repairs = 1/2 of bass value -- what to do?

darjama · #1 01-07-2010, 01:46 PM

So, a bass I just bought for $2500 (carved, chinese circa 2004) got dropped (okay, by me) and cracked on the back right by the sound post. Luthier is estimating that the repair will run at least $1200, and that the bass would be worth considerably less than I paid for it after it's repaired. He's recommending I donate the bass to a school that might patch it from the outside and get something else.

So my question is for those of you out there who have had a soundpost crack repair done. Is there a big loss in tone or durability related to it? Would I be crazy for spending half the value of the instrument to get it repaired?

Also, how do I get rid of this queasy feeling?

kurt ratering · #2 01-07-2010, 02:05 PM

imo, while basses like that dont necessarily appreciate in value, they dont really depreciate either. a sound post patch, if done well, shouldnt hurt the value of the bass. did your luthier try to sell you another bass on the spot? is it worth the repair? if you like it, then yes it is.

rusag2 · #3 01-07-2010, 02:52 PM

My thinking is this: You have to spend $1200 to get your bass back to playable. If you're thinking about buying something else, then your budget (for comparison purposes) is <CurrentValue> + <RepairCost>.

So, if your bass, in it's current condition would sell for $600, then you have to find the best bass you can for $1800 <$600 Current Value + $1200 Repair Cost>. Then, once you find that instrument, you can compare it's quality, playability etc etc to what you are likely to have have after the $1200 repair.

Of course, this is only the financial consideration. If you have an emotional attachement to the bass, then all bets are off. You'll have to make a "gut" decision, and very little you can read here or anywhere else will help much.

My vote, with nothing riding on it and no skin in the game, is to repair it. As a rule of thumb, I like 'em with a little "personality."

Fletcher Lanning · #4 01-07-2010, 02:53 PM

1200 is better than the full 2500 again. Resale value isn't as big of an issue as playability. As far as I have seen, all basses have repairs of some sort. IF they play well, people will buy them.

darjama · #5 01-07-2010, 03:21 PM

So it sounds like everyone so far thinks that a decently repaired crack at the soundpost shouldn't sound too different from the bass before the crack. Thanks, that's what I wanted to know.

Any dissenting opinions?

Andrew McGregor · #6 01-07-2010, 03:47 PM

You know, if the luthier is good, there's a chance (small, but real) that it might even sound *better*.

**Matthew Tucker** · #7 01-07-2010, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew McGregor

You know, if the luthier is good, there's a chance (small, but real) that it might even sound *better*.

I agree. And I don't agree that the bass will be worth less than what you paid for it after a good repair.

Gearhead43 · #8 01-07-2010, 04:54 PM

Basses are like motorcycles, don't friggin drop them.

salcott · #9 01-07-2010, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gearhead43

Basses are like motorcycles, don't friggin drop them.

Not helpful.
We are ALL going to have some kind of accident with our instruments over a lifetime. Same with motorcycles-if you ride long enough, odds are you will drop your bike, if only to save your life.

Sahm · #10 01-07-2010, 05:33 PM

What's weird is, it's the luthier that's recommending ditching it. What does that say about his confidence in fixing it? I mean, I'm leaning towards repairing it, but maybe not with that guy! I'm joking of course, if you feel comfortable with him as a luthier, then do it.

Fletcher Lanning · #11 01-07-2010, 05:35 PM

Make sure to put the emphasis on a *good* repair. A badly done repair will just cause the instrument to break again (and probably even MORE catastrophically) later down the road. For the big jobs, make sure you're luthier has a good track record with others around the area.

Pete G · #12 01-07-2010, 05:37 PM

There are luthiers and then there are *bass* luthiers.

It might be worth getting a second opinion.

**Matthew Tucker** · #13 01-07-2010, 07:47 PM

I'm wondering about your luthier's suggestion of a patch from the outside, too. What's he suggesting could be done by the school??

forester · #14 01-07-2010, 08:35 PM

picture..?
there are cracks and then there are cracks.
4/4 violin today with multiple cracks,(repaired outside) on the back at the SP. it sounded resoundingly good.
patch and play.

james condino · #15 01-07-2010, 09:29 PM

Did you get a second opinion from another luthier?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gearhead43

Basses are like motorcycles, don't friggin drop them.

I'd say a owning a double bass is closer to owning an old volkswagon- learn to love 'em and be prepared to do a lot of unanticipated repairs on a regular basis that nobody mentioned before you bought it...

Go for the repair from a skilled bass luthier ( it ain't a big fiddle or funny looking guitar), save the external patches for your volkswagon, and play the heck out of it with the newfound confidence that no matter how hard you beat on it, the right person can always bring it back to life for you.

j.

longfinger · #16 01-07-2010, 09:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by darjama

Luthier is estimating that the repair will run at least $1200, and that the bass would be worth considerably less than I paid for it after it's repaired.

Is he meaning worth less than $3700 ($2500+$1200) or worth less than $2500? If it's fixed well, it should sell for almost the same going rate of that kind of bass in your area.

Quote:

He's recommending I donate the bass to a school that might patch it from the outside and get something else.

That's odd! 'Donate' means give away for free...no money, so then you have to buy a new comparable bass in full. That will cost you a lot more than $1200. Also if the school on the receiving end of this donation can patch it from the outside for less than $1200, why can't your luthier do this now?

forester · #17 01-07-2010, 10:08 PM

sorry,i wasn't meaning to suggest an external patch.
just laying down something on the inside from the outside.

there are several luthiers in the area.

darjama · #18 01-08-2010, 03:58 AM

Thanks for all the replies. I'm not sure how he meant to fix it from the outside, he was saying it wasn't something he would ever do, but that could be done as a fix on the cheap by a school that needed an instrument but didn't have a budget.

I'm pretty confident in my luthier, he works in an all-bass shop run by a decent guy, though I know he also works on the other string instruments as well. Maybe a 2nd opinion wouldn't be a bad idea.

MrSidecar · #19 01-08-2010, 05:01 AM

That "basses are like motorcycles" bit is true, but in another way (read "Zen and the art of Motorcycle Maintenance" by Pirsig):
If repaired properly, a bass can live virtually forever. Just like a motorcycle (according to the mentioned book) and unlike a car, where there are so many spots you can't access that it's basically sooner or later going to turn to rust under your ***.
And proper repairs don't devaluate the instrument IMO IME. (Apart from the fact that value is pretty hard to determine anyways).

Best

Sidecar

Eric Hochberg · #20 01-08-2010, 05:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrSidecar

And proper repairs don't devaluate the instrument IMO IME. (Apart from the fact that value is pretty hard to determine anyways).

Seeing as how newer instruments of this type are plentiful, and all things being equal, as a buyer, I'm not going to pick the one with the sound post patch. It would devalue this kind of bass to me. By how much is the question. I'm thinking at least 20%, and I'd probably want a shop warranty to go with it.