What to look for in a purchase

[FunkingFunker]

Howdy
Someone near me has a double bass for sale at a price that makes me think 'something has to be wrong with it' however they claim its just taking up space.
I understand its Czeck...Check...Cehck...made in the former republic
My question is...what should I look out for? I'm hoping to go and see it this weekend and want some pointers on things that I need to be aware of before laying out any cash. Its a punt - would be my 1st foray into DB world, but a life long desire fulfilled to get one.

Checklists appreciated
tim

[Guest Jecklin]

Are you having lessons at the moment?


If not it might be worth holding on for a bit before buying a bass.

I know this isn't very exciting advice, but you'll learn way more about what you want in a bass that way and I don't just mean how sturdy it is, you'll learn relative values. Ie your teachers bass cost Xthousand pounds this bass costs y pounds, what is the difference in tone etc etc etc. playing on a bass way beyond ones means is a good way to take the gloss off a potential purchase as you wont have the wow factor (a good thing to lose)

Ok that's out of the way.

1> is it plywood, hybrid or carved? this will give you an idea of whether the price being asked is acceptable.

2> where it comes from doesn't really matter too much. any country that makes basses has made turkeys and real beauts.

3> if it is from czechoslovakia then it can't be more than 100 years old (if its carved) as the place didn't exist till the early part ot the 20th century if its ply then no more than 50 years old. (so don't be fobbed off with a story)

4>Is the neck warped? if it twists left or right as you face it it is junk. (well certainly on a bass sub £1500) as the cost of carving a new neck will outweigh the value of the bass

5> is the fingerboard ebony? if not you'll be looking at a figure of £300 to put a new ebony board on

6> has the bass been repaired before?
what? when? who by?

7> are there any cracks. a bass can crack anywhere. go over the whole thing with a fine tooth comb.

8> is the bridge warped? 50 quid replacement straight off.

9> the set up. how well does the bridge fit? are the strings high/low enough? for example when I bought my bass It had been set up primarily for pizzicato (a flatter radius fingerboard) I do a lot of bowing now so I'll be selling my bass later this year to go for something more suited to my needs.

10>rattles/buzzes etc. you want a bass that is silent apart from the sound of the note.

11>seperated seams

12> loose neck joint

13> make sure the tuning machines work

14> does the end pin lock in place when tightened, does it rattle?

15> don't feel obliged to buy it. Try it and think about it. There are and always will be other basses.
If you haven't played before you haven't got anything to compare this one with. it might be quite quiet or uneven across the range.

ask if you can take pictures of the bass. post them up here and let others see it to help.
Maybe try it and describe it as best you can for assessment.

How much do they want for it?
Do you have an initial description?
Where are you/the bass based?

Good luck

[Guest Jecklin]

oh yeah also if it is ply check for delamination on the edges.

Thomas

Edited July 27, 2007 by Jecklin

[velvetkevorkian]

Er... what he said. Sound advice all round.

[BassBod]

+1 Err what he said. If this is your first venture into upright, think about a good EUB. A lot easier to handle (transport and amplification) but can teach you the realities of using different technique. You don't get the true acoustic sound, but to be honest a typical "old czech laminate" bass won't be fantastic, even after new strings/bridge/endpin/pickup/setup has been paid for.

Ive got one (1970's or 80's) and its ok. But the beach neck, "rosewood" fingerboard etc tell you that it was built as a starter - in bass guitar terms its roughly a korean squier? I use it if someone really really wants me to play an acoustic, but most of the time my EUB sounds better, plays better and is much easier to transport.

BB

[FunkingFunker]

Whoah!!! Thanks for the top info. Is just a punt really, so the lesson plan may well be a good idea
thanks again, top advice...once again, what a top forum this is

[zero9]

Hi,

I moved from fretless bass guitar to EUB to DB. All three are quite different in physical terms, with the DB being the hardest by far. A 'cheap' DB may put you off, so I'd go with the recommendation for lessons. You can hire DB's from certain music shops and this could be a good starting point. Every DB is different. If you can afford it (and want to), go for a carved wood new DB (expect to pay about £1200 upwards), as older basses can come with lots of problems (which can cost a lot to put right).

The EUB and DB sound very different and the DB is physically much more demanding (that's playing it, never mind carrying it!). If you're keen and prepared to put in the effort, you'll find a DB very rewarding.

I also feel the step from bass guitar to EUB will make the next transition to DB easier. Going from a horizontal fingerboard to a vertical fingerboard position can feel a bit strange for some. You may want to consider transport, a EUB is easy to move around, for a DB you'll probably need an estate type car.

Good luck.