My first DB... I need some advice!

IdealWay · #1 09-19-2009, 12:43 PM

Hey everyone! I'm hoping to join the DB community very soon, but I need to acquire a bass first

I've been an electric bassist for about 10 years and have been studying jazz at my local university for about a year now, and I'm beginning to realize that I need to be educated in both realms to be a more universal bassist. I'm honestly pretty clueless about the factors that determine a quality upright versus a piece of crap, so I need some help here. I'm not looking for the best upright around, as I realize those can cost $80K, just looking for a decent-quality instrument that I can learn on, that feels comfortable, and sounds good in a live setting. I was looking locally and found a 3/4 Strunal bass on CL for $950, also this listing on eBay (http://cgi.ebay.com/3-4-Upright-MERA...d=p3286.c0.m14) looks tempting, but I'm skeptical since it's priced so low... any thoughts? Thanks for the help guys! Can't wait to get started!

Eric Hochberg · #2 09-19-2009, 01:45 PM

You need to contact your neighbor, James Condino, condino.com. He is very knowledgeable.

IdealWay · #3 09-19-2009, 01:51 PM

Thanks for the tip! He definitely seems like a good guy to know, but it seems like his builds would require more of an investment than I'm looking for, time-wise and monetarily.

Eric Hochberg · #4 09-19-2009, 02:09 PM

I wasn't suggesting you have him build you an instrument, just get advice from him. He may know of something for sale in your price range. If he doesn't want to get involved maybe he can refer you to someone good in the area.

IdealWay · #5 09-19-2009, 04:46 PM

Cool.

How likely do you all think it would be for me to find a decent upright for around $600 (used)?

Marcus Johnson · #6 09-19-2009, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IdealWay

Cool.

How likely do you all think it would be for me to find a decent upright for around $600 (used)?

I'd say that would be highly unlikely, but you never know. I bought a lovely Epiphone ply bass for $600 awhile back. That was a screamin' good deal on a very nice bass, and it's not the norm. It would take some luck.

Jesse Rosenburg · #7 09-19-2009, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IdealWay

Cool.

How likely do you all think it would be for me to find a decent upright for around $600 (used)?

When I was in your shoes, I rented to buy. I now have a fairly nice older Kay bass. Not the greatest, but with a few hundred, I just had it really well set up by an excellent luthier and now I have an easy to play nice instrument.

longfinger · #8 09-19-2009, 07:30 PM

Local used sales are a great way to buy a first upright.

Strunal makes good basses, go and check out the local listing. If you know a fellow student at your University who plays upright, then bring him/her along to examine the bass with you.

http://strunal.cz/

I'd stay away from the ebay Merano.

IdealWay · #9 09-19-2009, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by longfinger

Local used sales are a great way to buy a first upright.

Strunal makes good basses, go and check out the local listing. If you know a fellow student at your University who plays upright, then bring him/her along to examine the bass with you.

http://strunal.cz/

I'd stay away from the ebay Merano.

Thanks for the advice. I'm hoping something will pop up locally, but as of right now there's only one and it's a little more than I want to spend @ $950. Is that a good deal for a used 3/4 Strunal? Also, why is the Merano no good? Thanks for entertaining my newbie questions.

Eric Hochberg · #10 09-20-2009, 06:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IdealWay

Also, why is the Merano no good? Thanks for entertaining my newbie questions.

The following was just posted in another thread and may pertain to your question:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Square Bear

if you're looking for a bass and don't have much experience with them, you may want to find a luthier in your area and see if they carry anything. a new student of mine brought his CCB into his first lesson a few days ago (palentino is the company that made this bass). the soundpost was busting through the back... the thing sounded awful and was nearly unplayable. it was made only a couple years ago too. you really don't want to mess with this stuff. the initial cost of the bass plus the repairs that they will eventually need (and this kind of bass will need repairs way too soon and frequently) add up to much more than a decent bass with a proper set-up would run. the real tragic thing though is you'd never have even a decent bass, despite the money you put into it. furthermore, they have no value, no one will buy it after it breaks and they aren't worth fixing. with my student, i don't know how to tell this kid's parents they got duped into buying a POS for their son. i mean, i see why the prices are enticing, but it's really not that much more for a decent instrument that will hold its value and be a pleasure to play rather than a nightmare to fix. the real problem is that these companies know their instruments are worthless and are willing to prey on people's inexperience for profit.

i'm not exaggerating. these things really are that bad. i suggest that you find a bass that you really love, even if you have to save up for it a little more than you were planning on, and make sure it's checked out by a reputable luthier before you spend a dime. good luck!

Also, the Strunal may be a good deal. Get it checked out by someone good before you buy.

longfinger · #11 09-20-2009, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IdealWay

Thanks for the advice. I'm hoping something will pop up locally, but as of right now there's only one and it's a little more than I want to spend @ $950. Is that a good deal for a used 3/4 Strunal?

$950 for a functional double bass is a very low price. As you saw on their website, Strunal makes different ply models, the main difference being if the fittings are ebony or another kind wood. The CL post could be a 50/1 or a 50/4 (ebony fittings and therefore better). Maybe the current owner bought it and never had it setup properly and is selling it now. You have to budget that into the price of ownership.

Check it out in person, seeing it does not obligate you into buying it.

For reference, The David Gage shop in NYC sells a setup up Strunal 50/4 for $1950USD + tax for walk in customers. That's without a pickup.

http://www.davidgage.com/catalog/def...hp?cPath=44_32

The difference in price of that and a 50/4 bought off an internet store for $1500 is a quality setup that makes the bass functional to play. Without that, it's nice to look at, but quite yucky to play.

IdealWay · #12 09-22-2009, 07:19 PM

Thanks for the input. Unfortunately the Strunal already sold. But a 1/2 size Karl Reiser just popped up locally for $500 obo. Any idea if it's worth it? Thanks.

sirero · #13 09-22-2009, 11:04 PM

how tall are you? if your a resonable sized 16+ year old then probably not. With string instruments young students start on smaller instruments that are comparable to there size. an undersized bass is going to put out much less sound, and wont be ike playing a regular one, but if you just want the sound of a DB and will be playing with a pickup then perhaps it will work for you.

also this bass is probably a plywood bass so there is going to be a severe lack of tone, compared to a carved one.

And my two cents about cheap basses: Just because cheap plywood basses really are just trash that are shaped like basses, should not alone dissuade you from purchasing the bass. I am a proud owner of a Palatino bass which is, as far as I can tell, the cheapest of the cheapest basses (I talked a berklee grad down from 800 to 500 for it), and that bass got me through two years of high school with small modifications I made to it on my own. granted I have patience and some skill with a rasp and file, but as long as the sound post stays in the right post I bet I could make any alterations necessary to it. Unfortunately since I am pursuing a classical bass degree at my university I need the increased tone and playability of a higher quality bass and will have to shell out a lot more for a carved bass. I well still be using my bass for the rowdy punk gigs though.

bassgeek · #14 09-23-2009, 04:09 PM

I would agree with the earlier posts about checking with James Condino...he had a bunch of good basses last summer and he seems to sell a lot of consigned basses. I might get him to sell one of mine pretty soon.

If you want to come check out my Juzek and American Standard, I'm in North Asheville.

There's a guy down in Morganton with a whole basement full of American plywoods. As well as a place in Staunton, Virginia with a ton of them.

I know a couple of guys with $20,000+ basses that use their plywoods more often than their pricey basses.