I have a Christopher 300 series (cant remember the exact model) that I bought in 2004 for $2500. It's the hybrid model. Honestly I was so new to the double bass when I bought it, I had no idea what I was getting. This bass has matured with me. I bought it when I was 19 and at the time I really had an ear for sound, but over time the bass really started to sound nice. I'm basically only a jazz player though. The bass has great projection but the arco sound is pretty bright.
I've been very happy with this bass as a student but I'm ready for a pro quality instrument. If you're new to the bass I think it's a good buy. They will take a beating and my bass is almost unaffected by humidity and temperature.
I will say that I have had considerable work done to make it play and sound great. New adjusters, new tailpiece wire, bridge reshaping, new fingerboard. But it definitely plays as well and sounds as good as a bass worth twice as much.