Romanian Bass Directly From The Source?

[thirtyhz]

In my search for a DB I have noticed Romania is one of the countries that a number of basses seem to be sourced from. Coincidently my wife is from Romania, and there is a significant social circle of Romanians in our area. You can probably guess where this is going. When I visited Romania a few years ago, I can say that the dollar would go a long way there. So the thought occurred from me, why not look into a direct purchase from Romania either by myself in person or through one of the many people I know who often go there (understand not as good a choice). Does anyone know anything about the builders in Romania? Who is good? What is good? Where are they? Can I expect a reasonable price? Etc…. Or is this an unrealistic harebrained scheme?

[drurb]

Calling MIKMAN, calling MIKMAN...

[MIKMAN]

Romania is a must for any double bassist! There is the city of Reghin, near Cluj, where are located two factories dealing with the violin family instruments: Hora and Vasile Gliga. They produce a huge range of double basses, starting with student instruments and finishing with real gems. The fact is that they sell them in affordable prices. On the other hand some of the luthiers of both factories work in their spare time for their own behalf and they construct even better instruments. It's easy to pinpoint the address of each factory and each web site, but if i were in your shoes i'd visit Reghin in order to try as many basses as i could and buy the appropriate one. In this way you can meet some luthiers in their private workshops and negociate the prices in a better way.
As for the instruments themselves, Vasile Gliga builds mainly flatbacks with seasoned Carpathian tonewoods, albeit most of his factory basses have rather thick plates. Hora builds both roundbacks and flatbacks and the Hora master quality instruments are resonant, powerful, floor shaking basses.
This summer i'll go there for another time, in order to find a DB for one of my business associates. In the past i made some excellent purchases, so i hope that this time i'll be lucky again and i'll enjoy for one more time the magnificent countryside.
Mike

[LouisF]

Several years ago, I thought about ordering a bass from Hora directly and went through several rounds of email with their manage, who were very helpful and friendly...And the price was more than right. However, without being able to go there, I finally decided against it.

If you can get there as Mike says and have family etc, it's certainly worth exploring...

Louis

[thirtyhz]

Thanks, very helpful. MIKMAN do you have any specific contacts you could share such as "moonlighting" luthiers? Also what is your experience with the individual luthiers vs the factories? Aside from being able to hand pick the instruments have you found the savings to be worthwhile (vs. say the Hora pricelist online). While we do have realatives whom we can stay with the cost and travel time from the states to Romania is significant.

Also does anyone know what "rebranded" these instruments go under in the states or are they sold under the factory names?

Thanks!

[Herbie 80's]

It seems like a scary process to go to Romania just to try out some basses. It's easily $1,000 to just fly there and back. And then the cost of the bass, plus shipping it!

[Bijoux]

Originally Posted by Herbie 80's

It seems like a scary process to go to Romania just to try out some basses. It's easily $1,000 to just fly there and back. And then the cost of the bass, plus shipping it!

sorry to chime in.
I think there is a lot of mystery with Romanian basses. I have spoken to 3 Luthiers about it, because I have seen Romanian basses being apparently the same model going for as low as $1200, and for as high as 12K!!! Nobody seems to know exactly where they are made. Some claim that they get the basses "blank" and they re-graduate the tops, etc.
I guess I would spend $1000 on a plane ticket if I could get a quality instrument at a very reasonable cost. Especially if my wife/girlfriend was from Romania anyway!

[thirtyhz]

It seems like a scary process to go to Romania just to try out some basses. It's easily $1,000 to just fly there and back. And then the cost of the bass, plus shipping it!

Not at all scary. The point is that I've been there, my wife is from there and has family about 1.5 hours from Reghin. We will be going there in the future regardless. So the question is what deals and opportiunities are to be had. I am sure the mark ups here are substantial.

[drurb]

Originally Posted by Bijoux

I think there is a lot of mystery with Romanian basses.

Not when you have someone like MIKMAN guiding you and when you actually walk into the shops.

[Bijoux]

Originally Posted by drurb

Not when you have someone like MIKMAN guiding you and when you actually walk into the shops.

Well, correct!...
I guess what I meant is that not very many people including many Luthiers have a lot of reliable information about it.

BTW, I remember when I was at the NAMM show in 2004, I got to see some Romanian basses that sell under the name Mathias Thoma. I don't remember which booth was showing these basses. It was hard communicating with the guys.But I got to play some basses that were entry levels, but there was a couple of high end basses that "felt" pretty nice, and projected really nice. The ones I liked were the flatback models.

[jmmcc]

I have one made by Hora for about 5 years, paid less than 4k, the only upgrade I've made was to change the "fretboard"??. After the first visit it made to a luthier for a setup, I've ask him to evaluate with possible insurance in mind, he looked seriously at the Bass for a while and answer: "shouldn't never do it for less than 9k"
I felt very happy

[MIKMAN]

During the last decade most of the Romanian basses come to the States "in white". Local luthiers finish them, either simply varnishing and setting them up, or proceeding to more elaborate work including regraduating etc.
The locally added value pushes the prices up, since it means lots of manhours involved. Some of the final products are excellent instruments, some remain mediocre albeit more expensive.
In Romania the cost of a manhour is significantly lower than the States. So some real gems can be bought in very competitive prices in Romania, especially in Reghin. This is the particular meaning of a trip to Reghin. For us Greeks is a rather easy trip, but for an American, well, it's not so easy. From the other hand is not at all scary and it can be combined with vacations and sightseeing in Europe. A Romanian spouse can be a plus in the bargaining process, so the OP has many aces in his cards.
Let me state for another time that only a high end instrument justifies this expenditure. If we are talking for student level instruments the better solution is to order the Thomann 22 3/4 bass, which is a Hora hybrid, offered in a very attractive price. These instruments have shown a remarcable consistency in quality and today they represent the best value for money solution in this price category.
Mike

[Herbie 80's]

I have a co worker that sits behind me and is from Europe. I talked to him a bit about Reghin and I might make a trip down there.

I'd be flying from Canada, so the flight bill is about $1,000, there and back. Not too bad. My co worker said that prices are fairly low, and it's easy to get double the dollar there.

A few of the websites from luthiers in Reghin make me a bit skeptical, but it seems that it's just because their websites are under produced. Nonetheless, it still makes me feel nervous. And they don't report how their instruments are usually priced.

[StevieDee]

I'm off to Cluj next month sadly I already own enough basses, maybe see if I can pick up a few bits and bobs and endpin for my B&H might be cheaper than the UK.

[Steve Swan]

Some of the more common brand names are Mathias Thoma, Calin Wultur, Gliga, and parts of the Kolstein line.

[nicechuckh]

Just out of curiosity, would there be problems with customs, etc.?

[fdeck]

Originally Posted by nicechuckh

Just out of curiosity, would there be problems with customs, etc.?

Reghin is in Transylvania, so they'll probably open the case to check for old bones, dirt, traces of blood, etc.

[nicechuckh]

So you could have some fun with red paint on the endpin lol

[punkozuna]

Originally Posted by nicechuckh

Just out of curiosity, would there be problems with customs, etc.?

+1

Be sure to include the cost of shipping and any import duties you might have to pay. I hear that transatlantic bass shipping to the U.S. is quite expensive. So much so that touring bands often rent/buy basses overseas rather than have to ship theirs (low end basses obviously).

[dj5]

Mikman - Hi
I've been looking at the Thomann 33 3/4 bass, and I'd be grateful if you've any experience/opinion of it?
Do you think the 22 is a more reliable purchase unseen?
Many thanks in advance
Mark