WTB upright double bass, electric or acoustic

  • Thread starter Thread starter nukeitout
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nukeitout

nukeitout

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I've always wanted one, and my brother is awesome on bass. I don't want a 1/2 or 3/4 size (all the budget models are). I actually saw an ad for a 1/2 size DOUBLE bass, hehehe. I'm not picky, I just don't want to spend an arm and leg on this thing... I just want an operational one, looks are secondary.
 
I have a friend who got his a couple years ago, and they tend to be very spendy. I think he got his used for about $400 and his is UGLY, and really hard to play- hurts my hands after jsut a couple minutes. Sounds good though.
Just thought that might help you get a idea of what to expect....

daav
 
I'm pretty sure the standard upright basses are 3/4 size. Full size are huge, and are pretty much only used in orchestras.
 
3/4 is used for jazz and 7/8 are used for classical. 4/4 is archaic and not used anymore. At least according to my best friend who has been in college about 8 years as a jazz and classical bassist.

$400? My friends 7/8 bass (he has one of each size for different gigs) was about $6000 and he said it was a cheap one. Guess its all relative.
 
I saw a beat-up used one at GC a couple of months ago. There was no tag on it, so I asked about it (like I need another one) and he asked the manager, who said he'd make me a deal for $750. I passed on it and a week later I went back and it was tagged at $1400. Mine's a student model, and it was about $1600 new 30 years ago.
 
I have a real cheap model from Jim Labs music and it was approx $1200 without electronics or case. A 3/4 would be a standard sized upright.
 
I would recommend looking for an old Kay, like a C-1. I had one from the early sixties and it sounded great. A really great D string and a good G string. I'm never happy with the low E. Anyway, I got it for about $800 and then sold it a few years later for about twice that. Even though they're just plywood, there is a benefit to the tone from the aging compared to a similar, low-end new instrument. Bob Gollihur has a good site on basses and you might hook up with something that way. If I had the bucks, I'd buy one of the Steinberger electric uprights.

Cheers,

Otto
 
Do yourself a big favor-

Read the newbie links at Talkbass.com:
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=43093

I play this instrument for a living. I've had several basses, worked in music stores that sold and repaired them, etc.

(Upright) Basses can be expensive to set up correctly, and they can be expensive to repair. You MUST start out with a decent intrument. You could go on Ebay and buy a cheap Chinese bass-like-object for about $500 US. DON'T. Read the horror stories at Talkbass of the people that did. Find out how it took $1000 of repair just to get "playable". Don't even consider a purchase unless:

1) You get someone who's been playing a long time that you know and trust to inspect the bass.

2) If you don't have someone, find a bass teacher and take him/her to see it.

3) Or spend an absolute minimum of $1500 on a bass from a WELL RESPECTED luthier. By well-respected, hang out on Talkbass and you'll learn some names. Upton bass, Arnold Schnitzer, Bob Gollihur, just to name a few.

No used basses from people you don't know (unless someone qualified sees it), and no cheap Ebay basses. Seriously. You would likely end up with an instrument that will be near-impossible to play, fall apart, and have no resale value.

If you follow my advice, you will get an instrument you can play for many years, and maybe even sell for more than you paid for it. $1500 - $2500 will get you a decent bass. If you can spend about $3500 US, you can get a much nicer bass. For $6000, you can get an excellent bass.

Let us know how it goes. :)
 
If you were in the US, I'd advise you to go to a local music shop with a good string rental dept, and rent an Engelhardt or equivalent. Generally these are $1500 new (depending on model), but usually you can rent for a pittance, like $75 per month or so, and apply that to eventual purchase.

So . . . since you're in Germany . . . uh . . .
 
Thanks everyone for the good information. I was unaware that 3/4 is the standard upright size now. I can order from europe or the states, it doesn't matter (I have a military address here in Germany). Renting one would probably be the best route if an expensive bass is going to be needed. I have seen some decent priced 3/4 electric basses, too (any suggestions here?). This is for my brother, and although he'll be spending a part of the summer with me here, the bass will most likely be shipped to WV (although I could order something in europe in the event of an abnormal deal, but with the exchange rate I doubt I could get any good deals here).
 
ofajen said:
I would recommend looking for an old Kay, like a C-1. I had one from the early sixties and it sounded great. A really great D string and a good G string. I'm never happy with the low E. Anyway, I got it for about $800 and then sold it a few years later for about twice that. Even though they're just plywood, there is a benefit to the tone from the aging compared to a similar, low-end new instrument. Bob Gollihur has a good site on basses and you might hook up with something that way. If I had the bucks, I'd buy one of the Steinberger electric uprights.

Cheers,

Otto
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I have a very old K bass (30's) which I gigged with for about 20 years. I am in Michigan but would consider selling it. She sounds GREAT but is a pain to haul to jobs and mic. I have gotten to where I only play my Fender PJ unluess someone specifically asks for an upright. I am in Michigan. I have no idea how it would be shipped though.
 
Nuke-- 3/4 size *is* what you want. 90% (a guess) of basses played in the jazz and bluegrass styles are 3/4 size. The rest are 7/8ths size. I think you pretty much only see the "full size" basses in an orchestra.

My 1941 Kay is a 3/4 size, and you can see in my avatar where it stands-- and I'm 6'4". There's a peg, of course, but it's not a small bass. The scale length is about 42".

Talkbass is a really great forum, especially over on the DB side. You'll learn a lot there. Check the stickies as someone else has already suggested. I'm "joejnyc" over there.

Don't get any of the chinese basses from MF etc. If you want a chinese bass, the only reliably good ones are sold through real bass luthier shops. I reccommend Upton Bass www.uptonbass.com.

Their Hawkes Laminate model is the one that I am currently saving for, and I am a gigging DB player. You probably want to get a laminate (plywood) model rather than a fully carved one. Carved is more for bow response and orchestral playing. There are hybrid basses with a solid carved top and laminate sides and back, but that's probably as fancy as you'd need to go. Carved is far more fragile than laminate, and harder to amplify in a Jazz or BG setting.

good luck! :D
 
ps check the classifieds in Talkbass, over in the DB section.
 
up-fiddler said:
I have a very old K bass (30's) which I gigged with for about 20 years. I am in Michigan but would consider selling it. She sounds GREAT but is a pain to haul to jobs and mic. I have gotten to where I only play my Fender PJ unluess someone specifically asks for an upright. I am in Michigan. I have no idea how it would be shipped though.
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Ooooh. How much we talkin'?

Like I said, I need another like a hole in the head, but if I got a good one, I'd easily get rid of mine.

Mine's an Englehardt, btw. Why, oh, why, did I get a German bow? :o

Talkbass. Great, just what I need, another forum to be addicted to.
 
Hard2Hear said:
3/4 is used for jazz and 7/8 are used for classical. 4/4 is archaic and not used anymore. At least according to my best friend who has been in college about 8 years as a jazz and classical bassist.

$400? My friends 7/8 bass (he has one of each size for different gigs) was about $6000 and he said it was a cheap one. Guess its all relative.
Click to expand...

Missed this post on the first scroll thru. I have seen TB members who use 7/8ths on jazz, though. I also read about people having 4/4 basses cut down to make the string length and upper access more manageable. I can't imagine cutting into basses that are worth as much as some ofthose are!!!!

PS Hey Nukeitout--- come on, it was my avatar that got you going on this! Admit it. :rolleyes:
 
Obi-Wan zenabI said:
Missed this post on the first scroll thru. I have seen TB members who use 7/8ths on jazz, though. I also read about people having 4/4 basses cut down to make the string length and upper access more manageable. I can't imagine cutting into basses that are worth as much as some ofthose are!!!!

PS Hey Nukeitout--- come on, it was my avatar that got you going on this! Admit it. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

I was checking out some basses recently and I played a very small 3/4 right next to a massive 4/4. The 3/4 actually sounded much bigger. Generally, that would not be the case - but my point is that no one should focus on specs, just focus on the sound. :)
 
Obi-Wan zenabI said:
Missed this post on the first scroll thru. I have seen TB members who use 7/8ths on jazz, though. I also read about people having 4/4 basses cut down to make the string length and upper access more manageable. I can't imagine cutting into basses that are worth as much as some ofthose are!!!!

PS Hey Nukeitout--- come on, it was my avatar that got you going on this! Admit it. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Sorry... It was elvis...
 
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