UB Lam now and Hybrid later, or skip the Lam?

moopants · #1 05-29-2007, 11:14 PM

It'll take me about a year or so to save the funds for the hybrid bass. I know the bass will be worth it in the end, but should I get the laminated version sooner, and then upgrade to the hybrid when I'm ready? It would be cheaper up front, and it wouldn't take me as long to save up for it. Then, I'll just add another $1000 when I get it and trade in the lam for the hybrid. Is it even worth the trouble doing this? (I would have to ship the lam back to Upton if I were to do so.) Yes, I do play a lot of arco, and I know how arco sounds on a lam. Any suggestions?

JimmyM · #2 05-30-2007, 03:00 AM

I bought a lam, but if I played arco seriously, I would have probably gone for the hybrid. I don't think you'd be in bad shape with either plan. You obviously have a bass now. Is it that bad where you need another plywood now? If so, buy the plywood Hawkes and upgrade later. If not, wait and get a hybrid. In short, only you can answer that question.

philip sirois · #3 05-30-2007, 05:43 AM

Save for the hybrid. You'll lose some money on the trade in(condition, strings), plus the shipping costs. Be patient my son.
Maybe in the meantime you find something you like better.

drurb · #4 05-30-2007, 08:58 AM

Yes, be patient. Save for the hybrid.

moopants · #5 05-30-2007, 09:09 AM

Well, my teacher is letting me use the "better" school bass over the summer, but when school starts, I'll have to trade in for the TERRIBLE one. The bass itself isn't that bad, but the strings are in terrible need of a change. Arco, the bass sounds like 8 year old kids killing eachother. But, I guess I'll have to deal with it. At least I have one to use...

EggyToast · #6 05-31-2007, 10:23 AM

I played some basses over the weekend. I'm using an electric upright currently, which sounds good (as it's simple and a solid block of wood), but it really settled for me that it's not worthwhile buying a laminate/plywood bass if you play arco at all. Why? I played about 8 basses, and it was my first time really playing a variety of basses. Previously I'd only played on my teacher's fully carved orchestra bass for about 15 minutes total.

The point I'm gradually getting to is that playing on the plywoods sounded just blah. There was little about the sound that was pleasant and when I stepped up to the hybrids and 1 fully carved bass, it was night & day. HUGE difference in sound for arco. Not all that different for pizz, but it really opened my eyes to what people were talking about here with the differences in the body styles for different styles in playing.

I was in a similar boat -- should I buy a cheap plywood bass now, to complement the electric, and then save up for a really good bass? Or just keep playing on what I have, getting better and more experience, and then buy a good bass?

I'm opting for "practicing and getting a good bass," and saving myself the hassle of getting a plywood bass that sounds suboptimal for the type of music I'm playing. I figure practicing more without spending additional money will help me appreciate the nicer bass that much more

drurb · #7 05-31-2007, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EggyToast

The point I'm gradually getting to is that playing on the plywoods sounded just blah. There was little about the sound that was pleasant and when I stepped up to the hybrids and 1 fully carved bass, it was night & day. HUGE difference in sound for arco. Not all that different for pizz, but it really opened my eyes to what people were talking about here with the differences in the body styles for different styles in playing.

Your experience jibes with mine with the exception that I find a substantial difference in the pizz. sound as well. Even for pizz., I have yet to play a laminate of any ilk that produces the complexity of tone and desirable characteristics of a good carved bass.

damonsmith · #8 05-31-2007, 12:34 PM

I believe eggytoast plays an ERGO, which I reccomend over a plywood for a number of reasons as a cheaper option.
You could always just buy set of strings for the school bass, it would be less than you would loose on the trade in anyway.

ERGOs are cheaper than ply basses, they are single block of wood so they react much more like carved basses both arco and pizz than a plywood.
They travel and amplify better than a double bass so they will still be useful to have around once you get your carved or hybrid.
Anyone who plays much arco won't want to play a ply bass very much.

I also find a huge difference for Pizz. the top vibrates more freely so it helps sustain the sound.
If the top is already vibrating you have an easier time getting the next sound in motion, similar to riding a bike.
A plywood is more like walking, you have to do the full amount work to project each sound.

There is also the complexity of tone as DRUB says.

EggyToast · #9 06-01-2007, 09:52 AM

Yes, I play an Ergo. It also helps that Jesse, the guy who makes them, is very friendly and easy to get ahold of via email for anything regarding the basses that he makes.

I did hear a difference in pizz, but I didn't spend a lot of time playing pizz. I knew that the biggest difference would be heard from bowing the basses, and the stuff I had practiced most recently (since I didn't have any music with me) was all bowed stuff. I played them all while on vacation up in Minnesota, for about 45 minutes, and what I really learned is that I should plan a trip up to Mystic, Connecticut, at some point this year ;D

brianrost · #10 06-01-2007, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moopants

The bass itself isn't that bad, but the strings are in terrible need of a change.

$100 for new strings and you're in business.

waltzfordebby · #11 06-01-2007, 06:24 PM

hey adam,
i'm currently gigging with an old plywood that looks like someone decided to let their cats attack it. i've only had one complaint about the look of it and actually have been receiving compliments about the sound. from the gigs, i've been able to basically save up enough money for the carved bass that i'm going to be taking to college. save your money and start trying to find people that need a bass player.

+1 on the strings

moopants · #12 06-01-2007, 10:09 PM

Well, it could be THAT easy just to change the strings, but, of course, life sucks. I have two basses. One plays all right, but has weird action. I'm getting used to it, but it's still kinda awkward playing it. The other has the bad strings. I'll have to swap basses (the weird action'd bass is my performing bass, and is currently at my house) when concert season starts again, so, either way, I'm playing a bad bass.

waltzfordebby · #13 06-01-2007, 10:12 PM

in similar vein a set up would still be cheaper than buying a lam and losing money on the tradeup

moopants · #14 06-01-2007, 10:17 PM

Well, the Engel, which is the weird action'd bass, already had a set up. The neck had to be reattached... and blah blah blah. I already told you all this before, actually. Ha. Well, yeah. Maybe I can convince my teacher to get it checked out again or maybe some new strings on the Strunal.

waltzfordebby · #15 06-01-2007, 11:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moopants

Well, the Engel, which is the weird action'd bass, already had a set up. The neck had to be reattached... and blah blah blah. I already told you all this before, actually. Ha. Well, yeah. Maybe I can convince my teacher to get it checked out again or maybe some new strings on the Strunal.

i hate doing this too, but helping pay for the repairs on the school instrument might help get what you want done faster. i.e. if you want the action to get fixed or got new strings, go to the luthier with your teacher and maybe throw in a bit of money.

i know it's not your own bass, but you've got a while until graduation, maybe "donating" a bit of money to the music department will convince them to let you borrow the bass for long-term until you graduate and by then you may have enough money to get a pretty decent carved bass.

once again, it's still a smaller loss.

peace

CamMcIntyre · #16 06-02-2007, 12:30 AM

I feel your pain. In high school i played an old Kay. The bass had a huge sound. The catch? The action was terrible and it had a normal non-adjusting bridge. Really high action = i developed quite strong hands. Luckily, my dad thought it'd be a good idea for me to have my school bass before i went to auditions. After 3 years [and some change] of playing the old Kay-i got my Cleveland. Made the years playing the Kay all worth it.

Good luck getting your school to get work done on the bass(es).

I think the other guys are dead on-if you're playing a lot of arco, waiting and saving up for the hybrid is good idea.

moopants · #17 06-02-2007, 01:59 PM

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll just endure the long and painful wait for the hybrid, but I'm sure it'll be worth it in the end. For now, I guess I'll get used to playing bad basses. But, for important concerts and a lot of school days, I get to play my teacher's bass. So, I do get to play a good bass every so often. Maybe that will calm my nerves.

CamMcIntyre · #18 06-03-2007, 06:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moopants

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll just endure the long and painful wait for the hybrid, but I'm sure it'll be worth it in the end. For now, I guess I'll get used to playing bad basses. But, for important concerts and a lot of school days, I get to play my teacher's bass. So, I do get to play a good bass every so often. Maybe that will calm my nerves.

Trust me-it will be worth it. When i got my Cleveland after playing that Kay for 3-4 years, it felt amazing.