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Double Bass How did you afford your bass? (DB forum thread)

E

eheveronsmith

Sep 22, 2009
28
15
Asheville, NC
www.eric-hs.com
#1
I'm curious to hear tales of how you saved up for a really nice upright bass. Or did you take out a loan? Rent to own? Credit card? Rich uncle?

I've got a bass that cost me about $1400; got it used. It's an alright German plywood bass from the 1970s. It's in very nice condition, but I'm quite dissatisfied with certain aspects of the sound- namely, the lack of low end. I plan on doing some setup things, and hope that will help, but someday I would love to own a really great flatback.

Only problem is, I'm married with a baby on the way, we'd like to buy a house pretty soon, and we'll probably have to buy a second car at some point too. So how the heck am I going to afford a nice bass?? I suppose I'll just save up for a while, and maybe get a little credit card debt happening when I decide to make the purchase. Hopefully I can find a good rent-to-own program, or a good deal from a friend. Or maybe I'll really luck out, and find a great old one from some widow who doesn't know what she's got! But I'd love to just hear some other people's experiences. Particularly those of you who own basses upwards of $4000.


So let's have it! Any experiences or advice on affording an expensive upright bass?
 
#2
eheveronsmith said:
Only problem is, I'm married with a baby on the way, we'd like to buy a house pretty soon, and we'll probably have to buy a second car at some point too. So how the heck am I going to afford a nice bass?? I suppose I'll just save up for a while, and maybe get a little credit card debt happening when I decide to make the purchase. Hopefully I can find a good rent-to-own program, or a good deal from a friend. Or maybe I'll really luck out, and find a great old one from some widow who doesn't know what she's got! But I'd love to just hear some other people's experiences. Particularly those of you who own basses upwards of $4000.
Click to expand...
With a wife and child with significant medical expenses, and a house payment, etc., I did it the old-fashioned way: saved up a few $$ here and there as I could, and sold instruments I wasn't really playing anymore, just had around because of the "gee whiz" factor. Bought a lesser CCB bass that I could set up myself from scratch, both because of cost, but also because I wanted to work on the bass to really learn it literally inside out, and to get it to where I liked the setup. It worked. I'm now playing bass in two jazz/dance bands and getting occasional gigs in a variety of settings as word gets around that I play.

Don't do credit cards. I did that with a tuba a few years ago, and I still have an outstanding balance, although I also still have the tuba and play it as part of another regular gig.
 
#3
eheveronsmith said:
I'm curious to hear tales of how you saved up for a really nice upright bass. Or did you take out a loan? Rent to own? Credit card? Rich uncle?

I've got a bass that cost me about $1400; got it used. It's an alright German plywood bass from the 1970s. It's in very nice condition, but I'm quite dissatisfied with certain aspects of the sound- namely, the lack of low end. I plan on doing some setup things, and hope that will help, but someday I would love to own a really great flatback.

Only problem is, I'm married with a baby on the way, we'd like to buy a house pretty soon, and we'll probably have to buy a second car at some point too. So how the heck am I going to afford a nice bass?? I suppose I'll just save up for a while, and maybe get a little credit card debt happening when I decide to make the purchase. Hopefully I can find a good rent-to-own program, or a good deal from a friend. Or maybe I'll really luck out, and find a great old one from some widow who doesn't know what she's got! But I'd love to just hear some other people's experiences. Particularly those of you who own basses upwards of $4000.


So let's have it! Any experiences or advice on affording an expensive upright bass?
Click to expand...


eheveronsmith: Given your situation with the family I would say you should take your German ply to a good luthier and request that it be set up for the absolute best sound that it can possibly produce. Be there as much as possible to make sure you get the sound you want.
Then live with it. It should help reduce the "new bass" fever for a while.:D
Sooner or later you will find a way to loosen up some cash but loading up a credit card when you have a young family is a very bad idea.
I went through the same thing as you with another instrument when I was younger and muddled through somehow until I could afford a better one. No regrets.
 
#4
I look constantly. Mild OCD I guess. It does have its rewards. Over the summer I lucked in to a pre-WW2 carved bass (probably Juzek, most of the label is missing) for $800. From a violin shop, no less. I paid for it with the proceeds from other instruments.

If all you want is more thump, a carved bass may not be the answer. A sound post adjustment and a played-in set of Spirocore Starks might be the medicine. If you're bound and determined to have a carved top, there is a young lady in Elmira selling a Shen hybrid on Craigslist. She wants two grand but may settle for less.

As a parent, I would encourage you to work with what you have and try to save cash so you're ready to move on an unexpected find. Especially in your area times are hard and a hungry child is priority one.
 
#5
My story is a little different. I bought an American Standard in the early '80s and held onto it until a couple of years ago when it was time for carved bass. The AS covered about half the cost of the new bass and the rest was paid for by saving gig money and selling a few things. I also spent a few months trying out basses in rehearsals until I found the one that represented the best value and characteristics I was after. It was worth the wait.
 
#8
This is all very good advice. I'd bundle it up into one comprehensive strategy:
  1. Get your plywood bass setup as well as it possibly can be
  2. Keep your eyes peeled for opportunities to find a nicer bass at a price you can afford (including your current bass for trade)
  3. Don't take on any credit card debt for this purchase
I also had an American Standard plywood bass until I found my current Czech factory bass in very poor but playable condition. I traded the AS for the Czech and only had to add a few hundred dollars because it was in rough shape. Then I saved up for the repairs over many years.

--Steve
 
#10
I've been fortunate enough to be a busy weekend warrior fo the last couple years and I tried saving that money but ironically, things always came up and I ended up spending my gig money on necessities
So I decided to borrow the money forcing myself to cover with gig $ and somehow it's been working out fine. Funny how the psychology works.
 
#11
Back in the 70's when I was starting out, I sold my German ply and took out a bank loan for the Juzek I've played since then. This was before big family responsibilities had kicked in. I then waited 30 years, and after a home sale, to buy a second bass that I now do most of my gigs on.

I would try saving the cash while you're looking, but if you can find a reasonable credit union, or card, with the plan to pay it off fixed in your mind, I would go for it. If you are serious about bass, a better one will make your life better!
 
#12
When I returned to playing after a long hiatus, I sold the Nissan 240 SX I'd been keeping around and put part of the proceeds toward a nice hybrid. That left cash over for accessories. Having kids in school, I couldn't justify any new cash outlay. Not long after that, a nice fully-carved bass popped up at my luthier's shop. I traded in the hybrid along with my old Kay plus a little cash. Years after that, after both kids had flown the nest, I traded in that carved bass plus.... for the bass I have today. Being a nighttime/weekend warrior (as fdeck would say) and having a day job, it puts a different spin on priorities than if I were a pro player.

As for the money for lessons, the time spent at rehearsals and gigs, and the various other expenses, well, I'm fortunate to have a wife who supports my passion. :)
 
#13
eheveronsmith said:
Only problem is, I'm married with a baby on the way, we'd like to buy a house pretty soon, and we'll probably have to buy a second car at some point too. So how the heck am I going to afford a nice bass?? I suppose I'll just save up for a while, and maybe get a little credit card debt happening when I decide to make the purchase. Hopefully I can find a good rent-to-own program, or a good deal from a friend.
Click to expand...

I recommend you spend some time familiarizing yourself with this man and his ideas before you take the plunge with credit cards. It might save you many hours of worry and some sleepless nights.

It's hard to delay gratification when you see all those things you want but can't afford. Follow the advice of those who recommended getting your current bass in the best possible condition. Set back 20 bucks here and 50 there and eventually you'll be in a position to upgrade with no worries.
 
#15
I used a credit card for some and set aside gig/teaching money for the rest. Very glad I stretched the budget for the right instrument.
Being the best husband and father you can be are paramount so don't let your interests get in the way of that. However, discuss this with your wife and see if you can budget a small amount every month for a better bass. That isn't exactly how I did it but I'm advising you to enroll your wife in your vision so that you do it as a team.
 
#16
Good point, clink. Major financial decisions like expensive basses will forevermore be committee decisions, and if your wife is anything like mine, she will claim veto power.

I've been lucky enough to come out ahead through all the gigs and wheeling and dealing I've done over the last 20 years, so my wife sees things for what they are and basically lets me do whatever as long as the bills are paid, there is cash in reserve, and there is a Coach bag or something sparkly in it for her. If any of those conditions cannot be met, there is no deal.
 
#18
Can't really speak to owning a high end, but I'm sort of in that process now (no child though). While I use a credit card, I pay off the full balance every month, and haven't carried a balance for over 10 years now. It means that I don't get many new things, and have learned to live with less than many others.

I Have a ply 1999 Lidl Gamba that I bought used. Tried out a number of basses that were on offer within driving distance, and bought the best one in my range. I changed the strings and gigged it for about a year before I had the extra cash to take it to a respected shop for proper set-up.

Got the sound pot reset, new bridge, endpin, and fingerboard planed, and what a difference. She sung like shed never done before. The guys in my band were looking at me amazed at the sound within the first moments of our first practice after getting it back (set-up can make a huge difference).

I had planned on continuing the same route and after a year selling the Lidl and upgrading to a hybrid, but the band split, and I am more or less just playing for myself right now. Still, I'm putting a bit aside all the time in the hopes of upgrading but it has been on the back burner for a little bit.

I still check the sites and keep my eyes open for basses I might be able to afford, you never know when one will come up.

Its not the quickest way to get into something really nice, but I feel more comfortable with it, as I don't make a living at it, and can live with what I currently have.

YMMV
 
#19
my musical "career," such as it is, has had two very different components - gigging actively from early teens through mid-30s, then a long hiatus from performing to raise 3 kids, then resuming in my 50s and now gigging actively again.

In the first stretch, I would have loved to have had an upright but I didn't have the resources - money, space, transportation, teacher - to do it. By the time the second stretch came, I had the funds to do it. I bought an Upton that I love and got a teacher who was great. In a few months I was gigging on the upright as well as the bass guitar. I still take a lesson at least once a month because there's always more to learn and it keeps me from getting into bad habits.
 
#20
eheveronsmith said:
I'm curious to hear tales of how you saved up for a really nice upright bass. Or did you take out a loan? Rent to own? Credit card? Rich uncle?

I've got a bass that cost me about $1400; got it used. It's an alright German plywood bass from the 1970s. It's in very nice condition, but I'm quite dissatisfied with certain aspects of the sound- namely, the lack of low end. I plan on doing some setup things, and hope that will help, but someday I would love to own a really great flatback.

Only problem is, I'm married with a baby on the way, we'd like to buy a house pretty soon, and we'll probably have to buy a second car at some point too. So how the heck am I going to afford a nice bass?? I suppose I'll just save up for a while, and maybe get a little credit card debt happening when I decide to make the purchase. Hopefully I can find a good rent-to-own program, or a good deal from a friend. Or maybe I'll really luck out, and find a great old one from some widow who doesn't know what she's got! But I'd love to just hear some other people's experiences. Particularly those of you who own basses upwards of $4000.


So let's have it! Any experiences or advice on affording an expensive upright bass?
Click to expand...

Spend less than you earn. Save the difference.

Resist buying goods & services that you don't really want, and save up for the ones you do really want.

Cars are big money suckers. Why buy a second car? Share the first car. Travel together, and use public transit and the occasional taxi for times when traveling apart. $15 000 spent on a car, 20 years later is $15 000 gone, along with a lot of other money. Not true of a musical instrument.

That being said, of the car you own now, take good care of it. Do all the rust prevention treatments every year, change the oil, filters etc. Drive carefully, (more so now with wife & baby on board). Good cars well maintained can function for 20 years or more. Drive less too. Just because you have a car, doesn't mean you always have to use it. Money saved here can be spent elsewhere.

Pack your own lunches instead of eating out during work hours. Fix clothes/boots/shoes/furniture instead of buying new replacements. Buy used items when appropriate. Buy when things you actually need are on sale. Don't buy if you don't need it.

When spending, things are either investments or expenses. Things that are consumed or devalue greatly are best considered expenses. Things that hold their value or increase in value can be considered investments. (Perhaps keep a separate list for services.)

Spend less than you earn. When you do spend, try to make as much money go into things that are investments, and only the minimum money go into things that are expenses.

After a few years, you'll be doing ok.
 

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