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Double Bass Unfinished eBay Chinese Bass

R

ryanrydell

Sep 17, 2013
16
0
#1
Does anyone have an opinion or experience with buying one of those unfinished Chinese basses off eBay?

I'm interested in buying one and setting it up myself. However I'm a little reluctant, wondering if the quality is good. Most claim to be hybrids or fully carved.

Any thoughts?
 
#3
I have heard that they are completely useless junk, but not specifically from anyone who had 1st had experience with them. $600 seems like a lot of $$ for an unfinished ccb when you can get one much closer to payable for the same price or even a used englehardt in playable condition for between $500-$1000.
 
#5
I priced the rest of the parts needed to finish the bass. Total price would come out to around $1200 if I went with one of the $600 hybrid shells. Which is almost the price of a Shen. I'm still up in the air.

drurb- ' "Unfinished" may mean more than you think it does' Thats the best comment I've heard so far.

I'm still wondering if it's worht the time.
 
#7
I've just started on a Headless version, Ash body, is very nicely finished just needs smooth finishing, the neck is straight as a die, there was no instructions but you can find em around the net or ask for help here I did, I've just finished prepping the wiring. IMO they seem ok up to now. I have seen one play on YT sounded ok but took some finding. I dont really know for certain how much mine was as it was a Christmas/B.Day prezzie of the Mrs and mi Daughter.

The PUP are a bit to be desired but appear to work.

There seem to be two type Stellah and Solo, mines a Stellah. The Solo ones come with instructions and apparently are better quality, but like I say Mines grand upto now :)

Hope that helps :)

Neil
 
#8
Digitalheadless said:
I've just started on a Headless version, Ash body, is very nicely finished just needs smooth finishing, the neck is straight as a die, there was no instructions but you can find em around the net or ask for help here I did, I've just finished prepping the wiring. IMO they seem ok up to now. I have seen one play on YT sounded ok but took some finding. I dont really know for certain how much mine was as it was a Christmas/B.Day prezzie of the Mrs and mi Daughter.

The PUP are a bit to be desired but appear to work.

There seem to be two type Stellah and Solo, mines a Stellah. The Solo ones come with instructions and apparently are better quality, but like I say Mines grand upto now :)

Hope that helps :)

Neil
Click to expand...

That doesn't sound like a double bass. Did someone get lost and mistakenly end up on the "pure" side of the boards?

Get a teacher!
 
#11
ryanrydell said:
I priced the rest of the parts needed to finish the bass. Total price would come out to around $1200 if I went with one of the $600 hybrid shells. Which is almost the price of a Shen. I'm still up in the air.

drurb- ' "Unfinished" may mean more than you think it does' Thats the best comment I've heard so far.

I'm still wondering if it's worht the time.
Click to expand...


Thanks-- $1200 would be almost the price of a ply Shen. Still, I'm not suggesting that you go with the unfinished hybrid.
 
#12
ryanrydell said:
... almost the price of a Shen. I'm still up in the air.
Click to expand...

Go for the Shen !! It is of a known quality.

ryanrydell said:
I'm still wondering if it's worht the time.
Click to expand...

It most likely is not. You may spend another $600+ and 40-80 hrs or more and end up with something that is unplayable and would cost more to make playable than you have into it. Not to mention that the materials and techniques used at the factory my be such that the instrument may fail catastrophically within months of being strung up to pitch, and nobody with knowledge and a reputation is likely to be willing to work on it.
 
#15
I looked at a number of these for a couple years before settling on a new Upton. I'm a pretty fair woodworker but the work involved was beyond me. Also, unless you've done this before, you're not really going to know when you have things right. I don't think you're going to wind up with an instrument you will enjoy.
 
#19
I have read the coda bass setup book, (not the whole thing cause it's about 2 inches thick) I mean the some of it. But with much success. I would like to say I almost double the volume of my previous hybrid by following its suggestions. And I also have a copy of Peter chandlers book "So you want to build a double bass...." I would like to think if I had the tools and the hours I could build or at least put together a decent setup.

I have emailed some of the company's on DH gate and eBay about their construction techniques, also asking about the types of glues they use. So far none of them have given me a straight answer.

Thanks for the advise. I probably would be happier with the sound of a well setup laminated bass than a self setup mystery bass from china.
 

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