very new guy here, with questions

[holepuncher13]

Hello, i am going to be learning how to play upright, i found a place locally that will rent me a bass till i can decide what i want, i just dont know anything about the one they wanna rent me. it is a Hermann Luger VB100 . its pretty cheap at $80 a month including insurence. he said if i wanted to but it i could get it for $1500, anyone know anything about this bass? seem like a ok one to learn on? i searched and couldnt find anything on them here. thanks for your time! matt

[drurb]

Check out the newbie links for some guidance about buying a bass. Where do you live? I have no specific information on the H. Luger bass but with a quick check I couldn't find any "real" bass shops that carry them. I assume this is a plywood bass, despite this description I found:

This high-quality beginner bass features a classically designed crack-resistant spruce top and arched maple back


It's more likely that it has spruce and maple veneers.
Keep in mind that you can buy a NEW plywood bass with a good setup from a bone fide bass shop for that kind of money.

[holepuncher13]

i live in richmond va, i looked through the newbie pages, i was just wondering if anyone had anything to say about the bass, good or bad i would like to know. do i need to wait and see what else i can find?

[Gearhead43]

Hey, while it is best to play a bass before buying, here are some names of decent bass "brands" to look for:

Shen - good quality chinese made
Christopher - same as above
Eastman - same as above
Strunal - Czech made
Engelhardt - USA made (I recommend fretwellbass.com)
Eberle - German (great deals at bassesonline.com)

There are many others, from your posts on RABbass I am assuming you are looking for a laminate (plywood) bass. Any of these makes listed above should have an entry level ply that would be great to start out on.

You may want to ask the music shop who makes their basses, where they are made, etc. Just steer clear of CCBs (cheapo chinese basses) like you see on ebay, and if it seems to cheap to be good, it usually is.

I think a good way to get your first bass is to scour craigslist while you are saving up. I got my humble Engelhardt for $600 used and after a little work it makes a quite respectable sound perfect for the music I play, and I have no fear of it falling apart.

[Gearhead43]

Oh yeah, don't forget Upton Bass! Made in the USA also.

They make a very nice laminate bass that is a great value.

[holepuncher13]

i think im just gonna rent for a few months since it is 180 for 3 months of rental. then i can save up for a good bass while still practicing. in 3 months i should have a grand or 2 saved to use towards a good bass

[Gearhead43]

That seems like a win-win deal.