Double Bass Novice needing advice

[earthdan]

Hi,

I apologise in advance if this is the wrong forum for this post.

I'm a complete beginner with the double bass, although I'm not a novice musician (I'm a pianist, composer and conductor). An amateur group I sometimes conduct is lacking a double bass, so I thought it would be a good opportunity to learn an orchestral instrument. A retailer here in London offers a deal where you hire an instrument for 4 months at a time, then if you decide to buy, the rental you've paid is deducted from the purchase price. Sounds good for me as I've never tried the double bass...I might not get on with it at all! The instruments on offer are Link Removed

Any advice which one to go for? Anything else I might need? Any other considerations?

Thanks in advance.

 

[flint]

I would go for at least the one with the stentor Student 2, or the fully carved Zeller. If you are going to be playing classical repetoire, then you will appreciate the colour of the tones from a carved instrument more.

The rental idea is a good one. I did the same thing. After four months of lessons and practicing you will have a better idea of what kind of sound you are looking for from a bass, and know if this bass is the one for you.

If at all possible get your bass teacher, or someone more experienced, to go along with you and listen to the basses. The bass will sound very different from a distance than it does to the players ears.

Lastly- "setup". Having a good setup on a bass is incredibly important. It will influence not only how good the instrument sounds, but how easily you can play it. Find out what level of setup the music store provides on their rental instruments. In my instance the music store provided setup, but I was unhappy with it. So I took the bass to a dedicated bass luthier and had him do a setup on it-and what a world of difference that has made!

best of luck, and keep us posted.

 

[earthdan]

I would go for at least the one with the stentor Student 2, or the fully carved Zeller. If you are going to be playing classical repetoire, then you will appreciate the colour of the tones from a carved instrument more.

The rental idea is a good one. I did the same thing. After four months of lessons and practicing you will have a better idea of what kind of sound you are looking for from a bass, and know if this bass is the one for you.

If at all possible get your bass teacher, or someone more experienced, to go along with you and listen to the basses. The bass will sound very different from a distance than it does to the players ears.

Lastly- "setup". Having a good setup on a bass is incredibly important. It will influence not only how good the instrument sounds, but how easily you can play it. Find out what level of setup the music store provides on their rental instruments. In my instance the music store provided setup, but I was unhappy with it. So I took the bass to a dedicated bass luthier and had him do a setup on it-and what a world of difference that has made!

best of luck, and keep us posted.

Thanks Chortle - much appreciated.

Can you tell me exactly what 'setup' is? As you can tell, I really am a novice!

Oh, and one other question. I live in an appartment (neighbours above and below). Do you think the sound of a double bass carries (through floors and ceilings) as much as the sound of a piano, for instance? I don't want to fall out with my neighbours!

Thanks.