Klier Basses?

Delurking time. First, let me say this forum has been a terrific resource for me over the past few months. I hope one day to be able to contribute and help others as I have been helped.

As readers of my profile will note, I'm currently playing an Azola EUB I bought in August. It was an inexpensive (and given the car I own) practical way to get back into music after an eight-year hiatus. (Before I sold it in 1993, I played occasional gigs on [pause; deep breath] a low-end Engelhardt I bought new along about 1979.)

Yes, I've now decided to get a *real* bass (though I don't regret the Azola one bit) and after the holidays are past, a teacher. (I'm a self-taught jazz player; I was able to pick up a modicum of theory from my piano-playing father.) I'm ready to learn arco and see how many of the bad habits I've developed I can break.

To get to the topic, I'm considering trips to look at a couple of basses, and one of them is a Klier at Hammond-Ashley. (For a city of its size, it's surprising that Denver has no bass shops; the nearest shop of any size is probably Robertson's in Albuquerque.) At $6490, it's at the tippy-top of my price range. I'd also look at the Wilfer at H-A ($5990) and the top-of-the-line Liandro DiVacenza bass at Kolstein's, and many of the 100 year old German flatbacks that seem to be everywhere are in my price range. Is anyone familiar with the Klier basses? Basically, I can afford to visit either H-A or Kolstein, and I'm trying to decide which has the largest number of possibilities in my price range. I also plan to visit Kansas City Strings, and look at one of their shop-finished basses.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

 

Looks like I'll probably be visiting Kansas City this weekend. FarmerDude, I'll contact you via e-mail. Maybe I should take a look at your Juzek.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I've spoken with Barrie and Bob Monroney in the recent past, and exchanged some e-mail with Bryce.

Still nobody willing to admit any familiarity with the Wilhelm Klier basses, huh?

 

Thanks, Adrian, for the info. I hope to make the trek to Seattle next week, and may well bring the Klier home. Of course, all my preconceptions may be turned on their heads when I get there and start playing basses. Should be fun!

 

No, this has nothing to do with underwear.

I'm back home, having driven nearly 4000 miles in the past week. I visited Kansas City last weekend (where I had the pleasure of meeting farmerdude and visiting K.C. Strings) and I arrived home from Seattle (and Hammond-Ashley) this very afternoon. And the winner is... (insert drum roll .wav file here) ...wait for it ...the tension mounts... eek: deafening cymbal crash ) the violin-cornered roundback by Wilhelm Klier.

I played a number of basses at H-A and pretty quickly narrowed it down to the Wilfer and the Klier. Both had their merits. I liked the sound of the Wilfer (wearing Helicore hybrids) a little better than the Klier, whose Spirocores sounded pretty lifeless. (The Klier on their website -- the one I bought -- isn't brand-spanking new, BTW. A Seattle bassist had been using it professionally for about a year, and had traded it in on another instrument.) Both basses had a nice "focused" quality I've never found in the hybrids I've played (although I haven't played that many). But there was something instantly "right" about the Klier when I was playing it. Couldn't really put my finger on it... both instruments were properly set-up, of course, and had comparable action. The Klier somehow just "fit" me. I began to wonder if a new set of strings wouldn't bring its sound around.

The Wilfer had a "hold through the end of the day" tag on it, and when Bryce called the fellow, he confirmed that he wanted it. So my choice, which was really already made, was seconded. I debated whether to ask for a set of Spirocores or a set of Helicores for the Klier; Bryce suggested the Helicores, since I liked them on the Wilfer. I think it sounds great with them. (Might sound even better with new Spirocores!)

I should say that Kansas City Strings offers some nice basses in the same ($6500) price range. I had promised myself that I wouldn't buy a bass until I'd been to either H-A or Kolstein's, however. And while it may have been a function of strings or soundpost position, the K.C. Strings "shop finished" basses I played seemed a little softspoken on the low end. Otherwise, quite nice in all regards.

Got the case... got a blue corduroy bib... got the funky DampIts... lessee... now I gotta get in touch with (All Hail!) Bob G. for a pickup!

If I can provide any additional information from my bass shopping excursions that anyone might find useful, I'd be happy to.