In May or June I am going to buy a better DB, but I don't know where to go looking. I live in southern West Virginia and there are no places within a 75 mile radius that I know of to double bass shop. I don't mind driving to Bristol, Johnson City, or Kingsport, Tennessee for example if I knew of any places there to look. Anybody on here close to those places and know of any good places to look for a bass? Perhaps there's a place in Charleston, WV........?? I just don't know. I hate to buy something that significant on the internet. Plus, I am worried about shipping damage.

Schoolhouse · #2 03-13-2007, 06:22 PM

You could look on Bob Golihurs web sight. There are a couple of repairers or dealers in Northern VA

quenoil · #3 03-13-2007, 07:51 PM

You should go to the ISB convention in Oklahoma City in June - you'l never find so many basses to check out in one place! Plus, the convention is super fun.

Fat.Mike · #4 03-13-2007, 08:55 PM

Can anyone go to the ISB convention or do you have to register? I checked the website and no information is yet posted. I live an hour away from OKC and it sounds like a hoot.

Cathead · #5 03-13-2007, 09:34 PM

I would love to go to something like that, but I know I can't. Thanks for the heads up, though.

MT Spaces · #6 03-13-2007, 10:56 PM

You might want to check in with Jerry Fretwell in The Other Virginia State at:
http://www.fretwellbass.com/?source=bbp.

He's a bluegrasser, a good human being (from my dealings with him), and sells used and new basses. Mostly new Englehardts and used Kays (but he does have a variety). A lot of folks here at TalkBass consider the Kays to be overpriced but go play a bunch of different basses from different shops and then decide for yourself.

Fretwell also sells a lot of the Innovation Super Silver strings to the grassers. I know you were asking about strings earlier on a different thread. Go try the Innovations out.

Of course there are plenty of great basses out there (Gollihur, Upton, New Standard, Christophers, etc.). Spend some time in the threads here in the "basses" forum and you will find a number of leads. Good Luck. Hope you find the Perfect Bass for you.

P.S. I see you are registered at the BlueGrassBassPlace website:
http://www.bluegrassbassplace.com/phpBB/index.php
There are some grasser bass players from WV registered there. Look at the member list ("wvdb" and "Drivin' Bassist" are from Huntington and "58 Kay" is from Berkeley Springs, search the list and I think you will find more). Why don't you post this same question there and contact those "local" bassists? I think you can send the registered members a private e-mail by way of the website. I'll bet you can find some more leads from them. Maybe go to the Galax Virginia Festival (http://www.oldfiddlersconvention.com/) and you might find basses for sale. Have Fun!

Basicbassist · #7 03-14-2007, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cathead

In May or June I am going to buy a better DB, but I don't know where to go looking. I live in southern West Virginia and there are no places within a 75 mile radius that I know of to double bass shop. I don't mind driving to Bristol, Johnson City, or Kingsport, Tennessee for example if I knew of any places there to look. Anybody on here close to those places and know of any good places to look for a bass? Perhaps there's a place in Charleston, WV........?? I just don't know. I hate to buy something that significant on the internet. Plus, I am worried about shipping damage.

This may sound like stating the obvious, but why not spend a couple of days in New York City? You easily could spend a half-day handling a wide variety of instruments at each of four great bass shops: David Gage, Sam Kolstein & Son, Arthur Schnitzler and (Bob?) Merchant. The Gollihur site might indicate others, as well. Good luck.

Steve Swan · #8 03-14-2007, 10:47 AM

I'd suggest going to Merlefest in late April. There will be lots of musicians there to talk to about what is good for your style of playing. Wilkesboro, NC shouldn't be too rough a drive from West Virignia.

Steve Killingsworth · #9 03-14-2007, 02:35 PM

How far are you from Cincinnati? There are several prime sellers there including Nick Lloyd and the Bass Cellar.

Cathead · #10 03-14-2007, 05:31 PM

Some great tips here and I really appreciate it. Some of those places are far, far away for me. I'm looking to spend about $2000.00 on a bass, and those blond Engelhardts look so good, but I'm afraid I will die wondering what it was like to have a solid top on my bass. Then, I'm afraid I'll get a solid top and it will split on me......oh well. I saw some solid top basses in Music 123 within my budget. I forgot about that bluegrass bass forum. I'll see what happens over there. Three and a half hours to Fretwell Bass ain't so bad. Thanks a bushel folks! Y'all are appreciated.

drurb · #11 03-14-2007, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cathead

Some great tips here and I really appreciate it. Some of those places are far, far away for me. I'm looking to spend about $2000.00 on a bass, and those blond Engelhardts look so good, but I'm afraid I will die wondering what it was like to have a solid top on my bass. Then, I'm afraid I'll get a solid top and it will split on me......oh well. I saw some solid top basses in Music 123 within my budget. I forgot about that bluegrass bass forum. I'll see what happens over there. Three and a half hours to Fretwell Bass ain't so bad. Thanks a bushel folks! Y'all are appreciated.

Ah, now we know the budget. A bass from Music123? Just say, "No." Even if you got a decent bass, you'd have to spend substantially more having it properly set up. My vote in that price range is the Upton laminate.

flint · #12 03-14-2007, 09:13 PM

cathead

Your decision btwn a hybrid and ply may be easily determined by simply deciding whether you want to play with a bow or not. It is not gospel, but on the whole it has been my limited experience that to get the most out of a hybrid bass you need to play with a bow. If you are primarily a pizz player, I'd say you would be good to go with a ply.

Cathead · #13 03-14-2007, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chortle_nut

cathead

Your decision btwn a hybrid and ply may be easily determined by simply deciding whether you want to play with a bow or not. It is not gospel, but on the whole it has been my limited experience that to get the most out of a hybrid bass you need to play with a bow. If you are primarily a pizz player, I'd say you would be good to go with a ply.

Well, it'll be 99 and 44/100 % pizz. Thanks for the input.

drurb · #14 03-15-2007, 07:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chortle_nut

cathead

Your decision btwn a hybrid and ply may be easily determined by simply deciding whether you want to play with a bow or not. It is not gospel, but on the whole it has been my limited experience that to get the most out of a hybrid bass you need to play with a bow. If you are primarily a pizz player, I'd say you would be good to go with a ply.

-1! Au contraire! No way, Jose!

I play virtually all jazz pizz. I've owned a laminate and a hybrid and now own a fully carved. While arco may make the difference more apparent (to some), I find the that the complexity of tone (overtone structure), the sustain, etc. associated with a carved top shines through easily for pizz. as well. There's no way I would go back. For the most part, the jazz DBers we all seem to love around here play fully carved instruments. There are good reasons for that.

Yes, I agree that practical concerns sometimes make a laminate or hybrid the best choice. My point is that I believe it is not the case that a carved top is essentially wasted on pizz. playing. Nothing could be further from the truth.

philip sirois · #15 03-15-2007, 07:56 AM

plus one to the minus one!

I had an upton laminate, which many here think is among the better laminates available. It was nicely setup up. I play almost all pizz. The basic "thump" it produced just wasn't that satisfying for me. I got a wilfer hybrid from Ideal music. By comparison the wilfer has a "voice" that goes beyond that fundamental thump. Livlier, more complex. I couldn't be happier. There is a difference!

M Ramsey · #16 03-15-2007, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cathead

Some great tips here and I really appreciate it. Some of those places are far, far away for me. I'm looking to spend about $2000.00 on a bass, and those blond Engelhardts look so good, but I'm afraid I will die wondering what it was like to have a solid top on my bass. Then, I'm afraid I'll get a solid top and it will split on me......oh well. I saw some solid top basses in Music 123 within my budget. I forgot about that bluegrass bass forum. I'll see what happens over there. Three and a half hours to Fretwell Bass ain't so bad. Thanks a bushel folks! Y'all are appreciated.

I've sent you a private message about basses and a possible seller. Be sure and check it out.

Cathead · #17 03-15-2007, 02:41 PM

You guys are a great help and I appreciate it. I am particularly interested in the discussion concerning the ply vs the solid top. I do a lot of home recording, too, so I am taking that into consideration.

drurb · #18 03-16-2007, 07:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cathead

You guys are a great help and I appreciate it. I am particularly interested in the discussion concerning the ply vs the solid top. I do a lot of home recording, too, so I am taking that into consideration.

Well, unless the conditions under which you play and/or store the bass or the type of music you play would dictate otherwise, a quality carved top would be preferred. The operative word there is "quality."

I like to think of laminates, hybrids, and carved basses as forming three overlapping distributions of quality. The distribution for the carved basses would be highly skewed toward the upper end considering it includes basses costing in the upper tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars.

You stated your budget at $2000. Now, unless you were to find an amazing deal on a used instrument, you should forget about carved basses in that price range. Don't be suckered by the "fully carved" moniker on inexpensive instruments.

I am not aware of any new quality hybrid that includes a proper setup for $2000 or less. That leaves you with a laminate. For $2000 or less, there are several available but my personal choice would be the Upton. It will blow the doors off an Engelhardt, blond or otherwise.

Now, if you can push that budget...

mesmithnm · #19 03-16-2007, 08:07 AM

This just showed up in the classifieds

SOLD! Strunal 3/4 hybrid with pernambuco Fr. bow & extras

Here's a hybrid right in your price range and only a hour or two drive past the Tri-Cities. The Strunals have a pretty good rep for the price

Mark

Cathead · #20 03-16-2007, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mesmithnm

This just showed up in the classifieds

SOLD! Strunal 3/4 hybrid with pernambuco Fr. bow & extras

Here's a hybrid right in your price range and only a hour or two drive past the Tri-Cities. The Strunals have a pretty good rep for the price

Mark

It's a good looker and comes recommended by a feller on another forum. My problem there is I can't do anything until about June

But, I really appreciate the heads up.