Double Bass Thomann 111E BR or Thomann 111E SN ? What should I get?

[Deni Om]

Hello everyone.. This is my first post on this forum and I hope you can help me.

I have the option of getting either a Thomann 111E BR or a Thomann 111E SN. Looking through the web (even the official Thomann page) I can't figure out the difference beyond the finish of the bass. So why is the SN slightly more expensive? Is the extra 40euro worth it? This would be my first UB, and since I have to choose ONLY BETWEEN THIS TWO basses i wanted to ask your opinion.

Thank you. Relevant links below.


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[Ortsom]

So why is the SN slightly more expensive?

Probably because the perceived demand for that colour is higher; please ask Thomann for their reason.

I really recommend you play a bass before you buy it, ideally together with a teacher or another experienced DB player, and keep your options open for f.i. the 33 or maybe 2nd hand. Have a look at Thomann 33 3/4 EUROPE & elsewhere on TB.

 

[Harry Monkley]

If you look carefull at the various thomann 111 basses, you can see that they are constructed differently - the satin finished bass has plate tuners, linings on the outside of the ribs and an ebony tailpiece, the brown one has individual tuners internal lininings and a metal tailpiece, I would guess that they don't necessarily originate from the same factory.

The violin cornered version of the 111
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has the made in europe logo on the item pics but no mention of country of manufacture in the description - this might also be worth considering, or at least investigating where it was made.

Contact thomann and ask them where the instruments you are interested in were manufactured - many of the basses they sell are made by Hora and Strunal (both have been making double basses for a long time), some of the cheaper instruments are made in the far east. In my experience thomann are quite happy to reveal where their own brand instruments originate from.

 

[Ortsom]

Ta Harry, missed that; I didn't look closely enough. So €40 because they're different.

I once had a metal TP on a cello, and I judged that as undesirable because of metallic ringing. How big an issue that is on a DB is best assessed when you play it. (Never had a metal TP on a DB.)

 

[ErikvanD]

I used the BR at music school. The finish on that bass (and the one we got as a replacement after the neck on the frist one warped) is kind of chocolate brown. I personally did not find that very attractive... For me about 40 euro extra for a bass that looks better but is otherwise the same, would we acceptable. But as stated before, the basses have other differences as well...

 

[Amargo]

I don't know the other one, but the SN is a CCB (Cheap Chinesse Bass), just as you can read in the label at the back of the neck. The fact that these two are made in China is consistent with their price, being the european instruments in another range say above 900 euro.

 

[Josh Kneisel]

I recently bought this Thompson RM-100 with a nice gig bag and a Gage Lifeline pickup. Been playing it at 3-4 gigs a week and has been a solid, nice instrument. Kicks the poopie out of my '75 Englehardt that got stolen.

 

[Ortsom]

I only have these two basses to chose from by late August. Unfortunately playing them before is not an option.

I can understand this against several backgrounds, so I accept that.

It would be great to hear from someone who' s heard and seen both.

Nobody has come forward, and if you can't find anything using the search function, maybe that info is just not available on TB. While the biggest, TB is a bit US-oriented, while Thomann is big in Europe. Maybe more luck on Basschat - the UK bass guitar players' forum, GEBA-online | Willkommen | Kontrabass, Kontrabässe, Musik, Orchester, Noten, Saiten, Bass, OnlyBass.

 

[HateyMcAmp]

Check out this thread I made about the 111E BR - NDB - Thomann 111E

The SN and the like are all new to the catalog, and seem to just be BR's with different paint jobs. I thought my 111E was a decent usable bass, but my Shen SB80 absolutely blows it away in tone and playability. If you have the cash, spend the extra 150ish euros on the next level up on the line, the "europe" models (I think their code is 11.) You'll be glad you did.

 

[Ortsom]

Ta for that well balanced review you linked to!

Btw, I just looked again, and the price difference between BR & SN has now reduced to just €6 (on the D site, £9 on the UK site). €6 more to get a wooden TP instead of a metal one seems an easy choice. + it looks better.