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Upton Bass String Instrument Co.
4.9 ★★★★★ 270 Google reviews · Guitar & music store in Mystic, Connecticut
Repair and restoration of double basses and other string instruments, plus sales.
Plan your visit
- Repairs & setups a repair bench comes up in reviews and the store's own info — call ahead for turnaround, since good techs run a queue
- Buys & trades used gear they buy, trade, or consign used instruments — bring the case and any original parts, and expect trade credit to beat the cash offer
- Lessons lessons come up in reviews and the store's own info — call about openings, instruments taught, and rates before the first visit
- Today see hours ·
- Phone (860) 535-9399
- Website uptonbass.com
Hours
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday | 10 AM–6 PM |
| Wednesday | 10 AM–6 PM |
| Thursday | 10 AM–6 PM |
| Friday | 10 AM–6 PM |
| Saturday | 10 AM–6 PM |
| Sunday | Closed |
What's on the wall
“I hadn’t played the bass since high school, but I decided to fully commit to getting back into it with a custom build from Upton Bass.”
“Whether you are looking to buy a new upright bass,or like myself a used, vintage bass, Upton has you covered.”
“The outward repairs to cracks and seams are flawless and the regraduation of the top plate and new bass bar have made her voice come alive like she’s never been before.”
“I brought my antique 1847 violin in to have some restoration work done and am thrilled with the results!”
What players say again and again
“The sales team was legit, and the tech even did research as far as watching videos of my musical group to decide how he was going to approach the set up.”
“He was extraordinarily generous with his time and knowledge, and I shared with him a classified listing for an Upton Bohemian Hybrid I had been considering.”
From the reviews
My 1971 Pollmann Bass has been with me since 1975 and got me through Ithaca College, a Midwest tour, countless orchestra and jazz gigs, premier openings of Off-Broadway shows, solo recitals, backing Chicago, Al Martino, Nadja Salena-Sorrenburg, masterclasses with Gary Karr and countless other gigs and musicians.
I was interested in buying an Upton because I found Gary’s videos to be helpful and informative, the shop seemed like the sort of enterprise that I would be happy to support, and I agree with their business, musical, and craftsmanship ethos. I called to inquire about options, and received a return call from Gary.
Gary Upton, Jack Hanlon and their colleagues have received an impressive number of stellar reviews by serious musicians over the years. But what if - like me - you happen to be a newbie to the bass world?
Upton bass is the absolute pinnacle of luthiers, players, people and products. I have been using an Upton bass and a plethora of there products now for almost 20 years. I have played an Upton bass since 18years old, to 36 years old. I am a full time bassist, composer, and educator in New York City.
Selling or trading gear at Upton Bass String Instrument Co.
Upton Bass String Instrument Co. comes up for buying and trading used gear — confirmed on their own site. Two things make the trip go better. First, bring the whole package: the case or gig bag, the original tremolo arm or bridge parts, the paperwork if you have it — a complete rig is worth real money more than a bare instrument, and it saves the back-and-forth of "can you bring the case in?" Second, know that trade credit almost always beats the cash offer, usually by a healthy margin — if you're upgrading anyway, price your old gear as a trade against the new one before you take cash. Either way, expect the offer to be below what the gear sells for on the wall; the gap is the store's margin for setup, warranty, and sitting on it until the right buyer walks in.
Lessons at Upton Bass String Instrument Co.
Reviews and the store's own info mention lessons at Upton Bass String Instrument Co.. If you're signing up a beginner (or restarting yourself), a quick call ahead answers the three things that matter: which instruments they teach, whether the schedule has openings at the time you actually need, and what a first lesson costs. There's no wrong first guitar — a good teacher will happily work with whatever you walk in with, and a shop that teaches usually keeps affordable starter instruments on hand for exactly this reason.
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