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Double Bass Upton Bass Club

#181
I may be joining the Upton owner's group soon. I've been looking at models online, and had just finished reading all of the posts in this thread, when I got an email response to a Craiglist ad I placed for an UB. The fellow has a 3 or 4 year old Upton Hawkes Hybrid model. I don't see this on the Upton site now so maybe it is a discontinued model? He says the body was made in Romania and finished here. The price is right and it is set up for the music I'd like to play, so if it is in good condition I will snatch it up and post pictures. Anyone in this group have more info on this model?

Richard
 
#183
Sounds like the one I have, same thing, made in Romania finished in CT. It's a good sounding bass and Eric's right it is on large side for 3/4, maybe small 7/8. String length 42, D neck. Guy got it from had EPs on it with low action. I jacked up the action and the bass has a nice attack on front of note. Mine looks like the picture a couple posts back of the 2007 model.
 
#184
Yeah mine is a 2007 Hawkes. They are Romanian made (if the scroll has 2 turns it's Romanian if it has just one it's US). These are really large 3/4s, but the scale is standard 3/4 @ 42" (mine is 41.5"). My bass is a ply and it has a huge woody sound, it also sounds very deep. Jump on that bass if you can.
 
#185
I just got an email saying the bass will be available to pick up next week.:hyper: Once I have it I post some bass porn pix, as well as details like scale length.

The owner says this: "Set up with Innovation Rockabilly strings and a Revolution Solo II pickup, violin corners, and the typical Upton dark brown varnish. Adjustable bridge. High quality ebony board, side markers, and Upton gig bag with wheels."

I think I'll change the strings soon after getting it, otherwise this one sounds great!

Richard
 
#187
After several weeks on the internet deciding on the type of UB I wanted, with little work work done at work and little leisure time at home as I scanned DB models and prices, opinions, my bank statement, and read a lot of TB, I felt a great sense of relief when I found the Upton Hawkes model for sale nearby. I thought all the indecision was in the past.

Then I found something called "Strings [DB]"...*sigh*
 
#188
I'm not a member of the Upton Bass Club, but I'm considering becoming one . . . so I wanted to seek the advice and experience of current members.

I'm looking to replace/upgrade my current bass, a Kolstein Liandro DiVacenza Orchestral B600, which Kolstein describes as a "modified 7/8 size." As a space-efficient person, it's simply too big for me to play comfortably. So I'm intrigued that Upton can make any of their basses in a 5/8 size, which I think would suit me very well.

Has anyone played or heard some of the Upton 5/8 basses? How does the sound compare to the comparable 3/4 models? And is there someplace closer to Chapel Hill, NC where I might be able to see/play an Upton, or anyone who lives nearby who would be willing to let me take a look at theirs?

- Hal -
 
#194
Thank you for all the quick replies. One more question, if y'all don't mind telling me more about your basses. ;) I've been listening to the video/sound samples on Upton's website, and I'm very impressed with the pizz sound of their instruments. I'm less excited about the bowed sound--it seems a bit scratchy and thin.

I'm wondering if this is just because of the strings they're using, but one would think that they would use strings that bowed well for the bowed videos to show off their basses to their best advantage. So how do you find the sound of your Upton bass when playing with the bow? Is it as good as the pizz sound? Does it compare favorably to other basses in the same price range?

Thanks again!

- Hal -
 
#195
Pastor Hal said:
Thank you for all the quick replies. One more question, if y'all don't mind telling me more about your basses. ;) I've been listening to the video/sound samples on Upton's website, and I'm very impressed with the pizz sound of their instruments. I'm less excited about the bowed sound--it seems a bit scratchy and thin.

I'm wondering if this is just because of the strings they're using, but one would think that they would use strings that bowed well for the bowed videos to show off their basses to their best advantage. So how do you find the sound of your Upton bass when playing with the bow? Is it as good as the pizz sound? Does it compare favorably to other basses in the same price range?

Thanks again!

- Hal -
Click to expand...

I know that with my Upton(professor deluxe) if i had to pick one the bowed sound would be better than pizz.
 
#198
Pastor Hal said:
Thank you for all the quick replies. One more question, if y'all don't mind telling me more about your basses. ;) I've been listening to the video/sound samples on Upton's website, and I'm very impressed with the pizz sound of their instruments. I'm less excited about the bowed sound--it seems a bit scratchy and thin.

I'm wondering if this is just because of the strings they're using, but one would think that they would use strings that bowed well for the bowed videos to show off their basses to their best advantage. So how do you find the sound of your Upton bass when playing with the bow? Is it as good as the pizz sound? Does it compare favorably to other basses in the same price range?

Thanks again!

- Hal -
Click to expand...

I have an Upton Concert built in 2008. It has a big, dark powerful sound both arco and pizz. It's a fully-carved roundback set up for jazz pizz but, honestly, it could hold its own very well in an orchestra section. "Thin" would never be an adjective used to describe its sound. Gary and Eric built, set-up, and tweaked it to have the sound it does because that's the of sound I prefer.
 
#199
Hi, received my 2007 Upton Hawkes bass, Opus 106, 2 days ago. Bought it from the original purchaser. "Heinz" has a few dings and scratches, but he sounds great! I had a '57 Kay for a while and it had nowhere near the volume and tone of this bass. I think I will soon have thick calluses and perhaps my carpal tunnel syndrome will act up again also.

Here is a photo of Heinz--may I join the Club please?

Richard

2007_Upton_Hawkes_named_Heinz | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
 

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