Your take on this Ebay Engel.

Nightsblood · #1 05-24-2011, 07:36 PM

Im looking for one of these Engelhardts and this one is a great price and near me but....read the description where he says the bag appears to have melted into the basses finish. I am pretty new to the DB world but I cant think this environment could have been good. I mean, if its hot enough to melt a bag, what kind of other damage could it have caused the bass?

I posted the question to the seller but I want to hear from the pros here. Whats your take? Am I competely wrong here in thinking the bass is probably not good?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=250821275746

funkybassinator · #2 05-24-2011, 07:36 PM

forgot the link?

Michael Case · #3 05-24-2011, 08:08 PM

If it's near you maybe you should grab your teacher or someone else you know who knows double basses and have a look. See how it plays and sounds. Maybe bring it to a luthier and get an opinion.

Nagrom · #4 05-24-2011, 08:18 PM

Well of course I don't know anything about this particular instrument but the sellers story sounds like a bunch of eBay blahblahblah. Deal with a pro.

TroyK · #5 05-24-2011, 10:05 PM

It's not that good of deal. It's a fair price, but not to buy sight-unseen and with a questionable history. You can find that deal on a bass with a better history and touch point.

Nightsblood · #6 05-25-2011, 05:17 AM

He has stated he would lower the price if I met him so I would be able to check the bass out first. So I could get a good price but I don't know anyone who knows what kind of signs to check for. What should I look for?

sevenyearsdown · #7 05-25-2011, 06:51 AM

Hmmm..a friend owed him money so he gave him a bass that the bag melted to. This sounds like one of those fishy ebay things. Move on to something else is my advice.

punkozuna · #8 05-25-2011, 07:55 AM

If it was truly in a situation hot enough to melt plastic onto the bass, I'd be concerned about the integrity of the glue joints. The area he's pointing to is a common place for a bass to pick up "belt buckle rash". I agree that it sounds like the seller came across this bass and doesn't know too much about it so who knows what's really on the bass?

If I were close enough to get a look before buying, I'd consider it but not if it was my first bass. Unless you can get him to go cheaper.

New ones are $1100 +shipping at Fretwells. Plus you get a choice of models, some choice of strings and a setup. I know financial situations are different but at the beginning price you are $500 away from a brand new from a reputable seller -with some of the extras you're probably going to pay for anyway.

I cheaped out on my first bass - and learned some lessons. I'd have been better served with a new Engel or Strunal. Of course I now have the fascinating hobby of buying and fiddling with cheap basses.

"Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement".

**Freddels** · #9 05-25-2011, 12:09 PM

No offense to Englehardt owners but I had one for years (b/c it's all I could afford) but I really dislike them. The necks are too thin and it doesn't help with playing it. I think the price is too high for it. Especially, if the bag "melted" into the finish. There must be some issue with the glue joints if it was subjected to that much heat (unless Englehardt uses permanent glue). There are a lot more low cost options nowadays. Save a little more and get a much better quality instrument.

drurb · #10 05-25-2011, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freddels

No offense to Englehardt owners but I had one for years (b/c it's all I could afford) but I really dislike them. The necks are too thin and it doesn't help with playing it. I think the price is too high for it. Especially, if the bag "melted" into the finish. There must be some issue with the glue joints if it was subjected to that much heat (unless Englehardt uses permanent glue). There are a lot more low cost options nowadays. Save a little more and get a much better quality instrument.

+1!

Nightsblood · #11 05-25-2011, 02:34 PM

Well if I made an offer it wouldn't be any higher than five hundred. I just can't get past the heat issue though. That worries me a bit too much.

Eric Hochberg · #12 05-25-2011, 02:38 PM

Since you are a novice, buy your bass from a quality shop or at least have it checked out by an expert luthier. There are too many pitfalls in buying a double bass when you don't know what you are doing.

spoonido · #13 05-27-2011, 08:34 AM

Didn't sell. Relisted with a reduced price. Guess that says something right there.

tstone · #14 05-27-2011, 04:15 PM

Anyone know if Engelhardts are finished with nitrocellulose lacquer? Nitro is chemically very sensitive, and will melt, discolor, and turn gummy when exposed to some rubbers and plastics. It's a well-known fact among guitarists. If you put a nitro-finished guitar on a stand with cushioned pads of the wrong kind of rubber, it will melt the finish.

Don't know if that's the problem here, but it's a possibility.

punkozuna · #15 05-27-2011, 06:43 PM

According to some old posts at DBC, Engelhardts are indeed finished with nitro lacquer. If the bass is relisted at a lower price and you can see it, maybe give it a look. If you don't see signs of heat damage, it might be an OK deal.

drurb · #16 05-28-2011, 01:42 PM

My $0.02--- put the money toward a better bass.