I've been thinking about getting a new bass to slap the crap out of, and this bass just appeared on e-bay!

My Upton Hawkes kicks butt and I'd rather leave it at home, so this bass would be perfect to drag around to shows.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Oreste-Martini-Double-Bass_W0QQitemZ120156898940QQihZ002QQcategoryZ16222 QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Sure.... a Sawzall will peel the back right offa that sucker, so you can put in all the metal I-beams that will help keep it together when you stand on it. You can install the internal pyro fixtures at the same time.

I wouldn't pay more than $64,993.12 for this bass. The seller crazy if he think's he's going to get his asking price.

I think you should get it. It has a very dark finish which means when you paint flames on it they will really stand out. Much better than a Kay and their cheezy light finishes. This is an old classic instrament, don't use metal to reinforce it to stand on, use 2x4's on the inside.

And pack the inside with foam so it does not feedback.

Is this the same Oreste that Ken offered for 55,000 a few months ago?? :confused:

Is this the same Oreste that Ken offered for 55,000 a few months ago?? :confused:

Perhaps that was before everyone realized the cool Rock-a-Billy potential.

I'll bet weed-wacker wires would just SING on this bass!

Before you go for that one, it think there is one at Lemur that is going for 90k??

The only way you can buy this bass is to agree to only drink Martini's...also it would help to have stock in Bombay Sapphire or Gray Goose :cool:

http://www.greatrvstuff.com/uploaded_images/broom-2-773337.jpg

At the request of several users on both sides of the serious/argumentative tangent of this thread, I have cleaned up the thread a bit. In order to be fair to all, I have left the potentially funny stuff since humor is not only allowed on TB, but is a staple of the community. A very wise man once defined humor as "the sudden recognition of incongruity", and I couldn't agree more. And what could be more incongruous than using a priceless old Italian masterwork for rockabilly? Soo....humor is fine, bashing and/or namecalling is not. If anybody has a problem with this, PM me and I'll discuss it further with Jeremy and Damon.

In the meantime, have at the incongruity. :)

Cue the dead horse.

I'm relieved to see that Chris took to heart my first suggestion and cut the cancerous part of this thread out of the humorous patient.

Gary and I have exchanged a few private messages and we're completely good with each other.

Have a great holiday weekend!

No nne can afford Martini's :crying:

I hear these are great entry level basses, like Kays or some of the lower Kings.

+1 on the weedwhackers. Who needs real gut?

I can't believe I just said any of that...

So I guess you funny guys here are all Comedians by trade huh? I figured that if you were the least bit serious by your comments, you wouldn't do so well as a musician.. ;)

One of you clowns should come over and play this Bass. Bring an extra change of clothes, you may need it..:eek:

Also, what in the world is a weedwhacker? :confused: Is that the thing my gardener uses to trim the grass around the fence?

You guys need some serious music training.. :spit:

Also, bring your Bass along because you may have to audition for me first before touching the Martini or any other fine Bass in my collection.. :smug:

I wanna make sure you know which end to hold...;)

this thread scares me :hiding:

I think maybe I said something I shouldn't have....

...what pieces are on the audition list? :(

I hear these are great entry level basses, like Kays or some of the lower Kings.

+1 on the weedwhackers. Who needs real gut?

I can't believe I just said any of that...


I agree. If you can't afford a 150-200k classic Italian Bass and you are either starting out in Classical music or just getting back to it, a Bass like this it a good way to start..;)

I think maybe I said something I shouldn't have....

...what pieces are on the audition list? :(

Now why would you think that? :confused:

Audition list? All the Beethoven and Mozart excerpts, some Mahler, Stravinsky (Pulcinella), Dragonetti, Shostakovitch and a few more.. You know, the usual routine... Oh, and a Db Blues walking line, 4 choruses and a 2 choruses solo.

It won't be too difficult because you will have me there on the Jury swingin the vote your way..:D

Audition list? All the Beethovan and Mozart excerpts, some Mahler, Stravinsky (Pulcinella), Dragonetti, Shostakovich and a few more.. You know, the usual routine... Oh, and a Db Blues walking line, 4 choruses and a 2 choruses solo.

It won't be too difficult because you will have me there on the Jury swingin the vote your way..:D

Of course, this is all standard repertoire for the average Rock-a-billy player. :hiding:

Of course, this is all standard repertoire for the average Rock-a-billy player. :hiding:

Ok, definition of a Rock-a-billy player is.. A Rocker guy marries a Hillbilly Girl and they have a child. The child grows up to play Bass...:D

I'll bite,to heck with all ya'll snooty,snobby,jazzz playing,no account sectional attending,let's all get the bowing right,classical don't know it all fools! Bet'cha couldn't slap yer way out of a paper bag,much less a 4 hour ROCKABILLY gig.

seriously,


Does anyone know what high end rosin would work best on my gut stringed 58 MIB? And in measure 13 of Monk's version of "Well you needn't" (NOT THE MILES VERSION) would an augmented F double flat chord work better than a tritone sub on the post dominant seventh?

Thanks in advance for your considerate thoughts.















Yours truly,the new thread killer

This was a DB Joke thread. Why was it moved here. It was not a serious question about a possible Rockabilly Bass. It was a joke in the regular DB section.

Moving it here takes all the humor out of it. :(:crying:

But, since someone else posted it here and not me the ad for $65k does not include an audition so even if you play this silly style, you can have the Bass.. Money talks..lol :D

Well at least it took 2 pages until someone put down rockabilly players:rollno:

This was a DB Joke thread. Why was it moved here. It was not a serious question about a possible Rockabilly Bass. It was a joke in the regular DB section.

It's still a DB joke thread.

Moving it here takes all the humor out of it. :(:crying:

Or adds to it, depending on your sense of humor. :)

But, since someone else posted it here and not me the ad for $65k does not include an audition so even if you play this silly style, you can have the Bass.. Money talks..lol :D

"Silly" is entirely subjective. Last night I had a jazz gig that was pretty silly. OTOH, I still got paid, which isn't silly at all. Many would consider it silly to call a different style of music "silly". These people would be just as right as the original silly crier. Pretty silly, huh?

Actually, I just like to say "silly". :D

Actually, I just like to say "silly". :D
Silly is as silly does.

If it's a joke thread, and being a 'legitimate' trained Bassist (I know the parent who made my Bass..lol), then to me, 'Rockasilly' is a funny way to play the Bass.

Hey, I did a local B'way type show once (for a month) and it was a Gershwin thing with some great old tunes like "Embraceable You", "I Got Rhythm", etc. One tune however was called "Slap That Bass" which had me playing like a 'silly hillbilly' along with some guy on stage that was playing along with me on some crappy Bass. I was using my 1875 Batchelder and the Bass nearly went into shock when I first slapped this Puritan Yankee classic. By the way, 1875 is not the model# or serial# of the Bass. It is the year it was made in case you Schleppers were wondering..:D

So you see, just because I play Jazz and that stuffy long haired music (aka Classical) doesn't mean I can't act like a silly fool when the money is right!..;)

Silly is as silly does.

:help: Run Silly Run..........:hyper::hyper::hyper::hyper::bassist: :scowl::spit::help:

http://www.cutelittlekittens.com/files/images/general/cuddles_963.jpg

They look like siblings.

Isn't there some law against incestuous kitty porn?

http://www.cutelittlekittens.com/files/images/general/cuddles_963.jpg

Ahh, Martini & Rossi? :confused:

One tune however was called "Slap That Bass" which had me playing like a 'silly hillbilly'

Ugh... same here, that brought back some memories. I played that tune on a cruise ship gig every week for awhile. No wonder I went straight for the Crown Royal on the breaks.

The name of the Gershwin Show was "Crazy for You". Does that sound right? It was a standard type Pit Orchestra of about 30 musicians.

Ladies and gentlemen, the Don't Give Up Your Day Job Talkbass Comedy Players!

Ladies and gentlemen, the Don't Give Up Your Day Job Talkbass Comedy Players!

Glad to see you've joined us and became a member!

Ladies and gentlemen, the Don't Give Up Your Day Job Talkbass Comedy Players!

Ah, I was being totally serious! :hiding:

Glad to see you've joined us and became a member!
Classic "don't give up your day job" comeback! Now do the bit where you put a lampshade on your head and dance on the table!

BTW, Ken, glad to see you're back. Even though I admittedly don't use the upright for high purposes (I want to, I'm just not good at it), I do love your stories about basses that cost more than my house and your wealth of knowledge is quite welcome.

Yeah, welcome back Ken.

Even though I admittedly don't use the upright for high purposes
Don't be so hard on yourself.... paying the bills with a bass is a high purpose. ;)

If not high pay, then at least high purpose, right? ;)

The name of the Gershwin Show was "Crazy for You". Does that sound right? It was a standard type Pit Orchestra of about 30 musicians.

Hey Ken-

I did this show last spring at a prep school, the "slap" number w/all the singing/dancing seemed to be the highlight production bit despite my poor attempt at slapping on the Weich-equipped Kolstein. I have to tip my hat at those guys who can really pull it off though. A whole 'nother category of bass playing. Ray Brown could do a respectable job as shown on his masterclass on Youtube. The Judge was the master though and great guy.

Ike

me want put martini bass and rockabilly players in large blender with gin and vermouth for make drinking.

is good?

Hey Ken-

I did this show last spring at a prep school, the "slap" number w/all the singing/dancing seemed to be the highlight production bit despite my poor attempt at slapping on the Weich-equipped Kolstein. I have to tip my hat at those guys who can really pull it off though. A whole 'nother category of bass playing. Ray Brown could do a respectable job as shown on his masterclass on Youtube. The Judge was the master though and great guy.

Ike

I did it on my Batchelder lightly amped in the pit. Some tunes I played with the volume off by request of the producer. there were no mics at all for the stage or the cast. Totally acoustic. I don't remember the strings but could have been Obligatos as that was my favorite back then. I did pretty ok with the slapping. I don't know how those old guys like Milt, Arvel and Slam did it. A totally different style I never even tried till that gig.. ouch!

The old guys used plain guts, which makes slapping easier, according to some people. But I used to use plain guts and now I use Thomastik Superflexible mediums (which are anything but flexible), and it's a lot easier to slap for me than guts. I actually used to get blisters on guts, and most of my arm movement went toward yanking them out far enough to get a sound. But since the switch, it's almost effortless and I never get blisters.

Speaking of the Martini.. which this thread was about from an eBay auction.. I have decided to take the Martini off the market and put it back in my playing rotation along with my recently restored English Hart which I only take out for special concerts.

The Martini is more comfortable to me in my hands than is my Gilkes or Hart even though they are better and older Basses. This Gilkes is actually out on trial right now. Being that the Martini is so comfortable for me all around I have taken it off the market and am using it as my main Bass including Jazz gigs.

Actually, I have it slated for some repairs and restoration clean-up and some slight modifications. I may have posted this somewhere else here or on my forum but since this 'jovial' thread was sparked by an eBay ad I had, I thought it was on par to mention this.

The bad news for me is that just as I am getting back to using this Bass for all but some major concerts, it is going under the knife as soon as Arnold gets his sharpened. Until then, it's me and my Martini with a little Hart on the side...

...I have decided to take the Martini off the market and put it back in my playing rotation...The Martini is more comfortable to me in my hands...Actually, I have it slated for some repairs and restoration clean-up and some slight modifications....

Hey, that's great news! No doubt it feels and plays good, and I bet slapping is really effortless.

As long it's getting a tune-up, be sure to install rubber bumpers so the edges dosn't wear through when it's getting dragged around.

And don't forget the pinstriping.

Hey, that's great news! No doubt it feels and plays good, and I bet slapping is really effortless.

As long it's getting a tune-up, be sure to install rubber bumpers so the edges dosn't wear through when it's getting dragged around.

And don't forget the pinstriping.

This whole Hillbilly rocker thing was a joke from the start and some Mod thought the thread belonged here. No, the Martini is not to be even touched for Rockability playing, period. This is a serious Bass. If not for my Gilkes out on sale trial (looks like it's not coming back), I would probably keep the Martini up for sale. The Hart Bass is about double the value of the Martini so it only goes out on special occasion hence one of the reasons to keep the Martini. That and the fact I get several calls from around the world about selling the Hart..:hmm:

So.. stripe this, and slap that but keep your hillbilly paws off my Italian Bass..:mad:

This is like putting Tuxedo talk in a Sneaker Forum..:rollno:

I know most of the reader think we are talking about a drink here so I'll keep it short..;)

Ah yes... I recall the Oliv Martini....

Ah yes... I recall the Oliv Martini....

Actually there was a Thread with that name by me here on TB about three years ago but it's gone now. I was doing the La Boheme Opera using my Gilkes at all the rehearsals but at the dress rehearsal, one of them took ill and we were short one Bass. I had just put the Olivs on my Martini so I went to the office and brought the Bass home. I raised the Bridge 2x my normal height and the Pizz was from heaven as well as the Arco but the Martini has a wide sound and deep so the Oliv E was like MUD. My hands were killing me when we were done but I gave the orchestra the extra bottom needed to make up for the Bass we were short.

It was after that concert that I made up the Thread named 'Oliv Martini'. True story..

No, the Martini is not to be even touched for Rockability playing, period. This is a serious Bass.


I don't think I have ever seen a Rockabilly Bassist with an
Extension.

http://www.kensmithbasses.com/doublebasses/MartiniBass/ScrollFront.jpg

I don't think I have ever seen a Rockabilly Bassist with an
Extension.

http://www.kensmithbasses.com/doublebasses/MartiniBass/ScrollFront.jpg

That's the first chromatic Extension that Arnold made for me (http://www.aesbass.com/extensions.htm) and just about my favorite. Maybe I am just more used to it being on one of my favorite Basses as well.

Yeah, slapping on an extension might get a little messy..:help:

A few years ago when I was touring with Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks, we played a date in Denver. The rented "bass du jour" was a Kay bass painted gloss black, stuffed with towels up to the bottoms of the f holes, a Polytone pickup, and fitted with a mechanical C extension. It may have had flames, but I'm not sure. It also had what I now realise were Thomastik Stark strings. It was a really special night.