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Double Bass Fun and rewarding project or self-inflicted heartache?
- Thread starter Markshan
- Start date
I'm not a luthier, so bear that in mind... I am pretty sure that the cost of repairs will exceed the value of the instrument when restored by a pro. It 'might' be a good candidate as a project bass for you to learn repairing on, if that's your thing.
Yes, that is definitely my thing. I've done some work on some electric basses and think that this could be a fun next step if it is repairable at all. That's the part I'm not sure about.
I'm pretty good at talking people down. I'm more concerned to know if there's anything that would obviously prevent it from being repaired at all.
Subbed...
I say go for it as long as you can get it for much less than $520 and are realistic about your goals. Make it a great learning experience.
I say go for it as long as you can get it for much less than $520 and are realistic about your goals. Make it a great learning experience.
Wow, wow, wow. Slot head screws are holding the side-Lower bout to the kerfing or bracing?
So, yeah, you want to up your game in repair? Then, IMHO this could be years as a part time back burner project, like rebuilding an antique boat. I think because you’d have to custom build frames in which to rebuild the bass. Maybe building a DB from scratch or kit from new materials would be easier. Doing simpler repairs like seam sepaeations on students level instruments might have a better chance of a self-funding a repair skill building mission. Or offer to free apprentice for someone, and expect to do a lot of sweeping and phone calls and druggery as you slowly learn skills.
In other words, this bass looks like fun! go for it !
So, yeah, you want to up your game in repair? Then, IMHO this could be years as a part time back burner project, like rebuilding an antique boat. I think because you’d have to custom build frames in which to rebuild the bass. Maybe building a DB from scratch or kit from new materials would be easier. Doing simpler repairs like seam sepaeations on students level instruments might have a better chance of a self-funding a repair skill building mission. Or offer to free apprentice for someone, and expect to do a lot of sweeping and phone calls and druggery as you slowly learn skills.
In other words, this bass looks like fun! go for it !
Wonderful project, but not worth the asking price.
Take all the issues one at a time. You will be rebuilding a wreck, not repairing a bass. But the experience will be priceless.
Take all the issues one at a time. You will be rebuilding a wreck, not repairing a bass. But the experience will be priceless.
So, just to review the scoreboard, the BG guys all say go for it and people who replied with with DB experience warned against.
Don't mean to derail this thread, but I have my own wreck that I bought for very little. It has been sidelined for a very long time (BG & DB practicing, speaker builds, life.... etc. etc.) but this thread encouraged my to haul it out of its hiding spot! Is my workmanship top notch? No Will it have resale value? Heck no! Maybe with all those "cleats" (see last photo lol) it will sound like a sack of potatoes but I have learned a lot, have no regrets and have spent a fraction of what I spend on standard BG gas!
As bought:
Fast forward several years and lots of layover (photos taken today):
Yikes!
As bought:
Fast forward several years and lots of layover (photos taken today):
Yikes!
When you repair a wreck like this, are you actually left with the same bass?
This reminds me of the guy who loved his axe, had it for 30 years and only had to change the shaft twice and the head once!
This reminds me of the guy who loved his axe, had it for 30 years and only had to change the shaft twice and the head once!
Depends on what you mean by "repair" - Roxbororob's repairs seem pretty ok for he's doing (please take that as a compliment, Rob). On my 1810 Tyrolean, and now on the 1880 5/8th Bohemian, Nick Roubas's "repairs", including carving a new back etc etc, took 2 years (he's in middle of the Bohemian project currently).
The Tyrolean was definitely not the "same" but basically a new bass made with 200 year old wood that plays comparably (I just sat in a section next to a Prescott) to basses twice what I put into it - which was a lot. The bill on the Bohemian won't be as high, but the work is still extensive. It's a question of how much, how long and what you want the bass to be at the end (which I guess is several questions).
The Tyrolean was definitely not the "same" but basically a new bass made with 200 year old wood that plays comparably (I just sat in a section next to a Prescott) to basses twice what I put into it - which was a lot. The bill on the Bohemian won't be as high, but the work is still extensive. It's a question of how much, how long and what you want the bass to be at the end (which I guess is several questions).
