Thomann 22 3/4 Europe Double Bass

Buying a cheaper double bass is not for the feint hearted, and as prices go for these large instruments, the price Thomann charge for this piece of goodness is extremely reasonable. The Thomann 22 Double bass is a hybrid instrument. This means that it is partly solid wood, and partly laminated. The solid part is the top (or table as its known), and this is the most important part from a sound point of view. The reason for this is that it is the part that vibrates most, and by being carved from solid wood, it is freer to move than a top made of sandwiched/laminate construction. The laminated parts are the sides of the bass, and the back. The back by the way on this bass is curved.

The bass arrived extremely well packed in a huge, well structured cardboard case. It took about 10 days to arrive form time of order - very impressive considering I ordered it in a peak shopping period. The soundpost of the bass is a large dowel of wood that is positioned vertically inside the bass, and keeps slight pressure on the back and front plates. Typically, it is kept in place by the pressure of the strings pushing down on the bridge, which is positioned directly over the soundpost. So why talk about this? ... because thankfully, when the bass arrived, it still had the post in place. When the bass is shipped, Thomann leave the strings completely slack, and the bridge down - this is obviously so the entire instrument does not get damaged in transit. The only downside of this is that sometimes, the soundpost can slip out, requiring careful attention when you receive it to set it up again.

When you order the bass, ensure that you tell Thomann how you would like the bass setup - they have inhouse luthiers, and will give the bass a basic bridge trimming and fingerboard alignment to your needs before shipping.

Now about the bass itself of course! ... I am astounded at the quality of this bass for the price ... I researched this purchase for a long time, and was able to try out the exact same model with someone who had purchased one a few years ago. The construction is very very solid, the sound is not restricted in any way .. I put some good strings on it (Evah Weich, also from Thomann at a great price), and this instrument really sings. It has a lovely low fundamental, and a nice open high end. I am positive that the overall feel and sound of the bass could be improved by bringing it to a good luthier for a proper setup, optimising of location of the sound-post (this makes a big difference), light sanding of some incredibly superficial not *quite perfect* joins on the fingerboard ... but if I did nothing else on the bass, it would be great as well. I am sure I will look in a few years for another bass, something more expensive, older, more mojo, whatever ... but I also know that this beauty will stay with me as my go-to for thumping about whenever I need something solid and reliable that I wont mind if it gets a few bumps ... because it is such, amazing value!

Bottom line, if its in your budget and you are wondering about this versus something else ... just get this ... apart from anything else, the resale is great .. almost no devaluation on these babys in the pre-loved bass market!