Scott Cao Basses?

rjacobs · #1 02-15-2008, 12:31 PM

I found a local guy with a Scott Cao Bass for sale. Can anyone tell me their thoughts on this bass? I'm strictly a jazz player, have about $2500 or so to spend on the instrument, and want to get the best bass I can for the money. I'd strongly prefer to buy locally (Northern California).

Jake deVilliers · #2 02-15-2008, 01:23 PM

If you click on the 'Contact Us' button on his website, you can also get a quote on Health and Dental Insurance!

I wouldn't expect to find a good instrument in that store.

rjacobs · #3 02-15-2008, 01:41 PM

Maybe so. It's not actually really a store, it's just a guy who plays bass as a hobby and has some room to sell basses on the side. Nevertheless, that is a fully carved, legitimate instrument, for sale at what seems to me to be a reasonable price. I'll play before I buy, of course, but I'm wondering if anyone else has any input on Scott Cao basses?

Phil Rowan · #4 02-15-2008, 01:47 PM

Lemur also has a fully carved 3/4 bass for $2,500 you might want to check out.

Martin Sheridan · #5 02-15-2008, 06:34 PM

This may be a bit beside the fact but there is in a way two Scott Caos. Scott Cao is an award winning violin maker who also has a company in China that makes instruments under his name. It can be confusing, although in this case, it's pretty obvious that the ad is not for a valuable instrument. About ten years ago I had a violist commission from me a small sized viola. He traded in a Scott Cao with papers from a pretty well known shop, pictures of Scott Cao, copies of his awards ad naseum. The only trouble was that when I talked with Scott he explained that the viola I had was from his factory and was worth a fraction of what my customer had been charged. He said to me, "I don't know why that guy keeps telling people I make those instruments". Unless, I had spoken to Scott about it I would have had no idea it wasn't what the paperwork said, especially because I had met the man who had sent the certificates on it, and he was running a fairly well known and respected shop in the east.
So, I don't know if this adds positively to your body of knowledge of the violin world, but we all need to be aware.

drurb · #6 02-16-2008, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jake deVilliers

If you click on the 'Contact Us' button on his website, you can also get a quote on Health and Dental Insurance!...

I thought you were kidding. Yikes, it's literally true!

rjacobs · #7 02-16-2008, 01:46 PM

Thanks everyone for the replies. I've gotten some other opinions too and the consensus seems to be that I should keep looking.

smbear · #8 02-17-2008, 08:38 PM

I tried a Cao (fully carved) in a local store. It was $5K. Good instrument, but probably better for classical than jazz. For $2,500, you can probably get a good Christopher hyrid. The Christopher hybrid is great for jazz and bows well. I bought one from the Acoustic Bass Shop in South San Francisco for $2,500 about 3 years ago. Acoustic Bass Shop has a website. Hope it works out for you.

rjacobs · #9 02-18-2008, 03:46 PM

Ended up buying a Shen SB-180 locally. I'm very happy with both the bass and the price I found! I'll post pics and talk about it some later on when I've had it for awhile.

simonwilmer · #10 03-19-2009, 11:43 PM

Id be interested to hear from people in Australia that have experience with or own a Scott Cao bass , they are available here In Aus thru Bassworks , from what I have read he ,Scott Cao has workshop in China that makes some very nice instruments .

Rastus_01 · #11 09-28-2009, 09:56 PM

I am also interested in hearing from anybody in Australia who owns or has tried these basses out.

I am restricted in budget and hoping these are OK, the shop (Bassworks) speaks highly of them. the only othere choice is a Taylor which i am unsure of as well

Cheers

SLivinghouse · #12 09-28-2009, 10:32 PM

Scott Cao Violins is a violin shop in Campbell (near San Jose) Don't know the quality, but know they've been there for years.

http://www.scottcaoviolins.com/scviolins.html

Steve

Rastus_01 · #13 09-28-2009, 11:43 PM

Hi,
I believe there is also a Scott Cao workshop in China which is what I am really interested in, as I live thousands of Kms away from the shop, and need to do the research.

The shop here in Australia markets them as Lachan Parker models
http://www.bassworks.com.au/store/category104_1.htm

I am interested in hearing from anybody who has tried or owns one of these instruments.

Cheers
Rastus

SLivinghouse · #14 09-29-2009, 12:52 AM

Might be the same guy. His store has a link to a Scott Cao China workshop

drurb · #15 09-29-2009, 08:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phil Rowan

fully carved 3/4 bass for $2,500

Hmm....

Rabb · #16 11-01-2010, 11:19 AM

They offer 3 models. I checked out the first two. Both looked nice and sounded decent, but the construction was questionable in my opinion. They're known for their violins, not basses.