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Double Bass Should I....Romano Solano bass

FunkyMcNasty

FunkyMcNasty

Dec 4, 2010
1,854
796
IN
#1
I was wanting some info on this bass from you experts. I am new to upright but not to the bass guitar. I am wanting to take the leap to the double bass. I found a Romano Solano for sale and was wondering if you guys could give me some info and advice on it.
All I know is that it is a 3/4 round back. Not sure model or exact price right now. I was wondering if this is a good bass (yes I know they are custom), what a good price to offer is and any other info you guys may have. It would come with a french bow and gig bag (if that's what you db guys call them). I'm new to this so take it easy on me. Any help would be great. I'm not even sure how big a 3/4 is. What size is the norm?
 
#2
I'm sorry that I can't help you with this particular bass, other than to say it looks very nice. I have played and heard several of Mr. Solano's instruments and I am smitten. I'd love to get one, and prolly will one day! :D

I can however offer you some good advise:
1- Have someone check out the instrument. A luthier who works on BASSES (not a slab tech or fiddle doc) would be best, but it can be an upright savvy friend or acquaintance, maybe your teacher-you do plan to get a teacher, right? :)

The idea is to make sure the bass is in good health. What if you didn't know to check for a warped neck or bad frets on a potential slab purchase? You want someone who knows enough to help you avoid pitfalls that you don't know exist yet.

2- Learn everything you can about how to take care of an upright- temperature and humidity control; what to do when seams open, cracks appear, sound posts fall, etc. This will also require you to establish and maintain a relationship with a luthier- again, one that really has experience working on upright basses.

I wish you the best of luck my friend! I hope this works out for the best!

Joe

Oh yeah- check all the newbie links here! Read read read!

And don't be afraid to keep asking questions!
 
#3
I'll jump in with answers to the easy questions.
  1. 3/4 is actually the norm.
  2. Yes, we call them gig bags, or just bass bags.
  3. Best bet is to have a qualified bass luthier inspect the instrument before purchase. A serious seller will have no problem with this.
Search the archives here for info about the maker--some stuff there. The guys at Upton have Invalid Link Removed that will go for $8k or $10k depending on how they set it up.

--Steve

P.S. Here is the maker's homepage.
 
#5
Thanks for all of the great info. I've been doing some reading and I had also been looking at the luthier's site and trying to soak up as much info from the newbie threads also. I am still not sure but I think I could get into this one for a good price but I don't want to get "stuck" with a $7000 investment if it turns out that this is not for me. I am weighing my options.
 
#7
For one considering a $7K investment it seems wise to search out an accomplished player/teacher and spent a $100 on a lesson just to talk about basses and to pay for him/her to check out any prospective instruments. I'm thinking a bass like you're considering (and good on you for doing this) is one that you may have a long time. Getting an opinion from someone who is already the caliber of double bass player you might become could prove to kinda like a door into the future. They might see things you wish you'd been able to.

Another question that comes to mind is how many basses have you checked out before considering this one? This isn't a real lot as far as basses go but it's enough that there are a lot of instruments in this price range to consider. Why this Solano?
 
#8
jeff arddun said:
For one considering a $7K investment it seems wise to search out an accomplished player/teacher and spent a $100 on a lesson just to talk about basses and to pay for him/her to check out any prospective instruments. I'm thinking a bass like you're considering (and good on you for doing this) is one that you may have a long time. Getting an opinion from someone who is already the caliber of double bass player you might become could prove to kinda like a door into the future. They might see things you wish you'd been able to.

Another question that comes to mind is how many basses have you checked out before considering this one? This isn't a real lot as far as basses go but it's enough that there are a lot of instruments in this price range to consider. Why this Solano?
Click to expand...

What he said! :)
 
#9
Another thing to consider is what are you going to be using the bass for? Orchestral work? Jazz? Folk? Blues? Etc. are you planning on gigging regularly?

If you will be doing a lot traveling with the bass you may consider a lesser expensive option since there is a big chance of the being damaged while traveling.
 
#13
For $7k, there are several fine options, Shen being just one. That's a substantial amount of cash (to me, anyway) and it buys a level of double bass such that there can be meaningful differences between instruments of the same model within a builder and certainly across. There isn't any one bass at that price point of which I'm aware that's right for everyone. I suggest that you play a bunch of different basses and buy the one that speaks to you.
 
#18
I have mixed feelings about this maker...I have only played three instruments of his, so maybe I've just experienced some duds. All three of the basses I've played are in the $15k-25k range, and were frankly disappointing. Nowhere near the bulk of a Jackstadt and without the characteristic tone of a vintage bass. Most people I talk to about him do not recommend his basses for orchestra auditions, and I'm not sure if anyone has won a national audition with one.

Does anyone with professional orchestral experience have anything to share about these basses?
 
#19
I have a 1998 Rogeri copy by Solano. The tone is blends very well in sections. I did have some optional work done to it - I had the top thinned out and that made a HUGE difference - much louder, clearer and focused. I think his newer instruments are much better. The easiest upgrade with the most bang for the buck I did was install a Marvin tailpiece. 7k for a solano is a great deal... 15k, not so much.. Although I know some people with Jackstadts and those instruments, despite their price, can be hit or miss as well.
 
#20
FunkyMcNasty said:
I am not getting a double bass. Thanks for all of your help......
Click to expand...

Bummer to hear. I like you, and probably many others, came from BG and made the move to the UB. It's one of the best things I have ever done. I have become completely addicted and it has helped improved my BG playing. It's also very nice to have both options for gigs and opens up the door to a wider variety of gigs.

If I were you and had a budget of 7k, I would consider getting a decent quality student bass, a decent bow, and look for a teacher local to you. That would still leave you with plenty of scratch to cover lessons and also money to put towards all the other accessories that you will likely accumulate over time as you progress. i.e. a decent pick up, pre amp, strings (they're way more expensive than BG lol), a stand or bass bumpers, etc.

This is all stuff that I've accumulated along my journey. As will you, if you are bold enough to take the plunge.

Don't be discouraged by anything that has been posted in this thread. All of it has been posted with the best intentions of fellow TBers who are just looking out for your best interests. 7k is a lot to drop on a bass if you've never played (at least for most. You may be well off enough that it's a drop in the bucket, for all I know. If you are, more power to you!)

Before giving up on the DB I strongly encourage giving it a shot. Worse case you can say you tried and it wasn't for you. Then sell the bass and bow for a bit less than you paid. Any money spent on lessons will be well worth it.

Just my thoughts. Good luck to you no matter your decision. For me I'm very very happy I took the plunge.
 

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