Cleveland in California

JeffKissell · #1 04-05-2005, 11:54 PM

Another happy bass player with a new New Standard!!

Paul Warburton · #2 04-06-2005, 06:21 AM

Congrats Jeff!

mchildree · #3 04-06-2005, 06:40 AM

Wooo Hooo! You're gonna love it!

Try not to drop it.....

brutuscheezcake · #4 04-06-2005, 02:39 PM

way to go !

another west coast cleveland!

its all fun from here.

Congrats Jeff!

simon

larry · #5 04-07-2005, 01:41 PM

How does it sound? Did you try one out or just order it? Easy to play up the neck? What bass did you have prior to this?

I have a deposit check to reserve a NS sitting in front of me. I have not played one, which is causing me to pause. Seems stupid to buy an axe you have not played, yet no one complains about these things at all.

brutuscheezcake · #6 04-07-2005, 02:00 PM

hey larry,

i bought mine sight unseen based on a HUGE amount of research. i read everything i could find on these guys. it was my first upright. i had been studying with my teacher on a carruthers upright for 6 months. i had gone out and tried other basses but was unhappy with the results in teh under $5k category. instead of me getting a mediocore older carved bass or a new chinese one, i thought about just getting the best laminate bass out there until i could afford a truly monstrous bass.

well.... the cleveland is a monster. its loud and projects well. it is a big bass but i dont have any probs going up the neck (i am 5' 9")

yes, sight unseen, and yes, i am very happy.

complaints? yeah, i need some cash so i can put a deposit down on 5 string LaScala (with a high C, not a low B).

these guys make a great product!

i felt odd ordering a bass i had not played, yet i am very happy with the results.

send that check out!

simon

KSB - Ken Smith · #7 04-07-2005, 02:16 PM

Arnold has the Rep... If I wanted one, I would trust his judgement of choosing. He set-up work is excellent as he a great Bass Luthier. I just gave him another Bass to restore for me. This will be the second Major job I gave him. I like his work.. It takes time to develope a good reputation and his is well deserved..

larry · #8 04-07-2005, 02:26 PM

Arnold does have the rep. That I trust. I guess I'm also on the fence between Cleveland and LaScala. I find myself wanting more of an old school sound. My bass growls well and plays like butter, but it is a bit thin and nasal as you move up the neck. I like to play up high, not excessively so, but I'm worried about the size of the Cleveland getting in the way. Likewise, I'm worried the LaScala will be too mid-rangey.

Does the Cleveland amplify well? Are the notes too puffy(muddy)? Folks say the LaScala sounds plenty big, so I may just go with that and tame it with Obligatos. That should cut some of the brightness and sustain? (It worked on my bass). I play 98% pizz, & take the occaisonal arco head or solo.

Sure would just like to play them side by side. I'm in Florida though.

Tough choices. Thanks for the help, and congrats to Jeff.

larry · #9 04-07-2005, 02:32 PM

Any folks willing to just put a mic in front of their New Standard and post the recording? I know it's not scientific due to different mics, rooms, players etc, but if a bunch of folks did it we'd all get some idea. I'll be happy too when I finally get one.

Marcus Johnson · #10 04-07-2005, 03:18 PM

Larry, I just finished a new CD on my La Scala hybrid, strung with Obligatos, with the band Gypsy Pacific, a Django-style thing I do. We hope to release the CD soon. If you send me your snail mail address, I'll send you a copy.

JeffKissell · #11 04-07-2005, 06:59 PM

Larry,

Before this bass, I had a 1/2 sized german ply for about 12 years. It played nice but was quiet, small, etc. When I started shopping I played an old American Standard in NY City that had some serious work done to it. That bass was rebuilt by a guy in NJ, Nick Misch(sp.) Awesome! The guy whose bass it was gave me Arnold's number. When I came back to California I played a few carved basses in the $2-3K range, but that AS was haunting me.

I called Arnold and he hooked me up with Winston (TB) who has a New Standard Cleveland here in California. I drove about 3 hours to play it. Winston is a super helpful and thoughtful person BTW. On the drive home I tried to talk myself into buying a bass here in California, but my wife basically told me to "knock it off" and to get the New Standard. While I was waiting, I trolled TB pretty much every day.

My new bass is pretty f*****g amazing! It plays great, it sounds great, and it's beautiful. Wil and Arnold did a wonderful job! It is very easy to get around on. I'm sure La Scala is easier to play in the thumb position, but I don't play that high on the neck that often. Although, now that I have a bass that inspires me to play every waking moment, I guess it is just a matter of time.

I have only played it without amplification so far, two rehearsals with a small combo. My bandmates were very impressed and I could finally hear myself!! I'm going to install a Golden Trinity mic from "All Hail" Bob G. this weekend. I think I'll try it with an old String Charger I have. I'll post more on the mic/pu experiments as they progress. The other band I play with uses electric guitars and a full drum kit, I think I'll need an amp for those guys. The nice thing about the mic and this particular pickup is that I can take them off the bass and not have any wires danglin'.

I would imagine with gut or "gutlike" strings the Cleveland would have the ultimate old school sound, plus it has the old school look. I have mittel spiros on this bass. They have a really nice punch up front with great sustain, as they get older they warm up quite nicely( from past experience).

I don't think you can go wrong with this particular bass, as far as sight unseen/bass unplayed goes. Arnold and Wil make great basses! I would think CF and Marcus threads would be a good resource for La Scala.

Good luck, hopefully we'll be looking at pictures of your new New Standard in the near future.
-jk

ps, Simon, I almost bought the bass you have BTW, but you beat me to it!

brutuscheezcake · #12 04-07-2005, 07:24 PM

oh man, i was having a hard time waiting for mine to be built/shipped. i saved time and money. i was worried about the scroll repair, but i had nothing to worry about. the repair is seamless.

it has that old school, dare i say (dare simon dare!) ray brown vibe. a very solid walker, and powerful soloist.

hey larry, if nothing else we could do the speakerphone bit!

simon

larry · #13 04-07-2005, 08:13 PM

You guys are awesome. I really appreciate everyone's help.

I spent some time measuring the dimensions of the Cleveland against my current bass. It does seem like a big difference. I'm sure that Cleveland sounds huge as well.

Chris F. here at TB was nice enough to send me some recordings of his LaScala which sounded great. He also swings like a mofo. Great player.

I'm thinking the quality of Arnold and Wil's work would make any bass play and sound great. The size of the Cleveland has me a bit intimidated; I do like to spend some time in thumb position, and I have some occaisional tendonitis and a shoulder problem to consider as well.

As such, I think the LaScala is probably the way to go for me. If I'm not blown away by the sound (which I probably will be) I don't think I'll have issues finding a buyer - then I'll try a Cleveland.

Mailing check tomorrow for the hybrid LaScala.

larry · #14 04-07-2005, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marcus Johnson

Larry, I just finished a new CD on my La Scala hybrid, strung with Obligatos, with the band Gypsy Pacific, a Django-style thing I do. We hope to release the CD soon. If you send me your snail mail address, I'll send you a copy.

I'd love to hear it. Would mp3 via email be easier for you?

Marcus Johnson · #15 04-07-2005, 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by larry

I'd love to hear it. Would mp3 via email be easier for you?

It'd probably be just as fast to mail it to you upon its release. It's just in the final stages of graphics right now, shouldn't be too long. That way, you can look at our handsome

faces on the cover pics.

I predict that you'll love the La Scala like the rest of us seem to. It's really fat sounding with Obligatos, but honestly, it also made a lot of beautiful sound on the original strings...Spirochore Weich with an Orchestra E string. It's just a great bass, and I think it would sound great with any of the good quality strings of your choice.

**Chris Fitzgerald** · #16 04-07-2005, 11:02 PM

Jeff - Congrats, man. You're in for a long-term treat.

Larry - you can't go wrong either way. Both are wonderful basses, and both are pretty easy to play. It's the waiting that's hard.

JeffKissell · #17 04-08-2005, 12:02 AM

"...It's the waiting that's hard"

Steve Killingsworth · #18 04-08-2005, 05:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by larry

. . . I'm worried about the size of the Cleveland getting in the way. . .

If you've been playing a smaller shouldered bass, the Cleveland will feel differently. At first, I felt like I had to extend my arms way out to play it. However, after a few days, that feeling disappeared and it became completely comfortable. It is without a doubt the easiest playing bass I have every played. You will not regret this purchase.

larry · #19 04-08-2005, 11:37 AM

I sent the deposit for the hybrid LaScala. I'm sure I could change my mind in the next few days, but I'm trying to be done with the decision. I need one more conversation with Arnold.

So now I enter the waiting phase...

/tapping and looking at watch, er, I mean calendar/

**Chris Fitzgerald** · #20 04-08-2005, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by larry

I sent the deposit for the hybrid LaScala. I'm sure I could change my mind in the next few days, but I'm trying to be done with the decision. I need one more conversation with Arnold.

So now I enter the waiting phase...

/tapping and looking at watch, er, I mean calendar/

How long is the wait these days?

I think you made a good choice. If not, as you said, you won't have any trouble selling since I hear there's a waiting list...