In March, 2003, I bought a Chinese-made Cremona SB-1 3/4 size upright bass. A search of the internet showed a number of owners of high priced basses dismissing the Cremona bass as junk. Curiously, none of these reviewers had played or even seen one. I REALLY like my Cremona SB-1 upright bass. It's very solidly and well built, has a loud voice, sounds very nice and plays great (once a few hours of bridge and nut adjusting were completed). Years ago the historic park I work at was given a number of fiddles for use in our music program. These fiddles were made in the same Chinese factory as the Cremona bass. We have not had the slightest problem with any of them. They all sound and play great. Over the years I have found a lot of exceptions to the old saw, "You get what you pay for" and this SB-1 is certainly such an exception. There may indeed be some bad Chinese basses out there, but this one is not one of them. LATER NOTE: Here it is, coming onto a year later, & I like the beast more now than ever. Have had zero problems with it -- it remains a great instrument -- very responsive, loud and durable. I go months without having to even retune it. YET LATER NOTE, 1/2/2007: The paragraph above still applies 100%. This bass is imported by Saga music out of California. Another brand name of instruments made in the same Chinese factory is Paladino. Dennis Havlena Webpage: http://dennishavlena.com/ Here are a couple of comments along similar lines - found on the web (you'd think I have stock in the company --- not so, I just really like the thing): "i have a cremona that in my opinion is the best bass that i have ever owned , i have owned a 50's model kay bass and man this cremona really blows the doors off of that kay ...also i have played many engleharts and i still think that this cremona rocks and has more volume and tone than any other upright that i have played...............in my honest opinion the cremona bass that i own is far the best bass that i have ever had .....just my honest humble opinion." FROM ANOTHER PERSON: "I have a Cremona Sb-1 bass that I have used extensively over the past 2 years. I bought it for 600.00 which is the going retail price and it's been the best bass for the money I have ever owned. And yes I have owned Kays and Engelharts through the years as well but this Cremona walks the dog. After 2 years of riding down the road, being dragged from gig to gig, this bass is still just as solid as the day it was new. So I say if your thinking about a cheap investment in order to have an upright in your hands you want go wrong with one of these basses."