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Double Bass Looking for some insight on buying uprights

Seiki

Seiki

Guest
Jul 9, 2015
169
113
32
Somewhere near Chicago
#1
So, here's the deal. I play electric bass, both fretted and fretless. I've been, for a long time, wanting an upright bass. The problem is that I have absolutely no clue where to begin in terms of brands and what not. I'd rather look into options that are me simply paying as opposed to renting.

I recently saw a jazz quintet and talked to their bassist after the show, asking him for what he was playing... Let's just say that I cannot afford such an instrument. It cost more than an entire semester of classes! :whistle:

So, my question to the lot of you all is if you have any recommendations for uprights! I know I won't be able to get an instrument that rivals my 125 year old violin's mojo, but I'd love some recommendations that were mid-range price that live up to par in terms of sound and feel. Hell, even if there's a cheap one that stands out to you, I'd love to hear it. For example, my old Fender Squier might only be no less than $200, but I still love it to this day. I'm not particular about if the bass is plywood or carved, Chinese made or whatever.

Note: I'm a pretty tall guy. I'm pretty comfortable with the idea of 7/8 or 4/4 basses
 
#2
First you don't need anything other than a 3/4. Ninety-five percent of the basses you see are 3/4. I'm 6'-5" and play one. My hands are huge, but I wouldn't want to play a larger scale. The end pins adjust to accommodate tall peoples ergonomics.

Don't expect to find the Squier version of an upright. It doesn't work that way. Don't buy a 500 dollar ebay special. The only Chinese manufacturer that commands a good deal of respect around here is Shen. They can be had for reasonable prices, especially used.

An entry level new bass, setup and ready to play from your local violin shop will start in the neighborhood of 1500. I've seen used Shens go for as little as 900. It's not a cheap hobby to say the least.

There are other manufacturers out there that make entry level plys you can get years of service from. I'm sure other users will chime in with them. I'm just giving you my experience.

If your budget allows for it, Upton Bass makes great stuff. To be fair, I'm a little biased because I own one. They offer a great ply at a reasonable price, but typically more than the average cost of an entry level ply.

Start looking for a local string shop, because you'll need to establish a relationship with a luthier if you go down this road. They'll also have stuff you can play!
 
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#3
+1 to all that Sevenyearsdown said, except I don't own an Upton (but I almost did).

How tall you are doesn't really matter, what matters is mensur. Scale length.

I've got a ply, carved and semi-solid (ply back/sides, carved top). Two of those are 3/4-sized, the other is a narrow 7/8 or a tall 3/4 depending on how you look at it. I'm 6'5", I've got large hands, but I wouldn't want anything over 42" mensur (which one of mine is about 42.5").

Having said that, if I found a stupendous deal on a 4/4 I wouldn't pass it up! However, I wouldn't seek out a 4/4, either.
 
#4
Jay Corwin said:
First you don't need anything other than a 3/4. Ninety-five percent of the basses you see are 3/4. I'm 6'-5" and play one. My hands are huge, but I wouldn't want to play a larger scale. The end pins adjust to accommodate tall peoples ergonomics.

Don't expect to find the Squier version of an upright. It doesn't work that way. Don't buy a 500 dollar ebay special. The only Chinese manufacturer that commands a good deal of respect around here is Shen. They can be had for reasonable prices, especially used.

An entry level new bass, setup and ready to play from your local violin shop will start in the neighborhood of 1500. I've seen used Shens go for as little as 900. It's not a cheap hobby to say the least.

There are other manufacturers out there that make entry level plys you can get years of service from. I'm sure other users will chime in with them. I'm just giving you my experience.

If your budget allows for it, Upton Bass makes great stuff. To be fair, I'm a little biased because I own one. They offer a great ply at a reasonable price, but typically more than the average cost of an entry level ply.

Start looking for a local string shop, because you'll need to establish a relationship with a luthier if you go down this road. They'll also have stuff you can play!
Click to expand...

+1. Very thorough and accurate advice.
 
#5
Thanks for the feedback. I know it isn't a cheap hobby (well, up front anyway). But hey, ~$1500 plus strings for a lifetime of fun is a great deal as far as I'm concerned :thumbsup:

I'll be sure to check out Shen and Upton. Anybody have opinions on Engelhardt? Engelhardt also appears to be from out of Illinois. I'm from Indiana, so I'd be able to drive out there easily and test out for myself I suppose.
 
#9
I'm like you -- bass guitar player wanting to break into upright bass. And I ended up at a local shop that specializes in upright basses (Shank's Strings in Elizabethtown, PA), where I found a perfect bass for me and my budget (a Shen, if you want to know).

I wasted a lot of time looking for basses on eBay and Craigslist, because that's where a lot of excellent bass guitars get bought and sold, and what I found out is this. It's way, way too much for a beginner to be able to evaluate the construction, condition, set-up and overall value of a one-off mystery bass that's being offered on either eBay or Craigslist. It's just not like the bass guitar world, where you can look at few photos, take off the neck and pickups, and from that inspection know everything you need to know about the bass. Upright basses just don't work like that.

So my advice would be either (1) rent a decent upright for six months or a year while you learn what you like or (2) buy at least your first instrument from a local dealer who has lots of choices for you to listen to and compare and who will be there to repair, adjust or replace the bass he sold you when you're ready.

And trust me, you will love the sound and feel of the upright bass -- so much fun compared to the "normal" bass guitar.
 
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#13
Seriously, someone in your exact position, with your precise perspective posts this question every...10 days or so and the best consistent advice doesn't change much from iteration to iteration. You can forward ahead in the conversation by doing a search and reading through some of those conversations. We've also compiled a good set of answers for you here:

BASS FORUM LINKS (Newbie Links): PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING NEW TOPICS

When someone lives in Moldovia and posts this question, it presents a special challenge and limited set of options. "Near Chicago" is entirely different, there are shops, players and teachers, many of whom frequent TalkBass, make some acquaintances, get out and start looking, develop an understanding of what is available locally and what might be important to you now and later and then set your budget from there.
 
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#14
The Chicago area has a bunch of good shops:
Cassandra Strings
Kagan and Gaines
SMR Double Basses
Seman Violins
Sonksen Strings


There may be more. All of the above will steer you toward quality and do good setup work for you.

As someone above said, a few lessons with a teacher is a must, and the shops can help you locate one.

Good luck!
 
#15
A440 Violin Shop in Roscoe Village Chicago is excellent for double bass. SMR has much experience with student level instruments as does Cassandra. Sonksen is a dedicated bass shop.

If you're strongly considering a certain bass, I recommend taking it (before you buy!) to luthier Scott Henrie for evaluation. He is top notch, does not sell instruments, and will give you a professional evaluation.
 
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#16
Too bad you didn't write this post a month ago. You missed a 7/8 Christopher in good shape for about a thousand dollars. I recommended a (very tall) friend in the area take a look at it, but his hot water heater had gone kaput so goodbye mad money.

If you make it to A440, be sure to check out the Solano they have on consignment. The owner has been trying to sell it for some time, and may be willing to give you a better price than the one listed. I'd venture to say that if it's as good a bass as mine is, it should last you a lifetime.

You may also wish to touch base with Martin Sheridan in Fort Madison, Iowa or the Cincinnati Bass Cellar.

The wisest course of action, at this point, would probably be to rent a bass from one of the Indianapolis shops until you know what you do and do not want in an instrument.
 
#17
TroyK said:
Seriously, someone in your exact position, with your precise perspective posts this question every...10 days or so and the best consistent advice doesn't change much from iteration to iteration. You can forward ahead in the conversation by doing a search and reading through some of those conversations. We've also compiled a good set of answers for you here:

BASS FORUM LINKS (Newbie Links): PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING NEW TOPICS

When someone lives in Moldovia and posts this question, it presents a special challenge and limited set of options. "Near Chicago" is entirely different, there are shops, players and teachers, many of whom frequent TalkBass, make some acquaintances, get out and start looking, develop an understanding of what is available locally and what might be important to you now and later and then set your budget from there.
Click to expand...
+1!
Seiki-- The wiki is quite comprehensive. It's your most efficient route to a wealth of information. I suggest that you pull up a chair and read it carefully before posting another word here.:)
 
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#18
Since you are near a large city (Chicago), you should be able to rent a bass (big cities and their suburbs generally have school orchestra rentals available from many sources).

You may want to find a teacher first, and get a few pointers (and purchase guidance).

Shen basses, IMO, are the best value in a bass under $1500-2000.

I'd look at SB80, SB88, and SB100, all of which are solid, dependable plywood basses. You should be able to find an SB80 used in Chicagoland for a reasonable price.

There are other good basses from China, competitive with Shen, but the eBay specials are not!

Englehardts are better quality than the eBay specials, but fall behind similarly priced (student/journeyman) basses from China in fit, finish and tone.
 
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#19
The #1 thing I wish I would've heard 6 months ago when I was in the same boat - orchestra instruments are different. Different shops, different culture, different price points.

$1500 buys you a damn nice solid wood guitar. In the orchestral world $1500 buys you a Toyota of basses (Shen seems to be the brand every luthier in my area likes and speaks well of).
 

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