Double Bass Upton Bass

[Greg Clinkingbeard]

ME-OW!!!

Now someone skin me, stretch me over a banjo and tune up my hide….Purrrrrrrrrr

>^..^<

 

[ctxbass]

I've been drooling over the Upton Bass site-- in search of my first new upright in 15 years (just a poor hack). What is the general opinion of 1) their own basses (hybrid especially), and 2) their value and service in general. Thanks.

Chris

Last year I purchased an Upton Hybrid for my son. The sound and set up are both very good. If the bass they offer now is of the same quality, I think you would have to look long and hard to find a better value at that price. I do wish, though, that they had done a better job of estimating the length of time from order placement to delivery. I'm sure they were busy, but I felt a bit "strung along" when I called to check. Still, I would not hesitate to do business with them again.

 

[drurb]

If the bass they offer now is of the same quality, I think you would have to look long and hard to find a better value at that price.

My understanding is that what they are offering now represents a substantial improvement. I can't wait for the first set of reviews.

 

[uptonbass]

Gosh.....to be VERY clear, we wouldn't be doing all this work if it didn't result in a substantial improvement!!!!!

 

[Standalone]

Off subject, your website and video are cool!

Thanks! Our singer is a wiz with web design. The recordings were done in my studio , and the video was done by this fascinating documentary filmmaker from Nepal who works out of New Haven. Of course, I think I sound pretty goofy in the interview part.

 

[uptonbass]

As for the husband-and-wife team: in the first place, Gary Upton has no TB hounds to release if he wanted to; in the second place, he had nothing to do with our noticing that situation...... A search for all threads about Upton basses will tell you one thing, but you won't be able to see all of the posts we have deleted from the altercations that have broken out. If everyone could see the missing pieces, you all would know that the idea of a pro-Upton slant by the TB administration is comical.

Thanks for putting those facts out there Jeremy! This thread is the first I heard of that craziness, I wont even go into guessing why those folks had that idea, thats just dissapointing......... ?? . ??

On this subject, I can also say from my perspective I often feel we are forced to adhere to the rules much more than most and its probably true. Thats honestly why I don't post much....... I feel I could mention it being a sunny day and folks would be sending Jeremy and Chris PM's....... "hey, Upton's pushing his stuff"

I have many clients and friends who (sadly) are scared to post here, or just won't put up with the BS. Many have admitted to not saying good things about their bases and our service etc. for the fear of being jumped on and needing to defend themselves.

That being said I know thats not the environment Paul, Chris, and Jeremy are working toward and I appreciate the work they put in here.......even when it's slapping me on the wrist.

enough said....Arrrgh!

 

[Keyser Soze]

Your basses might very well be a great value.

It's a shame that that "many" of your satisfied customers have "admitted" that they are reticent to join the seeming "shill-fest" that your company "enjoys" here on TB.

Maybe if that one poster could, as Miles said to Trane, "Take the MF horn out of your mouth," other, regular folks wouldn't be so squeamish about posting their honest opinions (once.)

 

[jrlynch]

these are interesting times we live in, particularly in the states, where anyone experiencing a degree of success is presumed to be corrupt, while anyone who isn't successful is presumed to be a failure.

personally, i think we are living in a culture of lies, thanks in many ways to astounding lapses of responsibility in government on every level ... but, back to making basses and making music: the upton guys are trying to deliver a well-made, good-sounding, well-setup instrument available at a fair price, and maybe even make some money in the process.

i fail to see how this is a bad thing.

it's almost as if there's a contingent of folks who don't want to have affordable, quality instruments available to the great unwashed, or somehow less deserving ... is db some exclusive club now?

if there are some makers jealous of the success of the upton business model, so be it. my feeling is that, if they work to maintain the commitment to quality and service they've delivered to date, they deserve continuing success.

i also don't see them putting the local luthier out of business, as the more decent basses in the world, the more there are to setup and tweak.

jeff.

 

[MingusAmongUs]

these are interesting times we live in, particularly in the states, where anyone experiencing a degree of success is presumed to be corrupt, while anyone who isn't successful is presumed to be a failure.

personally, i think we are living in a culture of lies, thanks in many ways to astounding lapses of responsibility in government on every level ... but, back to making basses and making music: the upton guys are trying to deliver a well-made, good-sounding, well-setup instrument available at a fair price, and maybe even make some money in the process.

i fail to see how this is a bad thing.

it's almost as if there's a contingent of folks who don't want to have affordable, quality instruments available to the great unwashed, or somehow less deserving ... is db some exclusive club now?

if there are some makers jealous of the success of the upton business model, so be it. my feeling is that, if they work to maintain the commitment to quality and service they've delivered to date, they deserve continuing success.

i also don't see them putting the local luthier out of business, as the more decent basses in the world, the more there are to setup and tweak.

jeff.

Well said, jeff. Sad but true, I admit to being one of those who assumes everyone is lying all the time, at least a little.

 

[Keyser Soze]

Sad but true, I admit to being one of those who assumes everyone is lying all the time, at least a little.

Too bad for you. I've worked in all fifty states, thirty to forty countries.

Have I had a gun pointed at me? Yes.

Do I expect that to be the norm? Nope.

My glass is waaaaay more than half full.

Sorry about yours.

 

[ctxbass]

I still believe that most people are honest. Unfortunately, experience is the only thing that improves ones ability to spot those who are not.

 

[Keyser Soze]

I still believe that most people are honest. Unfortunately, experience is the only thing that improves ones ability to spot those who are not.

Experience also givers one an actual knowelgebase.

As opposed to, "I went to a website and now I have a boner."

 

[Gufenov]

This thread is the first I heard of that craziness, I wont even go into guessing why those folks had that idea, thats just dissapointing......... ?? . ??

At the risk of further pillory, let me provide a clue or two for you.

There WAS a thread started by one of your customers that was upset about receiving a bass in damaged condition. You were all over that one, Gary, posting how you wished he would have kept it "private." I never saw the final result; was it posted so that all of us could see how a bad situation was resolved? You don't have a problem with us hearing from satisfied customers. How's your customer service when things don't go perfectly? THAT'S when it counts.

In another thread, a poster make critical comments and there were a number of comments about the thread not "deteriorating" into a "pro-anti Upton thread." Chris even stepped in to make sure. Why? I've seen Engelhardt threads go multiple pages with fur flying until the cat photos come out. Yep, I know moderating is a tough job. Yep, I know our moderators do a great service. Still, my perception is that the thread was shut down pretty quick.

In multiple other threads I've seen comments about how wonderful your customer service is, from people who haven't even received their bass yet! One thread was started by someone excited because they received an emailfrom your shop; that one went multiple pages too. An email!

For you, Gary, and for all your defenders, let me clarify: My opinion of your products and your service is very favorable. If I was bass-shopping today, I would definitely consider an Upton, especially since they are now made in the U.S.

However, (get out your darts, boys) it's difficult for a buyer to make an OBJECTIVE buying decision when thread after thread is filled with fluffy, dreamy, wonderbass comments. I'd like to see ALL the information, warts and all, before I make a buying decision or advise someone else to do so. That seems to be a bit much for some of the posters here.

 

[jrlynch]

ok, you want some nit-picking? here we go:

my bass came set up with the string height a bit higher than i would've prefered, adjusters bottomed out. the upton folks did offer to recut the bridge for me, but i declined. meanwhile, i've moved pretty much back to their original setup.

i wanted kolstein heritage strings, which i use on my eub. they said they "had difficulty locating them" and suggested i try sprirocores instead. i hated them, bought the heritages online, no problem.

my bass was actually finished *ahead* of promise date, but consequently the mooradian case i ordered with it wasn't available. they shipped the bass in a pretty crappy case, hardly gig-worthy, but it was a case. the mooradian arrived, as promised, a few weeks later.

speaking of shipping, i cannot imagine one of their basses being damaged in shipping unless the fedex truck flipped over. the crates they build are pretty much suitable for shipping military explosives. in fact my complaint is that it was a bit *too* well packed ... i just wish i was tipped off to the need for a screw gun and some serious wire-cutters to open the crate and clip the monsterous cable ties used for securing the bass and more suited for securing cable which folks in the movie business affectionately call "horsecock".

i actually wished i had a bit more communication via email whilst waiting for the bass, because the wait is *very* difficult and gives you plenty of time to question the wisdom of your decision. fortunately, the product they deliver pretty much way exceeds one's expectations, so whatever nit-picks like those above are pretty much quickly forgotten. as i said in my earlier post, gary and eric and folks seem to be honestly trying to create a viable business wrapped around servining musicians in a specialist niche.

bottom-line, i'm delighted with my purchase, and i'm terribly finicky about *everything*. i have no affiliation with the upton folks other than playing one of their boxes and i've had no communication with any of them since a few weeks after the delivery of the bass.

jeff.

 

[Standalone]

thread after thread is filled with fluffy, dreamy, wonderbass comments.

Endemic to TB are comments where the poster extolls the virtues of his or her own gear, regardless of the actual width of their experience. I don't think it's just Upton.

The UB people are on here a lot both being informative and defending their product &c. I'd say that this is largely because they have a business model that is tied tightly to the internet. Other shops may have established their customer base before the internet or may be located in a large city with a sizeable student and pro base near at hand-- their business model wouldn't necessitate such a constant presence as UB's.

Overall, any real research into UB in TB threads will lead the potential buyer to the conclusion that they do not make magical dreamy wonderbasses-- but rather decent basses that earn wide praise and respect from differing levels of players.

 

[Eric Swanson]

Okay, I am an Upton customer. I will weigh in.

I recently bought a fully carved Professor from Upton. I had limited time for the shopping process. I had just had lost my old bass to extensive damage.

I bought my bass from Upton, slightly used, as a &#8220;like new&#8221; instrument that they were selling on consignment. For me, there are things about the bass that are less than ideal. The fit and finish of components is somewhat unrefined in many visible areas. The woodworking features lumpiness, spotty sanding, component misalignment, and visible glue spots. The finish has some drips and areas that weren't properly scuff-sanded or rubbed out. The high shoulders and wide/deep top bouts make extended thumb position play more uncomfortable (and I am a tall guy, at 6&#8217;-6&#8221. The bass is heavy - I suspect that some of the components are just too thick. Bowed response/volume are slow/muted. My bass feels like it could lose about 3-5 pounds.

On the plus side of the physical instrument, the endpin is lovely, and the wood choices are flashy. The instrument responds evenly throughout its range.

When I received the bass, the setup had several issues. While it would have been fine for pizz, it was unworkable for arco. I called Upton and they told me to bring it back (even though I had already accepted the bass and approved it) so that they could &#8220;make it right.&#8221; Because I had bought the bass on consignment, they were under no obligation to do this.

Ultimately, I find their second setup attempt still does not work for me. I have chosen to move on to another luthier who works primarily in the symphonic/arco world. While I will have my bass setup elsewhere to meet my needs, Upton did follow through to some degree by making a second attempt at the setup.

My plan, once I get my setup corrected, is to continue to play the daylights out of my bass. I have been spending lots of time bowing down near the bridge and doing lots of loud, shifting double stops, all the way up and down the board, on all four strings. My poor family&#8230;

 

[jrlynch]

My plan is to continue to play the daylights out of my bass. I have been spending lots of time bowing down near the bridge and doing lots of loud, shifting double stops, all the way up and down the board, on all four strings. My poor family…

maybe that's why your kid trashed the last bass

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

Okay, I am a happy Upton customer. I will weigh in.

I recently bought a fully carved Professor from Upton. I follow posts here and know that Upton is on the cusp of shipping their first domestically made instruments. Some (or all) of my observations about my particular bass may not be true on the newer instruments – the basses seem to be undergoing constant improvement.

Part of my interest in Upton was eliminating the “hardware/software” conflict that can arise when buying a bass made by one firm and set up by another. I thought that getting the setup done by the maker would neatly solve that issue. Accountability, one-stop shopping, and all that appealed to me.

I had limited time for the shopping process. I had just had lost my old bass to extensive damage. I had a $6K budget. Finally, I admired the firm’s business model. They appeared to be working a carefully selected/developed market sector, using web-based promotion and networking, and placing the highest emphasis on service.

I went to a great music school, had some amazing teachers, and played professionally when younger. I was a completely obsessed bassist for my teens and twenties. High-end woodworking was the “day gig” that I ultimately chose as my career.

I have been blessed and have done well. I have remained an enthusiastic amateur player in various small groups. I was saddened when my toddler daughter pulled my (uninsured – oops!) old bass down on its face from a standing position, destroying it. All to say that I am a fair-minded, but very demanding customer, with a background in woodwork, business school, business ownership, and music.

I bought a bass from Upton, slightly used, as a “like new” instrument that they were selling on consignment. Sure there are things about the bass that may not match my ideal. These are true luxury problems. The high shoulders and wide/deep top bouts make extended thumb position play more uncomfortable (and I am a tall guy, at 6’-6”). The fit and finish of components is a bit lumpy in some visible areas. The bass is heavy - I suspect that some of the components may be just a bit thick. Response/volume are a bit muted. My bass feels like it could lose about 3-5 pounds.

My neck doesn't join the ribs cleanly – the short-grained “heel” is lumpy and misaligned. There appears to be black filler at the ebony trim pieces there, to compensate for some irregularities in the maple. I do wonder, slightly, how the dovetail below can be tight, if there are irregularities above. There are visible glue spots and a slight misalignment at the ribs down at the endpin. Pre-finish sanding is hit-and-miss in some spots.

These blemishes were all apparent when I bought the bass. As a professional cabinetmaker, I saw them, accepted them as budgetary decisions, and bought anyway. While I would have preferred a more neatly made object, I personally cared less about aesthetics than about sound/playability. The bottom line is that it sounded nice and played well!

On the plus side of the physical instrument, the varnish is decent, the endpin is lovely, the thicker plates may reduce cracking somewhat, and the wood choices are visually pleasing. The instrument responds evenly throughout its range, speaking reasonably well from open E up to the highest C, etc. Again, this is not a $20K or even a $10K instrument.

My primary contact at Upton has been with Josh, who has been extremely gentlemanly, enthusiastic, and responsive. He has returned all my emails and phone calls promptly.

When I received the bass, the setup had a few issues. I called Josh, who unhesitatingly told me to bring it back (even though I had already accepted the bass and approved it) so that they could “make it right.” Because I had bought the bass on consignment, they were under no obligation to do this.

They did as they promised, in spades. I met directly with Jack, the setup department manager, who noted my preferences closely. He reshaped the board/nut/bridge curve, fixed the string spacing, and even replaced the sound post because he “didn’t like the look of it.” All of this was at no additional charge and done without a hint of rancor or displeasure.

I recommend Upton as a firm that has handled itself with exemplary professionalism. My specific comments on my specific Professor are a separate issue, about hard business choices, my own buying decisions, and perhaps, about a product at a certain point in its development. Most admirably and importantly, Upton is clearly committed to constant self-improvement and appears to be rigorously reevaluating/revising their product line.

Running a small business in America is tough, at best. Workers’ Comp. rates, exponentially-increasing health insurance costs, and other overhead expenses are crushing. I speak from experience, having started and run a successful, profitable, award winning, custom woodwork shop for ten years. Each company has to make difficult decisions. Every customer decides what compromises they can handle.

The challenge for all of us is the meeting place between customers making a discretionary, emotional purchase (the bass) and the company, faced with the real and unforgiving challenges of time, space, and overhead. It is hard for either side to fully appreciate the others’ perspective/needs. In my experience, Upton does a far better job at meeting its customers more than halfway than do most companies in this world.

From Upton, I bought an inexpensive, slightly rough, heavy instrument from a company with great customer service, follow through, ethics, and marketing. At this point, I could not justify a more expensive bass. I believe that the instrument’s setup and my own practice time/playing are factors that are more significant.

Upton employees seem extremely committed and motivated. The company seems fully devoted to relentless self-improvement and long-term relationships with customers.

I am grateful for the myriad services that Upton provides. They are in a tough business and I appreciate them doing it so well! I hope to continue to do business with them.

My plan is to continue to play the daylights out of my bass. I have been spending lots of time bowing down near the bridge and doing lots of loud, shifting double stops, all the way up and down the board, on all four strings. My poor family…

Now there's a nice balanced review. If ROLLO THOMASI or any of the other TBDB naysayers expect it to be taken down because it doesn't paint the company in a perfect light...well, you keep on holding your breath and enjoy the dementia that oxygen deprivation will eventually produce.

Bottom line: Jeremy, Damon, and I don't edit out negative reviews. We just attempt to moderate arguments, flame wars and spam. There will always be some people who judge these things differently than we do. That's just life...but I can promise that we do our best to try to be fair within Paul's rules, and that that's what we'll continue to do.

 

[Eric Swanson]

Nice. You may be right. She has always resented the time I spent on it. Or maybe its just my playing...

Let's just say that a free-fall from standing in the corner with a fully extended endpin onto the face/bridge doesn't help a bass much. Luckily the little rascal wasn't killed by the club of the scroll coming down...

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

In another thread, a poster make critical comments and there were a number of comments about the thread not "deteriorating" into a "pro-anti Upton thread." Chris even stepped in to make sure. Why? I've seen Engelhardt threads go multiple pages with fur flying until the cat photos come out. Yep, I know moderating is a tough job. Yep, I know our moderators do a great service. Still, my perception is that the thread was shut down pretty quick.

Chances are that nobody reported the flying fur in the Englehardt threads you mention. I typically don't read Englehardt threads since I typically don't care for Englehardt basses for what I do. If I had known that fur was flying, I'd have posted some kitties.

In multiple other threads I've seen comments about how wonderful your customer service is, from people who haven't even received their bass yet! One thread was started by someone excited because they received an emailfrom your shop; that one went multiple pages too. An email!

We actually discussed that thread. Prove to me that the OP wasn't just someone who was excited about their bass order, and then it's a job for the moderators. Remember, we get our chops busted both for moderating too quickly (as in the first quote), and for not stepping in enough or soon enough (as in the above). Show me what win-win is, and I'll do my best to play that game.

However, (get out your darts, boys) it's difficult for a buyer to make an OBJECTIVE buying decision when thread after thread is filled with fluffy, dreamy, wonderbass comments.

See Eric's post, and do a search for "upton" in the title box. You'll find both kinds of reviews here on TB, as you will for just about any other company. Don't know if I've seen any real negative comments about the New Standards, but if that's the case it sure wasn't because we moderated them out of existence.