Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Double Bass Bass newb, judging a bass
- Thread starter FreakyStyley69
- Start date
Thumpie said:
Lol y'all don't get much humor around here huh?
Anyways I had already planned on getting an adjustable bridge. I'm picky about my action. And a set of strings.
Newb hating aside. What if I said I wanted to but this bass to learn how to work on them? Board work bridge work etc.. Even If I was completely going to destroy the thing.
I swear I'm done with newbie threads...
You can't be. We all gotta pay it forward, right?
LOL. If you didn't get the clue, essentially, they are saying dont even bother wasting your time and money if all you really focus on is EB. Really, $400 would be a waste on that instrument and playing upright goes far beyond just that initial outlay. You'd be better off buying a hollow bodied EB. At least that won't explode on you (and yes they have exploded on people in the past).
The only thing this thread needs now is a poster coming out of the woodwork to chide our harsh appraisal and say that bass *could* be a good deal...
Screw you guys!
I contacted the upright bass shop in New Orleans who I was speaking with before the last hurricane. I'm checking out their rental options first.
I contacted the upright bass shop in New Orleans who I was speaking with before the last hurricane. I'm checking out their rental options first.
Is it still a full moon? I was just outside and didn't see any moon at all. Weird.
And I'm glad you're looking in to rentals. Play a whole bunch of basses. It will improve your life.
And I'm glad you're looking in to rentals. Play a whole bunch of basses. It will improve your life.
I don't want to pile-on here, but just want to offer a slightly different perspective. The problem is that you are, in many respects, dealing with a pre industrial age technology.
With electric basses, even if there are variations in tone and playability from one unit to the next, the make and model tell you quite a lot about the bass, its origins, quality, etc. And if you get one with defects, they will probably be noticeable right away, to anybody with reasonable mechanical aptitude.
With upright basses, many vital aspects of the "technology" are invisible to casual inspection, and may only become apparent after some time, so we're feeling around in the dark to some extent when judging basses. At least that's true for those of us who aren't experts. That's why clues such as the likely origin of the bass, and even its price, end up being brought into consideration. It's also why it seems like upright bassists are so defensive of tribal knowledge and the wisdom of elders regarding how to judge a bass.
There's an additional issue, which is that the upright bass, without proper setup and some initial instruction, can be physically dangerous to play.
With electric basses, even if there are variations in tone and playability from one unit to the next, the make and model tell you quite a lot about the bass, its origins, quality, etc. And if you get one with defects, they will probably be noticeable right away, to anybody with reasonable mechanical aptitude.
With upright basses, many vital aspects of the "technology" are invisible to casual inspection, and may only become apparent after some time, so we're feeling around in the dark to some extent when judging basses. At least that's true for those of us who aren't experts. That's why clues such as the likely origin of the bass, and even its price, end up being brought into consideration. It's also why it seems like upright bassists are so defensive of tribal knowledge and the wisdom of elders regarding how to judge a bass.
There's an additional issue, which is that the upright bass, without proper setup and some initial instruction, can be physically dangerous to play.
oh, you know I think I gotta bass I will sell you for 400...its a gem, vintage, needs some work, I didn't know you could do that.
just a new bridge, tailpiece, the end pin won't stay in, but I'm sure some super glue would fix that, it has one of those coat hangers on it that looks a little frayed, but I will throw in a new one i just got from the cleaners, the finger board is a little messy, but some black spray paint should sort that out. While the neck is a little warped you should be able to build some good forearm muscles in the low registers and I will even throw in this weird no name piezo wing pickup which I never got to work (although it is noisy) but you may.
I think there is an old set of red labels on there, just tell people they are spirocores
I think I have an old canvas cover with some holes around too...the zipper is broken but who cares at this point
let me know if this interests you
just a new bridge, tailpiece, the end pin won't stay in, but I'm sure some super glue would fix that, it has one of those coat hangers on it that looks a little frayed, but I will throw in a new one i just got from the cleaners, the finger board is a little messy, but some black spray paint should sort that out. While the neck is a little warped you should be able to build some good forearm muscles in the low registers and I will even throw in this weird no name piezo wing pickup which I never got to work (although it is noisy) but you may.
I think there is an old set of red labels on there, just tell people they are spirocores
I think I have an old canvas cover with some holes around too...the zipper is broken but who cares at this point
let me know if this interests you
The Ryan Larson video was even funnier than this thread.
But then I spend some time on Larson's website. That guy is truly an enigma. There's a lot of half-baked ideas sprawling around on his website, but you get the sense that there's some degree of talent too. You alternately believe you're listening to either a genius or a special needs kid.
But then I spend some time on Larson's website. That guy is truly an enigma. There's a lot of half-baked ideas sprawling around on his website, but you get the sense that there's some degree of talent too. You alternately believe you're listening to either a genius or a special needs kid.
Sorry for the derail, but you might as well get the whole experience re Ryan "Bird" Larson here. I'm also particularly proud of my diagnosis.
Okay, back to the $500-basses...
Of course, there's humor in that as well. Click here.
Okay, back to the $500-basses...
Of course, there's humor in that as well. Click here.
I'll bite...
It's certainly shaped like a bass and will give you a sound much closer to what you want than any bass guitar would, for $500 I'd go for it.
If you want the folks to play nice here it helps to agree with everything they say and THEN ask the same question in a round-the-bout way.
Otherwise anything you say (assuming your not Edgar Meyer) will be considered uninformed and the only response will be "read the stickeys".
Forums are here so that people from different places and experience levels can DISCUSS a certain topic. Everyone starts somewhere...
I'm not the world's leading expert on doublebass, but let me offer my heard-earned experience on this matter. I wanted to get a DB back in 2006 and didn't know about Talkbass, but another forum I frequented always emntioned Engelhardt basses. I found out a local shop that I trusted from my electric bass purchases also sold Engelhardt, so I assumed that all would be great and bought a new ES-1 for about $1500. I took no one who was experienced in DB with me and solely trusted the shop to have a good setup, etc.
So I started taking lessons and it worked okay for a while since I was in total DB bliss, but I started noticing little bothersome items - there was a rattle in the endpin and my left had was hurting after extensive playing. The Engelhardt went into semi-retirement for a few years.
I ventured back into DB this year and dusted off the bass, only to realize why I gave it up. I took it to two reputable shops and both found numerous issues - fingerboard wasn't planed right, soundpost was junk, endpin needed replacement, strings were horrible. Both shops estimated the total work at about $500. I wound up selling the bass and getting a Shen from Upton Bass (see ads at top of page). A local shop tweaked the setup for me and I was much happier. That Shen cost me $2,100 (it was a hybrid) and the few tweaks were about $100, but it was FAR better arrangement than I had before.
You can ignore the warnings the other guys gave you, but I've been down your path already. Do yourself a favor and go to a REUTABLE shop with someone who knows DB. You can find a good Shen or similar bass in the $1500 range that will be set up and fully functional. You'll be happier in the long run and if you don't like it, you will be able to get most of your money back since Shens/Christophers/Etc. have a good reputation.
So I started taking lessons and it worked okay for a while since I was in total DB bliss, but I started noticing little bothersome items - there was a rattle in the endpin and my left had was hurting after extensive playing. The Engelhardt went into semi-retirement for a few years.
I ventured back into DB this year and dusted off the bass, only to realize why I gave it up. I took it to two reputable shops and both found numerous issues - fingerboard wasn't planed right, soundpost was junk, endpin needed replacement, strings were horrible. Both shops estimated the total work at about $500. I wound up selling the bass and getting a Shen from Upton Bass (see ads at top of page). A local shop tweaked the setup for me and I was much happier. That Shen cost me $2,100 (it was a hybrid) and the few tweaks were about $100, but it was FAR better arrangement than I had before.
You can ignore the warnings the other guys gave you, but I've been down your path already. Do yourself a favor and go to a REUTABLE shop with someone who knows DB. You can find a good Shen or similar bass in the $1500 range that will be set up and fully functional. You'll be happier in the long run and if you don't like it, you will be able to get most of your money back since Shens/Christophers/Etc. have a good reputation.
