Upton Bass Standard Carved 2018

Description

This is one of our Upton Standard Carved basses, built in 2018 and labeled No. 86.

This model was originally created to outperform the typical “economy” carved basses on the market. The Standard Carved was designed to blow those away: a fully carved, American-made bass built here in our shop.

This example features poplar back and sides with a spruce top. The poplar back is constructed from a center plate with two wings, a technique we use frequently for its stability and tonal consistency.

It has bumpers, bridge adjusters, a RevSolo pickup, quiver, bag and bow, and a set of Evah Pirazzi strings (a bit tired at this point. Still fine under the bow, but darker than ideal for pizz). The neck is maple with German antiqued tuners, and a long, clean ebony fingerboard.

Tonally, the bass has a big, round presence. A fresh set of Spirocores, if you ask us, would wake it up even more. Alex Svensen recently bowed this bass for a video demo, which will be posted soon; he always comments on how much value these Standard Carved basses deliver.

The full outfit is $8,000, including all accessories. For anyone comparing this to older German shop basses or vintage instruments, this is a healthy, crack-free, stable carved bass that’s seven years old and fully broken in. It’s been well cared-for and will stay that way with proper attention to humidity (we recommend 45%).

As with all basses leaving our shop, we’ll put it on the bench for a personalized setup to suit your playing style. If you prefer a played-in instrument over a brand-new build, this bass offers the best of both worlds: mature wood, stable structure, and the reliability of a modern Upton.