Sunrise Laguna vs. Encinitas

Right here, Jeff!

Seriously though, I think the Laguna comes in either violin or gamba.

Violin advantage: Corners make it easier to pick up, looks better than gamba (classy).

Violin disadvantage: Corners can get broken, corners leave red marks between your knees when you play the bass sideways.

Gamba advantage: Corners are already broken off.

Gamba disadvantage: Harder to pick up by c-bout, looks worse than violin (plain jane).

 

if you go over to Lemurs shop and play both basses and it sounds like better quality, then yeah. If not, save the 1000 and buy.... a nice rig. and be sure to ask your teacher about it.

 

Hi jeff
I have a Laguna sunrise. It was my main axe for about 5 years. I still use it for practice at home. I upgraded to a La Scala last year. I can still say that the Laguna is still a very comfortable bass to play. You will not be disappointed .If Jazz pizz is your mainstay then you will be relying in good amplification. . The only thing I would recommend is that you get it fitted with a full circle pick up before it leaves Lemur It sounds a little boomy with the Underwood. Incidentally the Lemur set up is great. Good luck

 

I understand the anxiety, I'm in exactly the same position, but without a teacher yet. However, in reading your last post, it seems like you've answered your own question already.

The sound is the most important thing, my interpretation of this statement suggests the Laguna.

Another reason to pocket the extra cash.

By the way, although I don't have a teacher yet, I'm leaning on the advice of a working double bass player. I keep coming up with basses that I might want, he keeps pointing to the Laguna. I'm about to push his patience past a reasonable limit, so when the funds are ready, a Laguna it will be.

 

Since I'm hoping to start off in the bluegrass realm I've strongly considered their Jupiter. It's a big@$$ laminated thing. They say it's made for maximum volume and punch in a bluegrass style setting, but would be perfectly adequate to learn the bow. However, with a realist pickup and nice little amp (which I own), the Laguna just kept coming up as the bass with the broadest future.

 

i was really in the same position as you when i was looking for my first bass and Lemur was the only resource i knew of at the time and both the basses to which this thread is dedicated we're top on my list. But i am located in Baltimore Maryland so the trip down to lemur would cost almost as much as the bass
i ended up getting a nicely setup Englehardt from a local luthier and it did me just fine. i still you use it for all my jazz stuff and find it perfectly suitable. So, my point is, i think both of the instruments would be wonderful as a bass to start out on. But on thing that ended up helping me with getting a "cheap"er first bass was that it allowed me to save up more for my second instrument with the pocketed cash. which is always good. (instead of a nice rig sorry if that came off a little brash)
for a bass to start out on i think both basses would be great, and according to the reviews, so do many others

The best of luck to ya
andrew

 

Just curious - how did the La Scala and the Sunrise Laguna compare in your ears and hands.


There is a significant price difference between the two and for the money the Laguna represents very good value. It feels really good. It comes excellently set up. A good Set up cannot be underestimated. I have seen and heard many basses that were more expensive than the Laguna that played and sounded inferior. It bows really responsively too. And while this may not seem important now you might find yourself seduced by the bow sound. (Learning with the bow is less forgiving of intonation problems.) At present I have Evahs.They pizz well but the E is a tad weak. I would suggest Spiros for Jazz and possibly a Stark E to get punch on the bottom end. There is no point in me comparing the two basses. My advice would be to go to a shop and play some basses but don't play basses you know that you can't afford.You will get a bass that more than fulfills your needs at the price point of the Laguna. I haven't outgrown the Laguna. I just happened to be in the financial position to but a La Scala.

My teacher had suggested getting the Realist pickup. I'll ask him about the full circle as well.


I haven't use the Realist so I can't comment. I have a Shadow(underwood type) pickup on the Laguna. There are limits to the volume before feedback. The full circle has a much better sound and has a much higher volume threshhold before Feedback. Incidentally as you will mostly be playing pizz then 90% of your gigs will be the same so SET UP will be more important than acoustic loudness.
good luck
Peter

 

I don't know if I'm breaking any forum rules here but... if this might help you?

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=501528

The prior owner of this bought it more as a momento as 10 years earlier, he was involved in a nasty accident that severed 90% of one of his arms and he could no longer play professionally.

It's dated inside 2007 ( I do not know what month) and he died in September of 2008 so it's not that old. He bought it an placed it in the corner of his room, more as a memory of what he did and maybe to plunk around with when he was reminiscing about his playing times.

I don't know.

If you'd have an interest in it, I think the niece would be happy getting $1,500 for it however, I'd have NO idea how to ship it.

If no interest, I certainly understand.

I hope this post isn't taken offensively, I just noticed the conversation and thought you might want to save a few dollars.

Regards

 

And?

Utah is only a long day's drive to SoCal, right? I have family in both spots and have made different versions of that trip.

It seems that it may be worth the drive/effort if you are talking about a bass that you will play for years, no?