Upton Bass

[bassicsax]

Im getting ready to make the switch from BG to UB and Im looking at the upton basses as my first UB. The two I have been looking at mainly are the UB standard and the UB deluxe. Is there anybody that can tell me what the sound differences are gonna be between the two and what the advantages of either one would be?

[Jet Nero]

Why not call Upton and ask? I've spoken to them on the phone a few times and they have been very helpful and polite. Get it straight from the horse's mouth!

[bassicsax]

I probally will, I just usually like to ask around and talk to other people that have experience with the products in order to know what to ask the retailer...

[bass-x]

UptonBasses are very succesfully basses so ı think buy it...

[chuck1073]

I've got the Deluxe Laminate. Love it.
The main differences are the type of laminate used in each. The standard is all poplar, the deluxe has spruce and maple veneers. The standard has no purfling, the deluxe does.

Sound wise? I've only played a standard once and only for a few minutes. First impression was that it's a little brighter in tone than the standard. Both feel very similar under the hand.

Not to sound like an ad or anything, but the Upton guys are great to deal with. Been going to them for years now.

[SteveFreides]

Nothing against Upton, just mentioning another place to consider, which is http://www.bassesonline.com. I bought my first upright, a fully-carved Roma, from them last Fall, and recently bought a couple more basses from them after selling my Roma to a student. The Roma was a great bass for the money, and its replacement, a fully carved Eberle, is that much better, very nice sounding, and a very good value. The people are very nice to deal with and I have nothing but good things to say about my experiences with them. I live close enough to have picked up my instruments in person but I know they ship, too.

-S-

[Kaden]

I have an Upton "deluxe" Hybrid bass and it is a great sounding bass for the price. It is pretty easy to play and get used to. You should probably give one a try before you take the plunge and buy one. You might want to try out some other basses as well to see what is out there. Again the upton guys were very helpful when we called them up and they strive to make sure you get your instrument just the way you want it.

[Jeremy Allen]

I trust you've already done a search for "Upton" here in this forum. There are hundreds of threads about these basses on TalkBass you may find to be informative and useful.

[bassicsax]

Actually this forum is what led me to the direction of upton bass...

[timobee4]

I could never deal with such hypocrites! All their beautiful Shen basses from Suzhou, China
yet they take every possible opportunities to slag and generalise regarding Chinese Basses. To me that is a dishonest behaviour. Imagine if all of a sudden French Wan-Bernadel or any other noted luthier from Europe (Italy, Germany) put out videos comparing their instruments to Upton. We call this bullying and its not nice at all. Just my opinion.

[Eric Hochberg]

Originally Posted by timobee4

I could never deal with such hypocrites! All their beautiful Shen basses from Suzhou, China
yet they take every possible opportunities to slag and generalise regarding Chinese Basses. To me that is a dishonest behaviour. Imagine if all of a sudden French Wan-Bernadel or any other noted luthier from Europe (Italy, Germany) put out videos comparing their instruments to Upton. We call this bullying and its not nice at all. Just my opinion.

Timo, I don't understand what you're saying. Please be more specific. What is a "French Wan-Bernadel"? WB is a Chinese made bass.

[jayscheuerle]

Originally Posted by timobee4

I could never deal with such hypocrites! All their beautiful Shen basses from Suzhou, China
yet they take every possible opportunities to slag and generalise regarding Chinese Basses. To me that is a dishonest behaviour. Imagine if all of a sudden French Wan-Bernadel or any other noted luthier from Europe (Italy, Germany) put out videos comparing their instruments to Upton. We call this bullying and its not nice at all. Just my opinion.

I get the impression that they are simply slagging poorly made basses that come through their shop because of how common the problems are. The fact that there's some consistency in the origin of these instruments isn't Upton's fault.

[eerbrev]

Originally Posted by timobee4

...All their beautiful Shen basses from Suzhou, China...

I was there last week. They had one shen bass. I was there at the beginning of august, they had two. In what universe is that "many"? They had as many prescott basses there as that!

Just saying.

eerbrev

[timobee4]

Please go on youtube and find all their clips where you cant even add a comment or pending approval! Watch
how they picked a piece of crap bass saying " well this is what you can expect from a Chinese bass" !! Perhaps if they said " This particular bass is from bla bla bla workshop and the quality is poor so better avoid it" I can except that, but that is not the case, take a look at Wan Bernadel Chinese upright double basses for sale and what these guys say about Chinese instruments. Its the way they dish it out guys! Its like saying that all dog bark at night just because your neighbours dog does. Putting something under one umbrella is not nice and definitely pretty discriminatory. Some months ago I came across they Youtube clip on Chinese basses and there were 3-4 message saying the same thing I am saying here, I wanted to show my friend but few days later the clip was no longer excepting opinions!!!!!! And you know its not because it was Chinese and I had a good one for some years!!!!! No! I love Upton videos and put loads of admiring stuff to eg: whe way that old Prescott was resurrected, but once I saw their clip putting all Chinese in one bucket my alarm went off bip bip bip these guys hate competitions yet they sell Chinese stuff themselves! I had a chat to a Master Luthier in Erupe and he told me that those good little Shen basses are sold for max 1000 $ then done up to be sold for 4-5000 but that is business and I understand that all too well. Others do that too just take a look at Wan Bernadel Chinese basses and many other well respected workshops, but you dont see them releasing clips like that do you!! Hahaha almost reminds me those ruthless BMW adds on Tv when they compare a state of the art BMW performance to a Daewoo Nubira car!

Look up: Upton Bass: Some Thoughts On Chinese Double Basses,
Upton Bass: Chinese vs Upton Flatback Double Bass,

I meant no real disrespect to anyone, just my own opinion, and I also think that its great that Upton put out warnings and policing the qualities but am also a little puzzled why not pick on the culprit and why put down many with it!

Originally Posted by Eric Hochberg

Timo, I don't understand what you're saying. Please be more specific. What is a "French Wan-Bernadel"? WB is a Chinese made bass.

[chris1125]

Originally Posted by timobee4

Please go on youtube and find all their clips where you cant even add a comment or pending approval! Watch
how they picked a piece of crap bass saying " well this is what you can expect from a Chinese bass" !! Perhaps if they said " This particular bass is from bla bla bla workshop and the quality is poor so better avoid it" I can except that, but that is not the case, take a look at Wan Bernadel Chinese upright double basses for sale and what these guys say about Chinese instruments. Its the way they dish it out guys! Its like saying that all dog bark at night just because your neighbours dog does. Putting something under one umbrella is not nice and definitely pretty discriminatory. Some months ago I came across they Youtube clip on Chinese basses and there were 3-4 message saying the same thing I am saying here, I wanted to show my friend but few days later the clip was no longer excepting opinions!!!!!! And you know its not because it was Chinese and I had a good one for some years!!!!! No! I love Upton videos and put loads of admiring stuff to eg: whe way that old Prescott was resurrected, but once I saw their clip putting all Chinese in one bucket my alarm went off bip bip bip these guys hate competitions yet they sell Chinese stuff themselves! I had a chat to a Master Luthier in Erupe and he told me that those good little Shen basses are sold for max 1000 $ then done up to be sold for 4-5000 but that is business and I understand that all too well. Others do that too just take a look at Wan Bernadel Chinese basses and many other well respected workshops, but you dont see them releasing clips like that do you!! Hahaha almost reminds me those ruthless BMW adds on Tv when they compare a state of the art BMW performance to a Daewoo Nubira car!

Look up: Upton Bass: Some Thoughts On Chinese Double Basses,
Upton Bass: Chinese vs Upton Flatback Double Bass,

I meant no real disrespect to anyone, just my own opinion, and I also think that its great that Upton put out warnings and policing the qualities but am also a little puzzled why not pick on the culprit and why put down many with it!

That us definately a valid argument but I can sort of see there point. Outside of the popular Chinese basses, a lot of what is bought out of china is inconsistent, low quality basses like you would expect to find on eBay. At the same time there are plenty of shops and Chinese luthiers producing great stuff.

As for the profit margins, that is correct, the shen basses are imported at a ridiculousely inexpensive rate into one shop in ny I believe and then they are sent out o the variouse shops in america, after a good setup and new parts are installed (bridge, sometimes endpin, bag, etc) the basses are sold for 2-4x what they were worth coming out of china, I wad told this by more then one shen dealer. One particular dealer told me if it wasn't for shens, he wouldn't be breaking even let alone making a profit.

Personally, I don't particularily care for the sound of the standard basses, but some of the 10k + basses are indeed very nice. Just my opinion, but I feel like there is not a huge improvement in sound between say a $2,000 upton bass and a $8,000 upton bass considering the price differences. That being said, I wouldn't give up my $5,000 shen for ANY $8,000 shen OR upton so price is not at all what matters to me, I go for sound and playability.

[timobee4]

Bad example!! I thought that the Chinese Bernandels are copies of Gand & Bernadel basses today. Anyway even though my internet facts are foggy I still think that its not nice generalising even if some Chinese basses can be absolutely rubbish!!!

Originally Posted by Eric Hochberg

Timo, I don't understand what you're saying. Please be more specific. What is a "French Wan-Bernadel"? WB is a Chinese made bass.

[Dave Irwin]

I don't think Upton's comments on Chinese basses was aimed at Shen. They are a Shen dealer. There have been a lot of bad basses out of China but I chalk that up to learning curve.
To the point of the thread, I've heard Upton is getting away from entry level lams. Not sure about the deluxe version.

[drurb]

Originally Posted by timobee4

...Look up: Upton Bass: Some Thoughts On Chinese Double Basses,
Upton Bass: Chinese vs Upton Flatback Double Bass

Okay, I looked them up. Lets see--- right in the first video you referenced, Eric says, "I don't want to make a generalization about all Chinese basses... There's some reputable Chinese basses out there... but this is more the norm than the exception." By the way, they didn't pick an atypical piece of crap bass.

Originally Posted by chris1125

...That being said, I wouldn't give up my $5,000 shen for ANY $8,000 shen OR upton so price is not at all what matters to me, I go for sound and playability.

To each his own. What's important to me is sound and playability as well. In my case, that's exactly why I'll likely never own any Shen above an entry-level one (perhaps as as a second "outdoor" bass). They just don't cut it for me. I find them to be good values at the entry and, perhaps, mid-level level but not after that. To my ears and hands, they just don't compete with what else is available at the >=$8000 prices. Maybe you have a very special $5000 Shen. I've just never played one that would best the basses I prefer >=$8000. I wouldn't expect them to. Bottom line: If I have that kind of money (say, $11k) to spend on a bass (again ), it won't likely be spent on a Shen. No offense to the Shen lovers here, most of whom didn't drop $8000 or more on their basses.

[chuck3]

I own two Uptons because I play out of two locations 100 miles apart, and somewhat different music in each. My first was/is an Upton Standard plywood that I use mainly with a band in about a third of the songs, where the song is more folk rock or blues. I also recorded an entire album with it (not my own stuff; a "newgrass" singer-songwriter's). All I can say is, especially for the price, a great bass. Big, warm sound. I don't use the Standard much for jazz, though ...

for that, I use the Upton Hybrid. The Hybrid has a more "singing," less boomy, tone than the Standard and is better for jazz IMO. The notes are more well-defined. It's also a little more tempermental to changes in humidity etc. because of the carved top.

I really like the Upton people. I have played bass my whole life but never owned an upright before buying one (and then a second) from them. What I really recommend, if you can do it, is go to their shop up in Stonington CT, and play some of their basses and talk to them.

[timobee4]

Some years ago I purchased a Chinese bass of the net and it was a disaster at first, the sound post was to short, the bridge was garbage, the end pin was a joke, the machine head was a disgrace! The bass opened up here and there! I was furious! But after I put some nice Rubner ebony pegs, new sound post, A grade bridge, nice end pin, bit of TLC and it turned out amazing! The bass was fully carved and the wood they used were highly figured maple of such great quality! The bass was good the fittings were useless. The funny thing was when I asked about the neck if it was D or Eb and they had no idea what I was talking about! But that is nothing! My latest quest to buy a 100+ year old bass in Europe was folded real fast when I found out through several luthiers throughout Europe that Eastern European gypsies making incredibly accurate copies using anything like pre war solid doors etc. making flatback double basses selling them for 20.000+ dollars in some cases and 3 months later when the bass blows up you never find them! I wish I have my uncle's double bass that was in the loft 40 years before my dads cousin sold it. Who can be trusted these days! One thing for sure! You get nothing for nothing! If I want a good reliable bass I must get it from a trusted shop with warranty forking out real money as cheap can cost more on the long run.

[quote=chris1125;11413818]That us definately a valid argument but I can sort of see there point. Outside of the popular Chinese basses, a lot of what is bought out of china is inconsistent, low quality basses like you would expect to find on eBay. At the same time there are plenty of shops and Chinese luthiers producing great stuff.