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Upton Bass Barn
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$500 OFF!
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Have you noticed that Gary has kept the $500 off Standard Laminated & Hybrid basses in place? With fast lead times...you could be playing an Upton faster than you think!
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What's a C-Extension?
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Adding a C-Extension to your double bass allows you to hit those low notes in the score! The unique design of the Upton Bass C-Extension is completely non-invasive, and preserves your vintage scroll both physically and aesthetically.
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Folding Bass Stand
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At only $65, there's no reason why you SHOULDN'T own one of these! The Upton Bass Folding Stand is stable, secure, and easily portable. If you don't know why a secure stand is a necessity for all bass players, we suggest you read about the Prescott restoration.
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Much like the seasoned spruce that we build our instruments from, Upton Bass began with a seed--a small repair shop in Jewett City, CT. The seed took root in a shop in downtown Mystic, and flourished into the Upton Bass that we know today. The Mystic shop saw many repairs and restorations...and often the same repairs, again and again, but on different basses from different makers. One can only repair so many fractured necks or heels before they begin to wonder if a traditional design is potentially structurally deficient?
Don't get me wrong, the methods we use to build basses are very much traditional, but with a modern and ergonomic flair. But we learned a lot from those repairs over the years, and our instruments are better because of it. The longest warranty in the business came from the study of all these basses that were breaking in the same ways, and a vow to make our basses better.
Give Gary or myself a call and let's talk about building a custom bass for you. We love what we do, and we'd love to do it for you!
Eric
Upton Bass String Instrument Co.
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Homolka Restoration w/C-Extension
UptonBass.com
 This Ferdinand Homolka double bass recently underwent a complete restoration and had a
custom-made ebony C-Extension installed by the Upton Bass luthiers. The bass was in pretty poor shape and required a full disassemble; however it is now fitted with modern dimensions and will live out its next 20 years as a symphony bass, signing Bach and Beethoven suites.
The owner spared no expense in the restoration of this bass. The result is an exquisite fully carved Czech workshop bass that plays better today than it did the day it was made.
The restoration began with a complete disassemble: we took the top and back off, cleated and glued cracks, added new interior and exterior linings, and repaired the ribs and shortened them at the bottom so the end block didn't hang over. After many discussions with the owner, it was decided that the original top was too badly deteriorated to repair. As luthiers, it is our job to preserve what we can, although occasionally the most effective option is to replace the top. In this case, a new top guaranteed long-term stability of the instrument and would increase tone. Finally, the scroll was fully bushed and grafted to a new neck, the peg box was modernized for structural support, the cheeks were replaced, and fresh new Sloane tuners were the metaphorical "frosting on the cake."
Learn more about our restoration services at
UptonBass.com...
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Online String Repair Portfolio
StringRepair.com
 Are you interested in seeing our repair work in action? The Upton Bass online string repair portfolio has documented all types of repair and restoration work with detailed descriptions and beautiful hi-res photos. We have documented everything from optimizing the setup on a vintage Kay bass, to scroll grafts, to resurrecting a 300+ year old bass found in the scrap pile, and everything in between.
For many years, the secrets of double bass repair industry were kept hidden from the public. But Upton Bass was the first in our line of business to break this code of silence and put our work on display. We are proud of our work, and we want to share that with the bass community.
Proper restoration, repair, and setup of double basses poses many challenges. Each instrument is unique in build and tonal response, and must be treated as such. It takes a well honed set of lutherie skills (not to mention a lot of workshop space) to properly refurbish a double bass. Upton Bass offers the highest level of expertise in evaluating and restoring your instrument. After a decade of professional repair, restoration, and setup on literally thousands of double basses, our luthiers have seen and done it all.
More at
StringRepair.com...
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Prescott Restoration
StringRepair.com
Every pet-owning bass players worst nightmare: dog hits bass A, knocking it over. Bass A hits bass B. Bass A's scroll smashes into bass B's upper ribs. Bass A (German factory bass) is fine while bass B (1830's Prescott) takes a ride to our Mystic, CT shop to repair the damage.
The full repair is detailed in our portfolio as a chronological photo documentary. See the damages inside and out, watch the repairs happen, and learn what goes into choosing the proper course of action in a seemingly hopeless situation. As trained luthiers it is our responsibility to save any original parts we can, but some circumstances can be difficult, and time and money are often a limiting factor.
In the end, the repairs perfectly preserved the history of the bass, while adding the strength and stability of a new build. This 1830's Prescott double bass will live to tell it's tale for many years to come.
Read the full story at StringRepair.com...
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