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08-16-2010, 08:24 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Boston, MA | | | Rebuilt bass by Jed Kriegel
I feel lucky to be able to say that after much looking, trying, and playing, this is my new/used bass. Here's the short version.
It’s a 12 year old unlabeled Hungarian flatback, imported 12 years ago by E.M.M.C. Bought and played for about 10 years by Paul Nowinski. Brazilian luthier Paulo Gomes did some work on the bass, including installation of the hatpeg tuners and gluing linen strips on the inside of the ribs, to reduce cracking.
Local luthiery wizard Jed Kriegel got the bass about 1 ½ years ago, with an eye to rebuilding it, from the ground up. Jed essentially used the existing bass as lumber and a basic shape, and, working from the outside in, built a new bass within the outlines.
He took it all apart, then regraduated both top and bottom plates. He thinned down all rib blocking, as well as top and bottom blocks. After removing the “ladder back” bracing, he replaced it with a SINGLE diagonal back brace, sort of like half of an X brace. He reset the neck with 1 1/4" overstand, then made a raised saddle to keep string angles on the bridge correct. Carbon fiber neck insert, behind a new fingerboard.
Upper bouts are 20 ¾” wide. Ribs are 8 1/4" at the bottom, 7 1/4" at the bend, 5 3/8" at the neck heel. Body length (to bottom of heel) is 44". Bottom bout is 26" wide. String length is 41 5/8".
High-tech tailwire made from a super high-strength rope (“Vectran”) that Jed wove the ends of together with some sick nautical splicing (in addition to luthiery, he has a boat-building background). He made a new bridge, fitted with a Full Circle pickup. For me, he added a ½” diameter New Harmony delrin/carbon fiber endpin unit, made by David Bice. I need the 1/2" diameter pin, because I play with the endpin out pretty far (I will be changing the pin intself back to steel, because the bass loses its low-end "bloom" with the carbon fiber pin). Jed also changed the color from a reddish finish, to a dark, reddish-brown color. Ebony tailpiece.
What I love about it is the absolute quickness of the E string response, arco. No hesitation, with quick, room-filling E string sound. Punchy, blooming pizz. Arco, both the E and A strings are unusually full-sounding.
The bass is loud and full, both arco and pizz, with a clear sound throughout the range. The wide shoulders (again, not my first choice) give the bottom end some real meat.
It’s pretty wild. Sort of like one of those shows where they turn a Ford Pinto into a Nascar racer. Reminds me of the State Troopers I see driving around in insanely hopped-up, unmarked Taurus’.
It is sort of like that, too, aesthetically speaking. I think of the bass as my “Ugly Duckling,” the finish is funky, the external fit and finish (from the original maker) are a bit crude, here and there, but the engineering and execution of all of Jed’s work is dreamlike in its accuracy, thoughtfulness, elegance, and pure efficacy.
The E string, under the bow, has a fullness that reminds me of Ken Smith's Martini. When you hit the E there is nothing but a full, rich sound. The bass is very quick and easy to play.
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Last edited by Eric Swanson : 08-22-2010 at 05:52 AM.
Reason: Title seemed more apt and may be more interesting to others
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08-16-2010, 08:29 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Boston, MA | | | More photos. Note the single diagonal back brace, visible through the f hole.
Many folks helped me, immeasurably. Many sincere thanks to Ken Smith, Wil DeSola, and Arnold Schnitzer, for their invaluable expertise, time, perspective, generosity, and help during the selection process. It was a great pleasure and honor to visit both Ken Smith Basses and AES Fine Instruments, meet with these men, play instruments, and learn from their vast experience. Being able to spend a few hours with Ken Smith, playing through his amazing collection of basses, was an evening I will not soon forget.
I also need to give further credit where credit is due. Sincere thanks to Boston area bass luthiers Michael Hartery, Kurt Ratering, and John Styklunas who all checked the bass out before I bought it and shared their expert opinions.
Kurt Ratering, at Johnson String Instruments' "The Bass Shop" was incredibly thorough, helpful, and generous; he called in two North Benet Street violin-making grads as well as a professional bassist they have on staff, and the four of them crawled over the bass, stem to stern.
Michael Hartery, a wonderful professional bassist as well as a talented, accomplished luthier, gave the bass a solid approval after playing it several times.
John Styklunas, another talented bassist and luthier, after coming to my house to check out the bass, made some helpful suggestions and comments, as well as giving it his approval.
Last edited by Eric Swanson : 04-23-2011 at 07:03 PM.
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08-16-2010, 08:30 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Boston, MA | | | Here are the scroll and side views.
Last edited by Eric Swanson : 08-16-2010 at 08:53 AM.
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08-16-2010, 09:29 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Chicago | | | Very nice, and a cool story behind it. I thought you were getting a La Scala...? |
08-16-2010, 10:03 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Boston, MA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Eric Hochberg  I thought you were getting a La Scala...? | As wonderful as those La Scalas seem (and the entire New Standard line, for that matter), I ended up heading in this funkier, more circuitous direction. I still dig those La Scalas, not to mention the Schnitzer/DeSola gambas...
Last edited by Eric Swanson : 08-20-2010 at 07:42 PM.
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08-16-2010, 10:45 AM
|  | Official Forum Flunkee | | Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: San Francisco, CA | | Congrats. Unless it's because it's got a long endpin, it looks to be a cannon for a smaller size. I dig the funky finish too. 
__________________
====== Huy Nguyen =====
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08-16-2010, 10:51 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Boston, MA | | | Thanks very much for the kind words.
The endpin is really is quite far out; I am 6'-6" (for better or worse).
Its somewhere in the large 3/4 small 7/8 realm, I think. 20 3/4" is pretty wide for top bouts, as far as I can tell.
Jed said that he wanted the wide shoulders; that it helps to develop the full bottom-end sound and punch. Something about sound formation that I know nothing about.
I only know that the lower end is fuller than most basses I have heard... |
08-16-2010, 10:51 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Los Angeles, CA | | | Congratulations, Eric. It looks like it will be a great bass!
Louis |
08-16-2010, 10:59 AM
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Midtown Guitars | | Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 810, Michigan | | | im not a DB player, but that is beautiful. |
08-16-2010, 12:30 PM
|  | 'Woodworker - Witch Doctor - Luthier'
Owner/The Bass Spa, String Repairman/L & M Vancouver | | Join Date: May 2006 Location: Crescent Beach, BC | | Nice find Eric, and it comes with a good story too!  |
08-16-2010, 12:33 PM
| | Official Forum Flunkee | | Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: San Francisco, CA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Gord_oh im not a DB player, but that is beautiful. | Be careful, it's words like that which lure you to the dark side.
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====== Huy Nguyen =====
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08-16-2010, 12:50 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: SoYo County,PA | | | Congratulations! You sound very, very happy! |
08-16-2010, 01:23 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Maynard MA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by oldfretless Congratulations! You sound very, very happy! | +1 Did you get a La Scala and then sell it? |
08-16-2010, 02:39 PM
|  | Oracle, Ancient Order of Rass Hattur | | Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Connecticut | | | Eric,
Congrats on finding your new musical mate! Looks great and has a rich history.
Enjoy!
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Famous last words: And with that- Im gone. You will probably read in the paper soon about a deranged kid who burns his bass in front of a luthier. |
08-16-2010, 04:27 PM
| | | | beautiful... i love the shape, the finish and the elegant f-holes.
what's the thickness of the top at the f-holes? seems quite thin, but it might be the angle.
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et ignotas animum dimittit in artes naturamque novat
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08-16-2010, 05:57 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Boston, MA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by tomshepp +1 Did you get a La Scala and then sell it? | No, as wonderful as the La Scala's are, that bass turned out not to be an ideal match for what I had in mind, so I did not end up with one. My path led, eventually, in this other direction.
Last edited by Eric Swanson : 08-17-2010 at 04:46 AM.
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08-16-2010, 06:17 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Kansas City area | | | Sweet bass! Please explain the bit about building a new bass within the outlines of the old. Is your bass new wood or old?
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You forget sometimes that you are playing music, not just playing jazz. ....Charlie Haden
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08-16-2010, 06:48 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Boston, MA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by clink Sweet bass! Please explain the bit about building a new bass within the outlines of the old. Is your bass new wood or old? | Old wood. The only surfaces that weren't reworked were the ribs themselves and the exterior faces.
The bass' top and back were completely regraduated internally. All the back bracing was removed and new bracing made, with a totally different, very minimal, single-diagonal design.
All other blocking was carved down, removing mass. Diamond cleats were added, reinforcing the back joint. All the interior work is as smooth, clean, and spotless as anything I have ever seen made by a human.
The neck was removed, the mortice shimmed, the joinery recut, and the neck reset and reshaped, aligned perfectly with the bass' centerline. A new fingerboard was added, as well as the new bridge and raised saddle.
So, in this way, while the bass' outer appearance, lumber, and form remained the same, the mechanics, engineering, sound, and playability were changed into something else altogether.
Last edited by Eric Swanson : 08-16-2010 at 06:52 PM.
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08-16-2010, 07:01 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Boston, MA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Valis beautiful... i love the shape, the finish and the elegant f-holes.
what's the thickness of the top at the f-holes? seems quite thin, but it might be the angle. | Jed described them as "Da Salo style f-holes."
Jed could tell you the graduation measurements; I don't know them.
The f-hole edges are very cleanly cut at a slight angle. It is probably that the vantage point of the photo, combined with the angled f-hole sides, makes the top look thinner than it really is.
He regraduated it for optimal sound production, yet thick enough for lasting integrity.
Of course, he also added a new bass bar.
If I understood Jed correctly, it would seem that the smoothness of the inner curvature is of great importance, in terms of both sound production and long-term health.
I ran my hand over another bass he was regraduating; the curves' transition was lovely.
No lumps, bumps, or scraper tracks in his work!
Everything I have seen come off of his bench is clean, tight, and right. As a professional cabinetmaker, I deeply appreciate the integrity of his woodworking.
Last edited by Eric Swanson : 08-17-2010 at 04:47 AM.
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08-16-2010, 07:24 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Philadelphia, PA | | | wow an amzing looking bass brother congrats!!
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