Need a new Bass - Help.

ElwoodGruff · #1 06-08-2008, 07:18 PM

I'm a new member to the forum and I need some input. I've been playing upright for about 8-9 years now on the same bass I bought used at the time. It has served me well, but it's time for a new one. I don't have any idea what kind I have now, there are no markings. So I am looking for suggestions on what brands to look at. I'm looking for the best bang for my buck in the $1,000-$1,500 range. I've look at some Engelhardts, but that's the only brand I know anything about that have models in my price range. Any suggestions of brands, or things to look for in my bass would be appreciated.

Veed · #2 06-08-2008, 07:56 PM

Here are some brands I've seen around or a little bit more than your price range, but not incredibly more so:
Shen
Christopher
Eastman
Eberle
Upton
Strunal

VincentPuleo · #3 06-08-2008, 07:58 PM

KC Strings makes a great bass in that price range

Andrew McGregor · #4 06-08-2008, 08:49 PM

Try to find out what you have (post pictures here, for a start), because it's possible you might be better off putting the money into upgrading that.

ElwoodGruff · #5 06-09-2008, 06:34 PM

Here's the pictures of my current bass. Like I said I don't have any idea what kind it is, I bought it used of a guy down the street where I used t live.

furtom · #6 06-11-2008, 06:19 AM

Dude, Don't put any stickers on the new one, especially the top!

Best,
Tom

frichter · #7 06-11-2008, 06:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by furtom

Dude, Don't put any stickers on the new one, especially the top!

Except for the Left Hand Brewery one . . . delicious!

Phil Rowan · #8 06-11-2008, 06:48 AM

Bring yours to a luthier and see if it would be worth it to have some upgrade work done.

ElwoodGruff · #9 06-11-2008, 09:13 AM

Didn't plan on the stickers for the new one.

This one had a couple when I got it, and I got it DIRT CHEAP ($400), so I wasn't too worried about it. Especially since I knew that one day I would upgarde to a nicer one.
I'm having a setup done on this one in a few weeks, when I put new strings on and replace the bridge. But I'm thinking by the end of the year I would like to get a new one, but you never know.

Bass · #10 06-11-2008, 02:04 PM

You did pretty well to get 8 or 9 years in for 400 bucks! You might think about upgrading your Peavey TNT while you're at it.

CellarDweller · #11 06-11-2008, 02:23 PM

I was set to buy a new bass, mostly because my vintage Epiphone was so hard to play. I took it to Nick Lloyd in Cincinnati, and he recommended a completely different setup, because the Epiphone is a quality bass and has never had any real injuries. I expect to get it back around the end of the month, and Nick has ventured a prediction that it will play much better, for much less than I would have spent on the new instrument.
When I talked to Nick, I realized that what I do not know about setup issues would fill many volumes.
I also realized that with very little effort, Nick could have sold me a new bass, instead of suggesting the right setup work for mine. From this, I draw two lessons: (1) Nick is a stand-up guy, in addition to being a great luthier; and (2) old basses, in the right hands, can be worth the cost of the luthier's attention. Yours looks like it has some real potential, as well.

ElwoodGruff · #12 06-11-2008, 07:48 PM

Quote:

You might think about upgrading your Peavey TNT while you're at it.

I would, but I don't play electric hardly. I only play it at home, when I gig I play stand up only. And heck I got that one for a steall as well. A guy I worked with quit playing and didn't want his step son to get it so he sold it to me for $50.00 and he ahd only used it 3 or 4 times. That was 1997.

Quote:

(2) old basses, in the right hands, can be worth the cost of the luthier's attention. Yours looks like it has some real potential, as well.

I work at a university and I just talked to our music department chair today, who majored in double bass, and also plays banjo. He is going to do a setup on it for free when my new strings and new bridge get here. So we'll see how it goes from there.

Andrew McGregor · #13 06-12-2008, 02:42 AM

Ok... so long as he's good at it. A good setup luthier is worth paying to get the job done. I just spent the equivalent of about US$750 on setup on my bass, not counting strings, and the transformation is incredible. That's on a bass that's worth something over US$15000, it's going to make more difference on a cheap instrument.

And I agree, that bass looks like it has plenty of potential. It looks to me like you'll certainly do better by spending the money on setup, hardware and strings.

ElwoodGruff · #14 06-12-2008, 05:40 AM

A buddy of mine bought a bass about a year and a half ago and I hated it when he got it, but this guy did a setup for him and ever since I love it. So I'm hoping I get the same results with mine. I know the guy really well, he also makes a variety of instruments, so I feel comfortable in his ability. And if it doesn't work, then I'll find a luthier somewhere and pay the money. But I'm hoping this will fix it.