Thread: Upton Basses
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Old 05-27-2011, 09:00 AM
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Ken Smith Ken Smith is offline
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Join Date: 01-18-2007
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Cool well..

First off, thanks for all the oozing of respect. I do try hard to give out only the facts that I believe in. In fact, I was at Arnold's just yesterday. I dropped off my Hart to make room in my Racks for some other Basses coming in and left it there for him to show to some buyers when they visit. I brought home my Tarr bass with a new c-extension and my newly acquired Claudot bass.

I have read this thread but didn't want to respond in a negative manner off the cuff just because the word 'Upton' was mentioned. I saw their ISB entry in 2009 and played it. I was shocked when 'they' won an award for it as the basses I liked were far better. One of the judges is also a customer of theirs and they just started placing big advertisements in the ISB magazine so you can go figure what happened there. Not bad basses at all, just not award winners as compared to the other seasoned makers that were displayed there. As I told Upton before in writng on line, "I wish them the best of luck in manufacturing basses in USA to compete with European and Asian imports". How they will compete with their prices and stay in business working in USA is a mystery to me. I have been in business here in USA for over 30 years and with the expenses we incur I can't see doing anything but upper end stuff. We just can't compete with low wages and benefits with what some other countries can get away with and cost of living comparisons.

On another note as I did email back to Shane last night about me shipping him a single bass. Freight is usually cheaper with bigger shipments rather than singe pieces and that's IF it gets there in one piece. If you walk IN to my shop and pick up a bass, that's a different story.

On that note, buying a Chinese bass from a well known brand locally, trying it out, inspecting it before you buy and having a dealer there to service you considering this is like a 'big delicate baby' is the way to go. The bigger they are, the harder they fall. Big wood moves more than small wood so seeing a bass 'ready to go' rather than what's behind door #1 is much less risk in making a purchase of a bass. Even if it means you do not buy from me! .. That's just the truth in the matter and no way around it. For beginner basses, Christopher instruments are fairly well respected along with Eastman (here) and Shen. The Stentor I think is a UK brand name Asian Import and don't know what grade of instrument it is so I can't comment. I have played in a section with a high end Christopher 5-string Busetto model and it was beautiful with sound to match. It was on the same level as any high end Shen looking from the outside.

So, I would go for the Christopher by name and have it fully set-up by the dealer/Shop in your area. A no brainer if the price is fair in your parts. You can email shops in the states also for the same model bass set-up and then shipped and then compare as well. The shop you are in had it shipped to them most likely from China. From USA, it would be getting shipped the 2nd time. These come in first as Ocean freight in a container. Buying one bass, you get airfreight, a whole different cost structure. I hope this helps, good luck.

One last note is that if Upton had a dealer there (and they do sell to dealers), then you could compare before you buy and not take the risk yourself on a single shipped bass that you had paid for in advance, blind, with your fingers crossed hoping it gets there the way you expected and in one piece after shipping. Email Upton and see if they have a dealer there. If not, I suggest you buy what you and your teacher (you don't have a teacher yet??) can try and evaluate together.
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