stewartmusic Posted May 18, 2010 Share Posted May 18, 2010 (edited) Hey fellow basschatters!, Before you read further this is a quote from Thomas Martin, Excellent Solo Double Bass Teacher/Performer, when he played my bass for one of our lessons... "Usually with these basses the tone isn't that great and the playability isn't the best...but this bass...WOW, [i][u][b]definitely a unique find, perfect for casual gigs or student/semi pro[/b][/u].[/i]" If you would like to check Toms credentials out his website is www.thomasmartin.co.uk however I'm sure most of you could relate to him also being the teacher of the Great John Patitucci, and many more. ANYWAY The bass is a Model Purchased from Thomann.co.uk here is their description, THOMANN DOUBLE BASS 33, MADE BY THE HORA COMPANY fully carved (for those who dont know what this means, it means the bass has[b] not [/b]been laminated and is hand varnished.) 3/4 double bass with carved spruce top and flat carved maple back, round ebony fingerboard, Tirolean machines, adjustable peg, scale length ca.105cm, made in Europe ! I have also had work done on the fingerboard and bridge and adjusters put onto the bridge. The work was carried out by Ken McDonald of Edinburgh, a very skilled luthier specializing in Double Basses. There is also a gig bag included from "tomandwill.com" These cases are excellent and have kept the bass in pristine condition whenever I've been transporting it. This new thickly padded double bass case from Tom and Will provides 25mm of padded protection while remaining lightweight for easy portability. This is a top quality case which surpasses many of its more expensive rivals! Quite simply, the best value double bass gig bag available today Features include: - 3 Tom and WIll GripEZE padded carrying handles on sides, for extra ease of transportation - Bow pocket has rigid lining for extra added protection - Strongly stitched nylon eyelets on sides of case - perfect if the case needs to be secured in an upright position e.g. when in transit - Rubberized anti-scuff patches fitted around outside of case for extra protection - Ergonomically-shaped padded shoulder straps for extra comfort, attached by strong trigger clasps - Extra stability provided by extra straps on body of bag which clip onto the shoulder straps - 4 extra padded handles along the front of the case, for extra maneuverability - 2 large sheet music pockets in back of case - Accessory pouch on front of case, perfect for rosin, tuner etc. - Heavy-duty zip fasteners, along full length of case, for ease of use The bass also comes with relatively new D'addario Hybrid strings. The bass has been played almost every day for the past 2 and a half years and it has taken me through my first year of study at Scotland's RSAMD. It is ideal for anyone from the electric bassist who wants to try the Double Bass, Students getting lessons through school and college or as a great value bass for those who play in ceilidh/jazz bands for low key functions. The wood has opened up to produce a huge "fat" sound that really supports a rhythm section. The only reason that I am selling this on is that i have come across some money to buy a new bass through my teacher and well, student flats don't allow enough room for one double bass let alone two!! Please note there is no bow included in the price. I have had the bass valued by Tom Martin at the very reasonable price of [i][b]£1250 ONO[/b][/i] including gig bag, strings and work that has been done on the bass. It really is a great deal and if you are in the Glasgow/Edinburgh area, you are more than welcome to come round and have a play. As far as delivery goes, collection would be nice but for expenses and a little bit extra, I'm willing to get a train to anywhere on a main line and meet you at the station. Pics will follow very soon! Cheers! Dara p.s pics now added!!! Edited June 22, 2010 by stewartmusic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlloyd Posted May 19, 2010 Share Posted May 19, 2010 Is it the same as this one? [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/thomann_kontrabass_33_02.htm"]http://www.thomann.de/gb/thomann_kontrabass_33_02.htm[/url] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewartmusic Posted May 19, 2010 Author Share Posted May 19, 2010 [quote name='dlloyd' post='841828' date='May 19 2010, 10:48 AM']Is it the same as this one? [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/thomann_kontrabass_33_02.htm"]http://www.thomann.de/gb/thomann_kontrabass_33_02.htm[/url][/quote] Yes i believe it is the same Bass, thanks for posting that link, if there are any prospective buyers out there this site has embedded sound recordings of the bass. They give a good impression of the sound that the bass can produce, however the playing that has been done on the bass and the work/strings etc also make a big impact on the overall tone that is produced. Thanks Dara Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewartmusic Posted May 30, 2010 Author Share Posted May 30, 2010 (edited) Bump price reduction to 1200 ONO come on guys there has to be someone interested in a great deal like this!! dara Edited May 30, 2010 by stewartmusic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlitos71 Posted May 31, 2010 Share Posted May 31, 2010 [quote name='stewartmusic' post='842537' date='May 19 2010, 09:08 PM']Yes i believe it is the same Bass, thanks for posting that link, if there are any prospective buyers out there this site has embedded sound recordings of the bass. They give a good impression of the sound that the bass can produce, however the playing that has been done on the bass and the work/strings etc also make a big impact on the overall tone that is produced. Thanks Dara[/quote] but is 850 new... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutToPlayJazz Posted May 31, 2010 Share Posted May 31, 2010 These are very good basses - Made by the Hora instrument company in Romania. Obviously people will spend a lot of money on getting these cheaper basses set up with new bridges, strings & cases, etc., hence the increased price. An endorsement from Tom Martin is worth noting as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewartmusic Posted June 1, 2010 Author Share Posted June 1, 2010 carlitos 71 - yes you can buy the model new and unplayed for 850, the reason for the higher price is of course because of the setup, strings, case, and "opening up" in the wood form being played for many many hours. out to play jazz - thank you for re-iterating my comment, it is worth noting that you (any prospective buyer) aren't just buying a bass straight off the shelf, but the full deal that allows you to go straight into playing with no hassle for finding luthiers and such... also to anyone else interested, as out to play jazz mentioned, it is worth noting that this bass has been played, endorsed and VALUED by Thomas Martin, he is a very respected Double Bass player across the world and definitely knows his stuff when it comes to looking for basses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobVbass Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 Honestly wish you all the best with the sale - I think there's a difference between Thomas Martin playing it, saying it's great (which it undoubtedly is - they're good basses) and putting a finger in the air estimate of £1200 on it and it actually being worth that - It'd be a rare product that you can buy at retail prices and make a 50% markup on secondhand even spending a few hundred quid on improvements. Supply and demand though etc etc - hold out long enough and you may find the person that's looking for exactly this at this price - all the best Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewartmusic Posted June 3, 2010 Author Share Posted June 3, 2010 i appreciate your comment and hope that one day somebody does realise what is for sale, just want to clarify though, it was thomas martin who valued the bass and before he gave me the value i gave him the breakdown of the cots of set up etc. It was not me that put the £1200 price tag on thanks for your good wishes! Dara Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewartmusic Posted June 4, 2010 Author Share Posted June 4, 2010 i understand where you are coming from but it was tom that stated the selling price, i.e his words are "sell for £1300", and price that it should be advertised is £1300, my price is £1200. As you will also see in the link above, Tom states that valuations are his specialty and it is only reasonable to assume that if they are widely accepted by major insurance companies that it is a reasonable and fair price. I do realize that to a new upright player (who sees this thread for the first time) may think that it is over priced, however i urge anyone who is interested to come and have a play on the bass for yourself! You really will be amazed. you can contact me through my profile:) I accept that some people may view this price as too high, but with all respect i find it hard to see how this can be judged without playing the bass in question and seeing it in the wood so to speak, does this rule not apply to any instrument? I would like to make it clear that I intend no offense to any party by stating this, it is just my opinion. Thank you for the interest so far and i hope to hear from any prospective buyers in the near future:) Dara Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth Hughes Posted June 4, 2010 Share Posted June 4, 2010 Bump for a good deal. I have the next model down, the Thomann bass with a carved top, or rather a Hora bass. These instruments are great value for the money - and no-one should be put off by the fact it's sold as a Thomann bass - it's a Hora bass thru and thru - Thomann just sell them on, they don't even change the label on the inside. My Thomann/Hora replaced a £3500 fully carved upright bought from Ken Smith and I don't miss that at all. (I downgraded because of the less-desirable venues I didn't want to take that bass into). A colleague of mine has a £300 plywood bass from Thomann that he had almost £1000 of work done to - upgrades, fingerboard shaping, bridge adjusters, Velvet Anima strings - this thing played like a dream, and I happily took it to a professional recording session while my bass was getting some work done to it. There's no way I would have said to him - 'Nice bass, but it's only worth £300'. As for the increase in value - it's completely justified in my opinion. Whilst the bass may sell for 850 new, it requires a professional set-up once it arrives - soundpost placement, fingerboard dressing and any changes to the action on the bridge. All of that would usually come inbetween £60-100, depending on what needs done. Having adjusters put into the bridge is not cheap. Then there's the case - a good case for an upright is not cheap at all. The TomandWill case is £159. A set of strings for an upright usually hovers around £100-140 for a decent set. The Thomann strings are all right, but they're really just glorified bridge holders. So add all that together, plus the fact the bass has been played in for two years (which is an important factor for a brand new instrument) and I think this price is justified. I don't know the OP at all, and have nothing to gain from his sale - this is just an impartial view of his sale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewartmusic Posted June 5, 2010 Author Share Posted June 5, 2010 Thank you Gareth! I really do appreciate your input on this thread, i was almost second guessing if this was the right place to put the bass up for sale.... To any prospective buyers, the above explanation is exactly the reason that the bass is the price that it is, if anyone has any questions about the bass or would like to come view it in Glasgow/Edinburgh then please don't hesitate to let me know Thanks Dara Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Acheson Posted June 18, 2010 Share Posted June 18, 2010 Hey man, Are you still selling this? I'm looking at getting into double bass playing and I'm currently visiting a friend in Edinburgh until Monday. I could also meet you in Glasgow on Monday morning/afternoon on my way back to Ireland. Seems like a great deal although I dunno if I could reach 1200 quid (maybe 1100 or so, dunno if you're willing to bargain a little bit?). I'd love to try it out, my number is 07742694969. Give me a ring or reply here sure! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Acheson Posted June 19, 2010 Share Posted June 19, 2010 Emailed you there Dara - Hopefully you'll be able to get back to me before the weekend is out.....really regret not checking the boards about a week ago, now! Again, if you get this (or the mail) please call my mobile asap. Cheers, Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewartmusic Posted June 22, 2010 Author Share Posted June 22, 2010 IMPORTANT NEWS: This bass is now sold - It went to the very nice Daniel Acheson from N.Ireland, hope he gets as much out of it as i did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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