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Double Bass Inexpensive Basses in U.K?

#41
the shop in Stoke Newington always has 4 or 5 basses when I pop-in (I've got family round the corner), but they are a bit snotty, and mostly very expensive. I don't think they'd be that happy about anyone trying all the basses for very long if they didn't think you ahd the money - its the sort of place you have to ring a doorbell to get in.
Sorry to harp on about the conservetoire, but in answer to Bruce's post, I hadn't only played £400 basses when I got the consevetoire, I'd played several up to about £1,500 looking for a bass. That and the Gewa are still the best I've seen for the money in England, they're definately both worth looking at for anyone in the price bracket.
also, again sorry if I'm on the defensive, but whatever problems bruce's friend may have had with him, steve Berry is one of the most respected bassists in the country (and a great teacher), so his opinions must be worth something.
the contreversial bit - if you're serious about being a jazz bassist, the electric instruments are not the same thing at all. You're not learning to get a personal tome, volume, to project properly... buy something like a stentor, a zeller, a Gewa or similar, and get good and save up for a really nice instrument.
 
#42
As an update to what I posted previously on this thread - I have been into Footes in Golden Square more recently and they had a couple of German carved basses, which I tried and liked. The 3/4 one was reduced to £2,500 and I was really tempted - tried to sell one of my BGs - but I just don't have enough money and too many debts/commitments as the moment to lay out the cash.

I'm also going to make a visit to Gallery Strings in Hastings, before finally deciding which DB to start out on! ;)

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#43
junglejim said:
If you find any good info on Stentors Bruce...please keep posting!...

according to local music shop...Stentors are one of the few chinese basses that are OK? (they say!)
Click to expand...

I just paid a lunchtime visit to my local music store and they have started to stock DBs and they do interest-free credit!! :hyper:

I tried one of the cheaper (although full-carved) Stentors and thought it was OK - the strings weren't that good, especially the E, but it was a nice-looking bass and had a reasonable sound.

Re-reading this thread and other similar ones - I think I may well "take the plunge" and go for a Stentor Elysia on 0% credit!! :)

I'll do a bit more research and look at prices/setup etc etc.

But I think I've finally decided :eek:, after about 3 years of annoying everybody around here!! ;)
 
#44
Which shop were these Stentors in? Brighton or London?

I've got a 10 year old Zeller solid top laminated b&s bought s/h from Thwaite's in Nottinghamshire 5 years ago. Played against their roomful of very much more expensive basses, it held it's own as a pizz only jazz bass. The then available no-name Chinese basses looked a lot more crude constructionally and finishwise. I'd be interested how these newer Stentor basses sound and feel.

Foote's only had an all solid Zeller last time I was in, which felt very zingy and buzzy with Spirocores on.

Have you seen the slightly prettier and pricier Stentor Arcadia?
 
#45
Guy Batey said:
Which shop were these Stentors in? Brighton or London?

I've got a 10 year old Zeller solid top laminated b&s bought s/h from Thwaite's in Nottinghamshire 5 years ago. Played against their roomful of very much more expensive basses, it held it's own as a pizz only jazz bass. The then available no-name Chinese basses looked a lot more crude constructionally and finishwise. I'd be interested how these newer Stentor basses sound and feel.

Foote's only had an all solid Zeller last time I was in, which felt very zingy and buzzy with Spirocores on.

Have you seen the slightly prettier and pricier Stentor Arcadia?
Click to expand...

This was in Brighton - I'm surprised by your last comment, as looking at prices, the Elysia is more expensive (£1495) than the Arcadia (£1271), but not as much as the Profundo(£1875)! :confused:


See here :

http://www.dealtime.co.uk/xDN-Musical_Instruments---string_instruments-double_basses~V-rows
 
#47
There is some confusion here - I looked at the Stentor catalogue and it seems to be saying that the Elysia is specified with :

Hand carved spruce front - Hand carved flamed maple back

...whereas the Arcadia has all the same specs expect the less specific :

"selected and figured tonewoods" ...??

I was sold by the picture of Garry Karr...;)

"Garry Karr, world famous double bass soloist, pictured with the Stentor Elysia Double Bass

" I can thoroughly recommend this
bass from Stentor. It's user friendly,
with a good sound and for a hand made
carved instrument - amazing value"


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#49
Sorry I forgot to mention the shop was the Guitar, Amp and Keyboard shop in North Road - they only had student II model - fully-carved - but I sort of extrapolated in my mind and the shop assistant showed me some pictures/specs /prices of others and offered 0% credit!!

I have no excuses now - my life is changing!!

I also just found out that my company is buying me a business mobile phone - I've avoided these so far!! ;)
 
#50
OK - so today I took possession of a brand-new Stentor Elysia - looks very nice - all finely-grained, quite dark, flamed maple, ebony fingerboard etc.

It's going to take a while to get beyond first impressions - but I'm already liking it, having got it tuned to pitch! :)

More to come in future no doubt - but what surprised me, was that the shop tell me that these are made nearby in Sussex, England and the label inside the body says Reigate, UK.... I thought they were Chinese-made basses :confused: - hence the low(ish) price - maybe put together from parts here?
 
#53
Go Bruce!

You're gonna love it! Do remember that it'll take a few months to "run-in", though. Don't make any big changes to it until it starts to settle down and you see what direction it's going in.

Did you get bridge adjusters fitted? They were the things I experimented with most when I first got mine. I was tempted to keep the act... er string height... low, because that's what I'd been used to on BG, but the first time I played with other people I realised I had to take the strings up for more volume, so now I practice with them set high so that I don't kill myself getting enough volume with a band. My £0.02: don't be tempted to start off too low!

Now, go enjoy!
 
#57
Bruce,

I'm looking to buy a similar bass. I played a Stenor Conservatoire that had just been set up by Kenny MacDonald in Edinburgh and was very impressed with the quality and sound. Kenny had had to work on the nut and the fingerboard, fit a new sound post and he carved/installed a new bridge with adjusters. The only thing I didn't like was the flimsy endpin, but more importantly, the metal tailpiece. Does the model you purchased have an ebony tailpiece as well?

Erik Hansen
 
#60
LowNote said:
Bruce,

I'm looking to buy a similar bass. I played a Stenor Conservatoire that had just been set up by Kenny MacDonald in Edinburgh and was very impressed with the quality and sound. Kenny had had to work on the nut and the fingerboard, fit a new sound post and he carved/installed a new bridge with adjusters. The only thing I didn't like was the flimsy endpin, but more importantly, the metal tailpiece. Does the model you purchased have an ebony tailpiece as well?

Erik Hansen
Click to expand...

Yes - it has an ebony tailpiece and the endpin seems alright - the hardware seems very high quality - very substantial, solid brass machine heads etc.

Thanks to all for the positive comments and encouragement - I shall get some pics and maybe change my avatar - maybe I'll "doctor" that photo of Gary Karr (see above) and put my face in !! ;)
 

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