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Double Bass NOOB question

blendermassacre

blendermassacre

May 28, 2009
4,242
371
kansas city, mo
#1
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

I assume that this bass is the Florea Midnight.

I realize that this isn't the best bass ever created by a long shot, but to practice and play in my basement, as well as beginning to take lessons.

I was wondering if it was worth it to buy a bass on the cheap to be able to learn before buying a bass that's $1000-2000.

Am I going to be hindered in my learning by playing a bass of low quality?

After taking a couple months of lessons, and If I like playing, I could definitely look into buying a better bass, but I don't want to be $2000 in and decide that double bass isn't for me.
 
#2
:rollno: Please read the newbie links. If you're buying a new bass, you'll need to pay $1200 or so at an absolute minimum to get a decent instrument that is properly set up. There are no shortcuts to this. You're gonna spend that much one way or another.
 
#3
drurb said:
:rollno: Please read the newbie links. If you're buying a new bass, you'll need to pay $1200 or so at an absolute minimum to get a decent instrument that is properly set up. There are no shortcuts to this. You're gonna spend that much one way or another.
Click to expand...

I read the newbie links. if you would have read the post thoroughly, I'm thinking of buying this as a super cheap " do I want to do this or not" sort of thing, not a " this will be the bass I plan to really learn on" thing.

There's a great string shop her in kc that I want to get lessons from, that also sells all sorts of URBs.

my basic question is : will this bass effect my playing technique in the future if I play on it for a month or two?
 
#6
If paying more would prevent you from trying, then you're paying too much. Pay as much as you're comfortable with and realize that you're going to be facing extra challenges playing on a cheaper instrument. If it still holds your interest despite that, then you'll be comfortable spending the money on something better (and you'll be thrilled at the difference).

I learned to play bass guitar on a bass that had a warped neck and bad string buzz, but I enjoyed it enough that it didn't matter at first. Once I got to the point where the bass was affecting my playing more than my playing was, I spent some money addressing it. It cost me more in the long run, but otherwise it's likely I would have not gotten anything and I wouldn't be playing at all!
 
#8
blendermassacre said:
Could you list the challenges inherent with playing a bass such as this one?
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I can promise you that the bass won't sound great. It probably won't sound good. But that's not too big a deal since you plan to move on to another bass anyway if you choose to continue on the instrument. Once you find the next bass, you'll need to get rid of that bass. That could be tough.

I'll bet you a steak dinner that this bass is not set-up well. At the very least, that means it will be tough to play. At worst, you could face serious injury playing it. Expect to pay at least as much as the asking price to make that bass play well, or at all.

You might want to locate a teacher first, that teacher may have a bass to lend or rent to you for a short time. They may also know of good basses for you that are for sale elsewhere.

Best of luck with your double bass hunt!
 
#9
Worst case scenerio with that bass, is that I would have a friend pinstripe it so it looks cool and leave it out for people to touch, and leave the nice one locked up, plus used doublebasses never go for sale in kc, and the ones I've seen on cl went pretty fast.. I plan on taking lessons at kc strings, who make great stringed instruments.
 
#10
It sounds like you've made up your mind. That being the case, I think you should pull the trigger on that bass and get started! The sooner the better. It will make a decent wall-hanger if you move to another bass.
 
#11
I would just rent a bass for a few months and take some lessons. You'll be able to play on a decent instrument and be shown the proper way to play for about the same money. I assume KC Strings has rentals. Your chances of sticking with it will greatly improve IMO.
 
#13
did someone say steak?!?!


ahem cough (traitor) cough :D ...wow im surprised smileys work over here, i thought they automatically got all serious once you typed em.

think of it like an electric bass. could you learn how to play on a harmony, sure. will it be pleasant or indicative of what playing on a 70s Jazz is like? NO.
but its the bae minimum price of admission and itd be cooler to try than not try so i say go for it
 
#16
blendermassacre said:
I read the newbie links. if you would have read the post thoroughly, I'm thinking of buying this as a super cheap " do I want to do this or not" sort of thing, not a " this will be the bass I plan to really learn on" thing.

There's a great string shop her in kc that I want to get lessons from, that also sells all sorts of URBs.

my basic question is : will this bass effect my playing technique in the future if I play on it for a month or two?
Click to expand...

Listen noob, I did read your post thoroughly. I answered the question you asked. Let me be more explicit. IMO, the answer is "No." I wouldn't recommend buying a cheap BSO to practice on as a beginner and to begin to use for taking lessons.
 
#17
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=506204

I have a house full of string instruments right now because my kids are both taking string lessons. Since they are constantly outgrowing their kid-sized instruments, or could lose interest at any moment, I am intimately aware of the concern about dropping too much money into something that could be temporary.

The first cello that I bought, a 1/8 size, had to be a CCCSO (cheap Chinese cello shaped object) because there was not a 1/8 size to be bought anywhere in Madison. Here's my experience. I had to re-fit the pegs to make it stay in tune. The strings were so poor that the C string went a full step out of tune when bowed with any vigor. So I had to shell out for a set of strings. The instrument was readied for shipment by cramming in the sound post extra tight. And so forth. I can imagine parents of some poor kid, with no musical background of their own, struggling with that cello. It smelled like Harbor Freight.

My son got through it thanks to the family luthier (me) who is also an experienced cellist.

When he grew into a 1/4 size, we rented a higher quality cello, and among other things, his intonation suddenly improved. I think it's just because we can hear the notes better.

So my reaction is to avoid a bass that is bad enough to interfere with development of good technique and habits, and based on my experience, yes it is possible for an instrument to be that bad. And I would be particularly leery of a painted bass. I remember reading that Fender put a solid color paint on the instruments that didn't look good enough for a sunburst or natural finish.
 
#19
I thought about it, but if I'm going to have $500 or more into it, id rather wait and buy a better bass. If it was playable as is, the $300 would be worth it to me as a try out bass. Also the neck joint seemed to have some sort of filler that was painted black. Those basses are 575 from musicians friend with a bow and a case, and the guy selling it had neither of those.

I think I'm going to go and talk to the teacher I want to get, as a few of you have recommended, and see what he suggests.
 

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