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02-22-2007, 08:37 PM
| | |  I Need to Convince Myself
Hello everyone!
I think this'll be my first ever topic post in this forum. I'm not sure if I should put this here or in another section but at any rate, let's begin:
Been playing bass for almost 10 years intermitently. Work commitments caused it. I've always wanted to play upright because for me IT is the bass. It's like the father of bass.
I just saw an ad for an upright for sale which costs around USD 400. (Kinda cheap, huh? But not here in the Philippines.) Now when I saw this upright the urge got to me. For the longest time since I first played bass the question now is: Should I start studying upright now?
I need your advise. Thanks! 
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02-22-2007, 09:23 PM
| | | | Sure, why not? The upright can open a whole new level of enjoyment in your bass playing frame of mind.
Do it. |
02-22-2007, 09:48 PM
| | | Quote:
Originally Posted by frogfunk  I've always wanted to play upright because for me IT is the bass. It's like the father of bass.
| you just answered your own quetion, didnīt you?
of course itīs another question if this particular bass is worth the money or not. is it in playable condition? |
02-22-2007, 09:50 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Norcross, GA | | | yes, don't ask why. just do it. It'll probably give you a better understanding. Maybe you'll like tuning in 4ths better than 5ths |
02-23-2007, 05:38 AM
| | | | hmm, I can give you just a very quick answer because I am in a hurry... I hope some luthier will tell you more.
and take my opinion for what itīs worth, just my opinion after I have looked at the fotos for half a minute sitting on the other side of the planet....
the crack in at the f-hole looks bad. Iīm not sure if there are more cracks, but my guess would be that the top has to be opened to have this repaired (costs).
also the bridge looks not so good, there has been some wood added several times to make it higher, I donīt know if this will last long. perhaps you should add a new bridge to your calculation as well.
the string position over the fingerboard is not right, Iīm not sure if itīs because the bridge is positioned bad or if the neck is not centered - both a little would be my guess. this could be corrected with a new bridge, but I am no luthier and have not seen the bass in person.
the strings are to far left, the g-string should be more towards the middle of the fingerboard.
and maybe you will need new strings, too.
I donīt know how much money 400USD is in your country measured on the average income, but if itīs a big investement you have to be very, very careful. get a second opinion from a luthier or better 2 luthiers that donīt know each other. ask how much the repair would be, so youīll see how much it will cost you in the end.
on the positive side, the bass is fully carved (ask a luthier if this is true, sometimes the looks can mislead, also I donīt know nothing about the wood you described!) and if repaired and setup properly it could be a pretty nice instrument.
but go to a luthier to get an expert opinion! |
02-23-2007, 05:50 AM
|  | Unprofessional TalkBass Contributor | | Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Brighton, England, UK, Europe | | Should you play DB - Yes!
Should you buy a cheap bass - read the Newbie links!! 
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02-23-2007, 06:06 AM
| | | @vier-personen:
Wow! That was one quick but meaty reply, sir! Thanks! Ü
The exchange rate here in the country to the USD is USD 1 = Php 50 more or less. But with the cost of living here it's quite expensive.
With your reply I think I should really arrange a schedule with my teacher to have a looksee at the bass. I already described to him how it looked and he thinks it should even be slashed down to almost half of the price and with your reply I'm beginning to incline towards what my teacher said about how it should sell.
If you're familiar with Jacques Gagnon ( www.cremonasia.com), the owner had the bass repaired by him. Mr. Gagnon is a Canadian based here in the Philippines and since the bass already went to his hands for repairs I'm afraid I might get a biased opinion on it. |
02-27-2007, 05:10 AM
| | | Update:
I showed the pics to my teacher and he has these things to say:
"Olats yung bass mahal pa din nga sya sa 20k. Kahit pa walang cracks yan mahal pa din sa 23k bakyang-bakya ang itsura men! Pwede na yan 12k pababa. Yung tama nya sa f-hole masama talaga hindi basta nabiyak yun ng kusa may tumama dun na kung ano. Yung biyak sa likod masama din tapos ang hilatsa ng kahoy nya di maganda. Pati yung tabas nya para sa Italian model na bass halatang gawang pinoy. Kung makikita mo mga gawa nila Jack sa Pampanga talagang pang export. Eto ang gumawa halatang di pa marunong at tumabas lang ng sarili nyang disenyo. Di na natin kelangan subukan yan alam ko na tunog nyan parang singaw na makaskas at kulang sa lows. Sa itsura pa lang masasabi ko na sayo na yun mismo tunog nyan.
Hanp ka na lang ng iba..."
In English:
"The bass is terrible. It's indeed too expensive for Php 20,000 (USD 400). Even without the cracks it's still too expensive for Php 23,000 (USD 430) because it looks so cheap. It'll be fine to buy at Php 12,000 and below (USD 240). The crack on the F-hole is to gross. It didn't just crack because it wasn't played for some time. It's most probable that it hit something. Same as the crack at the back: Terrible. The way the wood was cut is so bad. It's a poor Filipino copy of an Italian bass (I am Filipino and my teacher as well but the statement only pertains to bad craftsmanship of lazy Filipinos). If you'll get top see Jack's (Jacques Gagnon) work in Pampanga (a province in the Philippines) it's of export quality. The utter inexperience of the maker of that bass shows. We don't need to test the bass because I know how it sounds: Scratchy, farty and wanting of lows. By how it looks I can already say how it sounds.
Better find another..."
There goes my chance to play upright soonest.  Anyway, I'll be patient... |
02-27-2007, 12:23 PM
| | | | donīt worry, youīll find an instrument, just keep looking! |
02-27-2007, 01:26 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Wellington, New Zealand | | | And keep saving! More money = more options. |
03-07-2007, 02:34 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: NY and Miami | | Quote:
Originally Posted by frogfunk If you'll get top see Jack's (Jacques Gagnon) work in Pampanga (a province in the Philippines) it's of export quality. | Jacques Gagnon's basses are great (at least the ones I've seen and played).
If you look into them, let us know how they're priced there, and what you thought.
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03-10-2007, 02:29 AM
| | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Stan Haskins Jacques Gagnon's basses are great (at least the ones I've seen and played).
If you look into them, let us know how they're priced there, and what you thought. | I'll find time to go there at Mr. Gagnon's. I've tried a Gagnon bass. It cost the owner around USD 2,000. That does no include any costs associated with importing basses. My teacher, however, told me the best would be to import them especially second hand ones because such instruments already went through a lot of weather changes. |
03-10-2007, 03:02 AM
| | | Quote:
Originally Posted by musicman5string Sure, why not? The upright can open a whole new level of enjoyment in your bass playing frame of mind.
Do it. | . . . and a whole new level of employment . . .  |
03-17-2007, 10:39 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: May 2004 Location: Finland | | Quote:
Originally Posted by WillBuckingham . . . and a whole new level of employment . . . | That bass seems to offer employment for a good luthier.
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