Double Bass Old Kay or New Estle Louis Carved + Perpetual Strings

[cj4258]

Haven't owned an upright in 15 years but I've come into some money and I want a nice setup. Need advice. I understand Kay basses are laminate. I'm a jazz cat but I need to be able to play arco/orchestral as well. No slap or rockabilly. I'd describe myself as a somewhat advanced novice with technique and skill.

Situation 1: I have a chance to choose an older Kay bass from a few that have been newly set up and reconditioned. It would come with Zyex strings but I'd probably put perpetuals on it because I like how they sound. My hesitance is that my bass 15 years ago was all laminate and I really want a fully carved bass.

Situation 2: Order an Estle Louis fully carved from Gollihur which would come set up with the full circle pickup and perpetual already on it. This gets me what I think I want, no laminate. But I don't see much chatter about this bass or videos to listen to.

Future plans in either situation would be to add a Nadine mic. I like the idea of an older bass but not sure if that's what I need.

My budget is <$5k so Upton is not really an option.

What would you do, based on experience (which I am lacking here)?

 

[KUNGfuSHERIFF]

Where are you?

 

[cj4258]

Where are you?

West Tennessee.

 

[KUNGfuSHERIFF]

Call Dustin Williams in Nashville. Wayne Holmes was kooky and skeevy but he hooked a lot of players up with nice basses for fair prices before he retired a while back. I don’t know of anybody else in your area, sorry. It’s much better to try before you buy.

 

[BassFalcon]

Upton standard is actually in your budget, if your budget is <5k.
standard laminate is ~$3k
Standard hybrid is ~$4k
Standard full carved ~$5k

 

[AGCurry]

Kays are not usually good orchestral basses for much beyond high school.

So ... yeah, Nashville ... or drive up to St. Louis, where you can play a number of fairly-priced decent basses at St. Louis Strings and Top Notch Violins.

 

[HateyMcAmp]

I would at least get a bass with a carved top if that’s what your gut is telling you. Kay basses can sound very good and are collectible for a reason, but you end up spending a lot for the name and it’s ultimately a laminate bass. Also the ultra-slim neck profile is a very love-hate kind of thing (I personally don’t like it.)

If you’re going to buy sight unseen online I don’t think you can make a safer bet than Gollihur. If you end up looking for local-ish bass shops (which I would recommend) I would add Shen to the list of instruments to check out in your price range. All of the hybrids I’ve tried (including the one I own) have been really nice instruments for the coin. If you can find a luthier that sells them in your region you can get it set up specially for you with your strings and pickup of choice for significantly less than 5k. I also know Eastman and Christopher make quality hybrid basses in the 3k range.

 

[cj4258]

Upton standard is actually in your budget, if your budget is <5k.
standard laminate is ~$3k
Standard hybrid is ~$4k
Standard full carved ~$5k

Every time I look at Upton and start adding features I get close to 10k haha

 

[BassFalcon]

Every time I look at Upton and start adding features I get close to 10k haha

I just placed an order a month ago. I know…believe me I know, lol.

 

[Steve Grtmn]

Not mine. On my local Craigs: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[bassically_eli]

If you're gonna be doing arco and are leaning towards a carved bass, I wouldn't get a Kay. Idk what prices are like in west Tennessee, but restored Kays here seem to be in the $3k to $4k range, which is just too much IMO (compared to what else you can get for that much $$$). Is durability an issue at all? A hybrid bass will be much sturdier and more resistant to weather than a fully carved bass but still offer many of the benefits. I would definitely look at some Shens too, btw.

I think the real question you should be asking is: do you want to buy online, or stick with basses you can play in person? In this price range (in any price range, actually) basses are individuals. The brand and price kind of hint at their potential, but that doesn't really tell you what you need to know.

 

[damonsmith]

Forget about the Kay. Wrong tool for the job. Also, Upton makes good basses, recommending them as a good option in this price range without disclosing that about half of your money will go to having it not just American made but made on a historic property in Mystic, CT is misleading. Upton makes good and even great basses, in your price range they make basic basses.
In the higher end basses it is non issue, in the lower end, you are going to feel it.
The Golihur is going to be a solid option.

 

[bassically_eli]

Also, Upton makes good basses, recommending them as a good option in this price range without disclosing that about half of your money will go to having it not just American made but made on a historic property in Mystic, CT is misleading. Upton makes good and even great basses, in your price range they make basic basses.

That is some very helpful info right there.

 

[bassically_eli]

Not mine. On my local Craigs: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Paging @rickwolff

 

[rickwolff]

Paging @rickwolff

Thanks, but I sold it this morning.

 

[cj4258]

UPDATE!

I just slapped down $7500 on a brand new Brescian hybrid from Upton. It will be an $8200 bass once done, hopefully in about three months.

I really fought with myself for a five string upgrade. But in the end I went with four. I'll get there eventually.

I'd like to thank the forum for steering me in a more expensive direction but I feel a more wholesome choice. Something really awesome that I can customize and make my own - and made here in the USA.

The Estle Louis may still happen in the future. I love Gollihur for many reasons.

 

[damonsmith]

That is in the range where Uptons start to get impressive!

UPDATE!

I just slapped down $7500 on a brand new Brescian hybrid from Upton. It will be an $8200 bass once done, hopefully in about three months.

I really fought with myself for a five string upgrade. But in the end I went with four. I'll get there eventually.

I'd like to thank the forum for steering me in a more expensive direction but I feel a more wholesome choice. Something really awesome that I can customize and make my own - and made here in the USA.

The Estle Louis may still happen in the future. I love Gollihur for many reasons.

 

[BassFalcon]

Congratulations!!! And welcome to the “waiting on an Upton” club lol! Our paths are very similar! I, too, was going to order an Estle Louis Carved, but Mark let me know about a shipping delay, and then a second one. I have nothing but high glowing praise for Mark and his business and will continue doing business with them, but I went through a similar thing with a Chinese sourced electric bass. It was 18 months of repeated delays until it just wasn’t coming. It wasn’t the merchants fault. But it was frustrating none the less, and I didn’t want to deal with that again. To be clear that in no way reflects negatively on Gollihur, it’s just the current state of shipping. Mark was and is open and honest and always great. Regardless, I didn’t want to be beholden to the shipping and manufacturing schedule from China. So I decided to stretch my budget a bit and go with Upton. My plan was similar to what someone else in the thread had mentioned. Was gonna get a low level one and then upgrade years later to what I really wanted. But I decided that life is short. I’ve never owned a decent double bass so I decided to just go ahead and get what I want to begin with. In my case that’s a 5-string Bohemian with the deluxe top with the angled end pin. Between the 7/8 size, the 5 string upgrade, and the deluxe top it should end up being a real monster. I know how excited I am, I bet you are the same!!!

 

[cj4258]

Congratulations!!! And welcome to the “waiting on an Upton” club lol! Our paths are very similar! I, too, was going to order an Estle Louis Carved, but Mark let me know about a shipping delay, and then a second one. I have nothing but high glowing praise for Mark and his business and will continue doing business with them, but I went through a similar thing with a Chinese sourced electric bass.

Yay! I kinda sensed a possible delay when I heard they should have one, then heard end of the month. I too hold them in high regard nonetheless. For the money though, I wanted something nicer.

I’ve never owned a decent double bass so I decided to just go ahead and get what I want to begin with. In my case that’s a 5-string Bohemian with the deluxe top with the angled end pin. Between the 7/8 size, the 5 string upgrade, and the deluxe top it should end up being a real monster. I know how excited I am, I bet you are the same!!!

Very nice. I wanted 5 string but I don't think I'm quite there yet. Let's call our club the Upton Putagtorians!

 

[BassFalcon]

Yay! I kinda sensed a possible delay when I heard they should have one, then heard end of the month. I too hold them in high regard nonetheless. For the money though, I wanted something nicer.



Very nice. I wanted 5 string but I don't think I'm quite there yet. Let's call our club the Upton Putagtorians!

I agonized for a bit about going extended range but a big goal of mine is playing in the local community orchestra. Originally I added the extension to my order, the more I thought about it the more I didn’t like the ergonomics of reaching up above my head. I’ve played 6-string electric bass forever so I’m already very comfortable with the fingering concepts and patterns that come with a B-string. Also, the 5-string gets me the low B instead of just a low C. In addition to that the price starts creeping up quickly once you begin adding all the gates, more so if you go with the upgraded ebony gates. Going with the 5 just seemed like the right choice for me.