Double Bass The Chadwick Folding Bass

[LiamCohl]

got mine a couple weeks ago, set up with helicore orchestrals and a fishman full circle pickup, I was having some serious problems getting tone I was satisfied with at the volume I need with my old carved german bass and pile of assorted pickups. The amplified tone and volume potential for the chadwick bass blow away the carved bass. Im running the full circle into a platinum pro eq, then to a radial bassbone to add a second channel 3 band eq and volume control for arco, then into an acoustic image coda+ on top of a bergantino ae410, this rig can blow away even the loudest of drummers Ive played with and still has tone similar to my carved bass with olives on it, turned down to the volume I actually use it at, there is headroom for days and great responsiveness from the whole setup, and who could ever complain about being able to fit an upright bass, pedalboard and 410 rig in the trunk of my car!

 

[Mike Carr]

Wow! Cool! I bought mine sight-unseen so hearing this report makes me all the more excited. Yeah, plywood is good when you amplify.

 

[Feral Feline]

Hey Mike, Congratulations!

I got to meet Mr. Chadwick a few years back and see his prototype. He was a real gentleman and even took me around to some string booths at the Shanghai Messe and introduced me to Mr Shen.

I'd love to take a look at a production model, if you'd be so kind to let me have a look at it.

Cheers,
FF

 

[Mike Carr]

Sure Neil,
Will be back in HK for just a few days the top of next week. Be happy to show you. I'm so glad I sold that Czech-Ease. It's going to be great to be able to fly with a normal sized bass and not sweat the oversized-over weight issues! PM me with your number, I lost my old hand-phone a few months ago, had your number in it.

 

[Tanglehead]

Just a brief real-life review of checking the Chadwick as baggage:

For my travels with bass last week I had cobbled together the cheapest flights I could find that fit my desired schedule. The Chadwick in it's case is overesized for most airlines, based on exceeding 62 dimensional inches (H+W+D) but the bass itself is just under 50#. Because I threw a Metropolitan bow in the case, I came up 52 pounds. Here's how I was charged (no rhyme nor reason, as far as I can tell - just some cats charging for baggage were cooler than others):

United PDX to DFW with a stop in Denver = $60 for oversize

Frontier DFW to DIA direct = $20 plus another bag for free

Frontier DIA to PDX = $95 ($20 for any bag and $75 for overweight.)

I booked the flights with exactly two weeks before departure, so I just took my chances on baggage costs. I still think I came out ahead of any other flights getting me there when I wanted to be there. I've heard from another CFB owner, though, that he's flown via Southwest several times and NEVER had to pay baggage or overage fees.

Also, you can get away with renting a mid-size car (probably even smaller) and keep the bass in the trunk.

I went unamplified on one audition and with an amp for the other. In both instances I felt the bass performed well, although I think I might have played a little differently if I'd had my Pfretzschner.

Just wanted to share specifics for those considering. I still really think you can't go wrong with this bass, and I intend to keep mine for a long time.

b. casey
Portland, Or

 

[Mike Carr]

Thanks for sharing. I've taking mine LA to HK this weekend, then HK to Shanghai the following week. I hope I don't get hit too hard. Still way better than Czech-Ease and probably less expensive to fly. I sold my C-E to a real nice guy in Shanghai last year. He had intended to take it to New York for study. The airline wanted $650 extra to take it! Was so so sorry to hear that from him after I had sold it.

 

[AndreyR]

From the video,

Something like this happened to my previous bass, but unfortunately it wasn't a Chadwick. It cost me just $300 to repair (fortunately Kolstein's offers instrument insurance on rentals), but also cost me a few days of straight depression.

 

[Mike Carr]

I just got back to Hong Kong on a long flight from Los Angeles.
No extra charge for my Folding Bass! In it's flight case, minus a soft case it weighs in at just over 48 lbs. I packed a soft case in my medium sized suit case and still had room for my cloths and stuff. I didn't have much time to play it while I was in LA since it arrived just the day before I was set to fly back here. But it's not difficult to put together and breakdown and it sounds just like a good plywood bass should! Has a nice fingerboard, plays great and gets a good growl for jazz with the Spirocores it came with. I'm looking forward to getting to know this bass very well!

 

[Feral Feline]

Mike,

Your Chadwick is going full circle (I don't mean the pickup). Back to from whence it came.

I hope that if I order one they'll send it straight from the factory and save me some shipping charges.

PM sent.

FF

 

[Mike Carr]

Shen supplies Chadwick with the carracass. Chadwick does all the modifications and setup himself. They might be born in China, but all the things that make it a Folding Bass are done by hand by Chadwick in the States. When I first inquired about the basses that was my first question, could I pick one up in Shanghai. Would have been easy, I know Sam Shen personally and all. But no, if they fold they come as a result of Charlie Chadwick's design and considerable labor. He lives in Nashville, mine was shipped to me while in California. Flew back with me to HK yesterday.

 

[McGryff]

Glad to see he's still using a Shen as the basis for this… I love my Shen, they're great basses!

 

[Jazzkuma]

Im probably going to end up buying one of these. I hope the sound is good pizz and arco. I also hope that over time that back part doesnt start to rattle.

 

[spoonido]

I sat in the first row and watched Jake Erwin (Hot Club of Cowtown) slap the living heck out of a Chadwick travel bass last week. Using hybrid weed wackers, he told me that it's been rock solid. Nothing rattling or coming loose. The plywood sound was nice and boomy. An attractive instrument as well!

 

[Dave Martin]

Should any of the California guys have as desire to either see a great swing singer or see a Chadwick Folding bass in person come see us! Here’s the schedule:
Thursday July 14 8:00PM - Coffee Gallery Backstage in Altadena, CA

Saturday, July 16 2:30PM - Viva Cantina in Burbank.

Sunday July 17 3:00PM - 19 Broadway in Fairfax, CA with the Lone Star Reprobates.

Wednesday July 20 at 7:30PM - High Street Station in Alameda CA, with legendary swing singer Chris O’Connell

Saturday July 23 at 8:00 - Little Switzerland in Sonoma, CA. Carolyn and Dave will join the legendary Lost Weekend Western Swing Band.

Here's the singer I'll be playing with: Carolyn Martin - Carolyn Martin Music - Home

 

[Jake deVilliers]

Should any of the California guys have as desire to either see a great swing singer or see a Chadwick Folding bass in person come see us! Here’s the schedule:
Thursday July 14 8:00PM - Coffee Gallery Backstage in Altadena, CA

Saturday, July 16 2:30PM - Viva Cantina in Burbank.

Sunday July 17 3:00PM - 19 Broadway in Fairfax, CA with the Lone Star Reprobates.

Wednesday July 20 at 7:30PM - High Street Station in Alameda CA, with legendary swing singer Chris O’Connell

Saturday July 23 at 8:00 - Little Switzerland in Sonoma, CA. Carolyn and Dave will join the legendary Lost Weekend Western Swing Band.

Here's the singer I'll be playing with: Carolyn Martin - Carolyn Martin Music - Home

You're married to Carolyn Martin of The Time Jumpers!? Cool Dave, really cool - I'm a fan.

 

[Dave Martin]

You're married to Carolyn Martin of The Time Jumpers!? Cool Dave, really cool - I'm a fan.

Well, Jake - I'm married to Carolyn Martin who used to be with the Time Jumpers. She left the band about a year and a half ago, after being a member for 11 years.

But she's busier than ever, and singing a LOT more swing than she could with the Time Jumpers. And now, I get to play bass...

 

[Jake deVilliers]

Well, Jake - I'm married to Carolyn Martin who used to be with the Time Jumpers. She left the band about a year and a half ago, after being a member for 11 years.

But she's busier than ever, and singing a LOT more swing than she could with the Time Jumpers. And now, I get to play bass...[/QUOTE

Apparently I'm a little behind, which is par for the course. Thanks for the update Dave.

 

[bertramkevin]

Just got back from auditioning at UNT and UCBoulder, flying to both places with my Chadwick. All parties at both schools were intrigued, and I was pretty happy with the sound and extremely happy with the functionality. I included my bow in a foam padded bag, which put the total weight at 52 pounds, so I did have to pay overages on United and Frontier.

I'm sold on this as a travel bass. Many people didn't even know it was a folding bass until I started breaking it apart, which obviously blew them away. The sound tends to be a little dark on mine, so fresh spiros really helped give the bass more bite. Couldn't quite cut through a trio with drums going sans amp, but it was pretty close.

These basses are worth a look for travel basses (well) under $4K.

bc

I was just curious for you guys flying with your Chadwicks... Are you taking any other care in the handling of the case by the airlines other than those fragile stickers they give you?
Are you watching them load/unload etc?
How do you feel about the sturdiness of the case?
I'm just curious because whenever I see the luggage guys loading bags etc, they're just chucking them around and I know I wouldn't want my bass handled that way...

 

[Jazzkuma]

I got this bass last week and I have to say I love it. Charlie is a really cool guy, very helpful and answers any questions you have regarding your bass very fast. Took about 2 months (bit less) to complete and send mine. Got here scratchless and I unfolded the bass as soon as I got it. He did add a new mechanism to the neck which holds the neck in place when its folded, it really is an upgrade.

I needed to have this bass before an audition and I got it in time to get used to the bass and use up the strings a bit, didn't take me long since my previous bass was also a shen. I showed the faculty that was auditioning me the bass and how it works, they also said they liked the tone a lot.

The parts don't rattle, sounds and plays like a shen, the case is strong and well padded inside, bows great but gotta keep in mind that it is a plywood bass so it might not be as loud as some fully carved. However it is as loud as my previous hybrid shen which was not a folding bass.
Have not flied with this bass yet, but it did get here safely with ups/fedex so I don't see how that would be a problem. It also fits in any standard cars trunk so it allows more than 1 passenger. I will be traveling international with this bass during winter so I will see how that goes.

 

[njonker]

...I got it in time to get used to the bass and use up the strings a bit

Could I ask what kind of strings you decided to put on it?

Niels.