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Double Bass pretty sure I will get flamed for this but...

W

whitespike

Nov 28, 2007
649
9
Austin, TX
www.thebandcalledboy.com
#1
I am looking around for something I can afford and found a Cremona 2B. I have read tons of bad reviews about them, but noticed they do have a few higher end models (for them, still 1200 or so). I cannot seem to find any info on this model and for all I know it's the 500 dollar piece of junk... anyone know this model?

I know it's cheap but was set up by Austin Symphony tech named Steve Wise and the guy used in in the Williamson County
Symphony Orchestra. He is including a bow of my choice (German or French, not that I know what that means) and a K&K with pre-amp. ALso he says Wise replaced the bridge with an adjustable one.

The price is 950 for all.
 
#2
hood-flames.jpg
 
#3
I know a few bluegrass guys that use them (I believe you're referring to the SB2).
They've had no complaints with them, that I know of. I've had a chance to play on a few of them, they're good for what they are. 3/4 if i'm not mistaken. IIRC, the cable that holds the tail piece might be nylon though (all the guys that i had mentioned, switched them over to steel cable)
 
#6
drurb said:
The seller ought to be very happy with that. ;)
Click to expand...

He says he paid 900 plus a 200 dollar set up and the k&k pickup and pure pre-amp was around 200. SO that's 1300 worth of stuff and he wants to keep his price firm at 950 for all. Is this a bad deal for me? I do like that he is a pro player and has had it set up already and he builds guitars.... but doesn't really seem to be a great deal...marginal maybe.

But then again UB's may not lose as much value as EBs?
 
#9
I am a beginner and a family man with bills. I have made a decision for my first bass to be no more than 1K. Just out of principle. If I stick with it I will get a better one after two years or so. I have been playing electric for 16 years and bought a Rickenbacker but I think I deserved it bc I stuck with it. Make sense? I just would like something that plays easily, has been set up, and has a pickup...
 
#11
You have three really negative posts here on these POS basses. Two more suggesting you wait a bit and look for something better. Couple that with your own words of hearing "tons of bad reviews about them".
There you go.
I would only add that the "two years" you mention about keeping the bass is more than enough time for it to fall apart on you, which is not uncommon on these things. I've personally seen two of their "better" models with necks coming out of the neck blocks after a couple of months. Bad glue and gluing. They don't use a higher grade of glue just because the model is more expensive.
You seem convinced that this is what you want to do, so go ahead and I wish you the best. You may luck out.
 
#12
Paul Warburton said:
You have three really negative posts here on these POS basses. Two more suggesting you wait a bit and look for something better. Couple that with your own words of hearing "tons of bad reviews about them".
There you go.
I would only add that the "two years" you mention about keeping the bass is more than enough time for it to fall apart on you, which is not uncommon on these things. I've personally seen two of their "better" models with necks coming out of the neck blocks after a couple of months. Bad glue and gluing. They don't use a higher grade of glue just because the model is more expensive.
You seem convinced that this is what you want to do, so go ahead and I wish you the best. You may luck out.
Click to expand...

I'll assure you that I am not convinced to buy this particular bass. I am convinced about my price range.
 
#14
That guy, Eric Hochberg? He's a pro bass player with many, many years of great experience with thses things.
That guy, drurb? He's been leading around noob's by the hand here for many years trying to help them learn about purchses.
Eric says wait around, check around and so do I. I know basses pretty well too. I even used to be in a carved bass making partnership.
I think we pretty much gave what you were looking for in terms of feed-back.
 
#15
whitespike said:
I'll assure you that I am not convinced to buy this particular bass. I am convinced about my price range.
Click to expand...

I bought my DB from a Chinese company that supplies basses to a couple of well-known companies. It was what I could afford at the time, and I would have had to turn down gigs while I saved up for something better.

It worked out OK at first, I had a well-known Bay Area luthier plane the fingerboard, put in a new bridge, etc, and I gigged with it quite a bit. Problem is, I never got around to replacing it with something better like I'd planned as a result. Nothing changed the fact that it sounded awful. Boomy, and choked off in the thumb position. No character at all.

I took a sub gig with a big band recently, and was asked to leave my upright at home and bring my Conklin, since my DB is known around these parts to sound bad. Ouch.

All I'm saying is, unless you're having to turn down work by waiting, take these guys' advice and wait, and keep your eyes open. By the time I got done sinking money into improving this bass, I could've bought a much better used DB that sounded good in the first place. There are deals to be had in your price range, but that Cremona doesn't sound like one of them.
 
#16
I second Eric's suggestion attached. The relative quality vs. price is not a straight line.
Most basses you see for 1k are a lot closer in quality to a $500 bass than a $1300 bass.
It's just s threshold you may have to pass to make it worth buying anything.
But to Eric's point, be patient and good used Chinese bass can be found but be picky on the brand. Shen and Christopher are the exception to the rule on the quality of Chinese basses.

Good luck,
Dave
Eric Hochberg said:
You should be able to find a used Shen, Christopher, Eastman for 1k. Maybe from a high school kid who doesn't want it anymore... It might take a while but will be worth the wait.
Click to expand...
 
#17
For $79 + shipping over you budget, you could go here. It's not great but it will be dependable:

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LF

PS: there are online sellers where you can get these SB2's etc for less that $700 brand new (not that I'm saying you should!!) Just that two years from now you won't see much resale value in that bass.
 
#19
A ply from Eastman should be a very usable instrument. I have a carved mid-grade from them and it is a fine instrument for the price.

A Cremona, on all accounts, is not a usable instrument. Don't waste your time, there are other options just be patient. I would imagine Austin to have more than one resource for basses, keep your eyes and ears open.

how about this? actually looks like a good deal!

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**** I might jump on that for a decent ply backup.
 
#20
whitespike said:
He says he paid 900 plus a 200 dollar set up and the k&k pickup and pure pre-amp was around 200. SO that's 1300 worth of stuff and he wants to keep his price firm at 950 for all. Is this a bad deal for me? I do like that he is a pro player and has had it set up already and he builds guitars.... but doesn't really seem to be a great deal...marginal maybe.

But then again UB's may not lose as much value as EBs?
Click to expand...

Just my opinion here but...just because he paid handsomely doesn't mean YOU should. Look around. For about $1K, after about 3 months of looking, I bought a Epiphone B4 that's really great fun to play, sounds wonderful and when I go to sell it one day (well, maybe never) probably I'll get most of my dough back. Patience pays off.
 

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