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Double Bass my first double bass

eldad

eldad

Feb 24, 2015
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24
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#1
Hi, everyone
Would appreciate help
I'm planning to buy my first double bass
And start learning
I have been playing electric bass for many years
I do not know where to start!
I saw in thomann Child / Youth Double Basses
I'm not particularly tall 1.67 cm
Maybe 1/4 or even 1/8 would suit me
Are the tools worth the money?
Will these sizes fit my measurements?
Any advice will help me
Thanks
Eldad
 
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#2
Welcome to the double bass! Let's start with this:

New to the double bass or thinking of buying your first bass? READ THIS FIRST

I think you meant "1.67 m," not "cm!"

Many "newbies" like the idea of a fractional-sized bass, and we invariably advise them against it. No matter what size you are, an adult should start with a 3/4-size bass unless there's some factor we don't know.

I don't know what you mean by "Are the tools worth the money?" What tools?
 
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#5
Hey
Thank you very much!
Lots of manufacturers
Are there any recommendations for double bass
Around $ 1500
I'm from Israel
Do not know if it is possible to find here all the variety
Thanks
Eldad
 
#8
eldad said:
Hey
Thank you very much!
Lots of manufacturers
Are there any recommendations for double bass
Around $ 1500
I'm from Israel
Do not know if it is possible to find here all the variety
Thanks
Eldad
Click to expand...

Eldad, yes, you will probably have to import one. I don't know the exchange rate for shekel-euro or shekel-GBP, but Britain, German, Italy, and Romania will probably yield the best results.

Here is a web page from Thomann in the UK

I like this one because 1) they perform a setup before shipping, and 2) there is a warranty.

Another idea is to research orchestras and music schools in Israel and try to contact their bassists.

Kol tuv,
Andy
 
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#9
If you buy a bass locally I would suggest getting a competent double bassist to help you evaluate any possible purchases (you might have to pay them as if you were taking a lesson - but it will likely be worth it). As someone new to DB you won't have as much of an idea of what to look for in a double bass. Repairs and modifications on DBs can get expensive quickly so you want to avoid taking on any unnecessary issues when buying a new bass. Good luck!
 
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#11
Welcome to the double bass party! If you want to look to a fellow Israeli for inspiration, Avishai Cohen is an astounding bassist and composer. I believe he is on social media, reach out and ask him who a good teacher is or where a good bass shop is.
As far as basses I also recommend renting at first. You’ll get a known and properly cared for decent bass, from which to build your experience. Double bass is just really expensive. Even the cheap ones. It’s better to get an idea of what’s good and what you like before you drop big bucks on your own.
 
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#13
eldad said:
Hey friends
You can help to get in the right direction
There are 3 possibilities here
https://www.thomann.de/intl/alfred_stingl_by_hoefner_as_180_b_double_bass_3_4.htm
https://www.thomann.de/intl/gewa_premium_line_solid_top_bass.htm
https://www.thomann.de/intl/thomann_kontrabass_44_02.htm
I play mainly jazz and Latin
And bow is currently less important
Thank you
Eldad
Click to expand...
If I were you I’d go with the Gewa or the Thomann 44.
The Gewa has laminate back and sides with a carved top. That will get you a strong, durable bass that will last, and the carved top will get you a richer tone than a laminate top as found in the Hoefner. The price is also nice.
The Thomann looks pretty nice too, the options to have it set up differently will mean it will probably play pretty well, and sound very nice as well. For your purposes the tonal benefits of having a solid carved bass may not be worth the potential maintenance troubles if you don’t have a luthier near by who can patch up cracks. The other concern about the Thomann is that fully carved basses aren’t usually found in this price range, so it would make me worry to wonder what corners were cut to get down to that price. On the flip side Thomann is highly respected company, and they probably wouldn’t sell junk. So maybe it is just a great deal. It’s hard to say without seeing and playing it. They had to save that money somewhere. The Gewa is a nice price and a good compromise between tone and durability/reliability, although it may be worth factoring in another $100-200 and taking it to a Luthier for a setup after you receive it. A setup is where they make sure the fingerboard has the right amount of scoop carved in so the strings don’t buzz, the nut slots are the correct depth, the bridge is the right height, the sound post is in the best position, and a few smaller tweaks as well.
It also looks nice. It should be fine to get the ball rolling and start your double bass journey. Whatever you choose, congratulations! I’m excited for you! I hope it works out well!
 
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#14
Speaking of double bass luthiers in Israel, maybe this list will help. No idea if any of them are good, just thought I’d help you find some folks. It can be tough to find someone to work on basses, not just any violin shop will.



Tel-Aviv, Eyal Vodnizky
972-3-6490951, fax 972-3-6490105
emailIcon.gif
[email protected]
Builds and repairs URBs, built EUB for Eberhard Weber

Shlomo Moyal - THE INTERNATIONAL VIOLIN BRIDGE COMPETITION

Home | haifaviolins

Jonathan Hai

And this guy might be good to reach out to for lessons/mentoring/asking about bass shops

About - doublebasseast


https://haifaviolins.com/?lang=en
 
#16
Hey
I think I went through a phase
Thank you all
Part of my plan
Of course to record at my house
I have a sound card
Apollo twin
Which pickup is recommended for jazz and Latin
many thanks
Eldad
 
#18
Hi Andy
Thank you
I don't have an acoustic room
The recording quality should not be the highest
and adds that the budget will be reasonable
I'm just getting started
Any recommendations (there are so many options on the market)
Thank you
:)Andy Kol tuv
Eldad
 
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#19
eldad said:
Hi Andy
Thank you
I don't have an acoustic room
The recording quality should not be the highest
and adds that the budget will be reasonable
I'm just getting started
Any recommendations (there are so many options on the market)
Thank you
:)Andy Kol tuv
Eldad
Click to expand...

Eldad, the cheapest will be a piezo-element pickup which is inserted into a wing of the bass's bridge. K&K, Vic's, and several other brands are available; as far as I can tell, they're much alike, so choosing the most expensive one may not be worth the added shekels.

An important factor in using a piezo pickup is the input impedance of the device it's plugged into. If the impedance is too low, you will hear a duck-quack kind of sound. One megohm (million ohms) is generally considered the minimum desired impedance.

There is much more information about pickups in the "Amps, Mics, and Pickups" section of this forum.

בהצלחה
Andy
 
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