Quality Chinese Basses

[Matt Ides]

This thread is an effort to put together a list of reputable and known Chinese basses that have passed the test of time and shop approved. Please feel free to reply with additions or your experience with a bass.

CURRENTLY IN PROGRESS

Shen

Shen makes laminate, hybrid, and fully carved basses. Distributed in the US by CSC Products. Prices start $1450

Website: Samuel Shen Musical Instruments

Christopher

Another maker of full line of string instruments. laminate, hybrid, and carved basses. Distributed in the US by Concord Group. Prices Start $1,500

Website: Christopher string instruments
Concord stringed instruments


Eastman

Another maker of full line of String instruments. Laminate, hybrid, and carved basses. Higher end instruments are made in Europe, not China. Prices start $1,500.

Website: Eastman Strings Basses

Xuechang Sun

Chinese maker making a full line of string instruments. Hybrid and carved basses. Distributed in the US by ?. Prices start $2,200

Website: Schmitt & Sons Violin Distribution: Violins: Xuechang Sun (Steve Swan has a good description about basses here)

Jay Haide

Chinese string instruments coming out of Ifshin violins. Distributed in the US by Ifshin Violins. Prices start $4200.

Website: Ifshin Violins > Jay Haide Instruments

Thompson

Laminate and hybrid basses. Distributed by String Emporium. Similar to Shen in quality and rumors to be made by former shen employees. Price start $1435

Website: Thompson Plywood Upright Basses

Wan Bernadel

Carved bass that is being distributed by String Emporium. Has gained a good reputation as a fine instrument. Prices $4,950.

Website: Wan Bernadel Chinese upright double basses for sale

Snow

Another maker that is doing full line of string instruments. Hybrid and carved basses. US distribution through the Snow Shop in Queens, NY. Prices start $7,000

Website: snow violin

Stentor

Full line of string instruments. HQ based in the United Kingdom, with own factory in China. Laminate, Hybrid and Fully Carved Basses. Prices start $1,500

Website: stentor music co ltd

[Waltjie]

Stentor

Full line of string instruments.

HQ based in the United Kingdom, with own factory in China.

Laminate, Hybrid and Fully Carved Basses.

I got my laminate bass for about $1,600.

Website: www.stentor-music.com

[Matt Ides]

Added. Do you know what the street price is for the entry level bass from a shop?

[Waltjie]

Originally Posted by Matt Ides

Added. Do you know what the street price is for the entry level bass from a shop?

Hey Matt,

From what I can see online, they trade for about $1,500.

[crowsmengegus]

Hi Matt, nice idea for a thread.

A comment: in my experience the snow basses are pretty much identical to comparable eastman models. Perhaps someone knows the reason for this...

[iiipopes]

Has anybody tried Gollihur's version, the Estle Louis?

[Dave Irwin]

I've had a a Shen 7/8ths maple and currently have a Shen willow 3/4. There's plenty of Shen posts on there so I'll just say that I've had a hard time finding a better bass anywhere near the price point if it's a good Shen. I've played some that I don't like as well as the ones I've owned. Maybe a matter of setup, I don't know.

Good luck,
Dave

[Matt Ides]

Originally Posted by crowsmengegus

Hi Matt, nice idea for a thread.

A comment: in my experience the snow basses are pretty much identical to comparable eastman models. Perhaps someone knows the reason for this...

Not sure. My guess is that they copied the Eastman line to get a foothold in the market place since Eastman is well established providing String instruments. When I talked to the shop in NY no indication that they are being made in the same place in Beijing.

[arnoldschnitzer]

I just want to raise an important point: There is a lot of quality workmanship coming out of instrument shops in China. But unfortunately a lot of that workmanship is being applied to wood that is not dry or stable enough to be turned into a bass instrument. When that happens, and the instrument then is subjected to a temperate or dry climate, the results can be devastating.

[timobee4]

[quote=Matt Ides;10543452]This thread is an effort to put together a list of reputable and known Chinese basses that have passed the test of time and shop approved. Please feel free to reply with additions or your experience with a bass.

Hey Matt, if you are putting a list together dont forget to mention the superior quality DB's that come out of Ma Zhibin workshop! I bought one of their basses 5-6 years ago and I could not be happier! Set up either with Spiro Reds or Guts the bass sounds fantastic, looks gorgeous and records like a dream!

[Matt Ides]

[quote=timobee4;10568118]

Originally Posted by Matt Ides

This thread is an effort to put together a list of reputable and known Chinese basses that have passed the test of time and shop approved. Please feel free to reply with additions or your experience with a bass.

Hey Matt, if you are putting a list together dont forget to mention the superior quality DB's that come out of Ma Zhibin workshop! I bought one of their basses 5-6 years ago and I could not be happier! Set up either with Spiro Reds or Guts the bass sounds fantastic, looks gorgeous and records like a dream!

Thanks Tim. I am glad you got a good bass. I have heard mixed reviews coming out of that shop so have kept them off. They seem to be working with green wood not fully dried which has caused issues with their line of String Instruments.

[Matt Ides]

Originally Posted by arnoldschnitzer

I just want to raise an important point: There is a lot of quality workmanship coming out of instrument shops in China. But unfortunately a lot of that workmanship is being applied to wood that is not dry or stable enough to be turned into a bass instrument. When that happens, and the instrument then is subjected to a temperate or dry climate, the results can be devastating.

Arnold, is there a rule of thumb for how many years before the instrument would settle? I am asking because if the instrument is New(ish) but 5-10 years old stateside, I assume all these problems would have presented themselves already. Anymore insight would be great.

Thanks.

[arnoldschnitzer]

Originally Posted by Matt Ides

Arnold, is there a rule of thumb for how many years before the instrument would settle? I am asking because if the instrument is New(ish) but 5-10 years old stateside, I assume all these problems would have presented themselves already. Anymore insight would be great.

Thanks.

In Miami a bass made from damp wood will never dry out. In Phoenix it will dry in a couple years. Some of that time will likely be spent getting cracks and seams repaired, and/or repairing a badly warped neck.

[Jsn]

I guess I'm grappling with the vagueness of the criteria. "Quality" is not a quality; it's more of a spectrum, to be calibrated against other factors (such as cost and comparables).

Is a plywood Stentor a "quality" bass? Next to a Palatino, yes. Next to an Upton that's maybe a few hundred dollars more? The context is everything.

Perhaps this should be a compilation of Chinese-made instruments which, by reasonable criteria, do not generally qualify as BSOs.

[Matt Ides]

For the purposes of this thread quality is being defined as basses that players, shops/luthiers, and teachers recommend and stand behind. Of course it is relative and subjective, but just wanted to try and put some of the basses all in one place since this seems to be a common thread that comes up on TB.

[Matt Ides]

Originally Posted by Jsn

Perhaps this should be a compilation of Chinese-made instruments which, by reasonable criteria, do not generally qualify as BSOs.

Yes, this is the goal.

[sbass traveller]

I'll head to Music Street here in Tianjin either this weekend or next, and I'll play a few to try to contribute a little, but most basses I' ve found here are plywood, but at least they're inexpensive (probably the equivalent of around $200). I'll have to check if they have anything nicer...

[crowsmengegus]

Originally Posted by arnoldschnitzer

I just want to raise an important point: There is a lot of quality workmanship coming out of instrument shops in China. But unfortunately a lot of that workmanship is being applied to wood that is not dry or stable enough to be turned into a bass instrument. When that happens, and the instrument then is subjected to a temperate or dry climate, the results can be devastating.

I can add that this can be the case even with high end models from well known names, like Eastman. I purchased (a long time ago) an Eastman that had green wood. It settled in after about 3 years and a new set of back braces and it's perfectly stable now; but Arnold's comment seems to hold for many Chinese basses in general, not just the cheap ones. It would seem that the wood sources are too new....

[MysterMunky]

My first bass was a Snow bass that I got at All-State. Initially, I was super happy with the playability and sound, but what always bothered me was the wood. It was not only green but way too thin. I was able to press in the upper bouts with minimal force. This was the only bass that I have played that I was able to do this.

I went on a quick tour to California with it. Unfortunately, I didn't prepare my bass for the humidity change and within a day I had a soundpost crack. To Snow's credit, I talked to them about it and they said they would send me a replacement bass. The bad side of that was that it was being sent on an 18 wheeler and their delivery estimate was up to 2 months..... When I got the replacement, it hadn't been set up at all! The nut was too high, the bridge didn't fit and the fingerboard had some bumbs. The wood on this was in the same thin and green condition that my first one was.

I ended up going to Robertsons in Albuquerque and getting a carved German bass.

[Marton]

I have a "Sun Sinfonica" bass, I don't know who made these, but Mario Lamarre (Lutherie contemporaine) set-up and sell them, and they're really good.