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Double Bass A what bass???? Weitzl???

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#181
Yeah I wouldn't sell my orga... oh wait. You mean keyboard instrument. If they really had a world class instrument, they probably wouldn't 1) be selling it on ebay 2) for not much money 3) and be throwing in all those extras but only for people who use the Buy it Now function. Be careful.
 
#183
Brandon Tuomiko said:
How about this. Sounds fishy but comes with a nice bow. its carved too.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Fully-Carved-3-...ryZ16222QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Looks great
Click to expand...

Brandon, are you for real??? In one day you've decided to get the Kay fixed, go to KC Strings, not go to KC Strings, now you're ready to pull the trigger on an E-Bay bass that you have no clue how it sounds, if the neck repair was done correctly or how the heck you are going to get it home from Oregon after you get what is advertised as the deal of the century.

Oh, man, buy it, just buy it, put this thread out of our misery !!!

You're killin' me Brandon. Clink is offering to take time off work (ie give up money) to go help you find a suitable instrument and you can't make the effort to go to KC strings ???
Heck, after watching that video I want to go to KC Strings !!!

In case you didn't see it the first time. YOUR KILLIN' ME BRANDON. I don't know why i'm yelling, you couldn't hear Clink or anybody else, but it felt kind of good :eyebrow:

I'm starting to think either Gearhead's right and you're a troll or maybe it's Kevin that's got your number. Either way, good luck kid, you're gonna need it:rollno:
 
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#184
Ebay is the last place you should look at when shopping for a double bass. If you can't play it, DON'T BUY IT. I am thinking that this is my last post on this thread. With the hundreds of years of collective experience that you have access to on this board, or even this thread for that matter, you should take a step back now and really listen to some of the GREAT information that is here. Call KC strings. Let them know what you are looking for. They will be able to get you going in the right direction.
 
#185
shadygrove said:
Brandon, are you for real??? In one day you've decided to get the Kay fixed, go to KC Strings, not go to KC Strings, now you're ready to pull the trigger on an E-Bay bass that you have no clue how it sounds, if the neck repair was done correctly or how the heck you are going to get it home from Oregon after you get what is advertised as the deal of the century.
Click to expand...

Don't forget the truck.... :D
 
#187
Kevin Hsieh said:
WHY WON'T YOU LISTEN?!
Click to expand...

This thread reminds me of this old story..... Joe Venuti calls every bass player in the NYC Local AFM and tells them to meet him at a specific corner. Maybe it was tubas, or both. Anyway, then he's laughing his ass off while driving around the block a few times after they all arrive.
 
#190
Kevin Hsieh said:
Brandon Tuomiko's Keywords:
Carved
Bass
Cheap
Snakewood
Prescott
Good

As someone said before, Double Bass is not like an electric bass where certain brands can connote quality. Carved doesn't even imply quality. It's just a different method of construction. Snakewood does not necessarily mean it's a good bow either.

WHY WON'T YOU LISTEN?!
Click to expand...


I KNOW!!!!! Its just different. And its cheap. So it may be worth it for being most likely better than a Laminated bass.

and that bow is awesome.
 
#191
geez im sorry. I cant afford 2k+ for one from KC strings, and my mom says she will NOT put money into the kay, sorry I forgot to say that. And I am still getting a truck. just not at this moment, and now I have to play my Kay at a concert tonight because of my kay. No one wanted it, and no one got it. SO I didnt get a new one.
 
#192
oh my..after reading all 10 pages all i can say is im impressed with the patience of these people trying to help you brandon. coming from the BG side even i recognize the profound understanding and knowledge these people who are trying to help you possess. im just sitting here shocked!
well theres my useless post/rant
 
#194
Brandon Tuomiko said:
geez im sorry. I cant afford 2k+ for one from KC strings, and my mom says she will NOT put money into the kay, sorry I forgot to say that. And I am still getting a truck. just not at this moment, and now I have to play my Kay at a concert tonight because of my kay. No one wanted it, and no one got it. SO I didnt get a new one.
Click to expand...

Perhaps Mama bear should check in with the thread to realize what possibilities she/you/family has in the Kay.

Being the new guy on the DB side I have nothing to offer than has already been said. My DB has been with me for less than a month. Already the tone is improving as a result of my technique improving and the bass 'opening' up as they say. Seems that the Spirocores get better and they get worn in.

I played a few basses in the run up to my purchase. I played a number of basses that showed me what I don't want in a bass. Some of these were in the price range you are looking at and many would have cost more. Some were near unplayable. My search took me on a 12 hour drive round trip to spend significantly more than you want to spend but still a relative bargain compared to what could be spent. The first note I played on the bass sounded beautiful and I have in my Shen Willow a bass I can play for many years. I could have spent less. I could have gone ply or hybrid (that Cleveland is very tempting still) but I would always have wondered what a carved bass would have been like. I hope that you can find a bass that speaks to you like that but based on the way you are going you'll be looking for something else fairly quickly.

My 14 year old is a different kettle of fish altogether. He's a budding musician and is already a better guitar player than I am. Plays EB as well. No DB yet. He bought his own EB. He bought his own guitar amp. We haven't bought him anything for years actually. He wlaks dogs to save for what he wants. Sure he's got access to some killer gear in my room but seems very content working out on his old Squire Strat and T-Bird EB. We have some arrangement together that when he can play all the basic chords and scales we'll buy him a new guitar. Perhaps mom and dad might be more interested in helping if there is a concrete plan or goal in mind for the next few years.

I'm rambling now. My main point being is that if you jump on any DB from anywhere to replace the Kay (the pics don't look that bad) you'll be looking for something else in short order. A keyboard player I work with has two old Kays and both sound great. Both sound different and as he says, "get a player, not a looker". After a search I have both. For a small investment you can get the Kay fixed and if you don't like it you can still sell it and get all or most of your money back I would think.
 
#196
Well, it seems everyone else weighed in so I figured I'd go for it! What a nutty thread! Brandon, you're all over the map and good people have expended an amazing amount of time and effort on your behalf. You obviously don't know what you want or need and your situation with regard to money and decision-making is hardly static. I respectfully suggest that you get it together before you post another word here.

I'll tell you a bit of my story. Over 35 years ago, I started on a 1967 Kay C-1. It was all my folks could afford. I played that bass through high school, All-City, All-State, and finally landed a coveted student position in a professional orchestra at age 17-18. My teacher arranged for a 4th generation Italian luthier to completely re-do the Kay. When the luthier first saw it, he scoffed at it. He carved a new bridge, re-planed the fingerboard, re-shaped the nut, and re-set the sound-post. I played that bass through college and beyond. There was no money for anything more. As Eric Swanson pointed out, the success is about the playing, not the bass!

Okay, so compared to the basses that other players had in the various orchestras in which I played, my Kay was at the bottom of the heap. That didn't hold me back. In 2002, I traded that Kay in and got thousands in value out of it!

Think-- don't post more-- think! I truly wish you well but try to tune the receiver and clamp down on the transmitter! :)
 
#198
Dear Mrs. Nuoriko,

I urge you to read this message and read it carefully. Your son may be trying to convince you to buy him a new bass, for he believes that his Kay is a heap of junk. He is saying things like a carved bass will get him a better tone and will make him sound better in the orchestra. However, he is overlooking a large aspect of the whole process, which is the player itself. You can buy a 20,000 dollar bass and if the player can't pull a nice tone out of the bass, it can sound just as bad as a 1,000 dollar bass. It is not the bass, it's the player. Granted, there are some aspects of the bass that must be addressed, such as set-up which will improve the playability and allow the musician to grow on the instrument.

What we people on Talkbass are proposing is that Brandon keep the Kay and stay away from cheap "deals" such as those found on eBay. The only reasonable upgrade in my opinion for Brandon from the Kay would be a nice 3500 dollar carved instrument like the one I have in my possession now. Any other instrument would merely be a disappointed and Brandon will feel inclined to trade it off as he grows in the future. The Kay, if properly setup and lovingly cared for, can prove to be a good instrument, despite its plywood construction. If the proper amount of care is put into restoring the instrument (which would be much less than buying a new truck or a new bass), the resale value of the instrument will grow greatly.

I understand Brandon's dilemma and I understand how he is drawn to the words, "carved" and "deal". Unfortunately, in the matter of basses, many of these "deals" prove to be a huge loss. We on Talkbass do not know your financial situation, but we can infer from previous posts that you are helping Brandon out financially in order to reach his "musical goals". The advice we are providing applies to anyone in any financial situation, selling the Kay for cheap and buying a "carved bass" under 2000 would be a huge loss. Buying a new bass seems like a viable option right now but it would require large amounts of setup work from the luthier and who knows what problems he might find that will need to be addressed for a large sum of money.

I truly hope Brandon shows this letter to you, because I have spent a lot of energy trying to guide Brandon in the right direction. I'm most invested in this because two years ago I was in the same position, trying to find an instrument that would suit me. And if not for the invaluable guidance of the esteemed gentlemen on this forum, I would have learned my lesson the hard way. I'm afraid that Brandon might end up learning his lesson the hard way if he continues not to listen to our advice.

Brandon is 14 and lucky enough to own an instrument and lucky enough to have such supportive parents that are willing to buy him a new bass and truck. However, these efforts should be going into productive investments, and such investments will not be able to be found on eBay.

The Other TB user, Clink, offered his services to accompany your son to KCStrings to try out instruments. I strongly advise you to take him up on this offer, for he knows quite a bit and is good friends with the KCStrings dealership.

I hope all the best for your son and just wish he doesn't encounter more obstacles through his yearning for a "new" bass.

Very best
Kevin Hsieh
 
#199
I am impressed that this has gone to 10 pages. Lots of good folks sharing good thoughts.

Kevin, very nice, thoughtful, considerate, and respectful letter.

Any way we could integrate the Lemur Jupiter thread into this one, then maybe go for 20 pages?

:crying::hmm: :)
 
#200
A brief review for those just tuning....

CAST:

(1) water-damaged, rapidly delaminating plywood bass with little value or playablity in present condition but possibly restorable at a profit

(1) young fella with a love of classical music and perhaps a quick temper with a desperate need for both bass & truck

(1) Loving supportive mom with limited resources and no desire to attempt bass restoration

(1) online auction site with incredibly tempting basses & bows
(Gosh, why are they so desparate to sell them for a fraction of their real worth, especially cause they so incredible-or is that Incredi-No?

(1) bunch of well-meaning advisors

(1) concert tonight featuring above-mentioned young fella and plywood bass

(1) young fella's friend


Anyhow, the way I see it, is Brandon has a new bass in his future. He calls KC strings because they are the obvious local choice. They arrange some sort of deal with Brandon & Mom & everybody is happy.
Brandon even gets a decent bow from a reputable shop that sets a bass up for him that he hand-picked himself.

I guess the other way it could go is Brandon buys the "incredi-no" deal sight unseen, winds up going to KC for adjustments anyhow, and tries to trade the bow on something a bit different and learns the true value it (my guess being somewhat less than 6-beans), and possible finds a bass much nicer playing & sounding than the one he got, but, of course, has to live with the one he got until, well, maybe forever to a 14 year old.

Or not.
 
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