Starter Upright

[Rayman]

Apologies if there’s already a thread on this

 

I’m looking at a cheap Upright on the bay, it’s near to me, and only 300 quid. Me and Mrs Rayman are big rockabilly fans, and I fancy this for us both to learn on. It has an awesome (but un PC) confederate flag painted on the back, and with a pinup sticker on the front will look the dogs.

 

I’ve asked the seller to tell me the make, and I suspect he’s going to come back and say Gear 4 Music.

 

Question is are they any good, or should they be avoided? It already has a decent pickup fitted.

 

Any advice welcome 

Edited March 26, 2022 by Rayman

[Clarky]

Can you share the link so the DBers amongst us can take a look? Needs to have a decent board, bridge and slap happy strings (and obvs pickup, although you say that is covered). 

[TheRev]

I've played a G4M bass. It wasn't awful but it wasn't great either. Not much in the way of tone or sustain, but if you're only going to slap the derrière off it, it will be OK

[Happy Jack]

8 hours ago, Rayman said:

It has an awesome (but un PC) confederate flag painted on the back

 

[Rayman]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rockabilly-Double-bass-3-4-with-pick-ups-/255454937143?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l6249&mkrid=710-127635-2958-0

[Rayman]

Well the guy hasn’t responded as yet to what it is…. But at £300….. surely G4M is a distinct possibility?

[Happy Jack]

Ah now, you didn't mention that it already has an appropriate pickup.

 

That looks like a very easy £300's worth of DB to me, and a WAY better starter bass than I had!

 

If you're really unsure what to do with the flag on the back, try buying some low-tack sticky vinyl. Cut to shape and stick on, leaving you with the option to peel off again later if you choose. I wouldn't suggest oing this with a nitro finish but the back of this bass has of course been painted.

 

My sister and brother-in-law are American, both NY City liberal types. As a Brit I didn't really get the whole Confederate flag thang until I had a chat with them a few years back. To me, that flag meant Good Ol' Boys and The Dukes Of Hazzard and Lynyrd Skynyrd. Turned out I was living roughly 40 years in the past. These days, that flag has a similar resonance to yer average Yank as a Nazi swastika.

[Rayman]

Yeah.... The flag, cool as it looks aesthetically ,  is probably not a very popular moniker, and may as well be a swastika to be honest, far from ideal. As far as the bass goes, I know nothing! It looks decent enough, and way more playable than the one I had 20yrs ago, which although old, was a bit of a dog from what I remember. 

[Rayman]

Antonio,  made in China, apparently?

[NickA]

That's a pretty basic pickup, I really doubt it was £200.  .  Single sided shadow? £50?  The better ones do both sides of the bridge, go under the bridge or connect to bridge adjusters.  Check it doesnt rattle or buzz, it's quite hard to get those bridge wing pickups perfectly installed.  Maybe the £200 included the slap peizo and professional fitting.

 

At that price and construction it's not going to sound great acoustically but I guess you can learn where to put your fingers and get some basics together.  I'd look around some tho.

 

 

 

 

[Rayman]

I'm thinking the same. Mrs Rayman concurs. I think something without a racist flag would be more desirable too.