Sebastian By Knilling 1202T-1 3/4 Upright Bass - Full Shop Adjustment - With Bag & Bow - Solid Top

The Sebastian by Knilling 1202T-1 3/4 Upright Bass Outfit is a well-regarded student or advancing student model upright bass. Knilling is known for providing quality orchestral string instruments, and the Sebastian line offers good value, particularly for instruments that are professionally set up.

Here's a breakdown of its features, focusing on the details you provided:

Key Features and Specifications:

• Model: 1202T-1 (often referred to simply as Sebastian 1202)

• Size: 3/4 Upright Bass: This is the most common and versatile size for upright basses, suitable for the vast majority of adult players and taller students. It offers a good balance of tone, playability, and portability for a full-size instrument.

• Body Shape: Stradivari. This refers to the traditional violin-family body outline, which is typical for upright basses.

• Top (Soundboard): Solid Carved Spruce. This is a significant feature and a major advantage over fully laminated basses. A solid spruce top vibrates much more freely, producing a richer, more complex, and resonant acoustic tone that improves with age. "Carved" further indicates that the top was shaped from a solid piece of wood, contributing to better acoustic properties than a pressed or molded top.

• Back and Sides: Laminated Maple. This is characteristic of a "hybrid" upright bass (solid top, laminated back/sides). Laminated maple back and sides offer excellent durability and stability, making the instrument less susceptible to changes in humidity and temperature, which is a major benefit for student instruments and gigging musicians. While not as tonally rich as solid maple back/sides, the solid spruce top still provides a good acoustic voice.

• Neck and Scroll: Maple.

• Fingerboard: Ebony. This is a crucial feature for an upright bass. Genuine ebony is a very dense, hard, and stable wood that resists wear from the strings and fingers, ensuring a smooth playing surface and preventing grooves over time. It's superior to "ebonized" or stained hardwoods.

• Nut and Saddle: Ebony.

• Pegs: Ebony. High-quality ebony pegs are essential for stable and smooth tuning.

• Bridge: Maple. This will be a standard maple bridge. The "Full Shop Adjustment" (see below) ensures it's properly fitted.

• Tailpiece: Composite tailpiece, often with built-in fine tuners (or at least accommodating them). Fine tuners are very helpful for making precise tuning adjustments.

• Purfling: Inlaid purfling. This is a sign of higher quality construction compared to painted purfling, helping to prevent cracks from spreading.

• Finish: Nitrocellulose Lacquer. A durable and attractive finish.

Outfit Components:

• Bag: Includes a deluxe padded gig bag. This provides good protection for transport, with ample padding, handles, and often backpack straps or shoulder straps. It's a convenient way to transport such a large instrument.

• Bow: Includes a Brazilwood bow with genuine horsehair. Brazilwood is a common and decent quality wood for student bows. It will typically be a French-style bow, but sometimes German bows are also offered as options. It's a functional bow for a beginner to intermediate player.

Full Shop Adjustment:

• This is a critical selling point for any upright bass, especially a student model. A "Full Shop Adjustment" or "Knilling String Shop Adjustment" means that the instrument has been professionally set up by experienced luthiers before sale. This process typically includes:

  • Bridge Fitting: The bridge is custom-cut and shaped to the specific top curvature of the bass, ensuring optimal string height (action) and intonation, and proper transfer of vibrations.

  • Nut Slotting: The nut slots are cut to the correct depth and spacing for comfortable playability.

  • Soundpost Setting: The internal soundpost is precisely placed and tensioned to optimize the instrument's tone and projection.

  • Peg Fitting: Pegs are lubricated and fitted to turn smoothly and hold tune reliably.

  • String Upgrade (often): While not explicitly stated for all retailers, many Knilling basses undergoing shop adjustment will come with a decent set of student strings like D'Addario Preludes, which are a vast improvement over generic factory strings.

  • General Inspection and Optimization: Ensuring everything functions correctly and the instrument is ready to play right out of the box (or after delivery).

Overall Impression:

The Sebastian by Knilling 1202T-1 3/4 Upright Bass Outfit is an excellent choice for a dedicated student or an advancing player who needs a reliable and good-sounding instrument without the significant investment of a fully carved professional bass. The solid spruce top provides a much better acoustic tone than fully laminated basses, while the laminated back and sides offer durability for transport and various environments. The full shop adjustment is paramount, ensuring that the bass is truly playable and sounds its best from day one, which is invaluable for a beginner's progress and enjoyment. It's a hybrid bass that offers a strong balance of tone, playability, and resilience.