My teen-age son just started learning double-bass a year ago. He has played on many loaner basses, and has decided he likes the flat-back kind the best. I'm finding that for the most part, flat-backs start around $4,000, and these are generally "professional" grade basses. I'm beginnig to suspect that he likes the flat-backs because they tend to be more expensive than the standard student carved-back models. I did discover a Strunal Model 5/5WE at Shar and other places in the $2800 range. I've been told by one bass store that cheap flat-backs have bracing problems. Has anyone had any experience with the Strunal 5/5WE? Thanks.
My recommendation would be to not look for a bass with a particular feature such as this, and instead figure out your budget and get the most appropriate bass possible (withing reason) in that price range. There's a ton of info in the Newbie Links, but in short, get a teacher and start shopping around. Fill out your profile -- this lets TBDB'ers know a bit about you, where you are and such things as that. There might be somebody that hangs out here that is right in your area and could help you out.
As Ray said, buying a bass because it happens to be a flat-back is not a sensible reason to buy that bass. If anything, some people prefer carved back basses because those braces on flat backs do have a rep for coming loose. Flat or carved ......still shouldn't be serious reasons for buying a particular bass. New flat backs are usually less money for the very reason that the time to carve a back is eliminated.
I got a swell back that's a ****ing CANNON. Big, warm, projecting sound. But I got it because of the way it sounded, not because it was a swell back.
If I had to choose between two otherwise equal basses, I'd go with a carved back just because of reputation -- flatbacks can be a real maintenance issue on some basses.
