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Double Bass Buying my first Bass, need help.

Vinton

Vinton

Guest
Jun 3, 2015
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#1
I've been casually searching for an upright bass for around 10 years and they seem hard to come by. My friend got one a while back and now he wants to sell it. I want to jump on this chance.

Problem is, he wants a thousand dollars. I know this could be a fair price, but I'm not sure it is. I believe it is full size (though it may be 3/4). He told me he doesn't know the manufacturer and doesn't see it marked anywhere, but another friend told me that it should be marked in the F hole, is this true? The same friend told me that it should only be worth that much if it has a solid neck, is that true?

I'm going to look at it tomorrow and was wanting some tips on what to look for to see if it is worth the money. I have tried doing some research and educating myself but I'm not having much luck.

Please help a newbie! Thanks!
 
#2
A grand is fairly cheap. The question is, what are you getting for your thousand dollars? If the bass is a CCB (Cheap Chinese Bass), pass. Those are generally built like crap and sound like a bunch of nothing. Many implode over the course of time.

For your first bass, go with a known quantity. Engelhardt, Shen, Eastman and other names have a good reputation. Buying a bass from an established string shop is also a good move, because it will allow you to establish a relationship with a luthier, and you WILL require service after the sale at some point.

Read the noob links, then come back with more questions when you're ready.
 
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#5
I've had a few friends ask me for help when buying a new bass; one i looked at recently was a really light plywood no-name. I looked at it and scoffed, but then i played it - what a tone!! I tried to buy it from under her =^)

....it's a good idea if you can get someone with experience to come with you. Find a local luthier (if you have one) or a bass teacher and let them have a play. They'll soon tell you what it's worth.
 
#7
The manufacturer label should be viewable from the F-hole on the bass side. I'm not sure what they mean by a "solid neck".

$1000 bucks could be a steal, a rip off, or right on the money. If this guy doesn't know who made the bass, or even have a reasonable assumption - then it's probably not worth it. That is unless you can have a luthier inspect it, or post a bunch of pictures here before hand. I wouldn't recommend dropping a grand on a bass of unknown origin though.

BTW - where are you located? Often other members here can direct you to shops in nearby cities you may not even know about. It's not uncommon to travel a little to find the right bass.
 
#11
Turns out it's Cremona SB-3
Looking around on here, it looks like most of you agree that those are poor quality :(
I was excited to buy one from a friend, but I guess my search will have to continue.

Are there any good Uprights that go for about $1,000?
I heard some talk of the Shen SB 80, but the lowest ones I can find are $1,500
 
#12
Buying a first bass is tricky - outlaying a ton of money when its really hard to tell the difference between "good" and junk. When you start out they all just feel hard to play and sound thin and wimpy. Try and hook up with someone who has played a bit to help you buy. They will (hopefully) know what to look for - fittings, carved top/ply, tone, strings, pickup, setup, playability etc....

It's worth saving a bit of coin for your first bass. You don't want to get to a point where a poor quality bass is hampering your development.

... and the bad news is.... your next bass is not going to be any cheaper. ;)

Welcome to the dark side.
 
#14
I recommend staying away from Engelhardts. Among other reasons, there's their skinny neck-profile that ends up causing left-hand fatigue for may. Do a search here on that topic.
 
#18
You could always call Joe at Oklahoma Strings and mike at Larsen Music, and let them know what your budget is. If you need to keep it under a grand, they can keep an eye out for one for you. For instance, they may sell one of their rentals that they know will give you many years of service. There are many ways for a busy shop to come up with something in your budget.
 
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