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Double Bass Englehardt Discrimination??

B

bass_snake

Inactive
Aug 13, 2008
1,594
3
46
Stouffville, Ontario
#1
So, I went to a luthier downtown Toronto today. Mainly to have my tail gut changed to an aircraft cable. Dude looked at it and said that that' s the original tail gut. Don' t change it just in case somebody wants to buy your bass. They would prefer the original. So I told the guy. I heard that if I change it into a cable my sound would be better. Dude said, no, I don' t think there would be any change with the sound at all. So, I' m like. Alright...

Well, I don' t like my string height. I want a set up. So, they looked at it saying that the fingerboard needs to be adjusted but they don' t want to take it off the neck because it might break for the fingerboard is not an ebony. They said that they wouldn' t have any problems taking it off if it was an ebony. To replace the fingerboard is like thousand.

I' m thinking that they don' t want to do to anything to my bass because it' s an Englehardt. I' m trying to find out if there' s a luthier in my area that deals with repairing the Engles, Kays, Epiphone, AS...only.

Now, I don' t know where to f@**^#@ take my bass to. Where do you guys take your basses to when you need something done to it? Do you guys so it yourself?

thanks,

Fred
 
#2
He might not have enough time for your bass. It's the same with Mario LaMarre here in Montreal - if you have a cheap bass (under $10,000 generally), he'll put you on a looooooong waiting list. Even when your bass is a higher worth, he'll still make you wait.

I've heard good things about The Soundpost in Toronto. Besides that, I don't know anything about competent bass luthiers in Toronto. I'm sure there are a few.

The luthier doesn't sound great if he thinks the tail gut will make a buyer not want your bass. That's stupid. Also, it can change your sound, but it will minimally. I personally don't notice it, but other people do. Most people like airplane wire or braided steel because it's stronger and doesn't snap.
 
#3
Did he say the fingerboard is too thin to be dressed/planed? Otherwise have the fingerboard planed shouldn't be a huge issue. Getting rid of the coat hanger seems to be a usual first step to opening up the sound of the old ply basses.

String height should also be dictated by the height of your bridge and nut? Do you need a new bridge or maybe just add adjusters. Is it cut for arco playing or flat?

YES, find a luthier that works on basses or will work with you and the Engel.
 
#4
Some luthiers sure don't seem to like Engelhardts. I had a cosmetically nice 1997 Engelhardt S1 and a local luthier wanted almost $800 for a new bridge with adjusters, nut work, new endpin, new tailgut wire and new strings. He said in his opinion it still wouldn't sound very good because the neck standover was wrong and the bridge would have to be very low to get the string height reasonable, and that would reduce pressure on the top, reducing volume and tone (and it was already pretty quiet).

I declined to spend all that money on it and went and bought a Shen SB90 completely properly set up for less than what I paid for the Engelhardt combined with the $800 setup charges. I sold the Engelhardt for $100 more than I paid for it and I'm glad I did.

I really don't think this luthier wanted to work on the Engelhardt though. He was making snide remarks about it and really kind of turned his nose up at it. He's pretty much a jerk though.
 
#5
If they're in a service industry and are going to turn their nose up at business, move on and find someone that will appreciate your business. I found a local bass shop through the Gollihur site. The bass luthier I visited had no qualms about working on my Engelhardt, at least not that he revealed. He even scheduled a time for me and did the work while I watched (I live out of town relative to his shop).

http://www.gollihurmusic.com/luthiers.cfm
 
#6
Herbie 80's said:
He might not have enough time for your bass. It's the same with Mario LaMarre here in Montreal - if you have a cheap bass (under $10,000 generally), he'll put you on a looooooong waiting list. Even when your bass is a higher worth, he'll still make you wait.

I've heard good things about The Soundpost in Toronto. Besides that, I don't know anything about competent bass luthiers in Toronto. I'm sure there are a few.
Click to expand...

No, actually they have time. I have an appointment.

As for Soundpost. I haven' t brought my bass there yet but it' s just they can' t answer simple questions I have for them.

 
#7
Matt Ides said:
Did he say the fingerboard is too thin to be dressed/planed? Otherwise have the fingerboard planed shouldn't be a huge issue. Getting rid of the coat hanger seems to be a usual first step to opening up the sound of the old ply basses.

String height should also be dictated by the height of your bridge and nut? Do you need a new bridge or maybe just add adjusters. Is it cut for arco playing or flat?
Click to expand...

The fingerboard seemed to be straight not rounded. It' s like my E and G is 9mm while my A and D is like 11mm. I believe the bass was recently set up for orchestral playing when I bought it. I do have adjusters by the way.
 
#10
bass_snake said:
The fingerboard seemed to be straight not rounded. It' s like my E and G is 9mm while my A and D is like 11mm. I believe the bass was recently set up for orchestral playing when I bought it. I do have adjusters by the way.
Click to expand...

Ok. My fingerboard is pretty flat as well. You shoul be able lower the bridge equalamounts until you get buzzing, when you get buzzing just raise them up again slightly. Should be a fix for now. If you plan on no arco playing you could just get the bridge reshaped to be flat, the A and D are higher for bow clearance.
 
#11
bass_snake said:


Thanks. Sadly I only know two luthiers in Toronto. I' ll do more research.
Click to expand...

I can vouch for the dude at the Soundpost in Ottawa. he does fantastic work and is an awesome guy. if he turns you down for "quality" reasons ("i'm not going to work on an englehart", for example) I'd not only be surprised, I'd be dissapointed. definitely a longer drive than T.O from Stouffville, but worth it IMHO. man, Toronto, that whole town's got a bad attitude.

eerbrev
 

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