Super cheap double bass kit

[Burns-bass]

3 minutes ago, Maude said:

Holy cow! Well done 👌

It wouldn't let me check out when I tried, got to a certain point and nothing to click to progress. 

I'm keen to hear what you think of it. 

 

 

I’ve got an account there through my business and they messaged me and pushed it through. Guy told me it was because RM won’t take parcels over 2m.

[Paddy777]

47 minutes ago, Maude said:

Holy cow! Well done 👌

It wouldn't let me check out when I tried, got to a certain point and nothing to click to progress. 

I'm keen to hear what you think of it. 

 

 

Same - I tried to check out but there was no way past ‘delivery options’ and so I couldn’t complete the purchase. Probably for the best looking at the size of the box 😁 

[Maude]

2 minutes ago, Paddy777 said:

Same - I tried to check out but there was no way past ‘delivery options’ and so I couldn’t complete the purchase. Probably for the best looking at the size of the box 😁 

I know, I've got no real reason to want a 4/4 bass, bigger to store, bigger to transport, etc. But I'm quite tall and I love the look of doublebass without the endpin out miles. Is that a good enough reason? 😁

[SurroundedByManatees]

I purchased one of these too, for a first try at double bass. (No shipping hassle as I'm in the Netherlands like Bax shop, so the huge f*cker arrived the next day already.).

 

As already had been mentioned in reviews, the action from the factory is very high and needs to be worked on.

I took about a cm of the top of the bridge piece and reconstructed the curving and slots. I also lowered the nut slots a good bit. It plays a lot easier now, though I might lower the nut slots another bit in the future.

 

The stock strings are high tension steel strings, of which the G broke when tuning. Bummer. But Bax is sending me (backorder) a complete new set to replace that string. I'll keep the set as a backup though, as I invested in some Presto nylon strings with a looser feel. They're easier on the fingers too.

 

Once set up with the light gauge Nylon strings and playable low action, I really enjoy fiddling around with it. I can't compare the sound to other double basses as I have no reference or anything, but it sounds decent to my ears. I'm still finding my way on the fingerboard, but it's fun to find out positionings by ear. Once I have more spare time I'll search for some YouTube lessons to get the basics right.

 

Funny thing, how an electric bass neck feels in you hand after playing a db for a good hour. It's a full blown tooth pick experience. Fat baseball bat profile precision bass necks don't exist anymore to me.

 

 

Edited January 9 by SurroundedByManatees

[Burns-bass]

Update on this. Took it to my friend (who is a luthier) and he noticed a crack in the neck. Not a small crack, a monster one. It’s under the finish so it existed before the bass was painted (i.e. I didn’t cause it!)
 

Bax admitted this was a fault and agreed to a return. However, they refuse to pick it up.

 

So I’m stuck!

 

They suggested I took it to a pickup point but couldn’t tell me of one that would accept it. After a week of discussion, we’re nowhere further forward. 

 

Thankfully, I enjoy these interactions to some extent and will be filing a Moneyclaim with the court on Monday if they fail to provide a solution. I’m charging storage (at £15 per day).

 

Will update in the fullness of time.

 

 

[JPJ]

46 minutes ago, Burns-bass said:

Update on this. Took it to my friend (who is a luthier) and he noticed a crack in the neck. Not a small crack, a monster one. It’s under the finish so it existed before the bass was painted (i.e. I didn’t cause it!)
 

Bax admitted this was a fault and agreed to a return. However, they refuse to pick it up.

 

So I’m stuck!

 

They suggested I took it to a pickup point but couldn’t tell me of one that would accept it. After a week of discussion, we’re nowhere further forward. 

 

Thankfully, I enjoy these interactions to some extent and will be filing a Moneyclaim with the court on Monday if they fail to provide a solution. I’m charging storage (at £15 per day).

 

Will update in the fullness of time.

 

 

That’s so clean I’d have probably mistaken it for a join, assuming they had grafted that bit on to save money on neck timber 🤦

[ossyrocks]

50 minutes ago, Burns-bass said:

Update on this. Took it to my friend (who is a luthier) and he noticed a crack in the neck. Not a small crack, a monster one. It’s under the finish so it existed before the bass was painted (i.e. I didn’t cause it!)
 

Bax admitted this was a fault and agreed to a return. However, they refuse to pick it up.

 

So I’m stuck!

 

They suggested I took it to a pickup point but couldn’t tell me of one that would accept it. After a week of discussion, we’re nowhere further forward. 

 

Thankfully, I enjoy these interactions to some extent and will be filing a Moneyclaim with the court on Monday if they fail to provide a solution. I’m charging storage (at £15 per day).

 

Will update in the fullness of time.

 

 

 

When I saw the pic of the box in your hallway, it did cross my mind that it would be hard to return it if you needed to, and here we are. 

 

Thomann often just write things off, refund or account credit, and tell you to keep it as the return is just not economically viable. Bax won't be able to resell this bass, so they ought to just refund you and leave you to do what you want with it. Otherwise it's just going to cost them more!

[Geek99]

Did your luthier comment on it in any other way?

[Burns-bass]

9 minutes ago, Geek99 said:

Did your luthier comment on it in any other way?

He said it was likely to be structurally sound because he tuned the bass up and checked for movement, and to let them know the fault and see what they say. When I told them they advised me not to use it and return it (which was when the fun started).

[Burns-bass]

25 minutes ago, ossyrocks said:

 

When I saw the pic of the box in your hallway, it did cross my mind that it would be hard to return it if you needed to, and here we are. 

 

Thomann often just write things off, refund or account credit, and tell you to keep it as the return is just not economically viable. Bax won't be able to resell this bass, so they ought to just refund you and leave you to do what you want with it. Otherwise it's just going to cost them more!

I assumed so, too. It honestly can’t be worth their hassle to bother with it. 
 

I have experience of small claims court and have advised I’ll be charging storage and disposal fees.