yita music or Shanghai Yuanshun instruments?

catphish · #1 03-09-2007, 07:50 AM

I've searched and found nothing. Does anyone have any experience with instruments from Yita music, or Shanghai YuanShun musical instruments? They appear to only be sold OEM or on Ebay, and I found one that looks stunning, but might be garbage.

Any help is appreciated. It will be my first DB, after having learned to play on a clevinger EUB.

Thanks

drurb · #2 03-09-2007, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catphish

I've searched and found nothing. Does anyone have any experience with instruments from Yita music, or Shanghai YuanShun musical instruments? They appear to only be sold OEM or on Ebay, and I found one that looks stunning, but might be garbage.

Any help is appreciated. It will be my first DB, after having learned to play on a clevinger EUB.

Thanks

I wonder if you are referring to this. I have no specific experience with or knowledge of these instruments. While it is pretty, there are a number of details that give me pause. I'm no expert, but that doesn't look like the oil-based varnish it is claimed to be. What's with the yellow purfling? The tuning keys and machines look pretty flimsy as well. Neither the nut nor the bridge appear to have been fitted very well. At the very least, this bass would seem to need a real setup.

The real consideration is whether it would be wise to buy a largely unknown Chinese bass sound-unheard via eBay. The answer, for me anyway, would be "NO!"

catphish · #3 03-09-2007, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drurb

I wonder if you are referring to this. I have no specific experience with or knowledge of these instruments. While it is pretty, there are a number of details that give me pause. I'm no expert, but that doesn't look like the oil-based varnish it is claimed to be. What's with the yellow purfling? The tuning keys and machines look pretty flimsy as well. Neither the nut nor the bridge appear to have been fitted very well. At the very least, this bass would seem to need a real setup.

The real consideration is whether it would be wise to buy a largely unknown Chinese bass sound-unheard via eBay. The answer, for me anyway, would be "NO!"

It's not exactly that one, but it's basically the same thing. I would only buy the bass if I could get some solid creditable feedback that it was a good instrument. I can find nothing. I knew it was a long shot...

Jake deVilliers · #4 03-09-2007, 07:59 PM

Judging by the size of the feet on the bridge, they know zero about DB setup!

Sure is pretty though.

Martin Sheridan · #5 03-09-2007, 09:15 PM

A pretty bass and nice workmanship on the bass. The bridge is terrible. The eges look that way because they wiped off the stain there.
The finish looks exactly like the one ChenXiao(or however he spells it) uses. I'd like to know what it is. I've seen it on hundreds of instruments. It looks at first like an oil, but the wood is stained and the varnish is layered over it. I'm not at all sure the varnish itself has any color. Anton Krutz told me he thought it was some kind of lacquer, but it looks a lot better than the lacquers I'm familiar with. A water based lacquer maybe? Arnold, Nick, Bob, Ken, anyone?

drurb · #6 03-09-2007, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martin Sheridan

A...The eges look that way because they wiped off the stain there.

If you look closely, the purfling, not the edges, actually looks yellowish. The dark area between the lighter edge and the apparently yellowish purfling looks like the regular stained surface. So, I could see no traditional purfling.

wendell · #7 02-21-2008, 08:49 AM

Curious if anyone has played any of these basses since the topic came up last year. I see they are still all over ebay.

basstef · #8 02-21-2008, 09:13 AM

I have just got a busetto bass from Yitamusic. It is a very good bass for the money. It comes with a basic setup and the package was great. I am not sure if keeping it or maybe passing it to one of my students but for the moment I am enjoying it as a good backup bass.

61pollmann · #9 02-23-2008, 09:36 PM

I bought a snakewood bow from Yita Music and I was amazed at how fast it got here(Wisconsin) from Shanghai. Shipping was only $15.00 and it was here in about 8-9 days. I've looked at their basses on Ebay, but I'm curious about shipping. It would come by sea container to a USA ocean port, taking a couple of months. Wisconsin seems to have a shortage of seaports. Has anyone out there actually bought a bass from Yita and had it shipped? I'm really curious as to the practicality of this type of shipping. I'm assuming that I would have to arrange for a freight company to forward it here.

Keef Henderson · #10 03-09-2008, 07:22 AM

Hi, first post on talk bass so here it goes!

I have been looking and seriously considering buying one of their instruments. The things that attracts me to the bass is the 1)shape of bass 2)all solid tone-woods 3)Strong maple flame 4)price.

Things that concern me are 1) how quality is the workman ship? 2)is it strong and built well? 3) Inconsistencies 4) Refunding 5)sound 6)Resale

The main thing that worried me is the headstocks as they don't always seem to be the same shape as on this the machine head plate comes off the wood and in the others the machine head plate isn't always square with the bottom of the head stock. It looks to me as is if the head stock was carved and the machine-heads just stuck on regardless. Is this normal, should the shape vary that much? (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...2BSI%26otn%3D3)

Also I have been concerned at the shape of the body. This bass doesn't seem to the same on each shoulder reaching up to the neck.
(http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...2BSI%26otn%3D3)

The last thing that concerns me are things like the bridge, nut and tail piece. These don't seem to be straight. This link shows this pretty well. (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...2BSI%26otn%3D3)
It doesn't look set up particularly well as on one bass the E string is too far in on the fretboard.

Am I being too fussy for the money? It would be my first Upright bass. I have been looking for solid tone-wood basses as I want to have one I can keep for quite a while and sounds good. I plan to use it for orchestral work and a bit of jazz. The only other options I have been given are to have my local luthier to make me one for a few thousand pounds, or one of the budget basses at the contrabass shop in London (minimum £2500). Both of these options are too expensive for me really. I have also been looking at the stentor conservatoire bass. How would on of these compare to the Yita Music basses? If I bought one of these yita basses and replaced the machine heads, nut and bridge do you think it could be a quality bass worth having? And as quality as what the contra bass shop offer for their budget inst.?

Would the bass hold much resale value?

Thank you for your time!

clochard · #11 03-09-2008, 07:42 AM

if you want a good solid deal about which you will never worry, buy your instrument in conditions that will make that easier.
ie, being able to play the bass before buying it.
obviously, this shanghai deal is not one of those.

Of course, it *may* very well be a bloody good deal...
or not.

profundo · #12 05-08-2008, 06:45 PM

For all of you out there wanting to know what a Yita Music bass is like, then read this.

In my opinion they are very good. I received mine a couple of weeks ago and although it needed setting up the potential of the instrument was obvious. I bought through ebay and and it took about a month to arrive, I bought a hard flight case with it and it was shipped in that so that gave it extra protection. I ended up paying £800 for the bass and £300 for the case which is as good a flight case as I have seen. The communication was excellent with the company.

The bass itself is beautiful, very pretty wood is used, wide grain maple on the outer thirds becoming tighter towards the middle just how it should be, so the guy who makes these is no fool, tiger grain maple ribs and back make up the rest of the instrument, very nice indeed.

The strings were not up to much so I have Thomastiks on temporarily until a set of Pirastro Obligato's arrive. I will probably be using this bass mostly for jazz and it sounds like the bass I have always wanted. The luthier who did the set up, a highly respected bass maker repairer in London, can't quite work out how they do it, he also says it is very well made and great value for money.

I have just bought another which will hopefully be as good as the last one and will look to use this as an orchestral bass. I am a professional bassist who has been working in London for around twenty five years, hopefully this will help bare out my opinion

I will post more updates and let you all know how it progresses.

Jet Nero · #13 05-09-2008, 07:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by profundo

I will post more updates and let you all know how it progresses.

And this is what really counts.

I'd like to know for how long the wood was cured and by which process.

The Chinese manufacturing model has always been to be to build it fast, build it cheap, and flood the market. Corners have to be cut for this to work.

I keep hearing stories about beautiful Chinese basses cracking and falling apart after only a couple of years. Who wants that headache just to save a couple of bucks in the front end?

YMMV.

Aerdna · #14 05-09-2008, 11:54 AM

Some time ago I bought a Yita Music bow. It is a nice pernambuco bow, balanced, straight and everything. When I decided that it needed to be rehaired I found out that they GLUE the wood plugs and with strong stuff too. Who knows what they do to their basses

shwashwa · #15 07-08-2008, 02:26 PM

any updates from profundo on your yita bass?

jgbass · #16 07-09-2008, 09:44 AM

I bought a Permabuco bow from Yita Music. I am really happy with it. My teacher thought it was a great buy, however, the hair on it that is was shipped with is not that great and I am planning a rehairing soon for better quality. And, now I am finding out they just glued it on. Hope my luthier can deal with this. I was amazed that they shipped it from Shanghai in about 3-4 days, and that was over a weekend. Really good service.

I personally would not buy a bass from them if I were kind of a newbie to DB. At this point with experience, I feel I am in a position to make good judgments about the quality of a bass, whether I really like the neck, the sound, the set up, etc. But, how could I even tell if the bass is thousands of miles away.

I made a poor intiial buying choice of my first bass because I did not go to a bass shop and talk with people who really know bass and were able to set me up with a bass that is right for me, at a cost that it right for me, with a professional set up, etc. I needed their expertise.

A lot of people here seem so dead set on finding the cheapest bow and the cheapest bass, but this instrument is not cheap to buy and sometimes not cheap to maintain.

I think Yita Music is trying to attract dealers in the US. If you are dead set on buying this, maybe you could contact them and see if there are any stores in your area that have this bas. Otherwise, I would check out bass shops, at least for the sake of comparision.

IronRadio · #17 08-27-2008, 09:50 PM

I wish I had less experience with Yitamusic. But unfortunately, I have LOTS..

It all began when my Bass Buddy Bob emailed and said "Now's the time to put your money where your mouth is. The Chinese are giving away fully carved basses on ebay!"

So I bought a nice one...

When it showed up 2 months later, it had been thrashed a bit by shipping. The crate had been crushed and there were several areas where the finish had been worn off. No broken wood though.

So I contacted Yita and asked them what they were going to do about the finish. They sent me finish and a snakewood bow for my trouble! So far so good.

About 2 months later, I was sitting in the same room with the bass when all of a sudden, I heard something like a gunshot coming from the bass! I said "What the.."

A 24" crack had opened up in the side and extended down almost all of the way to the bottom.

I went around with Yita on that but in the end, they agreed my compensation this time would be their best violin-shaped bass for $800 including shipping. I said "HELL YEA".

It showed up a couple months after that. What an absolute beauty! What craftsmanship! Much better than my first one. Now you don't think this is the end of the story, do you? No? You're right! The neck was broken!

So I asked Yita for another neck.

Two months later it showed up and I took the whole mess to my luthier. He said "My, my.. you're having an interesting time with your Chinese basses!" He took one look at the broken neck and one look at the replacement neck and said "I'm gluing the old neck back on, the quality of the woob in this replacement neck is crap."

So he used aircraft epoxy and pinned it. It turned out well and 8 months after I started, I have a nice bass!

Things I can say about Yitamisic:

1) Friendly, fair and excellent customer service
2) No clue how to package a bass for shipping
3) Big difference in the quality of their instruments

Thanks for listening. And by the way, this was the Readers Digest edition of the story.

hdiddy · #18 08-27-2008, 10:18 PM

epoxy.....

Well it is only $800 after all.

IronRadio · #19 08-28-2008, 10:17 PM

Well actually he did a very good job. One really needs to look hard to see the seam. Besides with the pinning and the epoxy, undoubtedly its stronger than it was...

LouisF · #20 08-28-2008, 10:27 PM

I haven't tried their basses or bows, but they do seem to have outdone themselves with this one by KALSTIEN!

Samuel Kalstien ca. 1960 Model !

The finest Pernambuco Double Bass Bow, Silver Mounted

(Limited version. Containing Maker's certificate and serial number, Will Stamp Maker's Name if required )

See "More Products", please go to my ebay shop:

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/yitamusic-violin