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Double Bass Best Upright for under $1500 - ?

V

VigierBassist

Sep 15, 2008
3
0
#1
Hey guys,

I'm new to playing upright (after going to school for jazz, oddly enough, though I only studied on electric...)

I'm wondering if I could get some suggestions in the San Diego/LA area as to finding the best bet for an upright. I've been finding some other good deals, but as I'm sure is true with any instrument, I'm concerned about jumping on a good deal online with a bass I can't play first.

Could ya'll suggest a couple of brands that I should be hunting for in that price range?

Thanks so much!
 
#2
You shouldn't think in terms of "brands" per se, just play as many basses as you can get your hands on. Not sure about San Diego, but Lemur Music in San Juan Capistrano is a good place to play a bunch of basses and they usually have some in that price range.
 
#3
That's hard. Especially trying to suggest brands. Uprights vary considerably. Even factory made ones are totaly different. Your best bet is to go to every music store you can find and play everyone that they have in that price range. Pick the one that you like best. I would highly reccomend that you go to Hammond Ashley Violins first. I haven't been to the one in San Diego but the one in Seattle a really good store with great service. The one up here doesn't have much of a selection in that price range (you would be looking at about 2500 as the minimum) but they are really helpful and will definately point you in the right direction for buying your first bass.
 
#4
You will get lots of responses telling you to try out basses, and its the proper thing to do as DB's aren't as consistent as EB's. But if you want brand names- Thompson, Englehardt, Shen, Christopher, Upton. From my research these are all nice basses.
 
#6
For under $1500, the best buys will be used basses being sold privately. Try putting an ad out on your local craigslist. Also put posters at the music departments of the schools in your area with music programs. Someone may be selling a bass. TB DB classifieds also can be effective in hooking you up. Let your musician friends know you're looking to buy a DB. They can help in the search. Good luck.
 
#16
Before you buy anything - pay a visit to your local luthiers/violin shops and find someone you are comfortable with. I don't think buying an UB online is good idea unless you really know what you are getting into. You may find your local luthiers have some good stuff - already setup for reasonable money.

And this is just my opinion/advice - if you buy used from a private owner, ask them questions. They should be able to tell you where the bass came from, who has worked on it (while they've owned it), strings on it, when was it setup, etc. That way you can at least get a read on how well the instrument has been looked after.

just my 2 cents from a guy who bought one used
 
#18
sevenyearsdown said:
Before you buy anything - pay a visit to your local luthiers/violin shops and find someone you are comfortable with. I don't think buying an UB online is good idea unless you really know what you are getting into. You may find your local luthiers have some good stuff - already setup for reasonable money.

And this is just my opinion/advice - if you buy used from a private owner, ask them questions. They should be able to tell you where the bass came from, who has worked on it (while they've owned it), strings on it, when was it setup, etc. That way you can at least get a read on how well the instrument has been looked after.

just my 2 cents from a guy who bought one used
Click to expand...

Close the thread. Nothing more can, or should be said.
Just my 1 cent. YMMV, etc.
 
#19
I was in your position just over a year ago in the same area. Yes, World of Strings and Lemur are good 'retail' places but you'll get much more bass if you go used. A good place to try out some aggressively priced stuff, including new stuff is BassesRUS in Pasadena. Lots of entry level stuff but some interesting others ([Invalid or Expired Link Removed]).

Other than that it's all about Craigslist. You can use Search Tempest (searches all Craigslist listings in the area radius you select. I did have to drive a bit but eventually have found a real nice Meisel laminate from a pro for $1100 (cared for by Lisa Gage at Bassworks) and a 1950's Kay M-1 for $300! I had to put another $600 into it for some repairs but now I have two very nice basses for under $2K and easily sellable for twice as much.

You'll quickly learn the brands as many have described in your responses but like many have said, you just have to try some. Being new, you won't really know what to listen for. I didn't. And the kind of bass you buy is highly dependent on the kind of playing your going to tackle. Jazz, Bluegrass, arco, pizz. Heck, I played some $40,000 Pollmans and thought they sounded like crap next to a Chinese house bass at Lemur...but that's because I didn't bow at the time. But I played a killer consigned bass at World of Strings that was $1,800 that sound better, had a pickup and had more character than 6 others there that were over $3K.

I, for one, love the chase of a cool instrument. PM me your email and since I look everyday, I could point you to some worthy listings. But every bass has it's own story. Some could actually be great instruments but horribly set up (which is the most common culprit). So, if you are lucky enough to stumble upon one that is set up nice, you like the tone and looks, and the price is right...just try not to pay retail cause your tastes will evolve and you will likely need to sell it to pay for the next step up.

Being new, I most appreciated ones that were set up nice. Make sure you get a bass with a adjustable bridge. You'll need it as you improve.

Good luck!
 

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