Popular DB makers

G

guerillajazz

Supporting Member
May 10, 2010
71
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4,626
#1
Hello,
I am in the market for a new double bass. My budget is 15k or less and I was hoping you could point me in the direction of some popular makers that people seem to enjoy. Oddly enough, resale appeal is something I want to factor in and so far my favorite bass in this price range has been a Wilfer 7/8 model with 42" string length. However, Wilfer seems like more of a cult following as I cannot seem to find a unanimous thumbs up for their quality. I mainly perform pizz (jazz) but most of my practice is in arco studies mainly for intonation and technique. I live in Southern California. What are your thoughts? Thank you kindly.

Rob
 
#2
Buying Tips for the experienced player
If you're an experienced player shopping for a new instrument you need to have an idea of what type of tone you prefer before you buy. Begin by asking yourself these questions: Who would I love to sound like? What size and shape of instrument can I realistically play? What characteristics in an instrument most help my style of play?

The next step is to play as many instruments as you can. Borrow from friends, teachers, colleagues - annoy everyone! Evaluate what you like and dislike about each bass. Discuss your findings and opinions with others, and get their perspective too. Then make a list of all the traits you think you'd need in a bass, so you don't forget them while shopping. Yes, you need to get in the car and go shopping. This isn't the time to be lazy! Rarely do you find a perfect match by just choosing a bass from the internet and having it sent to your home. You need to get into a shop and actually play them - a lot of them.

When you are trying out basses, take your time with each instrument. Play long tones, slow scales/arpeggios, loud and soft notes, and some long/short spicattos.

The biggest mistake you can make is to immediately jump into the hardest part of a Bottesini concerto, because you can't expect to play each instrument flawlessly right away. Basses have never been standardized, and likely never will be. There are dozens of shapes and sizes to choose from, so it may take some time to find one that is really comfortable for you. Every instrument likes to be played a certain way, so give each one a chance to show you what it can do. Be open to trying an instrument that is different than your old one; you may be pleasantly surprised.

Generally older instruments tend to demand a higher price, so some of the best bargains are newer instruments. But that doesn't mean you have to sacrifice quality. There has been an explosion of highly skilled bass makers all over the world, and luthiers have really stepped up to the plate with incredibly high-quality instruments. As players' skills have continued to improve, new demands have been made. Even the geometry of older instruments have sometimes been changed to keep up with modern standards, so the stigma associated with new basses has been put to rest.

Copyright © 2010 - Cincinnati Bass Cellar Webmaster: SeanMcKelvie.com


I found this from a luthier near me, and this just about hits it on point.
 
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