American Standard bass Database pages

kipmartin · #1 11-30-2005, 09:14 AM

hey all

im building an American Standard basses database. it will provide info about known American Standard, King, King Moretone, and H.N. White basses. do YOU own one or more of these old American basses??? if you do, i implore you to PLEASE send me any of the following:

- the serial number
- a description (color, condition, original neck or not, etc.)
- a guess as to the date of manufacture
- odd things about the bass (refinned, no name brand imprint, no pinstriping, etc)
- where/from whom it came from
- known recording histories

this is asking a lot, but i think it will be a cool resource.

thanks

kip

kip martin
www.kipmartin.net
www.americanstandardbass.com
onefourfive@hotmail.com

Eric Rene Roy · #2 11-30-2005, 09:22 AM

Hey Kip, good to see you on TB!

We sold number #40 to a gentleman in Italy. Here is the link if you want it. http://uptonbass.com/catalog/product...roducts_id/237

We also have number 368 in the shop Gary took on trade. It's in REALLY ROUGH SHAPE THOUGH! No pics or listing...maybe someday it will find it's way to stringrepair.com

Brent Norton · #3 11-30-2005, 09:40 AM

Kip - Another TalkBasser, Ike Harris, has (had?) been doing a fair amount of homework on the same subject. Search the bass forum for "American Standard," Ike will be in a few; PM him and see what you've both got.

Now, to your questions... I used to own the following Ameriocan Standard:

- the serial number: 2682

- a description (color, condition, original neck or not, etc.): Honey blonde color, no shading. Obvious refin of mediocre quality. Excellent overall condition, original neck with a repaired break near the peg box. Original tuning machines. Had a paper label + serial number pencilled on inside of bass. Had the "American Standard - Cleveland, Ohio" brand on the back.

- a guess as to the date of manufacture: I'd guess mid to late 50s.

- odd things about the bass (refinned, no name brand imprint, no pinstriping, etc): Again, refinned, which also meant the painted purfling was gone. I re-"striped" the purfling. Fingerboard was a brownish-reddish wood, though no one was ever certain if it was actual rosewood... Hornbeam and others were mentioned several times...

- where/from whom it came from: I purchased it from a local violin shop - don't know the bass' prior history.

- known recording histories: N/A

Ike Harris · #4 11-30-2005, 10:21 AM

Kip-

PM sent due to my email not wanting to send.

Ike

kipmartin · #5 11-30-2005, 09:26 PM

hi ike, all

what does 'PM' mean in relation to emailing/posting on talkbass forums?

ii was hoping ike that you could help me with info for my website www.americanstandardbass.com as i collect data about AS and King basses. any and all info is great--stuff about your bass (serial number, characteristics, recordings, etc.).

i too am a professional bassist, usually working with nashville bands. see my personal website at www.kipmartin.net for info about me.

hopethis makes sense!

kip

Ike Harris · #6 11-30-2005, 10:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ike Harris

Kip-

PM sent due to my email not wanting to send.

Ike

Means check your Personal Messages.

mchildree · #7 12-01-2005, 06:33 AM

Somebody needs to dig up the link for the "ASS'es On Fire" event a while back, and post it for Kip. I'm sure he'd find it amusing...

**Chris Fitzgerald** · #8 12-01-2005, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ALLMYCHILDREE

Somebody needs to dig up the link for the "ASS'es On Fire" event a while back, and post it for Kip. I'm sure he'd find it amusing...

Thar she blows!.

mchildree · #9 12-01-2005, 05:38 PM

Dang! That thread is from 2001! I've wasted a helluva lotta time in this place...

Don Higdon · #10 12-02-2005, 02:42 PM

My entry in that contest, Old 87, is for sale.

Ed Fuqua · #11 12-02-2005, 03:06 PM

I thought we had agreed that you would give me any basses you didn't want to play anymore?

Don Higdon · #12 12-02-2005, 03:11 PM

That was when I was sick. (I owned 7 basses, folks.)

Ed Fuqua · #13 12-02-2005, 03:17 PM

Sigh...pretty ones, too.

basstef · #14 12-07-2005, 08:58 AM

We sold number #40 to a gentleman in Italy. Here is the link if you want it. http://uptonbass.com/catalog/product...roducts_id/237

Here I am

the proud owner of # 40. It is a great sounding bass.
take care, Stef

idResponse · #15 07-12-2010, 03:40 AM

I own number 1730 now.
It's been beat up by middleschoolers but it still works!

tomshepp · #16 07-12-2010, 07:01 AM

Congrats! Now let's see it. Pics please.

MollyKay · #17 07-12-2010, 07:50 AM

Congrats on the new bass.

I’m not sure where the American Standard and King Bass website will be hosted in the future, but I do know Kip Martin was offering to hand the project over to some one new. Recently on the bluegrass blog he offered the database to anyone who would take it over for “care and feeding”. He was behind on his updates and did not have the desire (he has had some health concerns recently) to continue to host the site. There was interest by someone other then me to host the site in the future. If I find out for certain where the new site will be hosted I let you all know. It would be a loss to the upright bass world for this historical information to not be shared and available.

Here is the current link for now... http://planetkip.com/index.html

MollyKay · #18 07-12-2010, 10:35 AM

Here is the original e-mail from 6/29/10 and note Bobbi Geyer offered to take this over but I do not know if that has happen.

hi all

anyone want to take over the American Standard Database website? i have another 50 basses to put in there. it would be 4-8 hours up front to catch it up and possibly clean up some stuff, and then maybe 15 minutes per week to maintain it as it is set up now. if you want to add more research and dig up more historical pics, thats up to you, if you do take it over, you get to be 'The Official HN White Upright Bass Historian'!

im tired of airports, buses, vans, and playing way out in front of the beat. i just dont have it in me to do the same 40 songs at the same old summer bluegrass festivals ("Its always nice to be back in...uh, where are we again?"). maybe i just need a break.

seriously, anyone want it? its at www.planetkip.com right now. you can move it to any site name you like, even wordpress, which is free. just let me know soon as im yanking it off the web in a couple weeks if no one else wants it. and could someone mention it on TalkBass, please?

thanks!

kip

kip martin
bassophonic@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/bassophonic

idResponse · #19 07-13-2010, 12:22 PM

no!
that's an awesome resource!
i will email him and see about getting new hosting set up for that.

there's the ugly beast! #1730!

idResponse · #20 07-13-2010, 12:30 PM

Let's get some hosting for this secured and I will be willing to help maintain the data.
Anyone have any leads? I'm poking my tentacles out seeking some help as well. Let's do this!