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...
ha! the bass looks great and so does he playing it! please tell him "congratulations on your new instrument!" from and old guy on TB.
Congrats - looks like he's having fun playing that bass. Hey, why did you play it - I thought it was HIS bass??
Hi Tony , That' s great by the time they let him go electric (in a few months), he will take your Carvin! Kids are growing sooooo fast..... have a good time with your son!!! Wise(b)ass
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!
I had one just like it and sold it through TB maybe 7 years ago... wonder if this was that same bass? I liked it a lot, thought it was well worth the rondomusic new price, but let it go to fund another purchase. Fun to think about since he would have only been about 2 years old when I let it go!
Hey, I know that bass! So glad it's getting some use, instead of sitting all alone in the corner of my workshop. When gas (and a bass purchase) struck I almost didn't throw this one up for sale because it's so fun to play, but I'm glad I did because this is such a great thread. @Tony G , you are a great dad, and I hope you both enjoy it for years to come!
How does the sound hold up next to an actual upright? I have a pretty white fretted Douglas viola I use as a piccolo, but me and some friends have been getting into jazz lately and I’ve been jonesing for an upright sound. --^@
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.