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Double Bass Getting my first Double Bass
- Thread starter PRUNEFACE
- Start date
Amazing thread..over 7 pages. Many of the regular, truly helpful, articulate and patient contributors are well represented. It's kind of amazing so much time and energy has been used. Talk about throwing pearls before swine. I think I read and researched these forums quite a bit before I posted much. I think that was about 5 or 6 months ago. There is so much great info here if people would just take a little time search on their own. Kudos to all "the usual suspects" posters who give of their time and expertise. I now see more clearly why some threads go completely of the rails!
No, but in the sacred words of Monty Python, I do have a photograph of a ham sandwich.
I can't sleep tonight. This thread seems to be helping, though...
Dearest Pruneface, while all of your ruminations may be keenly interesting to you, they are missing a not-so-subtle point.
We can't make you older, wiser, or teach you to play DB with a few pithy comments online, before you even have a bass. We can't even help you get a bass because you aren't ready to do so.
I understand; I have a teacher who has played the instrument professionally for over 50 years who is (of course) a wealth of information.
And I am definitely getting (in one form or another) a double bass, but becasue I am extremely sick I cannot speak and I cannot stand for longer than about five minutes. I just got back from a CT scan of the sinus and soft neck tissues.
I am not paying for the instrument or the bow; they are going to be gifts from my parents.
I think a parent purchasing an instrument for one of their dependents is an okay thing, contrary to much of what I see, becasue the fact that they are even allowed to learn the instrument relies on what the parents allows. My parents are very generous, and I just want to be able to steer them in the right direction as to brands etc. and I REALLY understand how every instrument is different and how sound is subjective. You may say that the differences in bass guitars by a single manufacturer are neglible; but they can still make the same (apparent) difference that would keep you from purchasing.
I think it is terrific for parents to be supportive of their children's interest in pursuing music. Out of respect for them, I suggest to you one more time, hopefully a little bit more clearly than before, that the difference in a good quality $200 bow and a good quality $2,000 will likely not be important for you right now or for some time.
As for basses, in the $10,000 - 40,000 range, there are plenty of subtle neunces from bass to bass, even from the same factory or luthier. In the $3,000range it's more negligable. DO NOT buy a cheap bass on eBay or some other similar method. You will not get your money's worth, even if they are cheap. Do consider basses from Upton, Lemur Music, URBBOB or other reputable shops in your price range (whatever that may be). There is plenty of useful information in these boards about those shops and their available models. I was actually sincere when I suggested the $1,850 Eastman for sale in North Carolina by a friendly TBer. I'll bet he would meet you (and your parents) in Georgia for the sale and you would be very happy with that instrument for some number of years.
You'll also need a case, some rosin, method books (on your teachers recommendation) and various other things like eventually DB strings, which are not cheap. You may also immediately need a setup by a professional luthier unless you buy from someone who has a good reputation for doing that or from a player who has maintained his/her bass professionally, which we of course, we keep insisting that you do. Even if you buy from a good shop, if you have it shipped, it may still need some setup help when it adjusts to the climate in the Florida Panhan...I mean at your undisclosed location. Eventually, no matter what, you're going to need to know and be able to access a DB luthier for service. No way around it. A good quality, plywood or hybrid bass will likely require less attention than a vintage carved bass.
I know some great professional players with very modest equipment. I also know some JAMFs (Jive Acting Mama Fools...sure, let's go with that) with really top end gear. It's much more respectible to be the former than the later.
Good luck, we all hope whatever health problems you're experiencing resolve quickly and completely and that you find your way along this wonderful path. Obviously we all love what we do or we wouldn't a) do it and b) talk about it so d**...darn much.
(Man, it's tough watching my language around minors. How the flip am I supposed to express myself?)
Peace
As for basses, in the $10,000 - 40,000 range, there are plenty of subtle neunces from bass to bass, even from the same factory or luthier. In the $3,000range it's more negligable. DO NOT buy a cheap bass on eBay or some other similar method. You will not get your money's worth, even if they are cheap. Do consider basses from Upton, Lemur Music, URBBOB or other reputable shops in your price range (whatever that may be). There is plenty of useful information in these boards about those shops and their available models. I was actually sincere when I suggested the $1,850 Eastman for sale in North Carolina by a friendly TBer. I'll bet he would meet you (and your parents) in Georgia for the sale and you would be very happy with that instrument for some number of years.
You'll also need a case, some rosin, method books (on your teachers recommendation) and various other things like eventually DB strings, which are not cheap. You may also immediately need a setup by a professional luthier unless you buy from someone who has a good reputation for doing that or from a player who has maintained his/her bass professionally, which we of course, we keep insisting that you do. Even if you buy from a good shop, if you have it shipped, it may still need some setup help when it adjusts to the climate in the Florida Panhan...I mean at your undisclosed location. Eventually, no matter what, you're going to need to know and be able to access a DB luthier for service. No way around it. A good quality, plywood or hybrid bass will likely require less attention than a vintage carved bass.
I know some great professional players with very modest equipment. I also know some JAMFs (Jive Acting Mama Fools...sure, let's go with that) with really top end gear. It's much more respectible to be the former than the later.
Good luck, we all hope whatever health problems you're experiencing resolve quickly and completely and that you find your way along this wonderful path. Obviously we all love what we do or we wouldn't a) do it and b) talk about it so d**...darn much.
(Man, it's tough watching my language around minors. How the flip am I supposed to express myself?)
Peace
Well, I've actually gotten CUT from the neck on a squier (I think it was an affinity, so it wasn't a VM) so I have a slight "fear" of true budget instruments. But yeah, I thank you for your recomendations. The price of maintenace (setups, strings, rehairings) would NOT be considered part of the instrument budget (and I'm not too sure what the bow budget is...) and my parents would have no problem with the work needed to take care of the bass (as long as it is reasonable ex: I dropkick my bass = no parent-paid repair).
I'll be looking theough the classifieds again and I'll post again when we make a purchase. Also, I'll try to get the bass guitars' and guitars' pictures up in the next week or two.
Once again....please don't associate any EB's or EB experiences with DB. Two completely different things. I don't know what your budget is and how much you can spend on a bass, but you don't really need to "fear budget instruments." Sure there can be some pretty crappy DB's out there but please don't base your DB decision on a previous experince that you had with a crappy EB. Good luck with everything.
Okay, here is a question that I could not find an answer to using the search function:
Do most basses have a finished neck?
Do most basses have a finished neck?
I meant "painted" or "varnished" becasue that does not ever seem to be mentioned on websites selling basses.
no, most of the time they are not. Varnish or paint or whatever else would hinder the thumb movement in the left hand.
Most basses don't... it's sticky, slows your hand down. You really don't want varnish there, and it's the done thing to remove it.
Okay, I'm starting to get tired of you again. Just so I know how annoyed to let myself get with you, how old are you, exactly?
Or if we knew that would it compromise your security?
Or if we knew that would it compromise your security?
Many necks are oiled when the bass is completed-- they're no actually finished. I can't wait to see what the next seemingly random question will be.
