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Double Bass Do you think this bass is usable?

Landy67

Landy67

Guest
Jul 30, 2012
456
99
The Peoples Republic of MA
#1
Hi All!

For some bizarre reason, I have myself convinced that I want to learn to play the Dog-House. I haven't mastered the bass guitar, but twice a year I go to Bluegrass fests and I would like to bring a bass.

This looks like it would be easy to travel with, folding-bass Do you think it would be loud enough to be able to play with a guitar, mandolin, banjo, etc in an outdoor unplugged event?

There's a Chadwick 3/4 sized for 3 times the money. would I be better off with the pricier instrument? Will it be louder? Better sounding/playing? Better resale value?

Let me know what you think?
 
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#4
I am not sure this one is a great idea unless you can find a way to play it first. But as far as folding basses I have seen some amazing designs. Chris Wood has one that is based around his super vintage upright where he had the neck removed etc and it sounds and plays amazing.
 
#5
KUNGfuSHERIFF said:
Read the noob sticky and search for threads about cheap Chinese basses before you pursue this idea any further.
Click to expand...

I did read that post, and I'm torn between the idea that I can buy something that could take with me twice a year, and every bang and chip becomes a memory, or pay $3K and worry and fuss over it every minute it's out of the house.

Option 3 is to keep bringing my mandolin to the Bluegrass fests, and get a good beginner bass for the home music room.
 
#6
Landy67 said:
Option 3 is to keep bringing my mandolin to the Bluegrass fests, and get a good beginner bass for the home music room.
Click to expand...

Speaking as someone who plays and gigs on both the mandolin and double bass, and makes his living building them.....

If you spend $2500 on a new mandolin and you'll likely have a nice relationship with your new Collings A or something similar. Spend $2500 on an old Kay and you'll be in a band in 6 weeks! Most around here would consider that $2500 the bare minimum entry level to get yourself an instrument that will inspire you to continue to play it; avoid the cheap Chinesee bass shaped objects at all cost. While the upfront price may seem high, it is almost irrelevant because you'll likely earn that back within an easy year of gigs.

j.
www.condino.com
www.kaybassrepair.com
 
#7
Mosfed said:
I am not sure this one is a great idea unless you can find a way to play it first. But as far as folding basses I have seen some amazing designs. Chris Wood has one that is based around his super vintage upright where he had the neck removed etc and it sounds and plays amazing.
Click to expand...

I think Chris is using a Chadwick Folding Bass.
 
#8
james condino said:
Speaking as someone who plays and gigs on both the mandolin and double bass, and makes his living building them.....

If you spend $2500 on a new mandolin and you'll likely have a nice relationship with your new Collings A or something similar. Spend $2500 on an old Kay and you'll be in a band in 6 weeks! Most around here would consider that $2500 the bare minimum entry level to get yourself an instrument that will inspire you to continue to play it; avoid the cheap Chinesee bass shaped objects at all cost. While the upfront price may seem high, it is almost irrelevant because you'll likely earn that back within an easy year of gigs.

j.
www.condino.com
www.kaybassrepair.com
Click to expand...

Wow is a Shen SB80 going for that much now?
 
#9
Landy67 said:
Hi All!

For some bizarre reason, I have myself convinced that I want to learn to play the Dog-House. I haven't mastered the bass guitar, but twice a year I go to Bluegrass fests and I would like to bring a bass.

This looks like it would be easy to travel with, folding-bass Do you think it would be loud enough to be able to play with a guitar, mandolin, banjo, etc in an outdoor unplugged event?

There's a Chadwick 3/4 sized for 3 times the money. would I be better off with the pricier instrument? Will it be louder? Better sounding/playing? Better resale value?

Let me know what you think?
Click to expand...

Would a folding bass stay in tune?
 
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#10
I wouldn't buy that bass. However, I've seen several people play the Chadwick Folding Bass. It sounded good. I spent a while talking with Mike Barber (of the Gibson Brothers). He hasn't had any trouble with his. BTW, I thought his bass was the best sounding of all the basses at the Bluegrass Heritage Festival last year in Arlington, TX.

Leni
 
#11
If you are set on a travel bass I would get a Chadwick and not even mess with the one on ebay. Even though it is cheaper it may sound like crap and be so poorly built it may implode on you. The extra cash you spend will be money well spent.

Also basses are big and fragile instruments but you don't have to treat them like crystal glass wear. I am by no means saying you can treat your bass like crap but if you buy one you bought it to play it and play it out so I wouldn't worry to much about having to take it out of the house and stuff like that. Also you could always get insurance which really is fairly inexpensive for what it covers.

If you aren't set on travel basses look into shens or depending on your budget and Upton standard. I played one the other day in the Boston shop and for what they are selling them for they are great basses. Also it is an american handmade instrument that you are getting. Also incase you weren't aware chadwickas are just shen basses with foldable necks so you could get the same bass for a lot less without the foldable neck.
 
#14
Maybe I'm looking at this the wrong way. Just how hard is it to travel with a double bass? Is the ability to fold the neck a real benefit?

Would I just be better off to buy a full sized, or 3/4 double bass and get a hard case for the couple of times a year I'll take it on the road? Is the folding neck that much more convenient?

Most of the time I'm going to play it in my office/music room.
 
#15
You could buy a decent plywood bass for $1500 or less and pay another $500 or so to have the neck made detachable. Once that's done you could spend another grand on a trunk or convert an equipment case yourself for less.

Generally, basses travel in padded soft cases. In the belly of an airplane or in a van a trunk is necessary insurance. The folding/removable neck design came from players needing to fly basses to gigs in the face of size and weight restrictions imposed by the airlines.

Get a teacher and with their help pick a decent bass. Forget about gizmos for now.
 
#16
Landy67 said:
Maybe I'm looking at this the wrong way. Just how hard is it to travel with a double bass? Is the ability to fold the neck a real benefit?

Would I just be better off to buy a full sized, or 3/4 double bass and get a hard case for the couple of times a year I'll take it on the road? Is the folding neck that much more convenient?

Most of the time I'm going to play it in my office/music room.
Click to expand...
It's not THAT hard to travel with a full sized bass - I did it for more than 20 years, including three years of carrying mine in a Toyota Matrix. On the other hand, I take my Chadwick on all of my out of town dates these days, whether driving or flying. I don't need to worry about temperature changes, I can fly it (on Southwest, I usually don't have to pay anything; it's oversized but NOT overweight) and it leaves more room in the van for other gear.
 
#17
lnichols said:
I wouldn't buy that bass. However, I've seen several people play the Chadwick Folding Bass. It sounded good. I spent a while talking with Mike Barber (of the Gibson Brothers). He hasn't had any trouble with his. BTW, I thought his bass was the best sounding of all the basses at the Bluegrass Heritage Festival last year in Arlington, TX.

Leni
Click to expand...

I finally pulled the trigger, and bought a Chadwick Folding Bass. I picked it up Monday night!
 

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