Arvada DB-820 Double bass

[funkyjazz]

Has anyone come across Arvada double vasses and spesially the Arvada DB-820?

it is a hybrid (wooden top) and it is offered at a good price at a shop in my country. No possibility to try as it is faraway (return policy but I’d like to avoid to ship it back).

I am in the market for a hybrid and a Hora would cost me almost double as much…

[NickA]

Whatever the recommendation, don't buy anything until you've tried it...and some others for comparison.

 

Seems it's only available in Denmark, so I'm guessing it's Chinese made for a Danish import company. Unlikely anyone outside Denmark has one. Looks ok and certainly cheap for a hybrid.  Bu, you might get a better / more interesting bass second hand ... and one that's properly set up too ; basses from Thomann etc generally need a lot of work doing to them to get he best sound.

[funkyjazz]

Thanks for you answer.

Unfortunately I live faraway from any bass or music shop. The only option I have is travelling to Oslo at the end of may to try a Hora hybrid which would cost me about 3500 euro as opposed to this which costs 2000 euro.

I trust the shop in Oslo a bit more for their setup.

I am not in a hurry to buy but I am trying to not spend a fortune if I don’t need to.

[NickA]

Tough one... I realised you're in Norway after posting.  I think it's a long jouney in the UK if I have to go 100km to see a bass!

 

Hopefully someone here has played one; as just being the same construction as the Hora doesn't mean it's the same quality; some plywood basses are better than some hybrids.

 

I guess it'shis one?  https://www.danmusikk.no/arvada-db-820-kontrabass

 

But if you go to Oslo at least you can try these for comparison:  https://bassanova.no/butikk/kontrabass-1/3-4-4-4

 

..or come on holiday to England, we have lots of bass shops within a distance you probably think of as a short walk 🙂 

 

Good luck.

 

 

[funkyjazz]

Thanks but unfortunately shipping costs are prohibitive from Bassanova. Danmusikk does not charge much but I am a bit unsure of their bass which is the one you posted.

Locally I have a person which would be able to perform a setup and maybe some other work on an upright but not so much more. I am in fact also considering small body upright basses so in case of anything it is doable to ship the bass for repair.

Which one is a good reliable shop in uk for basses? They might be able to offer shipping to Norway at a reasonable price more so than Bassanova. I have seen this before for products shipped from abroad at a lower cost than products shipped within Norway. Strange, isn’t it?

[NickA]

For new laminate and hybrid basses in the uk you can't beat Bassbags.co.uk.  But I doubt his shipping costs are cheap.

 

For 2nd hand, thedoublebassrooom.com ... But that's a place you really need to visit to see & try.

[funkyjazz]

Great tips. Thanks!
A luthier suggested I buy a vintage instrument as they are more predictable in terms of possible cracks. I am a bit scared of that as I live in a very dry climate with also big temperature excursions (-20C to +30C). Of course temperature is easy to control but humidity less so and that is the real issue I guess. If any of those is able to ship a double bass for reasonable money than I could consider them