• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Double Bass Safe to buy a repaired upright?

Landbear

Landbear

Aug 4, 2018
37
117
Los Angeles
#1
Hey there,

Ive been playing a 60s plywood bass for the last couple of years and I’m looking to upgrade. I’m talking to a seller locally who is selling a fully carved 3/4 scale bass for 6k less than the retail price. The catch is that the bass has undergone repairs in its past. The neck had to be repaired at the heel and the front of the bass had a crack that was also repaired. All of the work was done by a reputable luthier in my area. I’m wondering if anyone can chime in on how good/bad an idea it is to invest in a bass that has had considerable repairs. The seller is being really upfront about everything and sent detail shots of the repairs. (Images attached) thanks for your help in advance
945F702B-9548-4F79-844D-B7DBEE32CA52.jpeg
F907F67C-0CB7-4D50-A026-06E8FF97E484.jpeg
FA1EB0BA-F9FB-4F8E-AEE6-5EF0C7196568.jpeg
E56C4532-504E-4455-A63E-AEF45F571AA1.jpeg
 

Attachments

  • C5CAFB94-EA20-488F-95A4-63B2BE9D9DDD.jpeg
    C5CAFB94-EA20-488F-95A4-63B2BE9D9DDD.jpeg
    998.6 KB · Views: 43
#7
So I discussed the history of the bass a bit more with the seller. Apparently he purchased it secondhand and the neck repair was present when he purchased the bass. The repairs done by the reputable luthier only covered the cracks in the top/face of the bass.
 
#8
The original builder and the model of the bass would be nice to know...

I notice the bridge has adjusters, but the action looks high for steel strings. Is the neck repair holding?

Also, from the lines of the heel break, it looks like the neck block was also fractured.

Taking this bass to a reputable luthier for examination and possible setup (if you buy it) might be the best idea.

Since so little is firmly known about this bass, the question really comes down to how much do you want to spend on this instrument after you buy it. If as advertised to you it is fully carved, it has great potential, but if the repairs are not sound, you may end up having the neck replaced and having serious body repairs done to it before you're fully satisfied with it. Those take time during which you would not be able to play the bass, and they cost money...

Landbear said:
... 6k less ...
Click to expand...
If it were me, since there are so many unanswered questions, I'd want to be prepared to pay the money saved on the purchase of this instrument for post-purchase repeat repairs. Then if that much money is spent, it's ok, and if not, so much the better.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Stuart.C and Landbear
#10
Don Hergert said:
The original builder and the model of the bass would be nice to know...

I notice the bridge has adjusters, but the action looks high for steel strings. Is the neck repair holding?

Also, from the lines of the heel break, it looks like the neck block was also fractured.

Taking this bass to a reputable luthier for examination and possible setup (if you buy it) might be the best idea.

Since so little is firmly known about this bass, the question really comes down to how much do you want to spend on this instrument after you buy it. If as advertised to you it is fully carved, it has great potential, but if the repairs are not sound, you may end up having the neck replaced and having serious body repairs done to it before you're fully satisfied with it. Those take time during which you would not be able to play the bass, and they cost money...


If it were me, since there are so many unanswered questions, I'd want to be prepared to pay the money saved on the purchase of this instrument for post-purchase repeat repairs. Then if that much money is spent, it's ok, and if not, so much the better.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the thorough reply. This is exactly the kind of info I was hoping to glean. I've been bit secretive about the make / model because I'm hoping someone else in the area doesn't see this thread and poach the bass. The bass in question is a Tosca Teatro sold by Lemur Music in Orange County. I'll have to think hard about this. I'll probably set up an appointment to check it out and see what I think. Is there anything specific I should be looking for when determining the quality of the neck repair? Apologies for all the questions. Really appreciate everyones help!
 
#11
Landbear said:
Thanks for the thorough reply. This is exactly the kind of info I was hoping to glean. I've been bit secretive about the make / model because I'm hoping someone else in the area doesn't see this thread and poach the bass. The bass in question is a Tosca Teatro sold by Lemur Music in Orange County. I'll have to think hard about this. I'll probably set up an appointment to check it out and see what I think. Is there anything specific I should be looking for when determining the quality of the neck repair? Apologies for all the questions. Really appreciate everyones help!
Click to expand...
I wouldn't know what to look for by looking at it, but thoroughly playing it may give you some indications by feel. If you play with a very aggressive and loud jazz pizz style, with your whole right arm in motion, you may be able to feel any tiny bit of play in the neck with your left hand - and you obviously don't want that. If you play long tones arco in a 3-octave scale, you may be able to feel some "weird" vibration in the neck with your left hand on certain tones - and you also don't want that. I tried out a bass with neck repair once and felt that tiny bit of give in the neck with the fortissimo pizz, and felt a weird shuddering vibration in my left hand on a couple of arco notes. If you play it and it feels rock solid, it may be worth the gamble - at least you'll know it'll stand up to play for some number of years before more repair is necessary.
 
#12
Probably the biggest indicator of a failing neck repair that a player would notice is high action. As mentioned, the bridge has adjusters, so I'd also take note of how much adjustment is available in those adjusters. If they're bottomed out, that points to the neck repair moving. A picture of the bridge adjusters would answer that here if you get to see the instrument. But also keep in mind, it could be a newly installed bridge, in which case the adjusters would probably look just fine.

The glue joint in the heel repair looks tight, which is good. But if the neck block did fracture as it looks like, and if the neck block was not replaced, things could be moving around inside. Also, the upper rib cracks over the neck block are not in perfect re-alignment, so that could point to trouble inside. As @BarfanyShart has mentioned, certainly if you can feel movement in the neck, there's a problem.

All that said, I'm not a double bass luthier or a repair person, and I'm just guessing based on the pics, so that's not very reliable. A few people here, including @Greg Clinkingbeard who has replied here, are notable luthiers whose recommendations are worthy of note. This double bass could be a great bass. It may cost a few hundred dollars, but having the instrument fully checked out by a reliable double bass repair person / luthier would be the safest thing to do.

Best of luck with this!
 
  • Like
Reactions: DoubleMIDI, BarfanyShart and robobass
#13
dhergert makes some very good points. Any idea when the heel repair was done? If it was 10 years ago then I would be confident that it will hold. All I have to add is that whoever did the work did not do any retouching to clean up the break. That doesn't necessarily mean that the repair was shoddy. Maybe the owner just didn't want to pay for cosmetic work. It could also mean, however, that the work was not done by a pro. Still, if you can get this bass for like $2.5k then it seems like a a risk worth taking.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Don Hergert
#14
The bass looks like it came out of the Chen factory (not to be confused with Shen) Chen made some good basses. It looks similar to some Eastmans I’ve seen as well but my money is on Chen.
I disagree with the earlier comment about the block being cracked because the block grain runs front to back. The rib simply cracked. No big deal.
I’ve seen repairs like this last a long time. In fact I have a bass in the shop which the owner has had for well over a decade with a break like this. He has no idea how the repair was done but it’s solid.
If it’s been that way for a few years it will likely hold well.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Don Hergert

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back