Double Bass Inexpensive Basses in U.K?

[TSP]

Heads-up for anyone looking for a VERY inexpensive bass - I just stumbled across [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] with a Boosey and Hawkes bass for £295. Obviously not the best bass and probably not in the best condition, but it should be a decent piece of student-market ply if it's in playable condition, and it's the cheapest bass I've ever seen, if you're in reach of Tunbridge Wells to go and have a look. If I hadn't just blown my "toy" budget, I'd be tempted to go and have a look myself, for something to take to REALLY difficult gigs where I wouldn't risk even my battered carved bass....

 

[7string]

Just to say 'hi' to all, especially the UK guys...

Yup, another one over from electric bass... the information in this thread has been hugely helpful...

I played violin from age 6-16 when I left school and ended up playing electric bass where I've been for the last 15 years or so. I got ill about 2 years ago and my girlfriend suggested I do an Open University course to keep my little grey cells from going stale.

Part of the course was a residential week away in Durham University and I was the only one there who could play, albeit very little, double bass. I ended up playing with the string section, the whole orchestra (with only 90 minutes notice and frantic practice) and then playing with the guitar group, which I had been practicing all week for. After that it turned into a 4 hour jam in the bar...I would have taken the double bass home if they'd let me !!

So now I am selling my Roland electronic drum kit and getting a double bass. I went to the Glasgow Violin Shop today and they had a Zeller and a Romanian bass in my price range. I compared these to the cheaper Antoni and it was just night and day !!

Just can't wait to get the kit sold, get a bass and start playing. There's just so much info on this forum, essential to a newbie like myself, it's like I've found a whole other world to explore....

 

[roach]

yes i was looking at the Stenor range...
the Elysia or the Arcadia are top of my list so far!!

I just have this dislike of shiny new DB's!
rather find a nice old second hand one...
but doesnt every one!!!!!
Its not gonna happen!!!!
so for the money Stentors....seem very good.

Before you buy your first stop should be Peter Tyler call him on 01628-621560 or Email [email protected] He was recomended to me by Roger Dawson, he as a good choice of basses new and old in all price ranges and you can take one away to try!

 

[7string]

Well I took the plunge and bought myself a Zeller from the Glasgow Violin Shop www.theviolinshop-glasgow.co.uk

I called about a dozen shops over the last week or so including the extremely helpful Peter Tyler, listed above. It was Peter who confirmed that the Zeller was a good buy, so my thanks to him for that.

Both Ray and Brenda at the Glasgow Violin Shop were extremely helpful and I recommend them for anyone within reaching distance of Glasgow. The city centre is easy to get around, so finding them is pretty straightforward.

I've created a new thread, with pics of the db.

Thanks to all who have posted on this thread, it's been extremely helpful to me.

 

[Bruce Lindfield]

Well I tried those and didn't like them, especially compared to Stentor - I'm sure I went into it in this thread - so it was no thanks to me!!

 

[7string]

Yup, I read you got a Stentor after a bit of a search !!

I'm more than happy with the Zeller though. I had a fixed budget to get the whole outfit and the Zeller fitted the bill.

I didn't realise though how much this bass projects until i got home. I stood on the other side of the room while my girlfriend plucked one og the strings for me and it's was kinda loud !!

Can't wait until the stuff arrives from Upton and I can make even more noise !!

Cheers,
Mark

 

[Tallboy]

Contgratulations on your new bass 7string.

I’ve not seen the Andreas Zeller basses but I would think they are fairly decent quality as they are manufactured by Stentor along with all their instruments in China and they are really good.

Have you decided on a pickup yet? Headache no.2…………..

Sorry to be nosy… what have you ordered from Upton??

P.S. From the description of your strings on your other thread I can confirm that they are definitely Spirocore Weich.

 

[Bruce Lindfield]

I searched TB for Stentor info and there were a few threads about - but mostly people didn't know much about them - there was one positive review :

12-15-2003 10:58 AM

oliebrice
Member





Registered: Apr 2003
Location:

I'm going to answer my own question, in case anyone is in a similar situation to the one I was in. I wanted a decent bass, solid top, for under £1000. I'm based in the north-west of England, where theres no specialist bass shop. I played several second hand romanian basses for about £700/£800, and thought they sounded pretty dead, not much volume or resonance.
Although this site had turned me against chinese instruments, as had my previous bass (Antoni, plywood, chinese, £450 and sounds like it), I played the stentor partly for comparison, partly because they used to import the Golden Strad basses which had been highly reccomended to me but which noone seems to import anymore.
It sounds gorgeous, I've had it for a few weeks now, put Spirocores on it, its really loud, lovely to play, fully carved, cost £900 and blows everything else I tried out the water.
I'm a novice, but my teacher (Steve Berry, bassist in Loose Tubes for anyone who knows their UK jazz) says hes never seen such a good new bass for the money. You get a decent bow and bag for the cash too.
The basses available in the UK and USA seem to be very different, so this might not apply to many reading this, but anyone looking for a bass in the UK for under a grand, I really reccomend you at least play a Stentor Conservetoire before you buy anything else.

Order the Stentor Elysia DB from a music shop in Morpeth (a friends uncle). Took about 3 weeks to arrive. Cost £60 to have the bridge lowered and sound post put in the right position, this was done locally and I'm very satisfied with my purchase.

Hi Bruce

I use my Stentor DB mainly for playing with local amateur orchestras and also in pit orchestras for Amateur Dramatics. The DB has a nice rich sound when using the bow and since I've had the soundpost repositioned both the A & E strings have a quite pronounced sound. I haven't tried using a pick up yet although I will probably go for the Realist (£140) and see what it sounds like through my Ashdown Bass Combo.

I really chose the Elysia as it is recommended on Stentors Web Site by Gary Karr I'm sure he wouldn't put his name to a product if it wasn't any good. I know you take a chance without trying a DB out first, but as I've already said I'm very pleased with my purchase.

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

thats strange - I play a stentor conservetoire, which definately has and came with an ebony tailpiece. For what its worth, I've had it about 2 years now and am still very, very pleased with it and think it sounds better than a lot of more expensive instruemnts I've played

I thought all the Stentors were made in China, but the guy at the shop where I bought mine (also a keen DB player) told me they were put together in Sussex and that they were making them to order - the label say Reigate, which is in Surrey...but close!

I looked at the extensive Stentor catalogue on the web and that has a clear statement that the Student and Conservatoire models are made in China - but it has no similar statement for the Elysia,Arcadia and Profundo models, which are on a different page - it only says they are "hand-made" but doesn't say where...?

Invalid Link Removed

I've played Olie's bass and agree with you. It speaks far more easily than mine and has a warm tone (and was cheaper!). I'm used to/er attached to mine though and am not looking to change it for now. I've heard Olie fill a medium room at a gig playing acoustically and he was never wanting for volume in playing against sax and drums. I was impressed by the 'woody' tone at the time too (its how Alec Dankworth describes his tone and I thought there were simmilarities).

I think easy to play - the shoulders are narrow and the string length (can't remember what it is) is not too long. The top was close grained too - well especially for something under £1K and in comparison to mine which was over £1K.

Yep - looks like a good buy.

I've had 2 excellent luthiers and 2 world class bassists (Steve Berry and Steve Watts) agree that the Stentor Conservetoire is suprisingly nice for the money.
If you want to hear me playing one, you can on Link Removed

Just to highlight it wasn't only me saying the Stentors were better than the Zeller bass!

See especially Mike Crumpton who owns a Zeller but has played Olie's Stentor!

 

[7string]

Reading these replies, there's no doubt that buyers are pleased at purchasing their Stentors. I've really managed to swap my Roland kit for a db. Including the bow, rosin and stand from Upton (which is on the way ) I'm bang on budget. No extra funds were available to stretch the budget in any way and won't be for some considerable time (just click on the build thread link in my sig for half the reason why that is !!). For the money, the Zeller was a good deal.

Whatever bass people play, we all enjoy playing the instrument at whatever standard we're all at. I'm just pleased that the information on here, combined with the staff at the Glasgow Violin Shop, enabled me to make an informed choice.

If I hadn't had this info, I might have just jumped at the cheapest one I could find thinking that it would be OK. I could have ended up with...I can bearly say it.....an.....an.... An...to...ni

 

[uptonbass]

Not perfectly on subject here guys but I am looking for a UK rep of my Upton Basses any help would be much appreciated!

 

[7string]

I think that this thread kinda covers a bit of a who's who of db in the UK.

Peter Tyler was extremely helpful to me www.tylerbasses.co.uk as well as the Glasgow Violin Shop www.theviolinshop-glasgow.co.uk

No doubt those more experienced than a newbie like myself might throw a few ideas into the ring as well !!

By the way, I'm expecting my bow, stand and rosins from yourselves in the next week or so. Got to say I've been really impressed by the level of customer service I've experienced thus far.

I can't wait for the items to arrive and will post reviews both here and on your website !!

 

[Bruce Lindfield]

I think the point is - as I have mentioned many times - that there aren't really any shops that hold stocks of basses or gear.

So many times I phoned and was told - well we've nothing like that in stock but I can get you...xxxxxx.

And the shops that do hold stock are looking at the high-end of the market - £5k - £50k - double for dollars!

 

[7string]

Looks like I was extremely lucky having a shop in Glasgow who have about a dozen basses for sale from £500 to £10k +.

I quite agree though that there's no 'go to' shop for those looking at what would be called the lower end of the market (ie. Sub £1500 !!).

 

[The Bass Hog]

I have a friend who was looking for a 3/4 upright that isn't Chinese. We tried Peter Tyler but he had nothing in the price range. I've come across this link <http://www.sandarac.co.uk> which might be of interest. My friend has been there and bought a bass and is now grinning from ear to ear. These things are apparently hand made and can be obtained to your specification. Worth checking out.

 

[LouisF]

I think Steve Swan is selling the Kremona basses in the US

Louis

 

[The Bass Hog]

I'm pleased to hear Steve Swan is selling Kremona basses in the US as they are damned good, however we have difficulty getting to see them in the UK. My friend was able to visit the showroom, try out a couple of models and walk away with a Rubner model. He was very positive about the service and very pleased with the bass. Here in the UK things seem a little more limited than in the US particularly if you want to try something out first.

 

[LouisF]

Have you tried Stentor? Though Chinese made, their upper level of basses is supposed to be pretty dependable.

Louis

 

[Roger Davis]

Where can you try DBs in London - I went to Footes in Golden Square and they had one DB and it sounded like crap!!

I would love to know of other shops where you can do this!!

Alas poor Footes, they are a shadow of their former selves. In the sixties they had a branch in Denman Street, Soho that was teeming with bases. I bought my first for £35, as I recall, and met Ray Brown there as a bonus. Ah, happy days!

 

[Akbrownsfan]

Gulp.....help me out here............I might be buying a St. Antoni here in the US. No one has heard of them really. I just read this thread with the bashing of Atoni...........are they the same?
the hits on the net for St. Atoni all seem to be in Australia.
Price for St. Atoni are about $2000US
and Atoni about $800US.

Please tell me they are different brands!! Help.

 

[Marcus Johnson]

Alas poor Footes, they are a shadow of their former selves. In the sixties they had a branch in Denman Street, Soho that was teeming with bases. I bought my first for £35, as I recall, and met Ray Brown there as a bonus. Ah, happy days!

Wow... that's a nice memory!