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Double Bass Thompson v. Upton?
- Thread starter rusag2
- Start date
Did you hear anything you liked? Picking out a bass as a noob was tough for me. I didn't have the experience, the feel or the ear to know what was good compared to what was OK. The important thing is to get something solid and affordable to start. After six months or a year of playing, you'll have some definite ideas of what you are looking for.
I own a standard Upton "Hawkes" laminate. It is "upgraded" with German tuners, adjustable bridge, fancy fingerboard, pick-up, case and it was still under 2000.00 several years ago. I had it shipped to North Carolina, and it had been the best money I ever spent on an instrument. Beautifully even in tone and volume. I play heavy handed and it takes all I can give it. It works well in a bluegrass circle or on a PA. My only complaint is the case zippers, they failed without warranty and cost me over 100 to repair.
I own and have owned many upright basses and for a new bass I would not hesitate to recommend Upton.
I own and have owned many upright basses and for a new bass I would not hesitate to recommend Upton.
I have to say, as others have said, that frankly, I couldn't care less about where a bass is made, really.
I agree with Marcus' initial point; decide on a budget, then shop, bass by bass. For me, in DB's "brand" doesn't mean much.
I am not buying a brand, I am buying a single bass, that I want to work well for me, individually.
That, of course, is just for me, IMHO, etc.
I agree with Marcus' initial point; decide on a budget, then shop, bass by bass. For me, in DB's "brand" doesn't mean much.
I am not buying a brand, I am buying a single bass, that I want to work well for me, individually.
That, of course, is just for me, IMHO, etc.
I definitely care where my bass is made. Just like I definitely care where my kids toys and clothes are made, and where my food is grown (if not from my own garden).
I will pay more to get a quality product made in the USA, because I want to support local workers, and stimulate the economy. Thankfully, there are great options for people looking to buy a bass made in the USA at pretty much every price point.
I am not going to argue that Upton is not a better choice for somebody who wants to "Buy American," but the two basses are not the same price point. The Upton Laminate Standard is $2,200 before you add strings and bridge adjusters. The Thompson Hybrid is $2150 including strings (your choice of strings), bridge adjusters, and a nice padded cover. The Thompson Laminate, without oil varnish or upgraded tuners is $1435 including strings (again,your choice) adjusters and a cover. I recently tried an Upton Standard and no doubt it is a great bass but the price point is quite different between the two companies.
Your "price points" are way more narrow than mine.
I think of basses as being in the following (albeit arbitrary) price points:
$1500-3000
$3000-6000
$6000-10000
Then I go $20K, $30K, $40K, $50K, and anything above $50K (i.e. museum piece).
Interesting qualification, "for somebody who wants to "Buy American." I think there are other very important differences that matter even for those who don't care about country of origin. Yes, the price points are different and yes, it may even be the case that a small premium would be paid were all other things equal between the two company's offers of laminate basses. It is the case, however, that the difference buys you:
- a very different instrument
- the ability to have your bass built and finished to spec
- an ongoing relationship with the actual maker of your instrument
Now, I've always felt that the Thompson was a fine deal for what it is but this is sure not an apples-to-apples comparison where one apple merely comes from a different tree and at a different price.
DRUB:
I have not tried the laminate Thompson and therefore cannot say whether they are equal or not. The Thompson hybrid costs less than the Upton laminate and I definitely like the hybrid better than the Upton laminate.
I have not tried the laminate Thompson and therefore cannot say whether they are equal or not. The Thompson hybrid costs less than the Upton laminate and I definitely like the hybrid better than the Upton laminate.
I recently played a few basses at the Upton Bass showroom in Conn., and I can tell you that every bass they make sounds fantastic. They have deep rich tonal qualities which I found imports did not possess. They do cost more, because these are real Americans building basses in America and need to support themselves in an American economy.
The benefit to having a few guys from Connecticut build your bass imo, is they are more or less coming from the same background and know what you might want in a bass. American culture seethes into the look and sound of these basses.
Throwing the nationalistic idealism to the side for a moment, I took a tour through the shop and I saw some quality work and a well maintained facility. Knowing where the bass comes from is added security when it is in top working order like Upton.
However, for me, it comes down to playing the instrument. It has to feel right, so choosing between the Thompson and Upton is not a possibility without trying them both first. I do think the Upton would last longer though.
btw i did not purchase an Upton on that visit. I didn't intend on going beyond $4000 but after hacking away at their Professor, I had to have one and will be saving for it.
The benefit to having a few guys from Connecticut build your bass imo, is they are more or less coming from the same background and know what you might want in a bass. American culture seethes into the look and sound of these basses.
Throwing the nationalistic idealism to the side for a moment, I took a tour through the shop and I saw some quality work and a well maintained facility. Knowing where the bass comes from is added security when it is in top working order like Upton.
However, for me, it comes down to playing the instrument. It has to feel right, so choosing between the Thompson and Upton is not a possibility without trying them both first. I do think the Upton would last longer though.
btw i did not purchase an Upton on that visit. I didn't intend on going beyond $4000 but after hacking away at their Professor, I had to have one and will be saving for it.
I have an Upton bass - hybrid that I bought new in 2006. The bass itself sounds great. However my bass ended up requiring a fair amount of work about a year/year-and-a-half after I got it.
I brought it to Arnold Schnitzer who hooked me up with a wonderful new bridge, and also showed me that the fingerboard needed a lot of work and the tailpiece wasn't quite set up right.
Anyway, looking back now I am a little disappointed with the finishing-end of Upton's work putting the bass together. On the other hand, the bass sounds better than ever now so I think the materials I started out with were all in all very good - just some set up issues.
I brought it to Arnold Schnitzer who hooked me up with a wonderful new bridge, and also showed me that the fingerboard needed a lot of work and the tailpiece wasn't quite set up right.
Anyway, looking back now I am a little disappointed with the finishing-end of Upton's work putting the bass together. On the other hand, the bass sounds better than ever now so I think the materials I started out with were all in all very good - just some set up issues.
If I'm hi-jacking the thread, please let me know and I'll start something else. I was wondering if anyone could compare Upton basses to Engelhardt basses.
Arnold Schnitzer is one of the best in the business. I'm sure the Upton guys are five years better now than they were in 2006. The better bridge you now have might have raised the original price of your hybrid. New wood can move and change in a year and a half. Basses are not static objects, they are alive!
You should start a new thread, and do a search to find other threads on this topic before you do.
Apologies for the post deletions in this thread, but we don't allow political discussion at Talkbass. It's fine to say "I'd prefer to buy an American bass", but to post soundbite-esque blurbs about the reasons why one country might be inherently "better" than another in general leans toward political blogging, and that is not allowed here.
A good bass is a good bass. Let's stick to discussion of the basses. Customer service can obviously be discussed on the level of people's personal experience with the two brands/companies/sellers/dealers, but not into the realm of "what country X stands for is better that what country y stands for, therefore the bass from country x is better" realm. That is pure ideological/nationalistic politics, which is not allowed on this forum. I have played great basses from America, Germany, and China (among other countries). I have also played what I would consider to be extremely poor basses from all three countries. A great bass is a great bass, and a poor bass is a poor bass. None of what makes them great or poor reflects on the values of the country, but rather on the craftsmanship of the builder.
On topic, I have played several Uptons for a few minutes at the Aebersold camps, and though both were good solid basses that played and sounded well. The owners were both happy with them. I have not to date played a Thompson.
A good bass is a good bass. Let's stick to discussion of the basses. Customer service can obviously be discussed on the level of people's personal experience with the two brands/companies/sellers/dealers, but not into the realm of "what country X stands for is better that what country y stands for, therefore the bass from country x is better" realm. That is pure ideological/nationalistic politics, which is not allowed on this forum. I have played great basses from America, Germany, and China (among other countries). I have also played what I would consider to be extremely poor basses from all three countries. A great bass is a great bass, and a poor bass is a poor bass. None of what makes them great or poor reflects on the values of the country, but rather on the craftsmanship of the builder.
On topic, I have played several Uptons for a few minutes at the Aebersold camps, and though both were good solid basses that played and sounded well. The owners were both happy with them. I have not to date played a Thompson.
uptonbass
Proprietor, Upton Bass String Instrument Co.
Eric, really thank you for that! I'd hope the volume of our work is judged on what we are doing now and in the most recent past. I still love our old basses, and if something is not quite balanced, or even if it's old work I wouldn't do in the same way today...I like getting them working right when I am given the chance.
I think of our bass making as I do myself as a player, and I look back year after year and think...MAN! Anyhow, hope to see some of you guys soon at the ISB in San Fran. Peace!
Gary
Greg Clinkingbeard
Commercial User
I had a similar experience with a european Upton. Although the bass sounded quite good for the price, the finishing and setup work were not to the standard I expected. In particular, the fingerboard had several high and low spots and needed attention. Rather than put more money into it, I traded it for a better bass.
This isn't to say that Upton doesn't sell quality instruments and from all appearances, their quality has improved.
Rather, I strongly support buying locally whenever possible.
You may end up with a better bass (for you) by playing several and choosing from those. At least, that way you know what you are getting.
Saw a guy here in Nashville about a month ago with a gamba shape Upton. Don't know what model, but it was sweet. I peeked into the f-hole, and despite having had some whiskey, was able to remember the serial number on it. I called Upton the next day and proceeded to verbally nut about the bass to the dude on the phone. . It sounded SO good.
