Double Bass Knowing when its right

[Thumpie]

Seriously, I'd rent a bass for the first six months or year. Seriously.

You need time to learn what qualities you desire in a bass. I'm on my 4th bass, and I certainly look for different things now than when I was starting out.

If it's not possible to rent a bass in your area, I'd make sure and buy one that will retain its value for resale--because you're going to want something different down the road.

Welcome to the club. It's a rough road to travel. You'll waste $1000s on strings and set-ups and you'll always be plagued by the nagging thought that "your sound" is just out there around the next corner. But it's almost worth it when you pop up to a C on the G string and find yourself (for once) perfectly in tune with with a beautiful singing tone...

 

[Eric Swanson]

Great thread. Good to hear all of the experience from the previous folks.

Only thoughts I would add would be about the process. In my most recent search, I found it helpful to take prospective basses into different rooms and playing situations, in which to try them. I also found it helpful to have a few luthiers inspect the same instrument, to talk about health, value, and general design.

Not being "bass horny" was the best state for me to be in, when I was shopping. Times I have bought quickly have not gone so predictably well. While I have gotten lucky, once, in the past, I have also bought some instruments that didn't work well for me.

I think one "knows" instantly AFTER a lot of shopping and trying has already gone on. I knew I dug my current bass the second I played it; but only after I had played and seriously considered dozens and dozens of other basses, before that moment.

 

[Eric Hochberg]

I think one "knows" instantly AFTER a lot of shopping and trying has already gone on.

My experience, too. I played well over 100 basses in my search and when I found the one I bought, it was barely playable but the few notes I heard, I knew it had a sound that I loved. Getting it set up was another story...but has come out well in the end.

My recommendation for your first bass, is get one well set up off the floor and take it home for a week or two on trial so you get a feel for living with it over a period of time.

 

[iiipopes]

This is really a far stretch of an analogy, but purchasing a first bass is rather like deciding which girl in class to ask for a date, and all the reasons pro and con for asking any particular girl out come to mind.

Then after having gotten to know everyone, in class and all the initial impressions have run their course, all of a sudden you find a girl you can talk to in a comfortable manner, strike up a conversation, become friends with, have fun both working on school projects and doing things together, and it goes from there.

Same with a bass. It's not always the one that you go, "Wow!" when you first pick it up to play, but the one that you keep going back to is the more likely candidate. If you are in an area that makes it economical and feasible, renting a bass for awhile to get to know what the instrument is all about is a good alternative.

 

[najcross]

purchasing a first bass is rather like deciding which girl in class to ask for a date,

I told my dad that buying a bass is a lot like picking out a wife a few days ago lol but I definately understand the analogy.

My impression going into my search was that their would be a bass that would sound beautifully, play easily, and evrything would just feel right when it got into my hands. From what I'm reading is that bass my perchase off sound 1st and then how it feels in my hands. Worry about how it plays later.

Anyone else agree with renting for a while longer before buying? I don't have to have a bass until late august so I have plenty of time.

Thanks for all the help so far, Jeff

 

[RickeyC]

Take somone along who knows about basses. And/or get it on trial, so you can show it to a teacher, etc.

Stand back and let someone else play it while you listen is very helpful too.

Take your time.

Good luck.

+1!!! Get someone else to play the bass, it will really show you how it sounds..

 

[fdeck]

My first bass was a freebie, and I played it for many years before embarking on the search for a new bass. I was going from an old Kay to what I was hoping would be a pretty serious improvement. Still, my search took me several months. This included scheduling time to visit shops in Chicago, along with many trips to my local luthier shop, and some basses being sold privately.

I formed the impression that trying out a bass should be approached like learning to play, i.e., it should be done with some expert guidance if possible, and it probably takes some practice. I literally had to get the Kay sound and feel out of my head, so that I could judge basses on their own merits. Because I already had a functional bass, I was looking for both tone and playability at the same time. When I knew that I had found "the one," it was a combination of factors:

1. The bass itself, of course
2. Gaining confidence in my ability to judge an instrument
3. Buying from a trusted luthier
4. Knowing that I had made a reasonable effort

I agree with renting for a while longer, especially if you're just starting out with the bow, but spend some time casually trying out some other instruments if possible.

About the "action" issue, I'm with drurb here. My Kay has the famous skinny neck, and I opted for a mainstream geometry on my new bass. Getting used to the bigger neck and higher strings didn't take long, and I'm now experiencing less left hand fatigue as well as better technique. I suggest that if your playing situation permits, set the electric bass aside for a few weeks, so you can develop your preferences for neck geometry based solely on what's right for you playing DB.

 

[najcross]

The eastman I'm using now has a real low action and I like it but I might bring up the action for a little while and see what happens. Possibly when I was trying basses that I was looking for a familiar feel which I couldn't find. The jump from the eastman to "big boy" basses was like culture shock. I'll try the higher action for a while then in two weeks or so go try some other basses.