Thomann 111SN 3/4 Double Bass

This is my first double bass and I've only heard a handful of others.

I am very please with purchase considering the horror stories that you read on double bass forums about Chinese made basses.

It comes very well packaged and the bridge requires set up on delivery. There are light pencil marks to help you position the bridge.

Once assembled I found it very easy to play and I don't think I will seek a Luthier to provide further set up as personally think it's unnecessary. However i don't have much faith in the string attaching the tailpiece so I might at some point get that replace with wire.

I did experience a disappointment when the E string snapped due to a fault in the string, which happened only a few days after delivery. But Thomann customer service was helpful and were able to send me a replacement within a few days and I haven't experienced any problems since.

I mostly play pizzicato and I think my bass has a nice tone and I found the A string between D and open A position to be the most resonant. Side by side with a more expensive I was hard pressed to hear much of a difference, but maybe a more expensive bass will be more resonant over a larger range.

I'm happy enough with the sound of the factory strings and I don't think I will be changing them just yet, I want to get use to the ones I have so if I do change them I can actually hear the difference.

In summary if you are a beginner like me then this is a low risk buy and you'll get a lot more than you would expect for a cheap bass.

Got this as the first upright that I've owned, although I've played a few more expensive basses, so have something to compare it to. My background is as an experienced electric bass player.

The bass came packed in huge amounts of cardboard on a pallet. It was inside the case, and seemed very secure. Took just over a week from order to doorstep, and the freight forwarder called me the day before to ask when they should deliver it. So no issues with the delivery!

The bass itself is lovely. I asked Thomann to do the "Jazz" setup, ie. the lowest action. so it's fairly playable straight out of the box. The bridge feet are perfectly fitted to the top, and currently the action is about 8mm measured at the end of the fingerboard. I may try and reduce this, depending on how my left hand strength develops.

I was worried about the included strings. However, for jazz (playing mostly pizz), they seem really quite good. The sustain and response are great, and the volume is pretty decent too.

The finish and build quality seem generally very good. I'm a big fan of the matte look. However, I've docked one star here because the gold coating machine heads seems to be coming off in places, showing black scratches. There's also something slightly strange about the tailpeice saddle - I think it's slightly off centre. However, this doesn't affect the playability or sound in any way.

Overall I'm extremely pleased with the bass and would definitely recommend it!

This is exactly what i was looking for! I wanted something cheap that doesn't demand extra investments or care, something i can work on at home, strength and intonation exercises mainly.

It came safely packed, quick DIY instalation was easy, the only complaint is the E string could be a bit higher compared to the other strings, but that's been settled with a mixed set of strings. The fretboard is flawless, the neck is chunky, which is good for my exercises, the tuners work, i don't know what else to add except THANKS THOMANN!

Oh, by the way, don't expect a master instrument, this is a ply wood bass and it sounds and looks accordingly. I've had all sorts of basses in my 20 years of playing and teaching, old and new, cheap and expensive, currently also 2 master luthier products. But, if you think this bass is not balanced you might want to give in some extra hours on it, it just might be down to sloppy hands and fingers...

No comment on the bow and the bag.. but to be honest they do their job as well.

All in all... highly recommended if you know what you're after.

edit december 2020: the tip of the bow broke off, waiting for a replacement bow

edit Oct21: changed the bridge and put on a set of Belcanto's, absolutely great value for money gigging bass.

Once again, Thomann have exceeded my expectations. Given the price, I was preparing myself to have to send the bass to a Luthier to make it playable but there is no need. The setup in the Thomann workshop has it set up nicely and very playable. Delivery was delayed a bit as it was ordered over the Christmas period but Thomann kept in contact so I knew the progress and didnt have to worry. When it arrived, it was very securely and safely packaged with no signs of damage. As others have said, the strings are not great but that is pretty much the only downside. For a budget upright bass, you really couldnt ask for much better. The care kit and rosin was also a nice extra. Great product and excellent service.