Xue Chang Sun basses?

[Ken McKay]

X Sun basses are good! Shen makes some nice basses also. I can tell a chinese bass because I have looked at a lot of chinese instruments and know the wood figure and varnish. took a look at Ken's Amati basses and they look excellent! Maybe comparable to the top model of the X Sun line.

Around here, the teacher usually suggests its time to upgrade as the player progresses, knowing that the parents are hard pressed to come up with the cashola.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Ken McKay

X Sun basses are good! Shen makes some nice basses also. I can tell a chinese bass because I have looked at a lot of chinese instruments and know the wood figure and varnish. took a look at Ken's Amati basses and they look excellent! Maybe comparable to the top model of the X Sun line.

Around here, the teacher usually suggests its time to upgrade as the player progresses, knowing that the parents are hard pressed to come up with the cashola.

How can you tell a Chinese Bass that is made with European or British Colombian wood?

My 1997 Shen is European wood. Several of my Amati models were made with wood from Canada. How would you be able to tell then? I can 'sniff' out the broad Chinese figured Maple but the Spruce tops look like everything else. New German and Romanian bass tops look about the same depending in the Varnish.

Hey, move east across Europe and then thru Russia. Don't you eventually hit China? How are the Tree species different there if the countries connect across the same continent?

Have you seen many Shen Basses made in the 800 or 1000 model series?

Ok, and thanks for the compliment on my basses. I only have towe of them left.

[Ken McKay]

I can't tell much from the top until I get close. Once a maker gets the top off of many of these chinese instruments and regraduates, it starts to look familiar. Funny thing, some of the Himalayan spruce I've worked on carves like a cross between bamboo and cardboard. Still, they sound good if they are graduated correctly.

I sell a line of violins that are made from either All Euro wood, Euro top and Himalayan maple, or all Himalayan wood. They all sound good in their own way. But the top of the line Euro model stands out in some very subtle ways. Some of this has to do with the care taken by the makers in the small workshop of maybe 14 trained employees under one master. When working on the top level they spend a little more time and the master actually does some graduating himself.

I have seen the Shen bass line. I have ordered them. They are a remarkable company to deal with. They design some very nice instruments and the fit and finish is among the best out there. I think the willow back and sides are a great idea also and I don't see any other chinese maker using it. I usually only have to touch up the fingerboard to get it playing perfectly. Admittedly most of what I sell is entry level or step up.

[Srikanth Narayanan]

So can these ordinary pics tell you guys something about this particular bass? If it can, please let me know. BTW, even the regular Amati in the photo section looks gorgeous. How nice are the flames on the below bass?

(If Chinese makers were buying Canadian or European wood, would that push them into Canadian/USA and European prices?)

[Srikanth Narayanan]

inside, + outside top

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Srikanth Narayanan

So can these ordinary pics tell you guys something about this particular bass? If it can, please let me know. BTW, even the regular Amati in the photo section looks gorgeous. How nice are the flames on the below bass?

(If Chinese makers were buying Canadian or European wood, would that push them into Canadian/USA and European prices?)

That is nice flames, about a medium grade. On the cost difference it was about $1,000 extra per bass List price with Shen back in 1997, The ones I sell I have at an additional $500 street price as it's mainly just the maple. The local wood wasn't free to them either, just possibly less expensive than importing wood and the extra high figure is more money in any part of the world.

[Srikanth Narayanan]

For instrument buyers today, it's nice to read of prices going down in 13 years!

In what price range of round back instruments, does one find flamed wood of medium grade most commonly being used?