My New Upton Deluxe Hybrid !!!

BRIDGE · #1 03-03-2008, 04:30 PM

Well, after a long wait, it finally arrived. The Upton Deluxe Hybrid, one of the first ones made completely in America. Luckily, I ordered it before the price was raised.

It truly is as good a bass as they say it is, at least from my admittedly inexperienced perspective. It certainly beats the hell out of all the other upright basses I've played in the past, which were mostly laminated student models. It's quite light, and surprisingly easy to move around. Aesthetically, it looks pretty much exactly how I asked them to make it - they got the finish that I described to them perfectly. I asked for a medium golden-brown stain, not at all reddish or "peachy" like the pictures of the Deluxe Hybrid on their site, and with a satin (not overly shiny) finish. They got it perfectly.

In terms of the tone, I think that the E string is a little weak-sounding. The rest of the strings are quite resonant, deep, and projecting in tone. I had them put Obligatos on it, which my teacher told me are good all-around strings. Maybe if I used a different string for the E, it would be louder and more powerful. Also, it might just need time to "break in," as many people have said about carved or carved-top instruments. Maybe after playing it for a while, it will "open up."

I got the 99 dollar Upton Workshop bow with it, which I am in no position to judge because I am just starting out playing arco. I will have to ask my teacher. I tried playing with the bow for a while and my tone sounded absolutely horrible. Keeping in mind that I haven't yet had any formal instruction in how to use the bow and am basically just experimenting with it until my first lesson, what should I be doing in terms of the bow? How much rosin should I put on it? How tight should the strings be? Hopefully, with practice and instruction, I will get better with the bow. As of now I sound like a gorrilla during the mating season.

Here are some pictures of the bass:

mikeypbass · #2 03-03-2008, 04:34 PM

Oh my god! Thats thing looks delicious!! I'm dying for my upton to come in, DYING, and by my guesstimate, my Standard Hybrid won't be finished for another two months!! I'm muy excited for mine to come in now

Happy Practicing, Mike

Greg Clinkingbeard · #3 03-03-2008, 04:37 PM

Schweeet,
That is a nice looking bass. They certainly have improved the finish since I bought mine.
The Obligato E is kinda weak anyway. Talk to your teacher about that, but I'd put a heavier string on it. Play the heck out of it.

BRIDGE · #4 03-03-2008, 05:05 PM

I just can't stop playing it! I've definitely gone over to the "dark side," hard core, and there's no turning back. It's a good thing Spring Break is coming up next week because otherwise I'd be very tempted to just stay home and play.

I put more rosin on the bow and the arco sound improved 500%. I still don't really know what I'm doing, but it's good to know that the crappy sound of the bow that I initially had wasn't due to the bow or the bass. It was just a brand-new bow and needed to be heavily rosined, I guess.

There is a little imperfection in the wood grain right on the upper portion of the right-hand part of the top. It's like a five-inch long, half-inch wide strip of woodgrain in which the grains are farther apart than on the rest of the top. Far from disliking this, I actually think it adds a lot of character and I would not want it to magically disappear if I had the choice.

jimmyduded · #5 03-03-2008, 07:24 PM

things like that are what make your bass YOURS, same concept as this is my rifle, there are many like it but this one is mine and so on and so forth, looks great, good luck with it

MT Spaces · #6 03-03-2008, 07:55 PM

Hey Bridge .... Does this mean that your "buyer's remorse" has subsided a tad

? Great lookin' bass .... have a blast ... the "Dark Side" definitely has its good points. Remember ... with more playing, improvements in technique (not that I really know anything about that subject

), and the right string combo .... it will keep sounding better. Congrats and Have Fun !!

**bass dan** · #7 03-03-2008, 07:55 PM

thats a nice looking bass, hope you enjoy it.
reminds me of mine

BRIDGE · #8 03-03-2008, 08:04 PM

I never really thought I had made a bad purchase, I had just never seen any negative opinions of the Upton basses until recently. Like all instruments they have their pros and cons, I guess. As of now, I'm not experienced enough to be able to judge the cons of this bass, but it definitely sounds very good to me and plays easy. I think it was a wise purchase and I also like the fact that it was made completely in the U.S.

tubadude · #9 03-03-2008, 08:37 PM

Have you had a bass and organ jam yet? Saw the keys in the bakground of one of your pics.

Jason Sypher · #10 03-03-2008, 11:46 PM

Now clear out a corner to park it and get it off the couch! These things fall pretty easy...

Eric Swanson · #11 03-04-2008, 04:35 AM

So pleased for you! Congratulations on your new bass!

Which sex of mating gorilla, male or female?

Yes, the Obligato E was weak on my bass, too.

Any new bow hair needs time to pick up enough rosin to work properly. Within a few days it should be at some useful equilibrium.

Yeah, +1 to the natural beauty of wood. Every board has a story...

Based on your profile info, it looks like this bass will suit your needs well. It should take you a long, long way! Happy day!

chuck1073 · #12 03-04-2008, 04:44 AM

Congrats and welcome to the "dark side". You sure picked a popular bass! They can't make enough of the hybrids these days.

dakpluto · #13 03-04-2008, 05:12 AM

Play the bass AND Organ while riding the bike.

lowEndRick · #14 03-04-2008, 06:16 AM

Congrats on the new ub hybrid. it looks remarkably like mine which i picked up about 5 weeks ago. i too have a section that has an imperfection, but i love how it adds character and natural beauty. i also have obligatos and find the E to be weak. i am about to try different strings altho i haven't decided which set to try next. still, i am enjoying the heck out of this bass. it sounds great at orchestra and in my bluegrass band.

drurb · #15 03-04-2008, 07:02 AM

Congrats! The bass looks great! Gee, I didn't see an "imperfection" anywhere. That's just part of the tree and the charm! Enjoy!

hdiddy · #16 03-04-2008, 01:20 PM

I'm sure acoustically/structurally it's fine, but cosmetically... isn't that a part of the wood that's near a knot?

drurb · #17 03-04-2008, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hdiddy

I'm sure acoustically/structurally it's fine, but cosmetically... isn't that a part of the wood that's near a knot?

Well, it may be near a knot but if it is merely a cosmetic issue then I guess it's just a matter of whether one likes it or not. I think it looks pretty cool.

Marcus Johnson · #18 03-04-2008, 02:18 PM

That bass looks great... nice finish!

Now that you've taken the bass off of its perch

, go one step further and stand it in the corner with the top facing in. Yeah, I know, all the pretty bits are on the front, but the bass is way more stable facing the wall like a scolded brat.

drurb · #19 03-04-2008, 02:27 PM

Better yet, get a stand. Then it will be stable and you can have fun looking at it (when you're not playing it, that is).

jmpiwonka · #20 03-04-2008, 03:44 PM

playing bass and organ while riding a bike you can't coast on...ha.
nice looking bass. i love the violin corners.