Double Bass Info about Capri upright bass?

[TroyK]

I was once a cyclist myself. It's not a perfect analogy because bikes aren't wood held together by glue and tension.

I'm not saying that you're doing this, but there is a phenomenon here where BGist ask this question, we give our answer and then they spend days and weeks and dozens of posts trying to get us to change our answer. That's when things usually get snippy. No one can tell you how to spend your money, but our answer is our answer.

It doesn't seem that anyone knows anything about Capri basses, but cheap Chinese basses with labels that no one knows anything about are pretty common. They often use green wood that will physically change as it cures and the wrong glue, which can prevent it from being practically repaired later. They simply aren't good options.

While we're giving advice that usually isn't well received - rent. It's much harder than BGist usually think it's going to be to play passibly basic on doublebass. You said that you don't intend to practice it. You might save even more money by renting for a couple of months to see if this is something that you really want to do.

 

[LouisF]

Sam,

Where are you located?

 

[HeadWind]

I'm not saying that you're doing this...

I appreciate you adding that because it is true, I really am taking the advice here to heart, not trying to change anyone's mind. But could see other posters possibly doing that.

While we're giving advice that usually is well received - rent. It's much harder than BGist usually think it's going to be to play passibly basic on doublebass. You said that you don't intend to practice it.

Just to clarify, I am under no illusions about how much practice it will take to even make a useful sound out of a double bass. It will take an immense amount of practice. I intend to put the time in, but my comment was that sometimes intentions don't get met. I practice just about every day (that I don't have a rehearsal) as it is, but recently I have been picking up more and more gigs, often sub gigs or one-off's where I need to learn lots of new songs, and that monopolizes my practice time. Just about the only good thing about the pandemic was that I could use my practice time to work on technique and drills for note selection for harmony over different types of changes. That was when I should have gotten the double bass!

 

[TroyK]

Yeah, the pandemic was good for the practice room. It's tough once you're busy to put the same quality practice time in.

 

[KUNGfuSHERIFF]

Look at it this way — if you decide the big bass is not for you, you’ll get most of your money back out of a lightly used Shen. NOBODY who knows what they’re doing will give you $1200 for a used mystery instrument. Worse, somebody’s hoping you’d do that to yourself.

If you wanna shave a few bucks off the price, call and ask if CSC is still doing their periodical sales of factory-second Shen basses with minor cosmetic flaws. I had one of those (Willow Rogeri) which was my workhorse for years and allowed me to leave the antiques safely at home. When that gig ended, I sold it for exactly as much as I paid to a happy jazzer.

 

[HeadWind]

I ended up getting the Shen. Thanks for the advice. The seller had it stored at a local university that has a good music department. The bass professor said it was a good bass although with somewhat high action. I will take it in for a set up. The bass professor suggested bringing it to CSC in Rochester since that is not far away. Apparently they do servicing there, too.

 

[TroyK]

Great outcome, solid bass with a known providence and support recommendation from someone who would know.

And I dig those violin corners!

 

[KUNGfuSHERIFF]

Nice. Is it an SB-88 with the oil varnish? That bridge needs a few hundred dollars worth of love, but if you string it with Spiro Weichs it’ll be a workhorse for decades.

 

[HeadWind]

It's an SB-100. 3/4 from 2002. As you were typing your comment, I was on https://www.talkbass.com/threads/da...ries-ok-for-pizzicato-playing-or-not.1325083/ and then https://www.talkbass.com/threads/identifying-s42-vs-3885-0.1443643/ This bass came with the helicore orchestrals. I have lots and lots of learning to do and every one of my friends' double basses I have tried to play feel like they have stiff strings, but these helicores are really stiff for sure. I plan to start my learning doing arco to work on fingering technique and intonation, but realistically, I eventually will be playing mostly pizz. Sounds like Spiro Weichs are what to go with, but am confused about the sizing for a 3/4 (see the S42 vs 3885 thread).

It's also got a Romberg bevel which I guess is not in fashion any more, but isn't a drawback either.

 

[TroyK]

I wouldn't worry about the bevel until and unless it bothers you. The stiffness is probably a setup issue.

For what it's worth I VASTLY prefer 3885 Spiro Weich to S42 Weichs. The later were like playing on an electric fence.

 

[VictorW126]

I ended up getting the Shen.

Congratulations on a good choice that most professionals will support.

And we invite you to our special discussion: DB bicycle thread

 

[HeadWind]

Congratulations on a good choice that most professionals will support.

And we invite you to our special discussion: DB bicycle thread

Hah! Although it wasn't too hard to get my wife's permission for this purchase, it would have been easier if that great local deal on a used gravel bike didn't come up a month ago.