I have a 2003 flatback that I got new from Robertson's in 2004. Of the basses in that price range, this one sounded the best. I had them put on an extension and FB dot inlays. The set up is perfect. I haul my bass around alot, and I have to say that this flatback is getting heavy on me.
I wouldn't describe the low end response as being great like you all seem to be, but it seems at least balanced. I've had a Denver local bass luthier adjust the soundpost to bring out the bottom, but that didn't do much. He also made me a raised saddle in an attempt to reduce the downward tension on the top with negligible results. He also moved the SP north a tad. Robertson had it pretty low such that it was pratically on the edge of the back brace. I was concerned about the bulge developing south of the treble side bridge foot, so I'm at least happier with the now more conservative SP location, but I think the overall resonance of this bass is less than when I originally bought it. The upper register isn't bad, but I've heard way better from my teacher's Morelli of older vintage, but similar value.
My biggest complaint is that it has a big wolf at F# on the D string that makes the G string rattle on the FB sympathetically. I have a Pecanic compensating tailpiece (Rosewood), with a synthetic "tail gut", but that didn't really help for the better. I think the original TP (ebony with ridge down the middle) was actually less wolfy, but alas you cannot change TP w/o taking
all the strings off.
I also am 99% arco orchestra player and am not really satisfied with the bowed string sound. It's a bright bass and I need to darken it. Currently running Spiro mittles on the bottom and flex/92 on the top. Anybody have suggestions? I'm looking for that Chi-chi Nwanoku gut sound:
http://www.chi-chinwanoku.com/havealisten.htm and am toying with the idea of running Gamut guts on the top. In all fairness, she is playing a 1611 Amait bass. Are yall's Gyorgi's flatbacks too, or are they round backs?
