Sunrise Solana or Sunrise Laguna

Timbo · #1 08-13-2006, 01:36 PM

heya guys,
I recently have taken a few trips to bass shops around me and have found that I feel most comfortable with Lemur Music up in San Juan Capastrano. The two basses that I think are within my price range and seem like like they would work for me were the two basses mentioned.

The solana is 1500 dollras and the laguna is 2500. This is going to be my first upright, and the store gives 80% of the money back if you want to upgrade later in time. They also replane the fretboard, put a new bridge on, etc. If you guys were in my position which would you choose?

jgbass · #2 08-13-2006, 02:08 PM

Hey Timbo,

I have the Sunrise Huntington, 5/8 carved bass, and I have been happy with it for years. I also had the opportunity to try the Laguna at a bass workshop I attended, and was really impressed with the sound. Think you are making a good choice and I have always been happy with Lemur and the folks there. I drive up to San Juan Capistrano for luthier work and they usually get it done the same day as well.

I guess my consideration would be where are you going to play it and how long you plan to own it? I sometimes wish I had a cheaper bass as mine has gotten a little nicked, etc. in all its travels, but, then again, I like the Huntington (comparable to the Laguna except a little smaller). If you can afford it, I would go with the Laguna if you plan to keep it for the long haul,. You might be more satisfied with the carved bass.

I am glad to hear of Lemur's policy. Maybe it a newer policy, but that will be a plus when I decide on a new bass, but three years down the road, I am still happy with the Huntington for both jazz and classical uses.

Timbo · #3 08-13-2006, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KSB - Ken Smith

Do they give discounts on Re-fretting as well?

By the way, it's a Fingerboard. This is a Double Bass and not a Guitar.

Yeah.. I had a feeling I was making a mistake.. Oh well c'est la vie.

Quote:

Originally Posted by KSB - Ken Smith

Also, you will need a Bow to learn to play the Bass. This kind of Bow does not come with the Arrows. They are sold seperately.

Yeah I asked about this while I was there and I think I'm just going to go with a cheap fiberglass one at first and slowly upgrade as I go along.

Quote:

Originally Posted by KSB - Ken Smith

As far a choosing just make sure you know what you are buying. Are these both Plywood or is one a hybrid Bass. Are they both Chinese made or from Eastern Eurpoe maybe?

They are both carved non-plywood.

The solana is, according to the catalog, 3/4 size gamba form, solid wood. And the Laguna is 3/4 size violin form, carved wood.

Ahh. I guess I'm mistaken they aren't both carved.

Oh, and they say that they do a 12 hour set up on each one. According to this catalog they gave me they:
- Reshape fingerboard
- Nut is fitted to the neck and strings and refined and polished
- a new european bridge is added
- new sound post is fitted inside the instrument
- endpin is replaced witha leather-lined plug
-tailpiece is affixed to the bass with a stranded stainless steel cable

Marcus Johnson · #4 08-13-2006, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Timbo

Yeah I asked about this while I was there and I think I'm just going to go with a cheap fiberglass one at first and slowly upgrade as I go along.

.

I wouldn't, when I could get a low-priced wood bow from Upton or Bob Gollihur that's going to be a much better value. I have a Meisel bow from Lemur that isn't half bad.

Take your time and research before you start shopping, it will be worth it.

jgbass · #5 08-13-2006, 06:23 PM

Timbo, sorry, I had the models in error. I was thinking one was a plywood. These are Chinese basses.

But, good suggestion from Marcus to to consider the Bob Gulihur bow. I have one as a backup bow and its great for the money. I think its around $140. I don't think Lemur has anything quite comparable in quality in that price range. I started on one of those fiberglass bows and I upgraded within months.

jsbarber · #6 08-13-2006, 08:25 PM

My 2 cents worth is if you have a teacher, then have him/her check out the basses with you, if possible. If you don't have a teacher, maybe you should find one first... (I'm sure there are bassists here on the forum who could help you out with that.)

Just a couple of thoughts for consideration,

Jim

drurb · #7 08-14-2006, 07:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsbarber

My 2 cents worth is if you have a teacher, then have him/her check out the basses with you, if possible. If you don't have a teacher, maybe you should find one first... (I'm sure there are bassists here on the forum who could help you out with that.)

Just a couple of thoughts for consideration,

Jim

+1!!!

Timbo · #8 08-14-2006, 03:58 PM

I am from palm springs so I'm not sure how to approach a teacher asking him to give up an entire day to go check out basses with me. I guess I'll go the route of bringing it back down and once I find my teacher ( I have a couple ideas but nothin really set in stone ) have him look it over and if he doesn't think it's worth it I'm back up to Lemur to give another bass a try.

jgbass · #9 08-14-2006, 04:03 PM

Timbo,

It is any consolation, Lemur has been selling a lot fo these Sunrise basses for years. They don't sell junk. Several of my fellow bass players here in San Diego use these basses for jazz and/or orchestra and are very pleased with them.

fleatonius · #10 08-19-2006, 09:04 AM

Timbo,

I like Lemur. Spend as much as you can afford....they will help...it's an excellent staff there in San Juan Capistrano. Which one do you like?

Good Luck with your decision.

fleatonius

fleatonius · #11 08-19-2006, 09:09 AM

Hey jgbass,

I purchased a new Huntington yesterday. Very comfortable bass. What are your impressions?

Thanks,

fleatonius

jgbass · #12 08-20-2006, 11:35 AM

Hi Fleatonius,

I was thinking yesterday how much I like this Huntington bass. I was going to a gig, have another bass, but I brought the Huntington. Good choice.

I did have the neck reshaped though, a little too thick for me, but have had this bass for several years. I play both classical and jazz, so my favorite strings are Kolstein Heritage and Obligatos. I get lots of compliments about the bass too, looks and sound.

I am on a wait list to get to minor nicks and dents out at Lemur, but otherwise, no problems. Its a keeper.

junglebike · #13 08-20-2006, 03:23 PM

One more +1 for Lemur! Great people, and they do very good work. Play everything they have in the store, and buy what you feel most comfortable with -- the best you can afford. They'll stand by their product I'm sure.

fleatonius · #14 08-20-2006, 03:34 PM

Hey jgbass,

Good to hear your responses. I ordered the Huntington with flexocores mediums, and it feels tight to me but having the instrument for just two days.....well I think I may need to be patient....the instrument only traveled about 3,000 miles by truck to get here.

Thanks for your comments. Lemur is a keeper.

Silversorcerer · #15 08-20-2006, 11:51 PM

I just heard one of these Sunrise basses from Lemur last night at the Five Spot (Atlanta, not the famous other Five Spot). It was a fully carved one. I don't remember the model name. It was a carved 3/4 bass with violin corners. I see now in the catalogue it was a Laguna for sure. Two fellows alternated playing it. They had it run through an Acoustic Image series I combo and the band was pretty loud. I thought the bass sounded good, but better with the second fellow playing it. So whatever bass you get remember that practice is responsible for the difference in how a lot of instruments sound.

Beyond that, my first teacher recommended Lemur for a good instrument. While all of the cautions Ken Smith gives you are quite valid, I haven't heard anything but good about Lemur. For a bit more $$ they also carry Bjorn Stoll basses, which have gotten very positive reviews here. At the high end, they have the Wilfers and Pollmanns, so that is where your 80% trade-in is heading;- toward Stolls, Wilfers and Pollmanns.

Not so bad, but something to consider is that getting 80% back on a carved bass is maybe not the best reason to do business with Lemur. I mean a decent carved bass should appreciate in value by the time you sell it, assuming you don't replace it in less than a couple of years. You should be getting more like 110 % back. These are items that even the good used ones go up in price, as do the new ones. In just a few months in 2005 a $10K German bass became a $12.5K bass in the Lemur catalogue. I'm sure if someone bought that $10K one and six months later decided to sell it and a new one was now $12.5K they could easily sell the "barely used" one for something like $11K. There is no way it would be only $8K.

So if you buy the Laguna from Lemur, buy it because it sounds good, is set up well and easy to play.