I accidentally knocked my son's (now fully paid-for) bass onto its side and it landed on a hard glass object, resulting in a not-small gash in the wood on the side. The glass went right through the wood on that side. I'm terrified it will be unrepairable, but have to wait a week for our repair person to check it out. So I thought I would ask you all if there's an easy answer on the likelihood that it will be repairable.
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Double Bass Repairable?
- Thread starter MomofBassist
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Photo? Almost anything is repairable - "for a price"...
I realized as I wrote my post that I should have taken a photo before we left it at the repair shop, but I didn't. I may be able to take and post one tonight.
3/4 size Eastman, model number is VB80T. It was a student instrument that we bought new on a lease-to-own. The price at the time was $1,899, so although a lovely instrument, nothing super-fancy.
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Don't beat yourself up about this, stuff happens and double basses, being big and poorly balanced, are prone to this kind of accident. Very likely your son will have other accidents with this or other double basses in the future. It's like a new car, the first dent really hurts. After that is over with, things get easier to cope with.
From friends who have experienced similar breaks as you have described with this price range of a double bass, I suspect your luthier will be able to find a way to fix it, hopefully at what might be considered "student prices". It may not look new in the repaired location, but I would guess once it is repaired it would be solid and not rattle. Your luthier will probably suggest that he also take the time to double check other areas that may have been affected by the fall, which is a very good idea.
Keep in mind, if the price is too high, you can check around for another quote at least to verify pricing. Reasonable prices will depend on how bad the damage is and how long it will take to repair. There is plenty of lutherie related wisdom to be found here among our active luthier community, too, but without pics and without knowing exactly what broke, it's hard to say much and you're pretty much dependent on your local luthier.
Once fixed, it might be worth it to consider ways to store this double bass so it isn't quite so prone to falling. There are lots of options for stands, bags and cases.
From friends who have experienced similar breaks as you have described with this price range of a double bass, I suspect your luthier will be able to find a way to fix it, hopefully at what might be considered "student prices". It may not look new in the repaired location, but I would guess once it is repaired it would be solid and not rattle. Your luthier will probably suggest that he also take the time to double check other areas that may have been affected by the fall, which is a very good idea.
Keep in mind, if the price is too high, you can check around for another quote at least to verify pricing. Reasonable prices will depend on how bad the damage is and how long it will take to repair. There is plenty of lutherie related wisdom to be found here among our active luthier community, too, but without pics and without knowing exactly what broke, it's hard to say much and you're pretty much dependent on your local luthier.
Once fixed, it might be worth it to consider ways to store this double bass so it isn't quite so prone to falling. There are lots of options for stands, bags and cases.
Thank you so much for the responses, folks. Here is a photo. (I know it's huge--the damaged part is at the bottom.)
Ow! That's ugly. I'll be interested to hear what your luthier thinks of it. Because it's so shredded, to me it looks like bending a pretty big plywood patch, cutting it into the rib and finishing it in. With some real ninja joinery you might not have to take the back off, but that's above my pay grade, so I dunno. It might be less hassle to replace the whole rib section. The big question will be cost vs value.
Yoinks Scooby, that's a big one! Man. Ouch!
I actually own this same Eastman. It plays bad and sounds worse, but I love it for whatever reason. Probably just familiarity... Lol.
I'm definitely with Steven. He's above my pay grade, which makes this above my pay grade, but considering what it is.... I would definitely venture to repair it myself. No harm no foul. Pop the top and patch it! Eastman basses open easy. I know everyone will disagree, but that's probably literally what I'd do. Finish the hole up, thicken some west system and expoxy the hole, hhg the top back on. If it were a bass worthy of it, I'd pay for rib repair. But it's an 80.
It'll be interesting to see what the repair shop says....
Off topic, I just dropped and cracked open my Eastman again last weekend in Kalamazoo MI. When mine is done it'll be more hhg than wood!
:-D
I actually own this same Eastman. It plays bad and sounds worse, but I love it for whatever reason. Probably just familiarity... Lol.
I'm definitely with Steven. He's above my pay grade, which makes this above my pay grade, but considering what it is.... I would definitely venture to repair it myself. No harm no foul. Pop the top and patch it! Eastman basses open easy. I know everyone will disagree, but that's probably literally what I'd do. Finish the hole up, thicken some west system and expoxy the hole, hhg the top back on. If it were a bass worthy of it, I'd pay for rib repair. But it's an 80.
It'll be interesting to see what the repair shop says....
Off topic, I just dropped and cracked open my Eastman again last weekend in Kalamazoo MI. When mine is done it'll be more hhg than wood!
:-D
Tell your son you did it on purpose so he can hear himself better. I know TONS of people who gig plywood basses with holes in the ribs. That’s kinda why we have plywood basses.
Hmm, looks like a new patch to my untrained eye... Or a new access door. Or a new auxiliary sound hole (credit to KFS 
).
Maybe you guys would know, is this hole presenting any structural worry, or is that a pretty safe place?
).Maybe you guys would know, is this hole presenting any structural worry, or is that a pretty safe place?
I've been reading all these responses to my son (age 18) and he just made a mournful sound (sans bass) and said, "If only these people weren't so clever, I could be sad." LOL
Don't forget to keep all the pieces and splinters for the luthier!
Good luck, DP
Good luck, DP
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Tell him it will look cooler with a big Black Flag or a PBR sticker covering the hole and you'll put the $400 repair money towards a better bass when it is time to upgrade.....
- Aug 1, 2005
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Either that or get out your Dremel and carve the hole into a nice oval. There are basses built with holes near that spot (a little higher though) in order for the player to hear himself better in orchestra. That's what I'd do anyway.
Yup. Arnold Freaking Schnitzer builds basses that way sometimes. On purpose!
- Aug 1, 2005
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- 1,391
- 5,401
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