Upright bass

sloop_john_b · Post by **sloop_john_b** » Sun May 14, 2006 5:20 pm

I've been messing around on one at Sam Ash far enough, I wanna get one. I'll be using it for fingerstyle as well as bow playing. Does anyone know of a decently priced one to start off on?

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Sun May 14, 2006 5:42 pm

Check out Uptonbass.com or Bob Golliher, they both have nice uprights. I bought mine at Uptonbass, it's about 1 and 1/2 hr's from me. Expect to spend over a grand minimum for a decent playing/sounding bass. And the other stuff, pickups, bag, stand etc. are expensive. I bought this one:

http://uptonbass.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/21/products_id/166

which was about 300.00 cheaper when I bought it a few years ago.
Englehardts are also nice for cheaper basses. If you want to play it out at all, get the laminated basses which are more hardy, most of the cheaper ones are laminated anyway. Don't get one of those cheap Chinese basses they sell on ebay, I've heard nothing but bad stories about them.

This is Bob Golliher's site:

http://www.urbbob.com/basses.html

woodsgirl · Post by **woodsgirl** » Sun May 14, 2006 6:46 pm

Wow, that looks really nice, but how much was shipping?

wayang · Post by **wayang** » Mon May 15, 2006 6:56 am

John...I can't really think of anything that's decently priced these days...

woodsgirl · Post by **woodsgirl** » Mon May 15, 2006 8:53 am

I really want to try playing upright, but shipping seems to be a problem= well, a large expense, not only that, I don't have a way to carry one around so I bought this
http://cgi.ebay.com/Martin-B-1E-Acoustic-Electric-Bass-W-Case-Exc-Cond_W0QQitemZ7412990061QQcategoryZ47064QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Do any of you have one of these Martin A/E basses? If so, do you like them?

alanz · Post by **alanz** » Mon May 15, 2006 9:53 am

I have one.

I think it's a great addition to my bass instrument family. Mine has a bridge pickup built in but no volume or tone control - I didn't want anything extra cut out of the body's mahogany side. I use Martin strings on it. It is not very loud acoustically; you have to amplify it. It also likes to feed back, especially the A string. I need to get one of those sound hole plugs for it.

I have played it live when I've done acoustic gigs and it sounds much more like what it is - an acoustic bass guitar - than an upright because it is fretted and has roundwounds on it.

Edit to add - I see you bought it. $850 is a good price; I paid $1200 for mine in 1998.

bassdroid · Post by **bassdroid** » Mon May 15, 2006 4:15 pm

My main gripe w/ ABGs is projection...very few of them can cut ensemble playing w/o being amplified to some degree.

To that end, I recently compared several ABGs at a local music store. I tried about 7 or 8 basses; Fender, Washburn, Ovation, etc. The clear winner was a Martin (forgot the model, but it had a mahogany body, w side-mounted eq and volume). Thunderous tone and even response all the way up the neck. I understand that not all of them are this consitant. A little pricey; sticker said $1800, but if I were after an ABG, that would probably be it.

Good upright basses can often be found locally. Check Gollihur's luthier list...if you can find a bass repairman relatively nearby, chances are you'll also find basses for sale.

You can transport a 3/4 size upright bass in an average or even a small size car, provided that a) the front passenger seat folds down or b) it's a hatchback.

woodsgirl · Post by **woodsgirl** » Mon May 15, 2006 4:20 pm

I read a lot of reviews on harmony central, and the Martins had the best by far. I thought I would try it and the man I am getting it from had a lot of good to say about it, natch. You can get the onboard eq but he is selling the Fishman with it and I hear good things about them, too.

jps · Post by **jps** » Mon May 15, 2006 5:16 pm

Since virtually all acoustic bass guitars need to be amplified, I have this:

Rick Turner Renaissance RB-4FL

I also recently got this from Mike Skiffington:

NS Design CR4M

sloop_john_b · Post by **sloop_john_b** » Mon May 15, 2006 5:48 pm

Jeff, are those NS basses suited to bow playing as well?

jdogric12 · Post by **jdogric12** » Tue May 16, 2006 6:40 am

Nothing beats a real upright, although those others do look tempting. If you want a real upright, your best bet is probably to read the local classifieds, since shipping is probably a huge pain. I bought a pre-WWII German-made Kay from a friend for $500. She played it in college but doesn't play at all anymore. I think I probably got a steal of a deal on it.

vito · Post by **vito** » Tue May 16, 2006 7:25 am

John, you can play the NS with a bow, although I did not have the opportunity to do so in the time I owned it. It is by far the best EUB I have played

jps · Post by **jps** » Tue May 16, 2006 3:56 pm

I have had it for about 4 weeks now and am getting a pretty good handle on it, although I have yet to get a bow. It is made for bowing.

bassdroid · Post by **bassdroid** » Tue May 16, 2006 4:08 pm

Wow Jason, that was a great deal! Kays are generally selling for around $1500 to $2500 depending. My beater bass(a 1943 Kay C1)was recently appraised at $1600. How does it play? Did it need any work?

sloop_john_b · Post by **sloop_john_b** » Tue May 16, 2006 4:45 pm

I'd love an NS but they're out of my price range as well. Anyone know anything about these?

http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Palatino-VE-500-Electric-Upright-Bass-Stand-Up_W0QQitemZ7413256416QQcategoryZ16222QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem