Lets just say I was looking at basses for arguments sake.....

[stingrayPete1977]

I am getting the inevitable gas for a real double bass which I was told would happen from the start! I am not using my 4 string basses much really and as much as I love the black '79 pre EB bass I bought not that long ago I am wondering if the money would be better off invested in an upright? (trades welcome I guess then )

Thats the easy bit, next problem, what to get and how much to spend etc?!

Alistair's Gedo bass thread had me looking at their site and the customer reviews of the service are really good, there is some suggestion that the Thomann basses come from here? which is the other place I was looking at anyway, any other suggestions for basses in the £600-1000 range would be welcome, I am hoping to get around £1350 for the pre EB so that will leave me a few quid for strings, stand, mic, preamp etc etc etc

Alistair has had an adjustable bridge fitted which I like the idea of so I guess so far I am looking at

[b]Gedo stuff[/b]

One of these but pay extra for an adjustable bridge
[url="http://www.gedo-musik.de/shop/product.php?id_product=795"]http://www.gedo-musik.de/shop/product.php?id_product=795[/url]

or this
[url="http://www.gedo-musik.de/shop/product.php?id_product=762"]http://www.gedo-musik.de/shop/product.php?id_product=762[/url]

Probably my favourite?
[url="http://www.gedo-musik.de/shop/product.php?id_product=794"]http://www.gedo-musik.de/shop/product.php?id_product=794[/url]


[b]Thomann stuff[/b]

I like this but the bridge is set?
[url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/thomann_kontrabass_11_02.htm"]http://www.thomann.de/gb/thomann_kontrabass_11_02.htm[/url]

This is classy and already has the bridge I want
[url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/thomann_double_bass_europe_1e_tn_3_4.htm"]http://www.thomann.de/gb/thomann_double_bass_europe_1e_tn_3_4.htm[/url]

Top of my budget and is spending money on the quilted finish better spent elsewhere?
[url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/thomann_1e_qm_34_europe_double_bass.htm"]http://www.thomann.de/gb/thomann_1e_qm_34_europe_double_bass.htm[/url]


Any ideas are more than welcome on this as I have no idea what I am doing (as is the norm) Ta

[gjones]

This a nice review from outtoplaybass on his gear4music bass within the same price range.

http://basschat.co.uk/topic/77602-archer-professional-double-bass/page__fromsearch__1

[stingrayPete1977]

Cheers mate I will have a read now........

[FLoydElgar]

'Av a look at these - http://www.thwaites.com/basses/basses-from-1-2k

[stingrayPete1977]

Ok so now we have the Archer in the mix then!
[url="http://www.gear4music.com/Woodwind-Brass-Strings/Archer-3-4-size-Professional-Double-Bass/8UV"]http://www.gear4music.com/Woodwind-Brass-Strings/Archer-3-4-size-Professional-Double-Bass/8UV[/url]


[quote name='FLoydElgar' timestamp='1361707546' post='1989466']
'Av a look at these - [url="http://www.thwaites.com/basses/basses-from-1-2k"]http://www.thwaites....asses-from-1-2k[/url]
[/quote]
The one thing that bugs me with these is the bloody website! I would like to go and try some and get some advice which I am sure they would sort me out with something nice from the good reviews they get but it is quite far for me to go, normally that does not bother me (in fact normally annoys me when people say it!) but as I cant tell a good one from bad is there any point going?

[stingrayPete1977]

Or save £10 and get it posted for free!
[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Archer-3-4-Size-Professional-Double-Bass-with-Case-/300854330150?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Sting_Instruments&hash=item460c50c326"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Archer-3-4-Size-Professional-Double-Bass-with-Case-/300854330150?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Sting_Instruments&hash=item460c50c326[/url]

[alistair Sutcliffe]

Those Archers come up on G4M's Ebay clearance shop quite regularly. Usually a couple of hundred cheaper because the sound post has fallen over or some such. Might be a bargain to be had there.

[stingrayPete1977]

Is that just a matter of having the post reset then? It is all your fault anyway with your Gedo thread

[alistair Sutcliffe]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1361709075' post='1989492']
Is that just a matter of having the post reset then? It is all your fault anyway with your Gedo thread
[/quote]

Well i would have thought so but i'm new to this myself so i'm only going on what i read when i was researching what to buy.

I'm sure i read somewhere that the some of the Thomann basses are made by Strunal. I think you can buy direct from them which might be worth looking at.

Love the title of this thread btw

Edited February 24, 2013 by alistair Sutcliffe

[TheRev]

Regarding the Thomann basses, there's a guy on the Talkbass DB forum called Mikman, who's the font of all knowledge regarding the Thomann 1 2 and 3 series basses which are rebadged Strunals. Out of the 1 series, he recommends the 1E TN, which has an ebony fingerboard and laminate tineo wood back and sides. Tineo is particularl.y resonant, apparently and cheaper than maple. Personally, I don't think the quilted maple model is worth the extra money, unless you particularly want a pretty looking bass.

I'm currently fighting the urge to buy the 2E TN bass....

[stingrayPete1977]

The 1E is probably my favourite and has everything I want already, looks classy in the pictures and is just in budget.....hmmm.....

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='TheRev' timestamp='1361710253' post='1989520']

I'm currently fighting the urge to buy the 2E TN bass....
[/quote]

Best of luck with it

[FLoydElgar]

Yes, 100% there is a point in going... As you trying before you are buying... unlike a Gear4music bass where its been glued together and poorly set up and shipped out with no care or anything... Also buy going through a Violin shop... You are in the realms of Luthiers and ex/current players who will support you 100% in finding a double bass which will suit your budget and needs...

[FLoydElgar]

Bryant. All I have to say... Save and wait.. In the mean time rent from thwaites... The Stentors 2 are a wonderful bass to play until you get finances for a propaaa bass..

[stingrayPete1977]

What sort of money does renting cost?

[oggiesnr]

The big problem with buying a bass at the bottom end of the market is that you end up still wanting a better bass in the £2,000 to £5,000 range which is where I'm at now .

Personally I would avoid the G4M basses, if they can't be bothered to set up their shop basses properly why should the boxes they ship out be any different?

I've tried a couple of other people's Thomanns which were fine enough but not a big step up from my second hand (and now fettled) Antoni purchased through this site.

Steve

PS The problem with going to a specialist shop is the shear number of gorgeous instruments at a price that you know you'll never afford, been there, made that mistake

[fatgoogle]

Id get all the money i had and buy the best possible bass i could, leave out a mic, preamp, pickup etc until later. Youll be getting used the bass and practicing for a couple of weeks if not a month or two before you take it out on the road. Maybe keep using your EUB and double the amount of money you have to spend and look around for a Bryant as Floydelgar says or any other bass. It will save you money down the road when your looking to upgrade and the next step up might be over 10K.

Also keep an eye on musicalchairs. Now and end again slightly cheaper bass's pop up there.

If your completely set on getting one straight away ive played a few different thomann one's and they've all been ok to decent.

EDIT: oh and if your looking to rent maybe you could get lucky like i did when i started. I rented one my teachers spare bass's for a 10er a month or something close for a year. If your looking to get regular lessons this might be an option.

Edited February 24, 2013 by fatgoogle

[stingrayPete1977]

I suppose it is hard for me to grasp how good and bad the basses can be, as a comparison plenty of people slag off P basses on the net but in reality I could buy one off the hook, set it up just how I like with the strings I like and manage the rest of my days on it (I dont want to as I like my Rays too much and mainly play 5 strings anyway!) I am never going to be ace on the upright or sit in an orchestra pit as much as I would of loved too if I had my time again, in reality I will be knocking out Roxanne by the Police and trying my best to read fairly basic scores whilst playing it for my own fun. Most of the stages I play will be too small to use the acoustic upright so the Stagg will still be the gigging bass! 90% of the set is on the electric bass anyway although there are a few jams I could take the proper bass too just for fun. Deep down I have a feeling what fatgoogle classes as decent may well be more than enough to ever match my own abilities

[keeponehandloose]

Second hand basses will already have a set up done, you may want to change strings to suit, but you should get a better bass for your money .
Boosey and Hawkes basses are a good place to start, far better build quality than new basses of today.

[stingrayPete1977]

Is there anywhere with a stock of good used basses or a good site with private adds? I will have a look on musical chairs too. Thanks.

[stingrayPete1977]

Now the problem is that I dont know what is any good or not anyway when looking at used basses either, at least if its a reputable shop and they are recommended on here as being decent at least and the shop is selling them at the asking price then they cant be too far off the mark, I could spend £1500 for a bass off gumtree only to post my new peide and joy on here to find out it isnt any good and worth £500 maximum! Why is nothing easy?

for example? any good? worth the money? I have no idea, is a bass with a split a terrible thing or nice mojo?
[url="http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/andreas-zeller-double-bass-34-with-case/1009832096"]http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/andreas-zeller-double-bass-34-with-case/1009832096[/url]

Edited February 24, 2013 by stingrayPete1977

[FLoydElgar]

Renting costs £37 a month inc insurance @ Thwaites (don't quote me on that just from memory but to be safe £40/m) like a 1/m rolling phone contract you use it for however as long as you'd like... i.e 1st March - 1 April 1 month fee and if you want to send it back do so... etc... . renting form your council is the other alternative.. My mum pays £40 a year for a cello from Kent music for my bro.. or £80 a year for adults... Might I add, If you was to advance forward in the Contrabasse please steer away from any Thomann, G4Music or Gewa... Cos end of the day its just a waste of good cash... tame the Gas Because you buy... Unless you find a craking bass that is £500 or £1200 the difference isn't all that... However, you having a £4000+ bass compared to a £2500+ bass is a big leap. The Bryant is true value... Any other Luthier in uk starts at around 10k + being made soley in the uk..

Edited February 24, 2013 by FLoydElgar

[keeponehandloose]

Gumtree bass , a split there means stay away.
Zeller basses , along with Antoni and the other Chinese basses already mentioned crop up on Ebay with neck breaks/splits etc enough times to make me think they musnt be made that well.
Cant remember last time an Excelcior or Artia was up for sale with such damage, unless it had obviously been neglected. They are both Boosey Hawkes models Btw.

[sarah thomas]

In fairness, solid wood is more liable to split than laminate. I'd be more concerned with the repair work - has it been repaired or just left as it is? Also, if button moon happens to be anywhere near Cardiff, I have a Boosey & Hawkes Artia that you're welcome to try. I might even sell it, although reluctantly. Then again, it would be good to have a KK baby bass ... I also have a German flatback you could try which is not for sale.

[ChrisF]

Likewise.. I have a £400 Thomann ( which after new strings and a setup by a luthier is more than adequate for my use...IE rockabilly-ish music ) which you are more than welcome to come and try......if button moon is anywhere near Bedfordshire.