Double Bass How Many Basses...

[David Barootian]

My first bass was a full carve knilling bucharest which wasn't too bad. One thing I didn't like about was the varnish which wasn't varnish at all but nitrocellulose lacquer. Current bass is a Kolstein marketed liandro divacenza which sounds better despite it being a hybrid. So I'm at number two but I can't say I've found the right one just yet as I've tried basses that sounded better that aren't impossibly expensive. Just need to get the cash.

 

[neddyrow]

about 4-5

started on and Eberle plywood with guts sound familiar

Switched to a Shen SB-200 - got scared to have a fully carved bass/never bonded - did like the neck a lot

King Mortone - never liked the feel or the sound i was getting - did not like the neck

Decided i preferred German style basses and bought a 1960s german shop bass (my current backup bass) - best beater bass in the world!

Finally purchased an upgraded Upton standard after trying one on the shop.

Never thought I'd settle on the Upton and was thinking I'd upgrade to something "better" but i have bonded with it, it sounds great and don't see myself getting a new bass anytime soon.

I mean...I'm going to build an electric bass this summer but that doesn't count

 

[coyote1]

Despite not owning an actual upright, I am clearly on this path lol

The Takamine TB10 has whet my appetite. The jazz guitarist in my band, who was our bassist when we were doing prog and everything else, owns an upright that was in my house for years - but I had him remove it when we had some construction done in order to protect the instrument. When the bass was there, our music was not geared toward it.

But now? It's exactly what we are doing! So after I get happier with my playing ability on the TB10, I will ask him to bring it back (which he will, as he is kinda pressed for space in his current abode). I will re-string it with pizz strings, and see where it takes me.

 

[coyote1]

My first bass was a full carve knilling bucharest which wasn't too bad. One thing I didn't like about was the varnish which wasn't varnish at all but nitrocellulose lacquer. Current bass is a Kolstein marketed liandro divacenza which sounds better despite it being a hybrid. So I'm at number two but I can't say I've found the right one just yet as I've tried basses that sounded better that aren't impossibly expensive. Just need to get the cash.

Ain't it funny how that happens. What is "supposed to" sound best does not always, depending on context. I have a Lorca classical guitar that has a solid spruce top, but clearly is not one of the ultimate pieces of spruce. Yet it projects better and sounds clearer than many classical guitars that are ten times the price.

 

[groooooove]

Ain't it funny how that happens. What is "supposed to" sound best does not always, depending on context. I have a Lorca classical guitar that has a solid spruce top, but clearly is not one of the ultimate pieces of spruce. Yet it projects better and sounds clearer than many classical guitars that are ten times the price.

my brother studied classical guitar in college. he had no money at the time and the teacher he was studying with, a renowned musician, recommended this yamaha that was like $130 at the time. He raved about the tone of that instrument for years. it really did sound lovely, you'd never know it was a "budget" guitar - to the extreme.

i've definitely played some affordable basses that sounded fantastic, and hand made "fine" instruments that did not have much character or good quality to them other than volume. generally with basses I find the money is well spent on the higher grade instrument, from CCB to reputable laminate, hybrid, affordable carved, quality carved, single-maker carved, and so on... usually you are going to get what you pay for I think?

 

[coyote1]

my brother studied classical guitar in college. he had no money at the time and the teacher he was studying with, a renowned musician, recommended this yamaha that was like $130 at the time. He raved about the tone of that instrument for years. it really did sound lovely, you'd never know it was a "budget" guitar - to the extreme.

i've definitely played some affordable basses that sounded fantastic, and hand made "fine" instruments that did not have much character or good quality to them other than volume. generally with basses I find the money is well spent on the higher grade instrument, from CCB to reputable laminate, hybrid, affordable carved, quality carved, single-maker carved, and so on... usually you are going to get what you pay for I think?

Yes. But. lol

Seriously - it is all about context. The lush deep sonority that best underpins a Wagner epic is NOT necessarily the instrumental voice that works best when accompanying a drummer, pianist and horns blowing jazz standards. Don't get me wrong here. If/when the time comes that I seek to purchase a 3/4 of my own, I will in all likelihood be seeking an instrument with, at the very least, a carved solid top. But I'll jump off that bridge when I come to it.

 

[equill]

Two. Started with an NS WAV4, then added a Stico once I was sure I was serious enough. No more upright GAS.

I did add an acoustic upright last year, mostly because it was inevitable at some point, and my teacher offered me a good price. It's a nice carved-back German model, and it looks very pretty in the corner over there

 

[unbrokenchain]

Unbrokenchain's bass saga

#1: Cheap underwhelming ply bass, maybe Chinese but I'll never know, seller said it was German. Bought for ~$400 because I was a poor college student and that's all I could afford
#2: Cheap Chinese ply bass, bought for $80 because someone smashed the endpin block. I fixed it, played it for a bit, sold it while keeping the other crappy bass.
#3: '69 Kay C-1. Traded an old truck for a van, traded van for a fancy electric bass, traded fancy electric bass for a Kay on TB. Sold cheap bass #1
#4: '46 Kay M-1. Saved some gig dough, bought it already suped up from Condino. Fixed '69 Kay neck block and sold it.
#5: Romanian carved, unknown year. '69 Kay sold for the exact price I paid for the carved, as the carved needed a lot of work. I've done some of the work, it's an amazing bass despite its entry-level pedigree, so I hope to one day have a pro restoration on that one.

My current Kay and carved are two totally different voices, the Kay w/ guts really does suit most of the music I am called for a lot better, but practicing alone there's nothing like the resonance of arco on a carved bass. If I am ever rich I might entertain the thought of a fancier bass, but until then I don't want for anything.