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Double Bass New basses by independent builders vs. old basses

#41
KSB - Ken Smith said:
On the Fiorini Brian mentioned, those may be German as well. One that I've seen looks 100% German and I know of another that had a hidden sticker in the Bass that said either Germany or made in Germany but had a Fiorini label and was sold as one as well. Not only Juzek bought Basses and relabeled them, it's done all over.
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I'm sure this happens, but consider the 'F' carved on the button of this one. What do you think, Ken?

A Lombardi that I played albeit briefly, didn't grab me as much as this Forini or the Lamy that I spoke of. I have also tried French (including other Lamy's) basses that were a bit on the bright, nasaly side, but this Lamy that I mentioned was big and powerful sounding, w/ beauty and Mojo to boot.

About 4 years ago in a shop in Paris I tried an old unlabeled, prolly French bass w/ sloped shoulders that was just really sweet, arco and piz. He was asking $25,000 Euros when the Euro was worth a lot less.

I do agree w/ Ken that the more recent Italian thing might yield alot of tone for the buck.

Also Jason is right about low balling offers. I think in this economy now there may be alot more motivated sellers out there now.

BTW- When I was bass shoping 5 years ago, I paid 85% of the asking price for my Prescott.

Bri
 
#42
I've played that Fioroni bass with the F on the button. I thought it was a very nice instrument. Toad may be able to handle something a little bigger but it's a great bass. In reference to the new bass sound. I agree that they sound good, just different, however I also think they feel new which I don't really care for. They also seem to sound too bright for my tastes across the board. Anyone out there making a dark sounding bass right out of the shop?
 
#43
Jason Sypher said:
In reference to the new bass sound. I agree that they sound good, just different, however I also think they feel new which I don't really care for. They also seem to sound too bright for my tastes across the board. Anyone out there making a dark sounding bass right out of the shop?
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My sentiments as well. Big, dark, loud, rich, that's my taste. I'm a vintage guy/antique guy which kind of drives my perspective on anything.
 
#44
Jeremy Allen said:
I just bought the bass that may as well have "Uncle Toad Lives Here" carved on it (a huge old "Juzek"/Wilfer), and it is unrefined in comparison to the English/Italian things or even the nice French basses, but every jazz/pizz player who plays one note goes "Whoa." Plus it sounds huge and fat under the bow and sits in a bass section like nobody's business; at $16K, I thought it was way high priced for a Juzek
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Did you purchase it in Cincinnati by chance? I only ask because a friend of mine spoke of an amazing Juzek for sale there for the same price just recently. I thought it seemed high for a Juzek, but he swore it was worth it.
 
#45
Jason Sypher said:
I've played that Fioroni bass with the F on the button. I thought it was a very nice instrument. Toad may be able to handle something a little bigger but it's a great bass. In reference to the new bass sound. I agree that they sound good, just different, however I also think they feel new which I don't really care for. They also seem to sound too bright for my tastes across the board. Anyone out there making a dark sounding bass right out of the shop?
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Although the Fiorini is not particularly large it does have a longish sting length (43 1/4"), but curously eventhough I'm used to a 42" scale or less, it did not feel long at all when I played it.

here aare its dimensions;

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Overall body length: 43 5/8 in.
Width at the upper bout: 19 3/4 in.
Width at the center bout: 13 7/8 in.
Width at the lower bout: 25 1/4 in.
Mensure (string length): 43 1/4 in.
[/FONT]
 
#48
bribass said:
Also Jason is right about low balling offers. I think in this economy now there may be alot more motivated sellers out there now.

BTW- When I was bass shoping 5 years ago, I paid 85% of the asking price for my Prescott.

Bri
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+1

i recently bought a romanian flatback off a fellow TBer that dropped in drastically in price from the initial posting to the time of sale, ended up paying something like 65% of the initial asking price (for which i'm eternally grateful, i could've never afforded it otherwise). the scale may be a bit different in the range you fellows are operating, but the principle is the same...seller motivation counts for a lot, especially in the current financial climate

an interesting consequence of uncletoad's widespread search is i occasionally get stories from brian in the format: so i was in <shop name> checking out a <bass description> for phil and <astute observation about said bass, bass shop, or bass playing>. he's usually good for at least one of those every lesson and i'm always grateful for the educational opportunities uncletoad's current shopping adventure presents to me ;)
 
#50
Jaromir said:
One tip for new basses:
http://www.jauray.com/

Charlie Haden is playing one of these.
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atelier005.jpg


:eek:
 
#57
I played an Auray bass once. I am really sorry to hear how expensive his basses have become because the one I played was heaven and I hoped to get one. If I had 30K to drop I would do it in a second.

One of my bigger regrets is not buying the Gruenert Testore-style model they had at Gage for a while that used to belong to Michael Moore. It was a cannon and incredibly healthy. I think it sold for around 17,500.
 
#58
Reuben said:
I played an Auray bass once. I am really sorry to hear how expensive his basses have become because the one I played was heaven and I hoped to get one. If I had 30K to drop I would do it in a second.

One of my bigger regrets is not buying the Gruenert Testore-style model they had at Gage for a while that used to belong to Michael Moore. It was a cannon and incredibly healthy. I think it sold for around 17,500.
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The good builders get real busy and real expensive in a few short years.

As I continue to explore this I'm amazed that as much bread as my budget is I'm still on the short side of the really good stuff.

Who can buy these instruments? Certainly not musicians.
 
#59
Uncletoad said:
The good builders get real busy and real expensive in a few short years.

As I continue to explore this I'm amazed that as much bread as my budget is I'm still on the short side of the really good stuff.

Who can buy these instruments? Certainly not musicians.
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Huh? Well Phil, I haven't sold any of my better DBs to a Plummer or a Doctor yet. Do you mean an Orchestral Player is not a Musician? Do musicians buy and drive cars that cost 20-50k? Loans, Leases, savings?

I remember when I was younger I drove to a gig in an old Ford with my prized 18th century Italian Bass. Another musician would show up with a 30k Car and a $500 instrument. Priorities I think Phil. Now I drive still just under a 30k Buick with a 50-150k Bass. The Bass to me is more important than anything else with the exceptions of living necessities for me and my Family.

Yes, good Basses are expensive now but there are many reasons why this is so. People are willing to take a 30 year mortgage on a house and pay 3x the selling price over time but not take a Loan out to buy a Bass. Why?
 
#60
KSB - Ken Smith said:
Huh? Well Phil, I haven't sold any of my better DBs to a Plummer or a Doctor yet. Do you mean an Orchestral Player is not a Musician? Do musicians buy and drive cars that cost 20-50k? Loans, Leases, savings?

I remember when I was younger I drove to a gig in an old Ford with my prized 18th century Italian Bass. Another musician would show up with a 30k Car and a $500 instrument. Priorities I think Phil. Now I drive still just under a 30k Buick with a 50-150k Bass. The Bass to me is more important than anything else with the exceptions of living necessities for me and my Family.

Yes, good Basses are expensive now but there are many reasons why this is so. People are willing to take a 30 year mortgage on a house and pay 3x the selling price over time but not take a Loan out to buy a Bass. Why?
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Yea I was being a bit obtuse Ken.

MUSICIANS playing basses in orchestras for a living are a pretty small group and it makes sense for them to finance the tool required to do the job.

That ain't me.

My whole family lives in my house, and we really live better with a roof over our heads. That's worth taking a mortgage out for. I'm the only one using my bass and it doesn't generate near enough dough to take a note out on. Moreover it's discretionary. I've already got a bass that works fine for the gigs I get hired for. This is just a "I wanna play a better instrument cause I can thing".

Another rare group.
 

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