Members kyky_6699 Posted February 3, 2006 Members Posted February 3, 2006 Hello! I 've played the double bass for about a year and a half, ive been renting one for that whole time, and I think I will start looking for one to own soon. Im just going to look at whats out there. My teacher said i should try to find an old kay with an ebony fingerboard. He has one from 1940 and it is amazing! Im just wondering what you suggest I check out. I m looking for something fairly old. Thanks
Members 82Daion Posted February 3, 2006 Members Posted February 3, 2006 SHAZAM! No ebony, but everything else is right on. Here
Members kyky_6699 Posted February 3, 2006 Author Members Posted February 3, 2006 i like that bass. i wonder what happened to the scroll. i now have GAS wait no.. DBAS
Members Bassius Posted February 3, 2006 Members Posted February 3, 2006 Originally posted by kyky_6699 Hello! I 've played the double bass for about a year and a half, ive been renting one for that whole time, and I think I will start looking for one to own soon. Im just going to look at whats out there. My teacher said i should try to find an old kay with an ebony fingerboard. He has one from 1940 and it is amazing! Im just wondering what you suggest I check out. I m looking for something fairly old. Thanks i have an old kay from 1940 with an ebony finger board.... are you my student?!!
Members BASSMAAN19 Posted February 3, 2006 Members Posted February 3, 2006 I've got a Meisel from the 60s, bought it from an old teacher for $2,800. It's a very playable bass, and that's a key to look for. After playing for many years I just bought her about 2 and a half years ago. You really don't hafta break the bank to buy something good, so try to play as many different ones as you can, from the $500 sam ash one to the $8000 overpriced one.
Members Bassius Posted February 3, 2006 Members Posted February 3, 2006 Originally posted by BASSMAAN19 ... to the $8000 overpriced one. overpriced? hell, the one i GAS for is $20,000
Members spong Posted February 3, 2006 Members Posted February 3, 2006 Kay are fairly playable but are considered "low end". Kay was taken over by englehardt and they are about the same quaility. You could compare it to say a squire pbass, playable but not particularly fullfilling. I have a Musima which is pretty great - it is a Hybrid with a solid top and laminated sides. The accoustic tone is pretty damn good. I bought it for something like $2k, which isn't that much more than an englehardt. If we are comparing a englehardt/kay to a squire P bass, you could problably compare my Musima to an American standard P bass - not really great, but good enought to satisfy for a long time to come. BTW I got my Musima from Washington Music Center in Weaton MD. aka chuck Levens. I actually bought it from Chuck himself B4 he passed away.
Members Bassius Posted February 3, 2006 Members Posted February 3, 2006 Originally posted by spong Kay are fairly playable but are considered "low end". Kay was taken over by englehardt and they are about the same quaility. You could compare it to say a squire pbass, playable but not particularly fullfilling. I have a Musima which is pretty great - it is a Hybrid with a solid top and laminated sides. The accoustic tone is pretty damn good. I bought it for something like $2k, which isn't that much more than an englehardt.If we are comparing a englehardt/kay to a squire P bass, you could problably compare my Musima to an American standard P bass - not really great, but good enought to satisfy for a long time to come. true about kays now (englheart) but mine was apraised at $13,000 (replacement) so in otherwords, to get a bass that compares to my kay as it is now, i need $13k it's a rare specimen...
Members Thumper Posted February 3, 2006 Members Posted February 3, 2006 Epiphone double basses are reputed to be pretty good, too. Word has it that Gibson bought Epiphone for their double bass production. I believe Epi made dbs into the '60s.
Members kyky_6699 Posted February 3, 2006 Author Members Posted February 3, 2006 Thanks for all the answers. its funny that you should mentoin epiphone because theres a store near me that has one!
Members kyky_6699 Posted February 3, 2006 Author Members Posted February 3, 2006 i definetely cant spell
Members Bassius Posted February 3, 2006 Members Posted February 3, 2006 Originally posted by kyky_6699 i definetely cant spell where are you, i still want to know if you are my student lol kays from 1940 with ebony are RARE...so
Members kyky_6699 Posted February 3, 2006 Author Members Posted February 3, 2006 are you monty? because if you are i am your student.
Members bassgirl9 Posted February 3, 2006 Members Posted February 3, 2006 I've got a Slap King www.kingdoublebass.com It's an excellent workhorse. Ebony fingerboard, plywood body. I was going to buy an Englehart, but ended up getting my King as a gift, so who's going to look that gift horse in the mouth, right? I love my King and would probably get another. I also wouldn't mind picking up a norton www.nortoncustoms.com Obviously a Kay from the forties would be fantastic. If you can find or afford one. Good luck and send pics when you've got one!
Members kyky_6699 Posted February 3, 2006 Author Members Posted February 3, 2006 bass girl9 your band rocks! I like kings, i know of a guy in a sweet band who has one in black and white maybe he would let me try it. lee rocker uses kings, he is so cool.
Members Bassius Posted February 3, 2006 Members Posted February 3, 2006 Originally posted by kyky_6699 are you monty? because if you are i am your student. nope not monty.... now i'm curious as to what the serial number is on the kay your teacher has... can you find out?
Members bassgirl9 Posted February 3, 2006 Members Posted February 3, 2006 Originally posted by kyky_6699 bass girl9 your band rocks! I like kings, i know of a guy in a sweet band who has one in black and white maybe he would let me try it. lee rocker uses kings, he is so cool. Oh thanks! I just mixed some new tunes for the site. I'll be posting them shortly for everyone to have a listen. Yeah Lee is Gawd. So Is Johnny Hatton. (Brian Setzer Orchestra among others.) He's a king player too.
Members kyky_6699 Posted February 3, 2006 Author Members Posted February 3, 2006 that would be cool if you were monty. oh well . i will ask him about the number. I also have some listening to do now. Edgar Meyer has the coolest double bass ever! theres a picture of it on the inside of a cd i have. hes rippin!
Members ZedsDead Posted February 3, 2006 Members Posted February 3, 2006 Since I can't afford a "real" one, and it would be too much of a pain in the ass to carry on the subway (which is how I get to a lot of my gigs), I play a Dean PACE. I would never ever record with it but it's dirt cheap and great for gigging.
Members Bassius Posted February 3, 2006 Members Posted February 3, 2006 Originally posted by ZedsDead Since I can't afford a "real" one, and it would be too much of a pain in the ass to carry on the subway (which is how I get to a lot of my gigs), I play a Dean PACE. I would never ever record with it but it's dirt cheap and great for gigging. but you cant really play arco on it nice sounds tho...
Members bassman1956 Posted February 3, 2006 Members Posted February 3, 2006 I've got a Kay M-1, with violin corners. Looks like #8020 on the tag inside. From what I understand from a few Kay info sites, it's a 1942 model. The name on the tailpiece is missing, it was only a decal. The tuners need a shining. The shellaccing of the edges to contain the plywood edge splitting isn't the prettiest job, but is very functional. But it's a great instrument that's seen years of hard service, and still sounds good. Many of the older Kays are sought for their tone, if they've been maintained well.
Members BASSMAAN19 Posted February 4, 2006 Members Posted February 4, 2006 I should have clarified before about the 8,000 comment...I was goin along with what I was told in buying my first upright, to go with something solid and good around 3000, because upwards of around that figure probably isnt worth the money. That is, until you get to the 10,000 mark where you are buying in a totally different bracket. I know it's a subjective, general statement, but that's the way I was guided. If I could have bought something for 13k, that would be nice, we all know that.
Members 82Daion Posted February 4, 2006 Members Posted February 4, 2006 Go to www.lemurmusic.com and check out some of the stuff that they have. I don't even play upright, but a lot of their stuff induces serious "D.B.A.S."
Members kyky_6699 Posted February 4, 2006 Author Members Posted February 4, 2006 I love lemur music so much. It is the essence of DBAS. I think the super old stuff is amazing. Theyre older than almost everyone ive ever met!
Members spong Posted February 4, 2006 Members Posted February 4, 2006 As far as solid vs. laminated: The main tone producer is the top. A Hybrid is pretty good as it has a laminate back and sides with a solid top. It is cheaper but can sound very nice and it is also less susceptible to damage (both physical and humidity level). Sound really depends on the individual bass. Some laminates & hybrids can sound better than solids and visa versa. Also you have to consider where you are going to play it. If you gigging with it you have to consider that you are risking a huge investment every time you play out if you spend 10k +. Also, you can
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