Best 'budget' upright.

[kjb]

I'm a very indecisive person, I can't decide on an acoustic or an EUB, so I'm probably going to go for both, an acoustic now, and put a deposit on an EUB.

EUB wise I'm going to go for either a Shuker [url="http://www.shukerguitars.co.uk/eub.htm"]http://www.shukerguitars.co.uk/eub.htm[/url]

or a Clifton [url="http://www.cliftonbasses.co.uk/contact.html"]http://www.cliftonbasses.co.uk/contact.html[/url]

Acoustic wise I don't know, I seem to be spoiled for choice, but I know nothing really about them.

Which of this bunch would be a good buy, I'm after one to learn on, but I don't really want to upgrade, so I'm after one that'll last me, I am and always will be primarily an electric bassist.

[url="http://www.djmmusic.com/items.asp?Cc=DoubleBass34&iTpStatus=1&Tp="]http://www.djmmusic.com/items.asp?Cc=Doubl...tatus=1&Tp=[/url]

Budget wise I don't really want to go above about £800.

Thanks for your time.

Edited August 11, 2007 by kjb

[Guest Jecklin]

This isn't what you'll want to hear:

There is absolutely NO POINT AT ALL in spending under £800 on a new bass. Save that money for something second hand. It is a waiting game I'm afraid. You just have to be patient until one comes along. Don't be afraid to seriously widen your search area. Try Peter Tyler and see what he has in (I belive he is based in berkshire. he is first on my list for my next bass)

If you can get a teacher they will nkow pupils who might be selling or unusual places to look.

try being proactive. Phone up schools in your county and see if they have any relics tucked away that they might sell. A lot of schools had sturdy carved romanian basses (like mine and some one else on the board, but I forget who) that proably get little use now. They will get you started and you could easily sel them for what you paid.

If you can hang on till the end of the year I'll be selling my doublebass (where are you based?) to get one more suited to my current needs. probably for a tag around your current budget.

Why not forget the shuker and put that money to a doublebass?
or just get an EUB and save for a good acoustic?

Getting a crap new (and it will undoubtedly be crap) doublebass first is not the way to go. it will be hard to sell on for half what you paid.

If you could get another grand together you would then be able to get something decent from new (the stentors spring to mind), but please don't mail order something like those Thomman basses.

Sorry thi isn't very exciting advice

thomas

[kjb]

[quote name='merchant' post='44268' date='Aug 11 2007, 07:41 PM']This isn't what you'll want to hear:

There is absolutely NO POINT AT ALL in spending under £800 on a new bass. Save that money for something second hand. It is a waiting game I'm afraid. You just have to be patient until one comes along. Don't be afraid to seriously widen your search area. Try Peter Tyler and see what he has in (I belive he is based in berkshire. he is first on my list for my next bass)

If you can get a teacher they will nkow pupils who might be selling or unusual places to look.

try being proactive. Phone up schools in your county and see if they have any relics tucked away that they might sell. A lot of schools had sturdy carved romanian basses (like mine and some one else on the board, but I forget who) that proably get little use now. They will get you started and you could easily sel them for what you paid.

If you can hang on till the end of the year I'll be selling my doublebass (where are you based?) to get one more suited to my current needs. probably for a tag around your current budget.

Why not forget the shuker and put that money to a doublebass?
or just get an EUB and save for a good acoustic?

Getting a crap new (and it will undoubtedly be crap) doublebass first is not the way to go. it will be hard to sell on for half what you paid.

If you could get another grand together you would then be able to get something decent from new (the stentors spring to mind), but please don't mail order something like those Thomman basses.

Sorry thi isn't very exciting advice

thomas[/quote]

No, this is exactly what I want to hear.........thanks !.

I'm an absolute novice when it comes to doublebasses, despite 20 years experience of playing electric bass.

I played a Gewa bass in a shop called Turner violins today, it's a plywood bass but sounded quite nice, especially when the guy in the shop played it for me, but something says no, I don't know what.

I wouldn't mail order one, there were three of the Gewas in stock and they all sounded different.

There's a Zellor for sale on here that I'm very interested in.

[BassBod]

What he said - decide whether you really want to go acoustic or not, and invest the money in either a "good" acoustic or good EUB. Try to play a few EUB's if you can, as they can vary between "fretless BG on a stick" to "just as hard to play as an acoustic" and everything in between.

What sound are you looking for and what situations are you expecting to play in? For me, an EUB that plays like an acoustic (ouch...) and sounds pretty close, even at relatively high volume, is perfect. Other people prefer more of a BG action and more fretless sound. I've got a craptastic acoustic (new bridge, new endpin, pickup, new strings..) and I hardly ever use it.

BB

[Oxblood]

Tea chest + Broom handle + String.

Job done.

[paul, the]

[quote name='Oxblood' post='44377' date='Aug 12 2007, 11:04 AM']Tea chest + Broom handle + String.

Job done. [/quote]



and

[url="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=at9u27zQUYo"]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=at9u27zQUYo[/url]

Edited August 28, 2007 by paul, the

[Marcus]

what about the Dean EUB ?

got good reviews and seems a real bargain, i'm considering one myself

if you fancy spending a bit more the NS EUB's look a good buy too

Mark

[guyl]

Ignore the purists. Take your time and get something cheap. Take a punt on an ebay bass for £250 - £400. If it's rubbish you'll get your money back when you put it back on ebay!

As long as it's solid, get someone to set it up nicely (esp the bridge and soundpost), buy new strings (Bob Gollihurs website) and a decent pickup and you'll be well within £800 budget.

The pickup will make up for your lousy technique, which will easily be sorted by a couple of lessons (or free advice if you know any upright players).

Because upright looks impressive, you can get away with a lot more than EUB or electric. I say go for it .... and good luck!

[paul, the]

How bad can these be?:

[url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/thomann_kontrabass_22_02.htm"]http://www.thomann.de/gb/thomann_kontrabass_22_02.htm[/url]

[url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/thomann_kontrabass_2_w.htm"]http://www.thomann.de/gb/thomann_kontrabass_2_w.htm[/url]

[url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/thomann_kontrabass_33_02.htm"]http://www.thomann.de/gb/thomann_kontrabass_33_02.htm[/url]


--

I love the wash look on the 2nd one.

[Guest Jecklin]

They might be the best cheap doublebasses in the world, or............


There is simply no way of knowing. especially from a photograph on a website.

Every single bass sounds different. you could buy 2 of those thoman basses and one would sing, the other would hardly make a sound.

Buying from an internet store doesn't allow you to try them, which is essential.

If you have £600 to experiment then go for it, but it is a big risk.


Good luck


Thomas

[Mikey D]

[quote name='guyl' post='52751' date='Aug 30 2007, 01:04 PM']Ignore the purists. Take your time and get something cheap. Take a punt on an ebay bass for £250 - £400. If it's rubbish you'll get your money back when you put it back on ebay!

As long as it's solid, get someone to set it up nicely (esp the bridge and soundpost), buy new strings (Bob Gollihurs website) and a decent pickup and you'll be well within £800 budget.

The pickup will make up for your lousy technique,[/quote]

I have to say, personally, I don't agree with this.

If you have the money about £800, it is a waiting game as merchant said above. Something will eventually come up. Don't waste your money on a cheap upright, if you want to see if you get on with it, use a little of the money for a couple of lessons.

A pickup can make a good player sound bad, but it can't make a bad player sound good. If you are making a lousy sound with your bass, a pickup with just amplify that.

Oh, and I think KJB has already bought an EUB now anyway.

Edited August 31, 2007 by Mikey D

[Marcus]

Surely a EUB would be the best way to dip your toe into the upright game....

then.... if you're loving it.... you can take your time to find a great big sounding "Bull Fiddle"

Buying a cheap acoustic bass is a big gamble, spending around £500 on a EUB isn't really !

Mark (talking himself into a EUB at this rate)

[kjb]

[quote name='Mikey D' post='53202' date='Aug 31 2007, 10:41 AM']I have to say, personally, I don't agree with this.

If you have the money about £800, it is a waiting game as merchant said above. Something will eventually come up. Don't waste your money on a cheap upright, if you want to see if you get on with it, use a little of the money for a couple of lessons.

A pickup can make a good player sound bad, but it can't make a bad player sound good. If you are making a lousy sound with your bass, a pickup with just amplify that.

Oh, and I think KJB has already bought an EUB now anyway.[/quote]

I have ordered a Clifton mini EUB, which should be ready sometime in November, in the meantime I'm planning on having a few lessons so I know what I'm doing when it's ready

Mikey I am going to have a few upright lessons from you, I'll give you a ring when I get chance and know that I'm available.

[Mikey D]

[quote name='kjb' post='53580' date='Aug 31 2007, 08:13 PM']I have ordered a Clifton mini EUB, which should be ready sometime in November, in the meantime I'm planning on having a few lessons so I know what I'm doing when it's ready

Mikey I am going to have a few upright lessons from you, I'll give you a ring when I get chance and know that I'm available.[/quote]

No problems, I got your PM and replied. Whenever you're ready.

[velvetkevorkian]

[quote name='Mikey D' post='53202' date='Aug 31 2007, 10:41 AM']I have to say, personally, I don't agree with this.

If you have the money about £800, it is a waiting game as merchant said above. Something will eventually come up. Don't waste your money on a cheap upright, if you want to see if you get on with it, use a little of the money for a couple of lessons.

A pickup can make a good player sound bad, but it can't make a bad player sound good. If you are making a lousy sound with your bass, a pickup with just amplify that.

Oh, and I think KJB has already bought an EUB now anyway.[/quote]
I concur. Too often the cheapest instruments will leave you fighting them just to get a decent sound.

[jcater]

Can anyone help?

Just bought a secondhand Aria SWB lite. Don't really know much about them but was suprised to find that it was made in Japan, I thought they were all made in Korea now. Anyone have any info?

Thanks in anticipation

Jeff

PS This is the band i intened to use it in

[url="http://www.jazbak.co.uk/"]http://www.jazbak.co.uk/[/url]

[JontyP]

[quote name='kjb' post='43982' date='Aug 10 2007, 07:25 PM']I'm a very indecisive person, I can't decide on an acoustic or an EUB, so I'm probably going to go for both, an acoustic now, and put a deposit on an EUB.

EUB wise I'm going to go for either a Shuker [url="http://www.shukerguitars.co.uk/eub.htm"]http://www.shukerguitars.co.uk/eub.htm[/url]

or a Clifton [url="http://www.cliftonbasses.co.uk/contact.html"]http://www.cliftonbasses.co.uk/contact.html[/url]

Acoustic wise I don't know, I seem to be spoiled for choice, but I know nothing really about them.

Which of this bunch would be a good buy, I'm after one to learn on, but I don't really want to upgrade, so I'm after one that'll last me, I am and always will be primarily an electric bassist.

[url="http://www.djmmusic.com/items.asp?Cc=DoubleBass34&iTpStatus=1&Tp="]http://www.djmmusic.com/items.asp?Cc=Doubl...tatus=1&Tp=[/url]

Budget wise I don't really want to go above about £800.


Thanks for your time.[/quote]

Hi,

As others have advised, £800 will not get a decent upright.
I have a German carved double bass that cost £3500 plus another £800 to get sorted - new fingerboard, sound-post & tail-piece.

I also play an early version of an English Paulman "Regia" EUB. Expect to pay around £2200.
Hand-made by a double-bass luthier in Huddersfield. Web link:[url="http://www.paulman.co.uk"]Paulman[/url]

It plays exactly like a double bass, albeit with easier action, but identical strings & scale length.
Sound-wise it's better amplified than the DB, much higher feedback threshold for example, easier to EQ.
Records great. More robust than DB. Shorter (by about a foot). Less bulky. No sound post to fall down!

Always admired - visually and sonically.

HTH.

JP