Double Bass Upright bass parts

[tumba94]

I have a shell of a Romanian 3/4 bass and i need a tailpiece, end pin, bridge, sound post and strings. Where is a good place to get parts ? All the parts on E-Bay are from China and shipping is 50-60 dollars. They seem suspiciously cheap too. I'm in NY.

 

[Gorn]

I think you're on the wrong side of talkbass but I've heard good things about these guys and they're in Jersey: Gollihur Music - Upright Basses, Pickups, Preamps, Amps, and More

 

[buldog5151bass]

Yup, the DB side of TB has as many gear heads as there are here.

 

[RustyAxe]

I have a shell of a Romanian 3/4 bass and i need a tailpiece, end pin, bridge, sound post and strings. Where is a good place to get parts ? All the parts on E-Bay are from China and shipping is 50-60 dollars. They seem suspiciously cheap too. I'm in NY.

You might look into David Gage on Walker St (just south of Canal). Gollihur is good, I used to use them.

 

[KUNGfuSHERIFF]

Metropolitan Music in the Vermont, AKA the Juzek family.

 

[sissy kathy]

I have a shell of a Romanian 3/4 bass and i need a tailpiece, end pin, bridge, sound post and strings. Where is a good place to get parts ? All the parts on E-Bay are from China and shipping is 50-60 dollars. They seem suspiciously cheap too. I'm in NY.

You can't really compare prices of things made in China with things made in Chicago or NYC, The Chinese don't pay $4.50 for a hot dog from a street vendor; it's more like $.50. The cost of living there is significantly lower, that means lower wages, and as a result lower costs. Labor accounts for about half the cost of most things; there are exceptions like paintings, and hand made items.

 

[craigie]

I just got myself a DB again after many years and have been edumacating myself reading posts and the stickies. One ow the websites from the stickies talked about getting cheap ebony fingerboards and how hard they were to work with, so sometimes you get what you pay for. But for a shell I wouldn’t shell out top dollar either.

Fitting the sound post is one thing he specifically mentioned that takes a good luthier a long time to get it done right. If you have to ask where to get it you shouldn’t install it IMHO. You may cave in the top or split it.

 

[Michael Case]

I'd bring the instrument to David Gage, it's not like a BG the bridge needs to be fitted to the top of your bass plus the sound post needs to be fit and installed, the tailpiece will need to be set properly.

 

[tumba94]

Thanks, everyone. I know David Gage and they're excellent but not inexpensive. I discovered Golihur Music in NJ and have been communicating with them. They sound like a good option for parts. I was contemplating trying to assemble the bass myself but having second thoughts about that.

 

[Michael Case]

It's worth the money to go to Gage, like I said assembling a DB is NOT at all like assembling a BG. You have to fit the feet of the bridge to the top of your bass, make the string notches in the bridge, fit the soundpost, set the tailpiece, get the correct size end pin. The money spent at Gage is well worth it, the money you think you'll save doing it yourself is a dream. You'll buy the parts and more than likely end up at Gage's shop with bass + parts in hand possibly needing to buy ANOTHER new bridge on top of the one you tried to fit yourself.

 

[craigie]

It's worth the money to go to Gage, like I said assembling a DB is NOT at all like assembling a BG. You have to fit the feet of the bridge to the top of your bass, make the string notches in the bridge, fit the soundpost, set the tailpiece, get the correct size end pin. The money spent at Gage is well worth it, the money you think you'll save doing it yourself is a dream. You'll buy the parts and more than likely end up at Gage's shop with bass + parts in hand possibly needing to buy ANOTHER new bridge on top of the one you tried to fit yourself.

(My uninformed opinion is) I could see fitting bridge feet and cutting string slots if you are a very good woodworker with lots of patience and do your homework. I’m sure it’s easy to muff up and ruin your parts or the bass itself. For example I just learned that basses expand and contract with the seasons which affects the bridge height.

For the sound post you need special tools.

How much investment is appropriate depends on if this is a shell of a Chinese plywood bass or a carved bass or something that will be more valuable put together.

 

[Michael Case]

(My uninformed opinion is) I could see fitting bridge feet and cutting string slots if you are a very good woodworker with lots of patience and do your homework. I’m sure it’s easy to muff up and ruin your parts or the bass itself. For example I just learned that basses expand and contract with the seasons which affects the bridge height.

For the sound post you need special tools.

How much investment is appropriate depends on if this is a shell of a Chinese plywood bass or a carved bass or something that will be more valuable put together.

The OP:

I have a shell of a Romanian 3/4 bass and i need a tailpiece, end pin, bridge, sound post and strings. Where is a good place to get parts ? All the parts on E-Bay are from China and shipping is 50-60 dollars. They seem suspiciously cheap too. I'm in NY.

At least get the bass appraised, have it looked at. A Romanian bass will most likely be worth the cost.

 

[DrayMiles]

Upright bass isn’t something that you do on the cheap. From transportation to strings and learning to play it. It’s an investment. Spend the money... it’s unavoidable. IMO...