Which bass? (carved vs plywood)

Tough call. The best answer for me has been two basses, a ply and a carved. If I could only have one for mainly pizz work, I'd consider the ply more useful since it doesn't need to be babied, but the arco tone of the carved is very much a different thing. Can you get it fixed and save up for a beater ply?

 

In your shoes, I would probably look for an excellent quality plywood bass. They are a little more difficult to find in Europe, but usually fairly well priced. I think €2000 should get you a good instrument that deals with the Finnish climate a little better.

 

fix your bass. Theres something about YOUR bass that you'll end up missing.

 

SOMEONE is going to fix the broken bass. It will be a) you, or b) the person who buys it from you at a bargain price; that is the first choice you should make. Once you have made that choice, the second choice should be easy.

 

Ply basses take more effort to play. It is hard to go backwards. You will regret it.

 

I hear ya, especially if you have space considerations. But in my experience the ply bass doesn't really need much in the way of maintenance. I live in an old log cabin that provides every bit as much climate control as a camping tent. And in humid NC, it's a constant game to keep the conditions right for instruments. My carved bass has cracks that were repaired before I got it, and I fully expect that it will develop more. Bit of a bummer but I just do the best I can and the risk is worth the sound to me, especially if I know I can play the ply if the carved needs to get laid up. Just food for thought.

 

If what we see is the worst of the break, that to me looks easily fixable -- almost like a failed glue joint. I see no jagged edges of splintered wood or other major red flags. I would think a well-executed reglue with perhaps a bit of concealed reinforcement would have that bass up and going again pretty quickly.

 

What kind of gigs are you doing? Fix that bass AND get a ply. Leave the carved at home under climate control, take the ply out for gigs. The landlord will understand....

 

Maybe take it to a different luthier this time..

 

I say fix it, IMO

 

Fix first. ... If the bass is drying out because of dry house heat, find a cooler place in the house to store your bass during winter. ... I'm now living in a condo in Toronto and my instruments, (carved upright, vintage Fenders) go through hell once the building turns on the heat come Oct. ... Luckily, we have a balcony that's been glassed in, (thermopane windows), and I can leave my basses out there with the door half open to allow heat to escape and warm that room. ... We go south in the winter and it's kind of scary wondering what I'll come home to but, knock on wood, so far, so good.

 

@Acoop : I'm considering buying my first upright, and we have floor heating - which I think is poison for good carved instruments, and the local luthier here acknowledged that. So do I *have to* get a lesser one, or would it be ok as long as I store the thing in an unheated room? What would you think?

Thanks all for the interesting discussion...

 

I'd try some different stores and see if you can't find a better instrument. We had an orange bass that looked quite similar to the one in your picture at the store I worked for. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. (No, I don't remember who made it, it was just awful.)

 

Adjustable bridge is great in any climate! Esp if you like to try different strings.