Gear4music double basses

[saxobass]

Just been looking (webwise) at the `de luxe` and `Archer` basses on the Gear4music site. Seem reasonable looking, and they are certainly well priced, and I think they have sold a fair number. Does anyone have first hand info? The Archer is supposedly handmade, which is great providing the `hand` knows what it`s doing! Is there a catch?

[simon1964]

[quote name='saxobass' post='406896' date='Feb 11 2009, 08:05 PM']Just been looking (webwise) at the `de luxe` and `Archer` basses on the Gear4music site. Seem reasonable looking, and they are certainly well priced, and I think they have sold a fair number. Does anyone have first hand info? The Archer is supposedly handmade, which is great providing the `hand` knows what it`s doing! Is there a catch?[/quote]

I got one a couple of years ago. They're adequate, for the money. But i did buy a new bridge and pay for a decent set up. Still good value though, even building that into the price.

[saxobass]

[quote name='simon1964' post='406922' date='Feb 11 2009, 08:30 PM']I got one a couple of years ago. They're adequate, for the money. But i did buy a new bridge and pay for a decent set up. Still good value though, even building that into the price.[/quote]
Thanks Simon. Was that the `De Luxe` or the `Archer`?

[Owen]

I have had 3 through my hands for pupils. New strings and a lower bridge and they are great. The first student even sold her hard case for £180 on Ebay. Will you be playing the classical solo repertoire on one in a nearby concert hall soon? No. Will it go Thud/thump/growl for all other types of music? Yes. Two have been ply and one has been solid. Figure in the price of a pick up and you are good to go.

[simon1964]

[quote name='saxobass' post='407806' date='Feb 12 2009, 05:33 PM']Thanks Simon. Was that the `De Luxe` or the `Archer`?[/quote]

I honestly can't remember! I know I paid a bit extra for a solid top if that helps?

Owen - great tip on selling the case. I only ever use the soft padded case, so may well follow your student's precedent and put the hard case on e-bay.

Edited February 21, 2009 by simon1964

[Owen]

[quote name='simon1964' post='416151' date='Feb 21 2009, 02:04 PM']I honestly can't remember! I know I paid a bit extra for a solid top if that helps?

Owen - great tip on selling the case. I only ever use the soft padded case, so may well follow your student's precedent and put the hard case on e-bay.[/quote]

If you need cardboard to ship it then go to Halfords - they love getting rid of bike boxes.

[WarPig]

rather than start a new topic on a related subject, ill hi-jack this one (hope you dont mind saxobass )

Has anyone tried a gear4music double bass bow?

[jonny-lad]

I've got the Gear4music Deluxe double bass, i think - it's the one with the solid top.

I took the bridge down myself and sanded the fingerboard a bit to reduce some string buzz. It sounds alright and I've got a K&K bass max for it that sounds great IMO. I would never dare to do that with a more expensive bass, so it's been a great introduction to double bass for me.
I'll get some new strings when the budget allows, and maybe an adjustable bridge to improve it some more.

If you know they'll need some set-up work doing and include that in your budget, they're good. The hard-case is a great bonus too - whether you keep it or sell it!

[saxobass]

Good to hear that they set up well. Let`s face it, you can take a couple of thousand into a shop and buy a bass that will almost certainly need setting up to suit you, so this shouldn`t be an issue.. As long as once set up they stay up and running and last the course, then they are good value. I`ve now bought a forty year old Reghin solid tone-wood bass, spent the last two days setting it up with an adjustable bridge and the right kind of action for modern jazz, and I`m over the moon. :)

[basskit_case]

Old thread resurrection alert!

I pulled the trigger on [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270908449622#ht_2354wt_1163"]this [/url]last night.

I blame Billy Connolly, I was in the theatre waiting for him to come on stage, if he had arrive on time, 8pm, I would never have bought this at 8:05pm.

This will be my first DB, is it a worthwhile purchase at this price, have I done right or have I done wrong?

[thisnameistaken]

I've never played one of those that was set up properly but I would assume that with a decent setup it should be a serviceable bass. Expect to spend another £200 or so on a setup and playable strings (the ones they ship with are terrible).

[basskit_case]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1329307062' post='1540275']
I've never played one of those that was set up properly but I would assume that with a decent setup it should be a serviceable bass. Expect to spend another £200 or so on a setup and playable strings (the ones they ship with are terrible).
[/quote]

See what you means on strings, just googled 1/2 size double bass strings and noted that G4M's own brand was £18 where as the typical market price was approx. £118.

I guess the G4M strings will suffice initially or are they [u]that[/u] bad?

[yorks5stringer]

[quote name='basskit_case' timestamp='1329301676' post='1540155']
Old thread resurrection alert!

I pulled the trigger on [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270908449622#ht_2354wt_1163"]this [/url]last night.

I blame Billy Connolly, I was in the theatre waiting for him to come on stage, if he had arrive on time, 8pm, I would never have bought this at 8:05pm.

This will be my first DB, is it a worthwhile purchase at this price, have I done right or have I done wrong?
[/quote]

I hope you didn't heckle him for being late......!

[TPJ]

[quote name='basskit_case' timestamp='1329308753' post='1540333']
I guess the G4M strings will suffice initially or are they [u]that[/u] bad?[/quote]

Well, you gets what you pays for with £18 strings

Aren't the NS strings suitable for a half size bass? They seem to be cheaper than some main stream strings

[basskit_case]

[quote name='yorks5stringer' timestamp='1329316063' post='1540515']
I hope you didn't heckle him for being late......!
[/quote]

I thought about it, wasn't a bad show really, although not as good as when I have seen him in the past.


[quote name='TPJ' timestamp='1329316446' post='1540530']
Well, you gets what you pays for with £18 strings
[/quote]

That's a fair point, I guess the G4M's will do until I decide whether or not the DB is for me.

[KaiDase]

I have seen the gear4music instruments, the basses are ok, but as said earlier, I'd really recommend lowering the bridge and changing the strings. Unfortunately the fingerboards on them are very uneven and need sorting out, then you can have a nice low action without buzzes.
The bows are inferior to the instruments. If anyone gets them, please check that the hair isn't too long and that the sides of the frog fit to the stick without the sharp edges of the underside cutting into your hand!

Good luck,
Kai

[basskit_case]

It arrived today, I knew a 1/2 size double bass was never going to be the size of a violin but its still huge, never mind the case it came in.

Looks to be in fairly good condition, apart from the bow, but it is a display model.

My young son has just gone down for his afternoon nap so hope to be able to get the bridge set-up correctly and the bass tuned, then back on to the net to look for a good double bass set-up expert, wish me luck.