Switching from Bass Guitar to Double Bass!

[FunkYou]

Hi TB!
Have been playing Bass Guitar for 3-4 years now, and had lessons for 2 of those years.

I started learning saxophone last year as well, and have got into jazz music I decided that what I REALLY want is a double bass. Ideally I want to keep playing bass guitar too, as IMO they're good for different genres.

So when my saxophone teacher told me has a double bass for sale for £800 ($1300ish) I was pretty excited.

I can read music reasonably (from saxophone) and have plenty of time to dedicate to the new techniques of double bass, but I have no idea where to start really...

So my questions:
Is the price good? What makes should I be looking at? Will I need a teacher? (I don't know of any double bass teachers locally, but can travel for lessons if a teacher is REALLY important.) And are there any other important things I need to know about Double Bass, or reasons to/not to take it up in my situation?

Thanks all!

[wdnewman]

First of all, go to the top of this thread and read the newbie section. To go to UB from bass guitar is like learning a completly different instrument, like going from trumpet to bassoon. To answer your questions:
Is the price good? No way of knowing. Odds are the price is good, but the Bass probably isn't. (Why does a saxophone teacher have an upright bass?)
What makes should I be looking at? Read the newbie section.
Will I need a teacher? You bet. Not having a teacher would be like learning to read without having a book.
Are there any other important things I need to know? Yep, thousands. Again, read the newbie section.


Good luck!