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Double Bass First time buyer, two basses, your thoughts?
- Thread starter abasskid
- Start date
I empathize w/ the difficulty assessing basses to purchase when not comfortable of your chops.
And, it can be a challenge to close your eyes, and make a decision based primarily on sound and feel. If that one sounds/plays vastly better to you, than that is the one you should buy. A nice indelible marker can do wonders
, and you might be able to cite the unwanted dots as a bargaining chip. We'll hear what other folk say, but even now that I have some MARGINAL ability, I'd prefer to play a bass that looked rough but sounded/played well, than one that looked stupid. And to me (apologies) all those dots look kinda stupid. Prepare to have folk ask you why you have all of them, or to make various assumptions about you based on seeing them.
Another thing (yeah - really bored at work!). You say there are very few basses where you are.
You know that works the other way too. Prolly not too many bassists either, meaning these basses have likely been likely taking up considerable room in someone's home/shop for a while.
Not urging you to take advantage of anyone. Everybody's got to eat. But just because they are ASKING a certain price, that's no reason you have to pay that - especially in a buyer's market, and ESPECIALLY if you aren't falling in love w/ a particular instrument. Might see about asking for any extras seller could toss in at low cost to them - strings, bag, instructional books, rosin, whatever.
You know that works the other way too. Prolly not too many bassists either, meaning these basses have likely been likely taking up considerable room in someone's home/shop for a while.
Not urging you to take advantage of anyone. Everybody's got to eat. But just because they are ASKING a certain price, that's no reason you have to pay that - especially in a buyer's market, and ESPECIALLY if you aren't falling in love w/ a particular instrument. Might see about asking for any extras seller could toss in at low cost to them - strings, bag, instructional books, rosin, whatever.
(No, I'm NOT intentionally trying to pad my post-count!)
Looked back over the OP, and if it weren't for those dots, I'd say that was a lotta stuff for the Eastman (bag, stand, bow...) at a lower price. And personally, I've played some nice Shen's, but have never seen one I'd pay a premium for.
Maybe time to bargain the price down and buy a sharpie. Or maybe put a bunch of dots all over the REST of the fingerboard, so as to distract from the existing ones! Hows THAT for a plan?!
Looked back over the OP, and if it weren't for those dots, I'd say that was a lotta stuff for the Eastman (bag, stand, bow...) at a lower price. And personally, I've played some nice Shen's, but have never seen one I'd pay a premium for.
Maybe time to bargain the price down and buy a sharpie. Or maybe put a bunch of dots all over the REST of the fingerboard, so as to distract from the existing ones! Hows THAT for a plan?!
I have no idea what was even used to make the dots. I wonder if they can be removed(No, I'm NOT intentionally trying to pad my post-count!)
Looked back over the OP, and if it weren't for those dots, I'd say that was a lotta stuff for the Eastman (bag, stand, bow...) at a lower price. And personally, I've played some nice Shen's, but have never seen one I'd pay a premium for.
Maybe time to bargain the price down and buy a sharpie. Or maybe put a bunch of dots all over the REST of the fingerboard, so as to distract from the existing ones! Hows THAT for a plan?!
Lots of great players use a few dots on the board, but not a string of them. They are for getting into the ballpark intonation wise. The dots never are exactly 100% in the correct place.
Do they go all the way up to the top nut? If so, that is a mistake imho.
I emailed the guy. This is what he says: The dots were put in by a professional luthier. I don't know what they are but they are put in extremely well and you cannot even feel them.....very smooth and flat with the neck.
what it really comes down to is playing both and seeing which you gravitate toward most. If you find the dots unsightly, a competent luthier should be able to remove them and fill them in with ebony to make them mostly invisible to anyone but you.... that might actually be a really nice feature. dot inlays are typically a (relatively) cheap job just fyi.
the pickup looks like it was done fine. the dots are also probably fine since ultimately it is a cosmetic thing. generally though, a guitar luthier (no matter how good they are) should not be hired to do work on an upright bass, they are completely different crafts. Because of this the earlier advice of "since the eastman has been worked on, its likely all the problems have been sorted by the luthier" is out the window. I took an EUB to a guitar luthier years ago (out of ignorance) and he completely flattened the fingerboard; something that would be great for a guitar/bass guitar, but is terrible for the playability of an upright.
Unless you play it and fall in love with the eastman there is a lot of reason to go with the shen with all this in mind.
Sorry if I said something wrong or offended you Kungfusheriff.
Like I said, I am new, I'm a 16 year old kid so obviously not as seasoned or experienced as you are. I just want to learn more about Double Basses and play more and buy one. I thought this was a good place to ask questions, and I am very thankful for the people who are helping me out. I am putting a lot of my own money towards this purchase, and I am sure my part time job hourly wage isn't any where as high as yours. It is a big purchase for me.
Like I said, I am new, I'm a 16 year old kid so obviously not as seasoned or experienced as you are. I just want to learn more about Double Basses and play more and buy one. I thought this was a good place to ask questions, and I am very thankful for the people who are helping me out. I am putting a lot of my own money towards this purchase, and I am sure my part time job hourly wage isn't any where as high as yours. It is a big purchase for me.
I'm sure he's rolling his eyes more at the seller who took it to a guitar luthier than at you. Even for us "adults" ~$2500 isn't exactly a small purchase so you're perfectly justified trying to do as much asking around as you can. Your question/topic is totally valid.
Don't be in a huge rush to spend your hard to earn money. It's a buyers market.
Bass shopping is fun. Enjoy it. Renting from L&M is also a great temporary option, as you have a lot to learn.
Do you have a pro teacher? Perhaps a local symphony player? They are an awesome connection to basses for sale and a caring teacher will guide you best.
When I was around your age my teacher asked if I wanted an old Hawkes ex military bass, it was about $750 (900?) at the time. The bass was loaned to him while his old Italian was in for repair. That very bass (had a unique chip in the wood) came up for sale recently at about $30,000us. I passed back then as I had just bought a bass I still have today, but wish I had grabbed that beauty.
The dots are over the top and will open you up to cheap shots from other bass players. You could use it to negotiate a lower price. A first upright bass rarely is a forever bass. Personally I would pass because of the dots.
Bass shopping is fun. Enjoy it. Renting from L&M is also a great temporary option, as you have a lot to learn.
Do you have a pro teacher? Perhaps a local symphony player? They are an awesome connection to basses for sale and a caring teacher will guide you best.
When I was around your age my teacher asked if I wanted an old Hawkes ex military bass, it was about $750 (900?) at the time. The bass was loaned to him while his old Italian was in for repair. That very bass (had a unique chip in the wood) came up for sale recently at about $30,000us. I passed back then as I had just bought a bass I still have today, but wish I had grabbed that beauty.
The dots are over the top and will open you up to cheap shots from other bass players. You could use it to negotiate a lower price. A first upright bass rarely is a forever bass. Personally I would pass because of the dots.
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Just read my last post. Hmmm.
Not meant to come across condescending.
By 'as you have a lot to learn' I mean a positive constructive awesome journey learning what you might not now know. And the learning never ends for all of us, today I spent my practice time figuring out false harmonics at the end of the board.
Not meant to come across condescending.
By 'as you have a lot to learn' I mean a positive constructive awesome journey learning what you might not now know. And the learning never ends for all of us, today I spent my practice time figuring out false harmonics at the end of the board.
I didn't think any of your post was condescending, and you are right that I still have a lot to learn.
The situation is that I can't access my bass from school. Long and McQuade told me they are not doing new rentals during Covid. And, my parents have saved a ton of $$ not having to drive to work or driving me and my siblings all over the place to our activities. Plus, our camps are cancelled this summer. So, they are willing to help me out a bit. I'd like to have my own instrument...
I miss playing. : (
The situation is that I can't access my bass from school. Long and McQuade told me they are not doing new rentals during Covid. And, my parents have saved a ton of $$ not having to drive to work or driving me and my siblings all over the place to our activities. Plus, our camps are cancelled this summer. So, they are willing to help me out a bit. I'd like to have my own instrument...
I miss playing. : (
What? NO BASS?
You better git one!
Yeah, here we all miss playing with people. I went from a symphony, chamber rehearsal or jazz gig every day to nothing. Until this March, I had not a single month in 45 years where I did not play a paid gig. Same story for a lot of us.
For some reason I thought you had a bass to play. Dots on the board are not a big deal. Not having a bass IS a big deal (in my world!)
One of my basses came with two dots, and during practice it can actually come in handy. They don't get noticed while gigging or live rehearsing though.
Have fun tracking your bass down.
Be sure to post a NBD thread ( new bass day).
You better git one!
Yeah, here we all miss playing with people. I went from a symphony, chamber rehearsal or jazz gig every day to nothing. Until this March, I had not a single month in 45 years where I did not play a paid gig. Same story for a lot of us.
For some reason I thought you had a bass to play. Dots on the board are not a big deal. Not having a bass IS a big deal (in my world!)
One of my basses came with two dots, and during practice it can actually come in handy. They don't get noticed while gigging or live rehearsing though.
Have fun tracking your bass down.
Be sure to post a NBD thread ( new bass day).
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Yes I have a realist in a custom Electric upright, and they go under the E string sid foot of the pridge. Great pickup BTW!
