Double Bass "Thomann" basses (Hora and Strunal) for a beginner?

[Nohrellas]

Okay, I got a reply from Thomann. First of all I was mistaken about the Hora bass, it does have laminated sides which means that it basically does everything I want it to spec-wise. I was also told by the string department that she personally is more convinced of a real ebony fingerboard as opposed to the engineered blackwood.

As for the setup, she told me that a low action for pizzicato playing is 8mm for the G and 9mm for the E string, assuming that the fingerboard is dressed so that can be achieved without buzzing that seems like a solid setup for the string action. The saddle is "properly fitted" for the instrument, that was basically her response after I voiced concerns about high action at the saddle which results in an unnecessarily hard to play lower register. The soundpost is also fitted in such a way that it usually survives shipping without falling over.

@Reiska that's what I've been told so far for the Thomann setup policy.

I think I'll go with the Hora now that I have this Information.

 

[Reiska]

Thanks for the info, anyhow 8mm under G to 9mm under E is propably hard to play pizz, weird and basically unbowable setup. The G side would be high action and E side low that way. 6 - 9mms is low-ish and workable setup. I`ll answer more in depht when I have the time!

 

[Nohrellas]

Yeah, I just read up on some string height threads on talkbass. That does seem odd. I guess I'll just give them concrete numbers to work with if I get the Hora.

How does 6mm 7mm 8mm 10mm at the end of the fingerboard sound for GDAE?
I guess it also depends on the strings, would that be okay for Thomastik Spirocore weich or mittel?

 

[Reiska]

G 6mm, D 7mm, A 8mm, E 9mm measured at the end of the fingerboard would surely be playable setup and good for starting with. There are plenty of factors involved, string lenght, curvature of the fingerboard, string spacing, relief of the fingerboard, qualities of the particular bass etc. 6 - 9mm will get you started, it can be plucked and bowed. Some players favor larger string to string height difference, some have larger difference between the G and D, some have their E at same height as A. All that comes from particular string choice and what the player wants / needs to get out of the instrument. However, 6-9mm is pretty standard height for Spirocore weichs and mittels both. Rest depends on what sort of tone and feel you are looking for and what your bass likes best. Anyhow, if I were you I`d start with weichs for comforts sake, if you are like me and many others around here, you will be in hand hell ( but loving it! ) for the initial beginning stage

 

[Nohrellas]

G 6mm, D 7mm, A 8mm, E 9mm measured at the end of the fingerboard would surely be playable setup and good for starting with. There are plenty of factors involved, string lenght, curvature of the fingerboard, string spacing, relief of the fingerboard, qualities of the particular bass etc. 6 - 9mm will get you started, it can be plucked and bowed. Some players favor larger string to string height difference, some have larger difference between the G and D, some have their E at same height as A. All that comes from particular string choice and what the player wants / needs to get out of the instrument. However, 6-9mm is pretty standard height for Spirocore weichs and mittels both. Rest depends on what sort of tone and feel you are looking for and what your bass likes best. Anyhow, if I were you I`d start with weichs for comforts sake, if you are like me and many others around here, you will be in hand hell ( but loving it! ) for the initial beginning stage

Thanks for the advice, I'll probably ask the string department one last question (I wonder if they're sick of me already ) on whether or not my desired string action is possible without rattling or notes choking out with their standard setup procedure. If she gives the okay on that I'll probably forward the 6-9mm specs to them on the order.

From what I gathered it also shouldn't be an issue to stick with the stock artino 180 strings for now and upgrade to spirocore weichs in the future since the construction and tension on them is very similar, so there shouldn't be a massive change in tension that messes with the action once I swap the strings.

 

[Nohrellas]

Replacing the endpin is 50€, installing new strings is 25€ and my "extra low" setup is another 50€ from Thomann. I'll just have them do their normal setup to minimize the initial cost and then have it setup here locally.

 

[J_Bass]

Do you guys know who is the Czech brand that makes the Thomann 22 VN? It's not Strunal, I checked with Thomann. But they didn't say who it was.

 

[Nohrellas]

Do you guys know who is the Czech brand that makes the Thomann 22 VN? It's not Strunal, I checked with Thomann. But they didn't say who it was.

As far as I know, all 22 models should be made in Romania and not the Czech republic.
### -> made in China
## -> made in Romania
# -> made in the Czech republic
1 -> fully laminated
2 -> solid top
3 -> all solid, flatback
4 -> all solid, swelled back