Buying a double bass can be challenging. It is a high-priced item and there aren’t many resources online to figure out what double bass to buy. We’ve done some of the work for you by assembling a list of some of the best double basses available.
Table of Contents
Best Overall Beginner Double Bass
A great beginner double bass from the maker of great beginner instruments. The beginner outfit comes with everything you need to get started playing double bass.
Features:
• Complete outfit
• Great sound
• Beginner-friendly
Best Overall Intermediate Double Bass
Maple Leaf Strings Model 140 double bass is widely used by many intermediate students in high school and college. It has beautiful construction and great sound.
Features:
• Beautiful construction
• Durable
• Great tone
Best Double Basses
| Best Double Basses | Recommended For: |
| 1. Cecilio CDB Upright Double Bass | Beginner |
| 2. Maple Leaf Strings Model 140 | Intermediate/Advanced |
| 3. Grace Student Upright Double Bass | Beginner |
| 4. Cecilio CDB Upright Double Bass (Black) | Beginner |
| 5. Maple Leaf Strings MLS 110 | Beginner/Intermediate |
| 6. Merano String Bass | Beginner/Intermediate |
| 7. D’Luca Upright Double Bass | Beginner |
| 8. Palatino VB-004 Double Bass | Beginner |
| 9. Rata Band Beginner Upright Double Bass | Beginner |
| 10. D’Luca Flamed Upright Double Bass | Intermediate/Advanced |
What to Look for in Double Basses
To find the best double bass for you, there are a few things you want to consider:
The size of the double bass
Unlike other string instruments, the 3/4 double bass is generally considered a full-size bass. Double basses that are 4/4 are generally too big for most players who arent 6′ 5″ with massive hands.
Beginners in elementary school should start with a 1/4 size bass. While some students do well with transitioning to a 1/2 size double bass in middle/high school, most students can go straight to a 3/4 size double bass.
For more on picking the right size double bass, see this guide.
Materials used in double basses
One of the first things that you should consider is the material used in the construction of the double bass. Basses can be classified into two kinds depending on the wood used: carved and laminated.
As its name implies, carved double basses are carved out of a complete block of wood. It usually applies a lot of work due to its intricate production.
Laminated double basses, on the other hand, are made of veneered wood. Laminated basses are known for their durability and its affordable prices. However, carved basses are picked by many professionals because of the sound produced.
Purpose of the double bass
Generally, double basses are used for different genres. This is where scrutiny comes in. Be able to choose the most appropriate double bass for your desired purpose. Whether you are into jazz, rockabilly, or bluegrass player, you should distinguish each instrument based on the sound they produced. After playing various models, you could grasp the ideal sound that you are seeking.
These are just some of the features that should be noted when looking for the best double basses. It is worth noting that awareness of the key features will make your job of choosing the most appropriate instrument.
All Double Basses
Cecilio CDB Upright Double Bass
The first on the list is the Cecilio CDB-200 Upright Double Bass. It is a double bass with a natural finish, and a flamed back and inlaid purfling. It is equipped with rosewood fingerboard, a premium grade ebony tailpiece with mother of pearl inlay, a brass-plated tuning machine head. Likewise, this double bass consists of a hardwood endpin plug with a 10-millimeter endpin. The double bass comes with a Brazilwood bow with ebony frog, an unbleached genuine Mongolian horsehair, and a mother of pearl inlay.This double bass comes in a set which consists of a padded nylon soft case with pockets for accessories, an adjustable bridge, and a quality rosin cake.
Maple Leaf Strings Model 140
The Maple Leag Strings Model 140 has a beautiful varnish finish on its spruce top and maple back and sides. The double bass comes with high-quality bass strings, thyough you can switch them out, and a protective carry bag.
Grace Student Upright Double Bass
The Grace Student Upright Double Bass is built using selected spruce top and maple back, sides, and neck. It also consists of a hardwood fingerboard and fittings, an alloy tailpiece, and an arched back construction. When it is bought, this double bass comes with a French style wooden frog, a wood stick bow with genuine horsehair, a well-padded carrying bag, and rosin.
Cecilio CDB-100 Upright Double Bass
The Cecilio CDB-100 Upright Double Bass is another Cecilio product with great features. It consists of an oak fingerboard, a plated brass tuning machine head, and a premium-grade oak tailpiece. Additionally, this instrument is also equipped with a bridge with thumbwheel height adjusters and a hardwood endpin plug with a 10-millimeter endpin. This double bass comes in a set that consists of a padded nylon soft case with pockets for accessories, an adjustable bridge, and a quality rosin cake. The strings are not very good. Replace them with one of these bass strings.
Merano String Bass
The Merano String Bass is a double bass that is made up of selected spruce wood for its top and maple wood for its back, neck, and sides. It is distinguished by its arched back construction. Additionally, this double bass is equipped with an ebony fingerboard and fittings and an allow tailpiece. This double bass comes with a French-style wood frog, a wood stick bow with genuine horsehair, a hard case with a plush lining interior, and two bow holders. It also comes with an extra set of strings, a music stand, a metro tuner, and rosin.
D’Luca Upright Double Bass
The D’Luca Upright Double Bass is an excellent instrument at an incredible value. It is equipped with a fully arched top and back. Its neck, sides, and back are made up of selected solid maple wood. It also includes a rosewood fingerboard, an efficient bow with Mongolian horsehair, and a deluxe padded nylon bag. It has an extension polepiece on its bottom. This double bass is also noted for being durable. It also has a lightweight laminated construction. It incorporates a variety of features of higher-priced models at an economical price to meet most budgets.
Palatino VB-004 Double Bass
The Palatino VB-004 Double Bass features a gracefully designed, arched maple back and a crack-resistant spruce top. The neck of this double bass is hand carved from solid maple for a great fit. Its fingerboard and tailpiece are made from ebonized woods. Such instrument comes with German-quality, Tyrolean tuners.When bought, this double bass comes with a bow with genuine Mongolian horsehair and a carrying bag.
Rata Band Beginner Upright Double Bass
The Rata Band Beginner Upright Double Bass is an efficient instrument with equally efficient features. It is equipped with a selected spruce top, and a maple neck, back, and sides. It is distinguished by its arched back construction. In addition to this, this double bass consists of ebonized fingerboard and fittings, an alloy tailpiece, and a Tyrolean-style machine head.This double bass also includes a French style rosewood frog wood stick bow with genuine horsehair and a well-padded carrying bag.
D’Luca Flamed Upright Double Bass
The D’Luca Flamed Upright Double Bass is an excellent instrument at an incredible value. It is equipped with flamed back and sides. It also includes an ebony fingerboard, an efficient bow with Mongolian horsehair, and a padded nylon bag.In addition to these descriptions, this double bass is also noted for being durable. It also has a lightweight laminated construction. It comes with a Tyrolean-style machine head.
Stagg VNB Double Bass
The Stagg VNB Double Bass offers a balanced combination of tradition and technology. Its top is built using selected spruce wood while its back and sides are composed of maple. It also consists of a rosewood tailpiece and a gig bag. This instrument produces a good quality sound, making it an efficient instrument for beginners and students.
Conclusion
Double basses come in all sorts of brands and features. Since there are a lot of models which are sold on the market, you should be able to scrutinize these double basses well in terms of their key features. This way, you could easily identify the best double basses that will suit your preference.
