One hybrid bass so named S.S. priced at $3900 , and another hybrid named G/EL @$2600 are built at the " same factory" in China. Both have good reputations, although the latter only has one dealer, (with a good reputation.) What can one expect to be the major differences in the instrument , taking the price difference into consideration.
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Double Bass Chinese upright bass factory
- Thread starter Dan Hannum
- Start date
Any factory that produces wholesale items manufactures to specifications, which translate into cost. This particular factory may make a whole bunch of instruments for different retailers. Therefore, for a higher price, you may expect higher-quality fittings (tuners, endpin, bridge, etc.), a higher grade of wood for fingerboards and tailpiece, possibly a higher grade of body wood, and, if the basses are finished, a better varnish.
I'd add a Thompson RM200 (String Emporium) to your list for consideration.
I'm quite happy with the " value for money " of mine.
I'm quite happy with the " value for money " of mine.
Is the Thompson from the same factory?
I'll be interested in hearing responses from people familiar w/ both of these instruments. But I suggest you might try contacting the sellers of the various brands. My and most peoples' experience w/ MG is that he is a very open, honest person. I would imagine he would be able to give you his opinion as to the bases (if any) for the price difference.
I'll be interested in hearing responses from people familiar w/ both of these instruments. But I suggest you might try contacting the sellers of the various brands. My and most peoples' experience w/ MG is that he is a very open, honest person. I would imagine he would be able to give you his opinion as to the bases (if any) for the price difference.
Not exactly, for three reasons:
1. Since it is retailers who describe their offerings, you can't really compare and contrast one sales pitch to another. Both retailers will describe their products in glowing terms.*
2. Shen is more widely known and can be purchased from multiple dealers, while Estle Lewis is a brand basically created by Gollihur. Tell a bassist you play a Shen and he'll likely know what you're saying. Tell someone you play a Lewis and he may nod his head like he knows something but chances are he doesn't. So, right off the bat, you pay something - don't know how much - for brand recognition.
3. You don't know the relative profit margins for the retailers involved.
* I know that Gollihur is a guy who wants you to be happy with your choice, whatever it is. Maybe your Shen dealer is too.
Made the mistake of purchasing a Thompson without playing it in 2016. Will be test driving a Shen 150 soon up at at Doug Heydons, and if that fails, will really scrutinize the Estle Lewis due to the stellar reputation of Gollihur. (I presently bash around a Shen 80 between 2 trio's , and leave my old carved German bass at home.) To repeat ED S, would be really helpful to hear from owners with experience with both. Wont be getting the same objectivity from dealer inquiry,
I am planning on an Estle Louis purchase in the next few months. I'm gonna take the plunge for the fully carved version because it's not much more than their hybrid. I trust the Gollihur's not to do me dirty, I'm not expecting the world, just a serviceable bass that's better than what I have, and that is a very low bar to surpass. I may be wrong but I remember seeing somewhere that the Estle Louis, at least the fully carved, is manufactured in Bulgaria not China. I forget my source on that. Also, when I inquired about the Estle Louis fully carved vs. the Juzek Fully carved they also offer I found out some interesting stuff. The Estle Louis fully carved, can't speak to the hybrid, but the fully carved is very very close to a Quenoil shaped bass. For me that's absolutely amazing and basically sold the bass to me right there. The upper bout on the Estle is like 1/2 inch narrower and the lower bout is a full inch narrower. But the shoulders are similar, not a dead ringer, but very similar. The tone Mark described is also very much a Quenoil type tone. I emailed Mark about it and he sent me back a side by side of a photo of the Estle and a photo of a Q shaped bass and he agreed they were very close. That could be a major plus for you, as it is for me, or maybe it's a detractor, but I wanted to share my findings since it sounds like you're in a similar boat as I am.
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Here's the Photo Mark sent. The shoulders on Estle have a little more meat on them but you can see the similarities, hopefully this helps inform your decision.
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Maybe not. But you MIGHT actually get some knowledge and opinions reflecting years of experience w/ a large number of basses, manufacturers, and players.
And - IMO - there are honest dealers to be found. I know a few of them.But good luck. Sorry I can't help you.
Thank you Ed S. Lets see if this post produces some meat and potatoes facts/opinions and comparisons from owners/luthiers and ,I suppose, dealers/sales. Bassfalcon: Why do I feel the E Lewis carved is too good to be true for the $. What a great looking unit!
The Gollihur's years of solid reputation is the only reason I don't think the E Louis is a hoax.
At the end of last year, I purchased a Gollihur Ed, which is their laminated rockabilly model - it arrived in early January. While this isn't at the same level as the basses being discussed (hybrid and carved), and I'm not sure that Gollihur uses the same contractor for all 3 models, I am very, very happy with my purchase. It has continued to exceed my expectations, and I'm probably positive than I was when I received it. I can confirm that my bass was made in China. I did not set my bass up for rockabilly, but you can learn more about my experience with the link below. Happy to answer any questions about it if you are interested.
NDB – Gollihiur Ed, not set up for Rockabilly | TalkBass.com
NDB – Gollihiur Ed, not set up for Rockabilly | TalkBass.com
Mattj/nice comprehensive Ed review. Slowly gaining confidence on the Gollihur deal. I hate making the same mistake over. The Thompson deal from a few years back still screams "play me first!" and following the money as a rule will have me trying the used Shen 150 first . It is being offererd at $3700 in xlnt cond, set up by Doug Heydon of Springfield Oregon with new Spirocores. We still get what we pay for .
John Sprague
Sam Shen's US Distributor
- Mar 10, 2003
- 998
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- Sales Manager, CSC Products Inc.
Good morning Dan, et al,
Thank you for your kind words about Shen and our dealer Doug Heydon. If you want to get Doug talking, bring up bicycle racing! He's a former pro.
I want to clarify that Bob's Estle Louis basses are most definitely not made at the Shen factory, and never have been. There is nothing about them that is Sam's style of making, from linings to outlines to varnish. Bob's a good guy, I'm sure he would concur if asked. Shen makes Shen, period, the end. Just the wood supply challenges alone make anything else impossible. Thompsons were a knock-off built by people Sam fired for embezzlement, who subsequently stole his outlines and started production. I get that in their culture this is accepted as free trade, but I'll never be okay with it personally. They aren't Shens either.
If it doesn't have the Shen stamp on the button, it's not a Shen. We're very proud of that.
Thank you for your kind words about Shen and our dealer Doug Heydon. If you want to get Doug talking, bring up bicycle racing! He's a former pro.
I want to clarify that Bob's Estle Louis basses are most definitely not made at the Shen factory, and never have been. There is nothing about them that is Sam's style of making, from linings to outlines to varnish. Bob's a good guy, I'm sure he would concur if asked. Shen makes Shen, period, the end. Just the wood supply challenges alone make anything else impossible. Thompsons were a knock-off built by people Sam fired for embezzlement, who subsequently stole his outlines and started production. I get that in their culture this is accepted as free trade, but I'll never be okay with it personally. They aren't Shens either.
If it doesn't have the Shen stamp on the button, it's not a Shen. We're very proud of that.
- Jul 19, 2000
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- Owner/President, Gollihur Music LLC
Mark here (Bob's retired from the biz since 2014) just jumping in to readily confirm that what John says is accurate - our basses are not made in the same facility as Shen's (very nice) basses.
When I describe our basses to customers, I mention that many basses are made in China. China often gets a bad rap for quality, because there are lots of junk basses (BSOs - "Bass Shaped Objects") made by inferior mass producers, using suspect designs, construction techniques, and materials. Our basses are made in a facility that only makes real stringed instruments, using good materials and proper construction techniques -- and our basses are one of several brands that are made side-by-side in that facility. (Some of those brands you may have heard of; but I can't mention what they are for contractual/business reasons.) So I take pains to distinguish the differences between our basses (as well as some other fine instruments, like Shens) from the poor quality ones you can sometimes get on eBay for $500 (but I really hope you don't). But in saying that, I do not mean to imply that our basses and Shen's basses (specifically) share the same manufacturing facility.
I hope that further clarifies it!
- Jul 19, 2000
- 2,014
- 2,224
- Disclosures
- Owner/President, Gollihur Music LLC
The Estle Louis basses are all made in China. Many years ago, we did carry a Bulgarian fully carved bass from Kremona (with a "K" - not related to Chinese "Cremona") which was a raging bargain, and - while the finishes were sprayed on and not terribly sexy - the basses really had it going on "under the hood" with a wonderful, big, singing tone. Unfortunately, that "entry level" model was discontinued by the manufacturer, and the higher priced models that they were still making were above the price level of what I'd consider to be a good purchase made on the internet, rather than in person. So that's why they went away. (And in looking up Kremona online just now, it appears that they have stopped making basses altogether.)
So, just wanted to make sure you weren't considering our carved bass under any false pretense. Happy to answer any other questions, as always!
Well now I REALLY want to hear more about how the hybrid Estle Louis compared to the hybrid Shens! I live close to the Bass Violin Shop where I can go to check out Shens any time, but I've never come across an Estle Louis in person.
How do I complain to an administrator about this unacceptable display of civility among competitors?!
Just so nice to encounter class acts. You see it in even the smallest things. Keep up the good work, guys!
