I came to the double bass a little later in life at 38 (but I’ve been making music some way shape or form now for 30-plus years: piano, guitar, horns, voice, etc.) For the past 2+ years, I’ve been thumping along on a solidly adequate student ply from Baroque Violin Shop in Cincinnati whose specs are awfully close to a Shen SB-100. I’ve had my eye on Upton basses for a while now-particularly the Brescian, but they’ve been a little out of my reach and seemingly never show up used. Then this one shows up. This 2008 Upton Hybrid Deluxe was listed by the original owner, who commissioned it for his college studies in 2008, but his first love was always electric bass. According to him, this bass saw use through college, then maybe 10 gigs a year for the last 8-10 years. In the owner’s words “it was criminally underplayed” for how long he had it.
Getting it was a little crazy. The seller and I were 750 miles apart, so we exchanged lots of messages, photos, audio clips. Despite not getting my hands on it first, I liked what I heard and have been aware that Uptons are a known quantity (and a know quality). So, we settled on a price. Then... to get the thing. Adding risk upon risk (perhaps pandemic cabin fever has been clouding my judgement) I booked an independent courier through uShip who specializes in moving antiques, instruments, and vintage Ducati bikes and engines. Despite snow in the Northeast, then a gnarly winter storm overnight between Pittsburgh and my place, he showed up with the bass yesterday afternoon. I did a quick check of the neck, seams, and top before zipping the case back up and signing the bill of lading. Then I let it acclimate in its case for a while before taking it out and putting it through its paces. I was grinning with the first few notes. The sound has a richness and three-dimensionality that just fills the room in a way the ply just can’t. It sings under the bow. (Or at least it’s trying to, under my ham-handed sawing.) and a m getting what feels like twice the volume with two thirds the effort of what I’d put into the ply. This instrument is going to be a lot of fun to grow with.
I’m really taken with it. This bass, Opus 137, comes from the first year Upton started making their basses in-house, rather than setting up imported instruments. As a deluxe, this one has a carved top with a lot of character to the grain, while the back and sides have top plies of nicely flamed maple, as opposed to Upton’s standard poplar ply. The previous/first owner played it just enough to give it some character marks, such that I don’t have to sweat that ‘first scratch on the new car’ feeling. In terms of specs, it actually doesn’t seem that far off from a Brescian hybrid. In fact, I came across an archived copy of The Upton Report from June 2012 that opens with this:
“A common question lately is, "whats the difference between a UB Hybrid Deluxe and a Brescian?". The simple answer is they are the same. So what is the Brescian then? It's a bass where all the decisions have been made for you and conveniently packaged together.”
(Perhaps one of the biggest differences now is that the Brescian is only available as a flat back or fully carved round back. A hybrid round back doesn’t appear to be an option.)
TL;DR: I’m going to be enjoying this instrument for some time.
Getting it was a little crazy. The seller and I were 750 miles apart, so we exchanged lots of messages, photos, audio clips. Despite not getting my hands on it first, I liked what I heard and have been aware that Uptons are a known quantity (and a know quality). So, we settled on a price. Then... to get the thing. Adding risk upon risk (perhaps pandemic cabin fever has been clouding my judgement) I booked an independent courier through uShip who specializes in moving antiques, instruments, and vintage Ducati bikes and engines. Despite snow in the Northeast, then a gnarly winter storm overnight between Pittsburgh and my place, he showed up with the bass yesterday afternoon. I did a quick check of the neck, seams, and top before zipping the case back up and signing the bill of lading. Then I let it acclimate in its case for a while before taking it out and putting it through its paces. I was grinning with the first few notes. The sound has a richness and three-dimensionality that just fills the room in a way the ply just can’t. It sings under the bow. (Or at least it’s trying to, under my ham-handed sawing.) and a m getting what feels like twice the volume with two thirds the effort of what I’d put into the ply. This instrument is going to be a lot of fun to grow with.
I’m really taken with it. This bass, Opus 137, comes from the first year Upton started making their basses in-house, rather than setting up imported instruments. As a deluxe, this one has a carved top with a lot of character to the grain, while the back and sides have top plies of nicely flamed maple, as opposed to Upton’s standard poplar ply. The previous/first owner played it just enough to give it some character marks, such that I don’t have to sweat that ‘first scratch on the new car’ feeling. In terms of specs, it actually doesn’t seem that far off from a Brescian hybrid. In fact, I came across an archived copy of The Upton Report from June 2012 that opens with this:
“A common question lately is, "whats the difference between a UB Hybrid Deluxe and a Brescian?". The simple answer is they are the same. So what is the Brescian then? It's a bass where all the decisions have been made for you and conveniently packaged together.”
(Perhaps one of the biggest differences now is that the Brescian is only available as a flat back or fully carved round back. A hybrid round back doesn’t appear to be an option.)
TL;DR: I’m going to be enjoying this instrument for some time.
