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Double Bass Czech-ease basses?

C

Crash907

Jun 11, 2007
26
0
Houston
#1
It's probably already been discussed, but im considering getting one of the Czech-ease upright basses. I need a bass set up with a low action for the indie and ragtime gigs that I'm currently playing, but able to handle a bow for my studies in college. I played one at the ISB in oklahoma city, and while it was nice, I was hoping to get some feedback from some other people - any opinions, or suggestions on a different bass in that price range?

I'm currently using, as my full size bass, a cheap chinese bass that's hardly functional, and a Kay quarter size bass for sake of easier travel, to give an idea of what i've been dealing with so far.
 
#3
Chris Wood (MMW) used one of these at the last Wood Bros. show I saw. Amped up, it sounded fine, but not quite like his full size bass. I asked him about it and the deciding reason he uses it is because of travel restrictions on full size basses. Clearly he didn't prefer it. He still played like a monster on it.
 
#4
Hmm. I'll have to take that into account. My kay is probably what i'll be using for a good while, then - being a smaller bass, it seems to take on a sort of paul mccartney-ish rubber band tone, but with the ability to get more physically into it than i really feel is available on my electric.
Does anyone have any opinions on the kay quarter bass, as well? I'm running a magnetic pickup on it, a beiselle (not sure if that's how it's spelled, it came on the bass when i bought it and i only looked it up once) and I've been debating whether new strings would help get a more upright sound.
 
#6
I use my Czech-ease for the touring theater productions I play, and I wouldn't consider it if it wasn't for the ease of traveling. Unless you need to travel regularly by plane, play in a trio on a cruise ship, or tour extensively, look into a 3/4 instrument. The Czech-ease is a compromise designed for travel, and for the money you could get a New Standard, Upton or any number of 3/4 plywoods that would give you much superior sound and actual useable acoutic volume.
 
#7
Crash907 said:
I'm running a magnetic pickup on it, a beiselle (not sure if that's how it's spelled, it came on the bass when i bought it and i only looked it up once) and I've been debating whether new strings would help get a more upright sound.
Click to expand...

Get rid of the magnetic pickup if you want a more upright tone.

It sound to me like you've got a travel bass already (1/2 size Kay), you don't need another!

Get the Kay setup by a bass luthier, chuck on some good strings and a piezo pickup and you're good to go. THEN decide if you need a new bass.
 
#9
Peck_Time said:
Get rid of the magnetic pickup if you want a more upright tone.

It sound to me like you've got a travel bass already (1/2 size Kay), you don't need another!

Get the Kay setup by a bass luthier, chuck on some good strings and a piezo pickup and you're good to go. THEN decide if you need a new bass.
Click to expand...

the reason i was looking into a different potential travel bass is as much for something to play consistently that would be able to bow, as well - being such a small bass, i find bowing difficult on it, but perhaps that's simply a lack of practice. I do think I'll try your idea out, though - i love the sound of the bass for pizzicato, though i will note that it's an H-10 - an actual quarter bass, instead of a 1/2 size.
 
#10
Crash907: The czech-ease is expensive, but for those who need what it does (smaller size, some acoustic volume, able to travel by plane), it's worth it. But I think most bassists who own a czech-ease also own a 'proper' DB that they would far prefer to gig with.

For the price of a czech-ease you could get a better DB that would sound better, but be more of a pain to carry round. -your call...
 
#11
Do you have any basses in particular you reccomend, perhaps carved? I know next to nothing about carved basses, unfortunately, but I know in the plywood department that I've been looking into the Engelhardt swingmaster, and the lower end King models.
 
#12
I played an Engelhardt a few days ago (first time in a while) and I was quite pleasantly surprised. It was a used one in a shop that had put a top notch set-up on it and it was a lot better playing and sounding than most of these I have seen over the years. See if you can find one to play and if you get one, make sure you get a good set-up. I think these can be good basses if properly set up.

Ken Smith has some good entry level basses at good prices and a full range of basses up to beautiful master works. If you want to step up to carved without going broke, Bob Gollihur has a tough deal to beat. Uptons are now making a range of basses in the USA that get good reviews here. I have seen a number of the hybrid and carved basses from Lemur in the entry level price range and these all looked and sounded good. Others worth mentioning:- Andreas Eastman, Shen, Christopher, Strunal, Roma, Eberle, Wilfer.

It's not really like bass guitars. You just need to check out a lot of basses right now. Stay away from unbelievable deals under $1000 for new instruments. Sometimes you can find good deals on used basses. Read the newbie threads. When you find a good candidate, come ask us if it is worth it and we'll help if we can.
 

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