Double Bass Any Input on this Bass?

[Len S]

Have you asked the seller your questions?

I have no opinion whether the issues you raise are inherently problematic or structural, but I'd think long and hard before spending that kind of money on an instrument I had ANY concerns about (unless it was a $12k bass marked down to $7500). As another poster mentioned in another thread, once he noticed a flaw in the finish it became all he could notice.

The sound and feel SHOULD be the controlling factors. And I understand the factors that make you fall in love with whatever is in your hands at the moment. But for $7500, you should have plenty of great feeling/sounding basses to choose from. You should love your entire bass, rather than choosing to overlook what you consider flaws. And - if you are concerned with these issues on initial purchase, you can imagine they will be brought up by any prospective buyers should you attempt resale.

Good luck.

Agree, and agree with Eric, too. This is the first bass above my current one that I was able to spend real time with so it's a great education. I made it clear with the dealer that if I was going to audition this bass, I should feel no hesitancy of saying no if it wasn't right for me, for any reason. Spending time not only playing through standard jazz stuff but also working with the bow, I absolutely can see how AN instrument of a caliber like this is light years ahead of where my current bass is, so that alone is an important data point. I've tried many newer basses in the 5K ish range, mostly Shens and stuff up through a Willow, and none of them even came close. But that's not about the 5K, it's about that there is a level where I see an appreciable difference and an understanding that I'll be able to use THAT bass. I think 5K to 7.5K deals are absolutely to be had...patiences will be required, but now that I really can see how my practice time (daily usually 2 hours or so) is very different with a higher caliber bass, I'm more "urgent" about it. However, I have to emerge from a transaction with no post-purchase dissonance. While I love so many aspects of this bass, the warped ribs would always be a concern. While they aren't an aesthetic issue (I only noticed them as I was running my hands over the bass to check for seam issues, glue spots, etc), I don't want something I'm worried about from an integrity perspective...It would be like buying a Tesla and not being sure whether the door being out of alignment is due to a panel not being properly aligned, or due to a bent frame, but in either case, the door SHOULD be properly aligned for the price of a Tesla if, for example, a Honda CIVIC has doors aligned.

 

[AGCurry]

Really-nice instruments often have flaws and quirks. The question that needs answering is "Is it stable?" I don't think anyone can answer that question without a personal inspection and some knowledge/experience.