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Double Bass
Contents
Things to keep in mind while searching for your first double
bass.
Student Basses
Entry level, about 00 USD
Hybrids, starting around 00 USD
Entry level carved basses
Buying a used bass
Plywood versus Carved
Renting versus buying
3/4 size is normal?
Electric upright basses
Really cheap and fixer upper basses
Other resources for beginners
Miscellaneous
Accessories
Do I need a bow?
Care of your instrument
Transportation
Price range: Double basses are relatively expensive and your budget
will determine the types of basses you should be considering. The
minimum budget for a new instrument, properly set up by a luthier,
is approximately 1500 USD. Although more expensive does not
always mean better, more money spent in this price bracket often
means a more stable and better-sounding instrument. See the
"Student Basses" below for suggestions.
Personal needs: What kind of music would you like to play on your
new bass? A community orchestra player will have different needs
than aspiring jazz, bluegrass or rockabilly player. After playing many
instruments, you will develop a better idea of the kind of sound and
feel you're seeking. A teacher can also help you develop this idea by
demonstrating instruments for you and giving his/her opinion.
Shen SB80, Christopher 100 Series, Eastman Model 80, and for a
little cheaper Engelhardt ES1, EM1, EG1. These, and others, are
plywood basses and considered by most the minimum of
acceptable quality for a student bassist. In addition, older German
ply basses can be very good values, but should be gone over by a
qualified DB luthier to assess condition before purchase, as should
old American plys. Aside from Englehardt the only USA plywood
bass being built today is the Upton Standard, built in Mystic, CT.
Shen SB150, Christopher 200 Series, Eastman Model Model 90, and
others. These basses have Solid wood tops, and may be better
sounding than plywood basses, especially when played with a bow.
With student basses, you may catch a good used deal from
someone upgrading, but you’ve got to know what you’re doing. If it
wasn’t a good bass to begin with, the age will not have helped it. A
good quality student bass (see above for examples) that has been
cared for should be a small discount from a new one of the same
model. Depending on the market, a $1,500 bass might show up for
$1,000 – 1,200. A proper neck repair can reduce the value, but not
the quality of an instrument. If you know what you’re doing, are
patient and can verify these points, you might save a little dough. If
you take 5 years to save $700 that’s 5 years you could have been
learning to play. You’ll wish you had that time back, guaranteed.
You should always have any used purchase checked out by a luthier
before you lay down the money, to make sure there's nothing that's
going to Bite you after you get it home. Some big things to look out
for and ask your luthier about:
Old repairs of any kind. Done right they are no problem, done
wrong and it might be worse than broken.
Issues with the neck or neck joint.
Top cracks, especially near the bass bar, sound post, or saddle
(where the tailpiece wire crosses). Back cracks, too.
Top sunken in near f-hole
Setup work that might need to be done (bridge or fingerboard
work to adjust string heights or get rid of buzzes).
Also, see really cheap basses below for what to avoid at all costs.
Hybrid: Top is carved and the back and sides are ply
But don't be fooled by the myth that a carved top doesn't matter for
pizzicato and/or jazz playing. It certainly does and most of the
players who are household names prefer and use double basses
with carved tops.
There are a lot of terms, like "carved", "fully carved", "solid wood",
"solid top" that bass manufacturers like to use. These terms may be
misleading:
Some "solid top" basses are pressed into shape rather than
being carved into shape. It is obviously cheaper to do so and
can ensure a more consistent finish if you are producing a run
of a model of like basses.
In the words of the great Inigo Montoya "You keep using that
word. I do not think it means what you think it means."
Another great reason to rent is most places will credit a part of your
rental payments to a purchase of an instrument. This changes from
shop to shop so make sure you are clear on the upgrading process.
Through a rental program, you will most likely get a student model
laminate bass that the shop carries. This is usually a good starter
bass at first, but is something you will eventually grow out of as your
playing develops. These are not "fancy" basses at all and are usually
built to withstand the wear and tear of school programs.
3/4 is the "standard" size for a bass. Most basses not intended for
children would be considered 3/4 size. If you are an adult anywhere
near average size looking for your first double bass, this is the size
you want. You can stop reading now.
Basses larger and smaller: basses a bit larger than 3/4 are often
called 7/8 size, and basses a bit smaller than 3/4 are often called
5/8 size. Much larger and the bass might be called 4/4. Because
sizes aren't standard, these sizes might be noticeably different than
a 3/4 bass, or they might not. These sizes are all a matter of
personal preference. For example, some players who need
portability have 5/8 size instruments, and some players who need
the biggest sound possible find it in 7/8 or 4/4 instruments. Large
bodied basses may be more difficult to play for smaller players,
shorter arm lengths, etc. Keep in mind, bass size is not necessarily
determined by the size of the player and bigger does not
automatically mean better.
1/2 and 1/4 sized basses: These are intended for children learning to
play. There are a lot of 1/2 size basses on the used market (because
they are harder to sell), so you might be tempted as an adult to pick
one up. If you're serious about learning the instrument properly,
don't do it.
The authors of this wiki offer the following advice: electric upright
bass is essentially a different instrument, so play/rent/purchase the
instrument you want to learn. If you want to learn to play electric
upright, go for it. If you plan on using electric upright to develop
skills on the acoustic upright bass, don't bother, just go get an
normal upright bass. One particular danger is the tendency to adapt
bass guitar technique to electric upright (due to its easy playability);
these techniques will be pretty much useless on an acoustic
upright.
Really cheap and fixer upper basses (top)
If you are careful and either get really educated first or get help from
someone who can assess them for you, there are sometimes great
local deals on Kays, Shens, Englehardts, etc. Occasionally someone
picks up something through his or her local craigslist for $500.
Almost without question, there will be some additional setup, string,
accessory costs. It's not impossible to get a playable bass in this
range, it's just difficult and requires patience and knowledge. It is
very easy to make a huge mistake this way, however. $500 is not a
lot of money for a serviceable bass, but it's more than most people
would be willing to burn on something that isn't. Our forums are Full
of these success and failure stories, if you're tempted, read them
and understand the risks.
Double basses can be found for around 500 USD on ebay and other
places online. Before being tempted to buy one of these, consider
the total cost. Approximately 200 USD shipping + 150 USD for good
strings + 350 USD or more for additional setup brings the total (very
conservatively) to about 1200 USD. You now have a bass of
unknown, but, most likely, poor quality. "Saving money" by buying
one of these instruments generally amounts to false economy. One
way or the other, you're probably going to spend about $1500 for a
new, properly set up double bass. If you go the eBay route, you're
likely to spend that and more and end up with an instrument that, at
best, is of poor quality and, at worst, will implode. The best advice
we can offer is that you buy a double bass from a shop that
specializes in double basses and that is staffed by a reputable
luthier. Similar advice applies to buying from mass market music
stores.
Miscellaneous (top)
Accessories (top)
If you're thinking about buying a double bass, you might want to
think about buying:
Transportation (top)
Your new bass should fit in just about any car (minus the Smart
cars). Yes, you can take your new bass on the bus, subway, light rail,
or other modes. You'll be shocked once you get use to hauling it
around how easy it becomes. A good padded bag and a wheel also
make all the difference.