UB Standard Double Bass - Laminated Upton Bass

The Standard version of the UB Deluxe Double Bass, featuring slab cut face laminations of Italian Poplar. Beautiful, big warm tone & great buy at only $1,700

Ten reasons to buy your double bass from Upton Bass...

UB Standard Double Bass "Basso Rasa"

“Tabula Rasa” means to wipe the slate clean, and that is how the UB Standard came to be. Constructed of slab-cut veneers, the UB Standard pays homage to Italian instrument makers of the late 17th & early 18th century. The UB Standard double bass combines the modern ingenuity that you've come to expect from Upton Bass, such as the Reverse Orientation of Tuners, and the classic aesthetics of exceptional selections of wood and hand-applied varnish. The result: a double bass crafted in the Old World tradition of instrument making, equipped with premium grade hardware and finished with your custom setup.

We stumbled upon the Basso Rasa one day when we were varnishing a veneer of Italian Poplar (the same wood that we use as the core lamination on all of our Laminated double basses). The chocolate color and the unique pattern of grain lines (similar to the UB Willow) were striking and left everyone in the shop wondering what it would look like if we made a bass completely from Italian Poplar. To our surprise, the result was one of the most beautiful double basses we had made to date! The Basso Rasa does not include the time consuming process of inlaid purfling, nor the costly surface veneers of spruce or maple which increase the end price. The achievement for us has been crafting a bare bones instrument with a booming tone and volume without compromising quality!

Please call 860-535-9399 to discuss the UB Standard. Strings not included in the price of the instrument. Bridge adjusters are an upgrade option.

Our varnish is hand-applied on each and every UB Standard! We have tested our varnish in the most extreme situations and we are 100% confident in it's durability. Gently antiqued (color shading...the scratches and dents are up to you!). Each Upton bass has it's own distinct character while still maintaining brand uniformity.

German made Rubner tuners add to this basses appeal. We have shifted the tuners as far north as possible to lessen the tension on the E sting. We cut "pockets" under the tabs and worm gears. This relieves stress on the plates and allows for smoother tuning. So many of our competitors cut costs by using cheaply made tuners that turn roughly, the plating flakes off, or no thought was given to their placement and installation. Why skimp on such important things?

We fit our own ebony fingerboards. 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! **The UB Solo Extension is an upgrade option with the UB Standard, and is not automatically included**

Top quality 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.

The UB Standard model can be considered a large 3/4 or a smaller 7/8 bass with a 42 inch string length (3/4). 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!

Your purchase price of $1,700.00 includes our full set up & the Upton Bass 5 year warranty! Strings, bridge adjusters and other upgrade options additional.

Approximate Body Dimensions:
Upper Bout - 19 3/4 inches
C Bout - 15 inches
Lower Bout - 26 1/4 inches
Rib - 7 inches at neck set to 8 inches at endpin
Body Length - 44 3/4 inches
String Length - 42 inches

Click on the image below for a close-up!

Please Note: Discrepancies may occur in the color of the instruments pictured versus what you receive. Monitor settings, screen resolution, lighting, and background all contribute to the latter. As each bass is composed of unique pieces of wood, there are inherent qualities in the wood itself which make each bass slightly different from one and other which must be taken in to account when ordering. All hardware and parts pictured are subject to change and availability. Upton Bass guarantees and stands behind the function and quality of all hardware and parts installed on each and every one of our basses.

Each bass is HANDMADE by Upton Bass by hand in our workshop,. Our bass has become so popular that we have seen inferior copies in the market. Don't be fooled! Just because someone tells you they are selling a UB model bass, do not assume it is the same bass!!! Want to know if the dealer you are working with is a certified UB dealer?  eMail us to find out!  Only genuine UB basses carry our 5 year warranty.

Our setup luthiers spend time with you to get a feel for not only how you play, but what you play. Our setup luthiers are 'FANATICAL' about about getting YOUR setup right! They LOVE what they do, and they want you to LOVE your bass!

Already have a bass with an E-flat neck??? Want your Upton Bass to have one?? We can customize your new bass with an E-flat neck for an upgrade charge of $500.

We have hyperlinked the setup items below to the items on our website. Add them to your cart and see the value of the Upton setup!

Upton Bass setups include:

♪ High quality endpins are installed on all of our UB basses.

♪ French made Stock Upton Bass bridges, are meticulously fitted, carved, and tonally adjusted for each individual bass. The top radius of each bridge is custom carved to meet the specifications of your playing style. Once a bridge meets our standards, it is then branded with our logo. Adjusters can be installed at an additional charge of $50.00.

♪ English style grade "AAA" ebony tailpieces are hung with Clef HITEC tailpiece cable. This lightweight, flexible cable is stronger than steel! After-lengths are carefully calculated and adjusted for the best tone.

♪ Seasoned European spruce sound posts are hand selected and fit by us to ensure each bass reaches its maximum tonal capabilities. Our sound posts fit 100%. No bevel! No domes!

♪ Fingerboards of the highest grade ebony are dressed and polished to perfection.

♪ Ebony nuts are brought to exact tolerances. Other than the bridge, the nut is one of the most important (and most overlooked) aspects of your setup. Incorrect string angles can prematurely break strings and cause buzzes. Incorrect spacing can make it difficult to play and grooves that are not correct can damage the string as well as take away from your basses tone. Incorrect string heights can not only make your bass difficult to play, but may cause long term medical problems!

♪ Each bass is played by our staff. If something is not quite right, it is done again until it is. Simply put, the level and quality of service we offer is second to none! We are FANATICAL about it!

We guarantee you will not find a laminated bass anywhere that is as finely crafted, professionally setup and tonally dynamic as the UB Double Bass!

Call us at 1-860-535-9399 to talk about our UB basses, our EXCLUSIVE 5 year warranty, and how you can become a proud owner today.