Double Bass the christopher bass club

[Chris204T]

I have a 204T, essentially the same bass but in busetto shape. I bought it used for around $1000 in 2014 and haven't had any problems with it. I get compliments on how good it sounds. I play mostly jazz/pizzacato and have Spirocore mittel E and A strings. If it is in good shape, I think you would be getting a very good deal.

 

[scuzzy]

I have a 204T, essentially the same bass but in busetto shape. I bought it used for around $1000 in 2014 and haven't had any problems with it. I get compliments on how good it sounds. I play mostly jazz/pizzacato and have Spirocore mittel E and A strings. If it is in good shape, I think you would be getting a very good deal.

He says no cracks or separations. Just side dings.

I have several more angles. Appears to be in reasonable shape.

 

[scuzzy]

my brother just picked the bass up. a bit of a risk buying sight unseen, but the seller seems like a really good guy. the 3/4 Christopher DB203T, carry bag, a french and german bow for $650 seems like a solid deal to me. I'm eager to have my first double bass on the way.

 

[wjl]

the 3/4 Christopher DB203T, carry bag, a french and german bow for $650 seems like a solid deal to me

Sounds like the steal of the century to me. That bass alone, from the importer here in Frankfurt, would be around 1700€ new.

Have fun with your instrument!

 

[basspraiser]

I'd like to join!

Bought my DB103T about a year and a half ago and and am having a blast playing it! Not fond of taking it out to gigs but....

I had it set up by a local guy who does work for the Chicago Symphony.

He leveled out the bridge and changed a the tail piece and few other things to make it play better (I am not familiar with the exact names of all of the parts etc).

Overall, I love it but the notes on the E string do not sound good...they are just kinda "thuds" with minimal definition.

Anyone else have a similar issue?

suggestions on how this may be cured?

Here are a few pics:

 

[scuzzy]

My newly acquired Christopher has the Romberg bevel. Would this be a factory option, or was it likely done aftermarket by a luthier? It is a bit strange, but appears well done.

 

[dylanjohnson]

I'd like to join!

Bought my DB103T about a year and a half ago and and am having a blast playing it! Not fond of taking it out to gigs but....

I had it set up by a local guy who does work for the Chicago Symphony.

He leveled out the bridge and changed a the tail piece and few other things to make it play better (I am not familiar with the exact names of all of the parts etc).

Overall, I love it but the notes on the E string do not sound good...they are just kinda "thuds" with minimal definition.

Anyone else have a similar issue?

suggestions on how this may be cured?

Here are a few pics:

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Take your bass to your luthier to get your soundpost adjusted (maybe someone else), then make sure you are playing the E string with proper technique.

 

[dylanjohnson]

New addition to the Club (Do we get numbers here? Lol). I've had it a couple of months, just never got around to posting it.

DB401F
Carved flatback, advertised by Christopher as a 7/8 (yuge body, see dimensions below) but has a 41.7" string scale. Sticker says 2007 but I'm the first owner (go figure).

Measurements taken by me (Christopher has it a bit smaller in some areas)
Body length: 46.25" to top of button
Upper Bout- 21.4"
Waist- 15.25"
Lower Bout- 28"
Rib Depth- 6.625" at neck, 8.375" from the back "bend" to the endpin.

I'm very happy with it, now that I've solved a buzz that happened to be the string.

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Were those hatpeg tuners stock? I had a Christopher 504 that was a great sounding bass. Lots of issues with cracks, though. It was a very fragile bass. A couple of advertisements for these... When I was comparing my bass to Arnold Schnitzer's Clevelend and La Scala basses at his shop, he mentioned how good my bass sounded, and I didn't end up taking one of his basses home. Also, check out Michael Janisch, a bass player in the UK that plays a Christopher bass. Killer player with a great sound. I sold mine and regret it. The worst thing about it was the finish. It wore off pretty easily. I think it was spirit varnish.

 

[derylgallant]

Bought my Christopher bass 20 years go!

 

[RBrownBass]

Were those hatpeg tuners stock? I had a Christopher 504 that was a great sounding bass. Lots of issues with cracks, though. It was a very fragile bass. A couple of advertisements for these... When I was comparing my bass to Arnold Schnitzer's Clevelend and La Scala basses at his shop, he mentioned how good my bass sounded, and I didn't end up taking one of his basses home. Also, check out Michael Janisch, a bass player in the UK that plays a Christopher bass. Killer player with a great sound. I sold mine and regret it. The worst thing about it was the finish. It wore off pretty easily. I think it was spirit varnish.

Dylan, if you're still here, I apologize profusely for not seeing this post earlier. Not sure what I was doing, but for some reason, I didn't get an alert.

No, the tuners were bought before the bass, and installed after the purchase. The distributor has an option to have them installed before shipment, but since I had a set, I opted to just get the bass here as fast as I could.

So far (about 19 months now), I've had no issues with the bass, other than what I thought was a top crack below the TP, near the seam. It turned out not to be a crack, or my pedestrian efforts with hide glue worked well- it hasn't moved. The finish hasn't worn much, but I'm pretty careful with it, so, there's that. She wears a full set of Perpetuals now and I'm very happy with them.

 

[GD_NC]

Hey I’m looking to try my hand at the DB and searching for a reasonable decent quality ply bass. What should I expect to pay for a 100 Series Christopher on the used market?

 

[dylanjohnson]

Dylan, if you're still here, I apologize profusely for not seeing this post earlier. Not sure what I was doing, but for some reason, I didn't get an alert.

No, the tuners were bought before the bass, and installed after the purchase. The distributor has an option to have them installed before shipment, but since I had a set, I opted to just get the bass here as fast as I could.

So far (about 19 months now), I've had no issues with the bass, other than what I thought was a top crack below the TP, near the seam. It turned out not to be a crack, or my pedestrian efforts with hide glue worked well- it hasn't moved. The finish hasn't worn much, but I'm pretty careful with it, so, there's that. She wears a full set of Perpetuals now and I'm very happy with them.

Cool! Glad you are enjoying it.

 

[Eric Frey]

I’m wondering if anyone out there has ever owned a RN Christopher with the Concord case, and if so, what are your thoughts? I’ve never played a Christopher, and would potentially be purchasing sight unseen.

 

[wjl]

Forgot to mention it I think: I joined the club and bought a Chrissy last year in August, see this thread: NBD, and hello everyone

 

[Ed S]

I stepped in to sub for a bassist during part of a jam last Sunday and used his bass. It was a blonde-ish ply, and the label inside said Christopher, 2022. Fingerboard had the bevel.

The neck on this bass was really fat, from front to back. Felt like a club. Way fatter than the neck on my Upton hybrid.

I've played similar dimensioned necks before - and don't care for them. Just wondering, is this common among Christophers? Just their plys?

A good idea to occasionally play other people's basses - it often makes me appreciate mine more!

 

[RBrownBass]

I stepped in to sub for a bassist during part of a jam last Sunday and used his bass. It was a blonde-ish ply, and the label inside said Christopher, 2022. Fingerboard had the bevel.

The neck on this bass was really fat, from front to back. Felt like a club. Way fatter than the neck on my Upton hybrid.

I've played similar dimensioned necks before - and don't care for them. Just wondering, is this common among Christophers? Just their plys?

A good idea to occasionally play other people's basses - it often makes me appreciate mine more!

I know this is a late reply, but my current Chrissy (carved, flat) has a fat neck as well. My first one (ply) did not, tho, so there's that. I prefer them fat myself. I used to have a Scherl & Roth with a neck graft, and it was fat. I got used to that really quickly.