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05-03-2007, 12:37 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Los Angeles, California | | | New York and Wondering What Kind of Bass I Should Get
I'm a student who's going into Jazz Studies at Columbia.
I'm looking to spend about 3,000 - 4,500 on a bass in New York.
In that price range would a carved, laminate, or hybrid be more preferable? I'm playing pretty well right now, and I hope to be playing many gigs and recording a lot in New York. I don't want to have to change out of a bass anytime in the near future after buying this bass.
i know there are a lot of threads like these. please be patient with me.
cheers
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05-03-2007, 02:36 AM
|  | Registered User
Endorsing Artist: Acoustic Image Amps | | Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Regina, SK, Canada | | | For jazz, I'd want to carry around a plywood or hybrid instrument, just because they would be more durable, and not as costly of repairs when, not if, you damage it.
You can usually get a good jazz sound out of a plywood or hybrid bass, and I'd be really suspicious of a fully carved bass for that price.
Eastman strings make good instruments, I own 2 currently. They have quality woods, and they save alot of labor because it'd made in China. This may sound bad, but I have a nice upright that I would have payed someone in North America 20,000 for, as opposed to the 10,000 price tag.
Hope this helps. |
05-03-2007, 06:04 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah | | | Just go to Gage's shop look around. You'll be in a city with many choices. Find a bass that sounds/feels right to you. |
05-03-2007, 07:09 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Rutherford, NJ | | I would also check out Bill Merchant. You will get more unindividualized attention from Bill and he is a very great luthier and hell of a nice guy too. merchant@pipeline.com you can drop an email at this address
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05-03-2007, 07:25 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Cleveland Ohio | | | If you're in NYC
You might want to drop by Ideal Music and talk to Kate... She's selling out a wild inventory of new old stock basses at less than wholesale and you may find something that you like....
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05-03-2007, 07:25 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: NYC | | | New Standard....
for what it's worth, most of the palyers I knopw don't think twice about carrying their carved basses around town. Life's too short not to play the bass whose sound you love every second you can.
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05-03-2007, 07:30 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: London, England , U.K. | | | check out Kolstiens too. |
05-03-2007, 07:50 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Brooklyn, NY | | | More Bump for the Grind
Like Ed said, most players have no problem lugging around a nice old carved bass but I think, for jazz in that price range you should go up to AES and get yourself a nice custom New Standard. |
05-03-2007, 10:49 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Los Angeles, California | | | Jason:
couple questions
AES?
there are such things as custom New Standards?
and for New Standards should I be looking to get the Hybrid or the Laminate?
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"And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music."
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05-04-2007, 11:58 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Brooklyn, NY | | | The Custom Standard
Well, what I mean is that I believe you have a number of variables that you can choose due to the fact that the bass is made AFTER you order it.
Exactly what these variables are, I don't know, I've just followed a couple of other peoples purchases on TB and it seems that many made specific requests regarding their individual instruments. Hybrid or Laminate. Hmmm. I guess I would get a hybrid if you can afford it and insure it (my policy is $300 per year with Merz Huber). Otherwise I would just get a rugged laminate and go for it. If you are doing a lot of bowing and/or bow studies the hybrid would certainly be best however I got a perfectly workable tone with a bow out of the laminate. Five grand doesn't buy you much of a bass at any of the NY dealers. What you will get is something that has been repaired to death and needs a complete overhaul. I think the money is better spent @ AES. |
05-04-2007, 12:10 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: NYC | | |
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"It takes a pretty great drummer to be better than no drummer" -Chet Baker
BECAUSE AWESOME CAT IS AWESOME!!!!!
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05-04-2007, 12:17 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Washington D.C. | | | What's the deal with columbia's music department? My girlfriend goes there and she said the music program is kind of a joke unless you do the dual-degree juilliard thing. |
05-04-2007, 12:26 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Los Angeles, California | | | m hm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alex Spradling  What's the deal with columbia's music department? My girlfriend goes there and she said the music program is kind of a joke unless you do the dual-degree juilliard thing. | i admit it's not the most established music program in New York. but for one who wants to be in new york, pursue an academic degree, and also pursue a professional career in jazz, it's not a bad choice.
i'm doing music with jazz concentration and another degree in either business or english.
we'll see how things pan out. i committed so i can't really complain now or change anything
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05-04-2007, 05:20 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: May 2006 Location: NYC | | | You can get a wilfer fully carved at ideal for 4500. Decent bass.
You'd have to check it out yourself of course. I have a hybrid with a similar pattern and I like it quite a bit(they're all gone). Worth checking out. Bassesonline.com |
05-04-2007, 07:30 PM
|  | Oracle, Ancient Order of Rass Hattur | | Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Connecticut | | Quote:
Originally Posted by waltzfordebby I'm a student who's going into Jazz Studies at Columbia.
I'm looking to spend about 3,000 - 4,500 on a bass in New York. | Are you only considering shops in New York? |
05-04-2007, 07:37 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Los Angeles, California | | Quote:
Originally Posted by drurb Are you only considering shops in New York? | i won't have access to a car... unless I bribe my uncle to drive me around. but he's a busy guy. New York luthiers are my first bet. But if there's any way i could travel down to delaware, new jersey or whatever, i could probably pull that off... why?
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05-04-2007, 07:49 PM
| | Oracle, Ancient Order of Rass Hattur | | Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Connecticut | | Quote:
Originally Posted by waltzfordebby i won't have access to a car... unless I bribe my uncle to drive me around. but he's a busy guy. New York luthiers are my first bet. But if there's any way i could travel down to delaware, new jersey or whatever, i could probably pull that off... why? |
Well, if you can make the trek from the city to Brewster, NY (AES), then it would also seem worth your while to head up 95 to Mystic CT and stop in at Upton. |
05-06-2007, 12:21 PM
|  | No Longer Works a Day Job | | Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: USA | | | If you're doing jazz-i say go for a New Standard. According to the site Cleveland Lams are $4050, and La Scala lams are $4250. Definately worth the money if you can save up the extra. If that amount is completely out of the question-check out the Uptons. From the talk on here-it seems like for a new bass the top two recommendations are New Standard [my bias] and Upton.
I get consistently complimented on the tone of my bass [especially unplugged]. It's loud, easy to play, and the better i get-the better it sounds. I've used it for jazz, folk, alternative, and musical theater. It fits every one of the styles.
take it easy and good luck.
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05-06-2007, 12:28 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Los Angeles, California | | | i have about 5 grand to spend on my whole rig (bass, more portable cab, pickup, case, wheel)
getting a cleveland laminate would leave with me with less than a grand to work with. i'm hearing lots of wonderful things about the upton as well as the cleveland so if it comes down to it, the extra bucks to spend might be the deciding point for me.
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05-06-2007, 12:50 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Upstate NY (Adirondacks) | | | get the best bass you can, and buy used accessories for the time being |  | Thread Tools | Search this Thread | | | | 
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