Martin Sheridan Basses

Why only look at new basses?

 

why bother with old ones?

 

Nickeloid is right -old basses are a bother[so are women-try and do without them] Actually new basses are a bother too. Anyone think that bother is a funny word?

I have heard good things about the Sheridan stuff but haven't seen any in person. I have experience with the Fendts' and I think they are a good value. Decently made in Europe and set up here by international luthiers.

 

Here's one. I play bass. All day. Every day. I have a new bass and after a year and a half of at least 5 hours a day on it, it is still waking up. Every day when I get it out of the bag it takes at least a half hour for the thing to start sounding right.

Here's another. Being the first owner of this bass I have had to deal with all kinds of setup issues, etc. that you wouldn't have to deal with with an older bass. Frustrating the situation is that the bass changes every day. I deal with it by knowing that when the thing finally does wake up completely that it'll be worth all of the effort.

Don't get me wrong. I bought this bass because it talked to me. Never had a bass do that before. I'd do it again. I'd never buy a new bass that didn't talk to me. You have to really love the instrument to deal with a new one.

In the 8-12K range, which is where I'm guessing that you are, there are a lot of choices. Why limit yourself?

 

My friend Matt Hughes as a big Juzek that is a pure cannon. Shank had/has a 7/8 Romanian (we nicknamed it the 'Artillery Bass') that was obnoxiously loud and might have been within your budget. Look around.

 

c.1930 5-string Juzek (now a 4 string) that I paid <$4000 for. Even on gigs that I mic, no one on the stage has ever needed a monitor. I heard of another Juzek in Dallas that wasn't pretty but was quite a cannon. I'm not gonna say the price because I'm trying to talk a (serious) high school student's parents into helping him get it, but it is way below your price range. I got my teacher an old unlabeled Bohemian bass from my college for ~$3500 that we call the "Little Monster". He has taken to using it rather than his Pollman when he needs volume. Deals are out there, but they aren't going to be easy to find. Look for players in your area, and ask around. You would be suprised at how many symphony guys have another bass in their closet they never play that they really don't know the value, because they paid $200 for it in the '60's.

Monte

 

I wish I was. I'm still kicking myself for not buying it for me, but Laura would have noticed another bass in the house . That was the bass I learned on in college. I convinced the school that they needed to sell it after finding out no one was playing it. It was in a storage locker with cracks opened up, etc. They sold it for that because that was what the luthier they took it to said it was worth. Robertsons in Albuquerque, who did the original restoration on it, said it was worth more than twice that.

Actually, in cash he paid a lot less. He gave them a Kay cello (they needed a beater for method classes) and a 40's plywood Pfretschner bass + some cash. He definitely came out ahead.

Monte

 

So a guy posts a question about Sheridan and Kolstein basses. He gets a bunch of information about neither. There is some great stuff, so far, about possible used basses. WONDERFUL!
But, does anybody have any direct experience with the aforementioned makers?

Jeffbullback is super right- stay away from women. And never pet a burning dog.

 

Read the thread more closely.