After a long time playing bass guitar, I wanted to learn upright. So after saving enough money, I finally ordered one with a rock-solid reputation, and the distinction of being made in the U.S. completely in-house by a small workshop in Mystic, CT: The Upton Hawkes. Normally I would not buy an instrument sight-unseen, but there are few good basses for sale locally and this particular instrument, from everything I’ve read on the TalkBass forums, is unbeatable in terms of bang for the buck. It has a carved top (as opposed to laminate) and hand-applied linseed oil-based varnish as opposed to the spray on crap that comes on lower level instruments. They put your choice of strings on it up to $150, and the shipping is free. They also do a supposedly amazing setup, also free.
The only downside is that I’ll have to wait 10 to 16 weeks before it arrives. But I’m a patient guy. In the mean time I’ll be listening to a lot of Scott LaFaro, Charles Mingus and Medeski Martin & Wood, and working on my music theory. (And at least I still have my Fender bass.) And when the upright arrives, I’ll be taking lessons with the bassist in my dad’s jazz group, a true master if there ever was one - Ron Kadish, of Bloomington, Indiana’s Postmodern Jazz Quartet, Sarah’s Swing Set and formerly of Salaam.
Any other upright bassists here?