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Double Bass NBD: Upton Standard

#24
KUNGfuSHERIFF said:
That’s a plywood, yeah? If so, don’t sweat humidity. Too much if it would actually be bad for a plywood.

And I have to take umbrage to the comment about woodstove heat being bad for basses. Even passively humidifying a space heated with wood is worlds better than what forced air will do to a bass.
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Umbrage noted. My experience with wood stove heat is different.
 
#27
Basses are not people, however, any environment that will actively damage a bass will be uncomfortable for you as well. A drop in humidity that will damage a new plywood bass made in the Northeast will make you itch so bad you'll tear your skin off. In other words, as @KUNGfuSHERIFF says, pay attention and you'll be fine. Don't set the thermostat drastically high or low just because you will be out, either.
 
#28
KUNGfuSHERIFF said:
You just gotta know what you’re doing. Basses survived for centuries in indoor environments heated during the dry months with wood and coal.
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I agree, especially with the "You just gotta know what you're doing" part. My response was to the second post in this thread, recommending a pot belly stove and pan of water. Unless you really know what you are doing, that could be bad advice to follow. Not terminal, just problematic. I've lived with both coal and wood heat in the past, and am pretty experienced. In early October I cut and split four full cords (not ricks, or face cords, or pickup truck loads) for use in a wood furnace to heat a very large workshop through Michigan winters. So, I'll stand by my original statement, notwithstanding the "know what you are doing" caveat.
 
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#29
A big part of buying a new, well made plywood bass is not worrying about all that. For the same price with a bit of patience you can find a nice older carved or hybrid instrument for the same price as an Upton build - if you want to go through all that!

BobKay said:
I agree, especially with the "You just gotta know what you're doing" part. My response was to the second post in this thread, recommending a pot belly stove and pan of water. Unless you really know what you are doing, that could be bad advice to follow. Not terminal, just problematic. I've lived with both coal and wood heat in the past, and am pretty experienced. In early October I cut and split four full cords (not ricks, or face cords, or pickup truck loads) for use in a wood furnace to heat a very large workshop through Michigan winters. So, I'll stand by my original statement, notwithstanding the "know what you are doing" caveat.
Click to expand...
 
#31
damonsmith said:
A big part of buying a new, well made plywood bass is not worrying about all that. For the same price with a bit of patience you can find a nice older carved or hybrid instrument for the same price as an Upton build - if you want to go through all that!
Click to expand...


I did spend a couple of months this past summer on the lookout for a used bass, and came close to buying what was either a Chinese or eastern European hybrid that was within a few hours drive of me.

The problem is, unlike with EB's, I know very little about what to look for in a used double bass and was frankly overwhelmed. In addition most of the used carved/hybrids were some distance away, impossible for me to check out. For me, Upton was the safest/smartest bet.

Lovin' the bass though...Spending a couple hours a day on it..that Shen rental I had ? I'd be lucky if I could get through a 30 minute practice session on it.
 
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