Roth Fiberglass?

[PhatBasstard]

Hi guys,
I was in the local vintage guitar/bass shop and they had a "Roth Fiberglass" DB. Now, I'm no DB expert but to my surprise, even with old, crappy strings (the G is starting to unwind) this bass seemed to have a better (and louder) tone than any of the much more expensive uprights I've tried at the two other local shops (that carry DBs). They are asking $850 for this bass.

Anybody know anything about these they'd like to share?

Thanks

[olivier]

Maybe Lex could develop on the necessary compromise on wood thickness: thick wood will give a sturdy instrument with dead tone, while thin wood would give a brighter and louder sounding instrument which will break into pieces in a couple of years. Plywood and composite materials such as resin-imbedded glass/carbon fiber offer interesting alternatives, but it’s going to take time for our luthiers to learn how to use these materials to make sweet-sounding basses. Arnold S is giving it a crack with plywood, and it’s great.

Back on track: I don’t know about Roth, but here in France we have those Cosy carbon fiber instruments, and they are loud and may arguably sound better than your average plywood bass. That’s all. List price is about 3k, but I suspect they sell for much less, main clients being music schools, for 3/4 and fractional instruments. Main qualities are that they are light and sturdy, and don’t sound too bad. When cheap labor and cheap wood supply will be exhausted, that’s what we will be left with…

But are you sure the tone is that good ?

[Bruce Lindfield]

When cheap labor and cheap wood supply will be exhausted, that’s what we will be left with…

I just imagine a post-apocalyptic scene with some of the DBers holed up in the hills with the last of their precious basses and a lynch mob tracking then down, so they can use it for fuel and lighting!

Cut to dark, dejected scene of poor family huddled round a small fire : "Is there any of that Kolstein left to throw on the fire, the kids'll never make it through the winter unless we eke it out!"

Meanwhile, Maestro B'Stard is fiddling while Rome peters out, on his Fiber Glass bass - he is playing at a concert hall in a walled city for the entertainment of the rich, with a dozen of so others who long ago invested in such instruments - the large crowd applauds loudly and tries to block out the screams of the starving masses pounding on the city gates.

Move in, to a French connoisseur and critic : "But are you sure the tone is that good ?"


(Any offers for the film rights? )

[olivier]

Lots of imagination, Bruce. I was thinking about Chinese/Korean and occasional East-European student outfits which make the main of the catch these days. You know how frustrating looking for a bass can get, don’t you ?

[Bruce Lindfield]

Originally posted by olivier
You know how frustrating looking for a bass can get, don’t you ?

Yes if somebody had offered me a DB for the equivalent of $850 I would have been very surprised and would have been seriously tempted.

I could always put an outboard motor on it and use it go fishing!!

A fibe glass canoe would set you back a lot more than $850 over here!!

[Monte]

My college had a Roth Bass Shaped Object. It had NO TONE.

Monte

[Bruce Lindfield]

But was it sea-worthy?

[PhatBasstard]

Originally posted by Bruce Lindfield


Meanwhile, Maestro B'Stard is fiddling while Rome peters out, on his Fiber Glass bass - he is playing at a concert hall in a walled city for the entertainment of the rich, with a dozen of so others who long ago invested in such instruments - the large crowd applauds loudly and tries to block out the screams of the starving masses pounding on the city gates.

They aren't screaming 'cause they're starving (Apparently, you've never heard me play upright ).

[PhatBasstard]

Originally posted by Ed Fuqua
It sounds like it wasn't even Bb worthy....

[Mike Goodbar]

They had one of these at my high school. Sounded terrible, and it smelled funny.

[Joe Taylor]

I also played one of these POS in HS way back in 1966 or 1967. It have one volume mf, no tome and it stunk. A ripe dead skunk smells better! perhaps 30 + years of air might fix the problem but not the tone and sound. It was heavy too as I recall.

Joe

[PhatBasstard]

I guess I'll...uh.....take these as, uh.........NO!!!

Thanks guys. If its still there the next time I go in the store I'll give it an Extra Kick just for you.

[Dave Muscato]

That bad, huh?

I'm surprised.... I loved my old Modulus electric bass. There is someone selling one on eBay, local pickup only, about 230 miles from me, for dirt cheap (BIN $750, in 2008 dollars!). I suppose I should pass on it, then?

[lhoward]

Originally Posted by PhatBasstard

Hi guys,
I was in the local vintage guitar/bass shop and they had a "Roth Fiberglass" DB. Now, I'm no DB expert but to my surprise, even with old, crappy strings (the G is starting to unwind) this bass seemed to have a better (and louder) tone than any of the much more expensive uprights I've tried at the two other local shops (that carry DBs). They are asking $850 for this bass.

Anybody know anything about these they'd like to share?

Thanks

I posted my comments regarding fiberglass basses last December.

regarding fiberglass basses...
and the thread: regarding fiberglass basses...

I wouldn't pay $850, it isn't worth it, at least I don't think so. I'd put my money into a quality instrument instead. But it might work as a floatation device or a mailbox, if you want to make a statement. (Sorry for the redundancy.)

Lloyd Howard

[Andrew McGregor]

Fiberglass and Carbon Fiber are utterly different materials; about as different as MDF and a nice tonewood. It's not impossible that a really nice bass can be made from CF, but I'd be highly surprised if glass can surpass ply.

[Bruce Lindfield]

Wow this is a "blast from the past"...

I even amused myself by reading my own old post!!