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Double Bass Getting to second bass

D

Dr. Jake

Jul 1, 2008
60
0
Oakland, CA
#1
The board is always loaded with questions from first-time DB buyers. Two years ago, I was in that spot myself. But having gotten started in the right direction (got a teacher, bought from a reputable dealer, avoided the CCBs) I'm interested to know what more experienced TBers would advise someone looking for bass #2.

Apart from the obvious ("try lots of them") is there anything you're glad you looked for or wish you had looked or when you moved up from your starter bass?
 
#2
Just like the first bass, let EVERYONE know what you're looking for. If they've heard you, you can describe what you're looking for in comparison to your current bass (more projection, more depth,. sweeter tone, less boom etc), you've gotten familiar with the sound of your bass, has that changed the sound that you hear in your head when you "hear" yourself?
 
#3
Pay attention to the ergonomcis of the bass. You may love the looks and sound of that big 7/8ths with deeep ribs and very broad shoulders, but imagine yourself playing it for hour at a time or hauling it around. I wish I had paid much more attention to this when I bough my first bass. If you can handle it, that's fine but there are basses of many sizes out there.
 
#5
Don Higdon said:
While "try lots of them" seems obvious to you, it is nonetheless valid advice, if only to educate yourself on what qualities please you. We cannot know that.
Click to expand...

Just to be clear: I wasn't dismissing the presumed advice that I should try lots of basses - I'm in the process of doing that now. Neither was I asking what I should buy or what should be important to me. I'm not trying to simplify the process - just opening the sort of conversation that can sometimes reveal something one hadn't thought of.
 
#8
I know what your talking about, I've recently purchased a second bass and I went with a Dean acoustic performer. I was looking for something different from my electric and the acoustic fits the bill. I have a 4 string electric bass, nothing special but it sounds good and and goes with my type of music that I play most often. But it didn't fit quite right with everyone playing acoustic guitars out in my back yard. Since your looking for a second bass check out some Carvin bass's, They've spent alot of money researching what players are looking for and the sound they want.
 
#9
Stormtaker said:
I know what your talking about, I've recently purchased a second bass and I went with a Dean acoustic performer. I was looking for something different from my electric and the acoustic fits the bill. I have a 4 string electric bass, nothing special but it sounds good and and goes with my type of music that I play most often. But it didn't fit quite right with everyone playing acoustic guitars out in my back yard. Since your looking for a second bass check out some Carvin bass's, They've spent alot of money researching what players are looking for and the sound they want.
Click to expand...

Uh-- he's looking for a second double bass.
 
#10
Dr. Jake said:
Just to be clear: I wasn't dismissing the presumed advice that I should try lots of basses - I'm in the process of doing that now. Neither was I asking what I should buy or what should be important to me. I'm not trying to simplify the process - just opening the sort of conversation that can sometimes reveal something one hadn't thought of.
Click to expand...
Thanks for clarifying; over time, there have been too many posters who are essentially asking the board to make their choices for them on what is a completely subjective decision.
Having said that, I'll clarify what I mean by trying lots of basses. It's possible that you might not find enough difference between what you now have and what you think you can presently afford. You might find that what you really like won't be affordable for several years, and that you'd be better off starting saving now rather than buying an "intermediate" bass. But that's a decision you'll have to make.
Once you get above the 'factory' or 'shop' basses, there will be more variation between instruments, and the search becomes both more fun and more challenging. And as you try them, you'll begin to appreciate things like neck thickness, D vs. Eb necks, high sholders, sloping shoulders, rib depth, etc., etc.
Good luck.
 
#11
Try to find a bass that is a good fit for both you and your wallet, that you can grow with. If this is your second bass, by now you've got the hang of it and should be getting enough gigs to have a bass that can pay for itself. Stop reading all of the threads by a bunch of near death unhealthy old geezers that are on the ultimate holy grail search for the last bass that they will ever own and will be buried with, which will likely be in the next 36 months at the present rate they are going....;)

j.
 
#12
Every time I've played my next bass I've known pretty quickly it was the right one. In one case I wasn't searching and stumbled onto it and had to find the bread to buy it, on the other I had bread and went shopping.

The purchase journey of that bass, The Alsatian Queen, was well documented on this site if you want to see those and can't find it let me know and I'll dig up links.
 
#16

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#18
Back toward the topic at hand...

I've owned an American Standard since 1983 and it's essentially done what I've wanted, which was mostly pizz for blues or mixed pizz/arco for pit orchestra. More recently, I've gotten more interested in classical stuff and didn't see that as the AS's strength.

I've wanted a carved-top instrument for several years, though, and about 6 months ago I began looking for a hybrid that would meet the durability factor of my AS and have a better feel/tone for arco, plus a more comfortable string length (<43").

I tried a few hybrid instruments and thought my AS was holding its own against them for sound and playability. I was close to halting my search and sticking with the AS. I just couldn't bond with those basses or call them a step up. But I tried one more source in another town and found a fully carved European instrument that, although larger than I was thinking, did have a 41.25" string length and the sound and feel I was looking for. It was priced at not much more than the hybrids I saw...a school demo bass if I understand correctly. I'm hoping to buy it now.

My suggestion is to make a list of what's desired in a new bass...what got you started on the new quest in the first place. Then try instruments for a week at a time, seeing how close you can get to your wish list in features and price. Make sure that you're not just getting a change, but actually a step up in the direction you're hoping for.
 
#19
1947 Kay M-1
unknown dated Gretsch Tone King
early (late 30's-early 40's) American Standard
1950's era American Standard
1/2 owner (with my son in a 15-20 year old carved bass)

Borrowed the Kay for a year and played it before buying from a dear friend.

Bought the Gretsch off of Ebay for 660 bucks.

Found the early A Standard and immediately fell in love

Sold the Kay

Sold the Gretsch

Bought the 2nd A Standard off Ebay

Still waiting for my son to pay me back for my investment part in the carved bass. It WILL happen, I assure all of you.

Hoping to retire from the state of NC in less than 2 years with 30 years of service and then at the ripe old age of 51+3 months, have the health, time, opportunity and ability to play the living sh_t out of them till I kick off.

My reasoning for acquiring a second bass (in each instance) was to have a back up in case some tragic event occured. (Borrowing a bass ain't the same as borrowing your brother's pickup to put a load of chicken manure on your yard in the spring of the year.) :smug:

So far, it's working out beautifully.
 

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