NBD (for my 9yo son! w/pics): Douglas Violin Fretless

My son started playing viola then switching to upright bass this year in his 4th grade orchestra. Smart kid, knows where it's at. I had bought him an Ibanez Mikro bass a couple of years ago, but it doesn't really speak to him. He really likes my fretless Carvin LB75, but the long scale is too big for him. I came across this Douglas Violin fretless in the TB classifieds and got a great deal from a great seller!

He loves his new bass. Plenty of vintage thump and fretless vibe and style, which he really seems to like at the ripe old age of only 9 years old! Between this and his 1/4 size upright, he is having a blast learning how to play. I hope they will eventually let him use this Violin bass in school one day. I think it would be really cool.

 

I'm having a blast playing this thing after I sent him off to bed and finally made him put it down. I'm laying down some great thumpy basslines with this thing. Being used to roundwounds on a Jazz Bass for most of my life, this is a refreshing change. You could say that "I get it" now...

 

I wouldn't go that far, but he is used to playing the viola and upright for his school orchestra (at a 4th grade level), and seems to prefer the look and feel of a fretless fingerboard.

 

I think it will be in more than a few months...

But thanks...he seems to have really taken an interest!

 

Well, he still has a lot of work to do on his intonation, but he seems most comfortable on a blank plank!

 

Haha, thanks man. I really appreciate everything!

Thanks, yeah...it brought a smile to my face watching him light up while playing it.

He is in 4th grade this year, so this is his first year of orchestra. He was playing the Viola since October(?), but switched to the upright bass a couple of weeks ago after deciding playing with my basses was more fun. He was getting the hang of the viola, but really seems to enjoy playing the bass more, and you can see it when he does.

It really doesn't sound too much like an upright to me, but I'm picky that way. It is beautifully thumpy with the LaBella light tension flats that are on it, however. Really just sounds like a thumpy vintage violin bass to me, which is just cool in its own way.