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March 2007

ASR Proudly Stocking UPTON Custom Basses!

The UB Hybrid Double Bass is a European-made double bass constructed to the exacting specifications of Upton Bass.  See how we designed it here! The back is made of graduated laminations of European sycamore maple with an Italian poplar core. The ribs are also solid European maple, carefully thinned for maximum tonal transfer. What makes the UB Hybrid Double Bass unique is it's solid carved European spruce top.

Many of our customers, colleagues and competitors ask "where are our basses made?".  We would like our customers to know that our basses bodies are still made in Europe (we say still as it is our long term goal for them to be made completely in house!).  Sorry though, that's as close as we can say about where they are made.  Why?  We have strived to form working relationships with numerous European Workshops that can make our instruments to our exacting specifications and have entrusted them with our own double bass blue prints.  Our competitors would LOVE to know WHO is making them...so they can do business with them as well!  I guess it should be taken as a compliment that so many shops want to copy what we are doing or say negative things about us.  And with that in mind...we feel we must protect our sources at all costs.  German owned companies will import unfinished instruments from other European countries, as well as Asia, and complete the same amount of work we do on our basses and label/market them as German made instruments.  Are they legally allowed to do this?  Yes.  Given what these German companies routinely do, and according to current U.S. Customs laws, we could legally market our basses as "Hand Crafted in Stonington, Connecticut". 

Varnish, does it matter?  YES!  The varnish on all Upton Basses is a proprietary Linseed Oil mixture that is applied in a traditional manor that accentuates the natural beauty of the wood and the tone.  Hundreds of  years of great instrument making cannot be wrong!  Our varnish is not a heavily sprayed lacquer or a overly delicate spirit finish that is found on factory basses from Europe, Asia and America.  Our varnish is the same varnish luthiers use on double basses that cost $25,000.00 or MORE!

Our varnish is hand applied by our artisans (actual Upton Bass employee's!) in our Stonington, Connecticut workshop! We have tested our varnish in the most extreme situations and are 100% confident in it's durability.  Each bass, just like a piece of wood, has it's own organic fingerprint and will take on the varnish differently, and imprint the individual characteristics of your bass.  While we go to great lengths to get a consistent look from bass to bass,  your bass will be YOUR bass, and no other Upton Bass will be identical!  If you are looking for a bass that is hand finished in America and is still affordable, look no further than the UB Hybrid Double Bass.

Real inlayed purfling & individual German made Rubner tuners add to this basses appeal. We have reversed the orientation of the tuners to lessen the tension on the E sting (if you want the traditional setting, we can do that to...remember, although it is an Upton Bass, it's YOUR bass!). We cut "pockets" under the tabs and worm gears to relieve stress on the plates and allows for smoother tuning...you may never see them...but they are there, and for a reason. We don't skip steps! So many of our competitors cut costs by using cheaply made tuners that turn roughly, easily bend, the plating flakes off, or no thought was given to their placement and installation. Why skimp on such important things? No corners have been cut in our bass's construction or finishing!

We fit our own ebony fingerboards that are cut to our specs. Thick, straight grained and jet black...you won't find a higher quality ebony board anywhere. We actually wholesale supply our boards to other shops...they are that good! Our solo extended fingerboard is a stock option (exclusive UB feature...nowhere else is this available without paying extra customization fee's!). Regular fingerboards can still be installed...just ask!

Name brand German endpins are installed on all of our basses. Thick, solid ebony collars do not warp or crack like the ebonized hardwood endpins on our competitors basses. Threaded tips and steel reinforced rubber caps ensure years of performance...you may never need an endpin rest again!

The UB Hawkes model can be considered a large 3/4 or a smaller 7/8 bass with a 42 inch string length (3/4) based on our modified Hawkes pattern. The large upper bouts allow for the bass to move more air, resulting in a thunderously low but warm tone, but having a custom taper to allow for ease of play. Our ff hole pattern was inspired by the ff holes on the Scott LaFaro Prescott!  See how we designed it here!   Our customers often comment that for such a full bodied bass it is remarkably comfortable to play. This has been achieved by increasing the over stand (amount of neck above the body) and projection (path of the fingerboard extended to the bridge). This gives us a nice tall bridge with plenty of access to the length of the fingerboard and enough clearance to bow without hitting the edges.

Approximate Body Dimensions:
Upper Bout - 20 1/2 inches
C Bout - 15 3/4 inches
Lower Bout - 27 inches
Rib - 7 inches at neck set to 8 1/4 inches at endpin
Body Length - 45 1/4 inches
String Length - 42 inches

UPTON Custom Basses Website

BARE WITH US WE'RE ALMOST THERE!

Coming Soon your going to be able to order your rental

Basses & Cellos right online!

STAY TUNED!

Now one of the most popular cellos in the nation, StringWorks cellos were developed with the expertise of professional cellists (the owner of the company is a professional cellist!), resulting in an instrument of superior tonal capability and playing ease. StringWorks guarantees that our cellos, as with the rest of our instruments, will be the finest available - or your purchase price is refunded! Remember, there are many cello brands now available with the 'Artist' name, but only one StringWorks Artist - the original and still the best!

Artist Cellos (4/4) - Solid carved, highly flamed maple back, sides, and neck, solid carved medium grain Himalayan spruce top, lightly antiqued varnish, solid highest quality ebony fittings, inlaid purfling, D'Addario Helicore strings, ebony or boxwood fittings. Meets or exceeds all MENC specifications.

Hear our ARTIST cellos here!

StringWorks cellos and the Los Angeles Philharmonic...

A member of the Los Angeles Philharmonic chose to play a StringWorks Artist cello while on tour with the Orchestra in Mexico, leaving his 19th century Italian instrument at home!