Who here has purchased an upright bass from Musicians Friend?

[topper]

Ok, I've read all the posts about how I shouldn't buy a bass from a "big box" online retailer like Musician's Friend and should buy from a local shop.

What I want to hear now is from people who have actually purchased an upright from Musician's Friend. Particularly the lower end Florea and Bellafina models.

If you haven't actually purchased one of these instruments from a "big box" online retailer, please don't post telling me why I shouldn't do this. I've already read those posts.

If however you HAVE actually purchased one of these basses, please share your experience.

What type of music do you use it for? How long have you had the bass? Did it require a full set up when it arrived? How has it held up?

[Joe Nerve]

I'm shocked by the free shipping.

Want to also plug in because I have a feeling this might become fun. Free bump for ya. + OK, here's my $.02. They have an awesome no questions asked return policy. What have you got to lose?

[Chris Fitzgerald]

Originally Posted by topper

If you haven't actually purchased one of these instruments from a "big box" online retailer, please don't post telling me why I shouldn't do this. I've already read those posts.

If however you HAVE actually purchased one of these basses, please share your experience.

Quoted for emphasis. This is a reasonable request that I would ask folks to honor.

[hdiddy]

I just did a search for kicks. The stopped selling junky chinese DBs and now only offer a King, which I assume would be safe to buy. The rest are EUBs including several high-end ones.

[DrBassie]

Nope

http://band-orchestra.musiciansfrien...ts/double-bass

[tbassist4]

The reason why you potentially should not purchase from Musician's Friend is that these basses have not been set up or even looked at by a luthier (save the original building process).

They'll come with factory set up (which means not set up). If you have a luthier around you to do that work, great. If not, this bass won't really be playable until it is. This important set up will include soundpost and bridge adjustments, and potentially filing of the nut. On the more intense end, it could include planing the fingerboard either slightly or heavily depending on need. These things are all critical to having a bass that plays well and doesn't cause you physical injury.

If you're set on buying online, I'd order from someone who includes a quality set up.


My comment is from my experience. I have not purchased from Musicians Friend specifically, but I have purchased from an online dealer before and gone through things that you probably (and hopefully) will never have to go through. A $565 bass (with that very tempting free shipping) quickly turned into a $2000 bass with repairs and replacement parts. Luckily the stock body and neck were very sound and worth keeping, but that's about it - everything else had to be replaced. I ended up with a great instrument that served me well until my new one, but I was lucky.

I know you won't have an experience this bad, because you are purchasing reputable brands, but be aware that the set up work is key and will determine whether you will want to play the instrument or not. Playing a brick is quite a different experience from playing a bass.

[jumbosilverette]

I'm in

[peterpalmieri]

subscribed!

[topper]

@tbassist4 Thanks for the post. While not exactly what I'm looking for, it's the closest I've gotten so far, so thanks for sharing your opinion and being clear about how it was and wasn't related to what I'm asking.

I still hope to hear from some folks who have actually purchased one of these basses from MF.

[HogieWan]

Originally Posted by topper

@tbassist4 Thanks for the post. While not exactly what I'm looking for, it's the closest I've gotten so far, so thanks for sharing your opinion and being clear about how it was and wasn't related to what I'm asking.

I still hope to hear from some folks who have actually purchased one of these basses from MF.

even though a luthier has not set it up does not mean that the purchaser cannot set it up themselves. The soundpost is probably the only I would have trouble with. If I have the room for a DB, I'd have bought one of those.

[damonsmith]

Originally Posted by topper

I still hope to hear from some folks who have actually purchased one of these basses from MF.

The odds are stacked against that actually happening, thankfully! The whole set up thing is not so important with instruments like these. Plan on spending $300 or so for strings and bridge adjusters and you will be fine if you insist on getting one of these things.

[Ed Fuqua]

Originally Posted by HogieWan

even though a luthier has not set it up does not mean that the purchaser cannot set it up themselves. The soundpost is probably the only I would have trouble with. If I have the room for a DB, I'd have bought one of those.

You don't have double bass listed anywhere in your profile, have you indeed played or worked on uprights?

[Chris Fitzgerald]

Originally Posted by topper

@tbassist4 Thanks for the post. While not exactly what I'm looking for, it's the closest I've gotten so far, so thanks for sharing your opinion and being clear about how it was and wasn't related to what I'm asking.

I still hope to hear from some folks who have actually purchased one of these basses from MF.

Thanks for weighing back in, and glad the info was useful to you.

Folks, as much as we might want to post warnings about buying basses online and the dangers therein, the OP specifically asked that we not do this, but rather share our own experiences with buying online, especially from MF. It shouldn't be that hard to honor that request. He's read the warning label and acknowledged that he's done so. How hard should it be to simply not hit "reply" in light of this if you have nothing to add but more warning labels?

Back on topic, I do notice some Strunals on the linked page which could be good starter basses. It's pretty clear that any potential buyer would be wise to mentally add on the price of a setup by a real luthier onto all of those prices.

[damonsmith]

Originally Posted by Chris Fitzgerald

Back on topic, I do notice some Strunals on the linked page which could be good starter basses. It's pretty clear that any potential buyer would be wise to mentally add on the price of a setup by a real luthier onto all of those prices.

+1.
Still, this thread is a bit like posting over in the jazz thread "Hey, I want to learn bebop by shooting dope and not practicing and I only want to hear from people who agree with me!"
Talk bass is just not a place to find support for inherently bad ideas!
If you have some kind of credit with Musician's friend and want to use it on a starter bass, as Chris says the Strunals should be fine for that.

[HogieWan]

Originally Posted by Ed Fuqua

You don't have double bass listed anywhere in your profile, have you indeed played or worked on uprights?

nope, but I have played and worked on electric basses and guitars, acoustic guitars and cellos.

[HogieWan]

Originally Posted by Chris Fitzgerald

It's pretty clear that any potential buyer would be wise to mentally add on the price of a setup by a real luthier onto all of those prices.

shouldn't you do that with ANY bass unless you picked it up from the luthier yourself?

[Tumbao]

Originally Posted by Ed Fuqua

You don't have double bass listed anywhere in your profile, have you indeed played or worked on uprights?

...hunting!

[drurb]

Originally Posted by damonsmith

The whole set up thing is not so important with instruments like these. Plan on spending $300 or so for strings and bridge adjusters and you will be fine if you insist on getting one of these things.

Hmm. I'm a bit puzzled by this. I think a good setup is important no matter what you buy. If the fingerboard and nut are not right, then as you sure know, it could cause all manner of trouble. (This is offered to help the OP with his decision to purchase or not, so it's on topic).

Originally Posted by damonsmith

+1.
Still, this thread is a bit like posting over in the jazz thread "Hey, I want to learn bebop by shooting dope and not practicing and I only want to hear from people who agree with me!" Talk bass is just not a place to find support for inherently bad ideas!

+1! This is a "discussion" board.

[Marcus Johnson]

It may be a case of another forum being a better place to ask the question. I've bought stuff from MF in the very distant past, and recall getting great service from them. It's been many, many years since I've gotten that monthly catalog from them.

However, I've never bought a DB from them, and I can't recall ever knowing anyone who's done so. Topper, you may find it difficult to find someone who has bought a double bass from Musician's Friend in the TalkBass forums. With any luck, there may be someone lurking who has.

What I did is I bought a bass entirely on what I read about it online (An NS LaScala). Many people frown on that approach.It was really my only choice, given my location. It worked out very well for me.... the bass itself is several levels beyond anything offered in Musician's Friend, and it was assembled and set up by two of the best DB luthiers on the planet. But really, it isn't so very different from what you're trying to do. I'd have preferred to take a trip to NY and compare basses in person, but that isn't an option for a lot of us. Shockingly , my current pride and joy showed up in the driveway, in a big plywood box filled with foam peanuts. Nobody died, though I lost some sleep during shipping, and the world didn't start spinning around in the wrong direction.

As DURRL pointed out, they're advertising Strunals, which can be decent basses if set up properly. Whether or not MF is the best place to get one, I couldn't say. Good luck to you.

[HogieWan]

Originally Posted by Tumbao

...hunting!

not well enough

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showth...t=#post7634317