Daniel Hachez Basses

Marcus Johnson · #1 11-28-2003, 01:47 PM

Since I've heard lots of glowing talk here, from people whose opinions I respect, I did a Google search for some pics of his work;http://robertsonviolins.com/hachez.htm

Whoa...now I get it.

Bob Branstetter · #2 11-28-2003, 02:21 PM

I took over a dozen close up photos of his ISB gold metal bass and his solo bass while visiting Robertson's this summer. I've got them on Ofoto, so if you would like to see them send me an email and I'll give you access. Sorry, but I don't have a website yet.

Marcus Johnson · #3 11-29-2003, 12:43 PM

HE BUILT ONE OUT OF GOLD METAL?!! WOW!!

Just kidding, I what you meant. Thanks, Bob, I'll take you up on that offer.

kip · #4 11-29-2003, 01:52 PM

That is beautiful. Looking at the side view, there appears to be a very pronounced angle of the neck and tailpiece from the table. How does this angle affect playing characteristics and sound?

Bob Branstetter · #5 11-29-2003, 03:01 PM

It's not so much the angle, but rather the overstand that makes it look that way. Up until the last few decades, the overstand on basses was normally about one inch. I didn't have a measuring tape with me when I examined the bass, but I would guess that the overstand is about 1 3/4". The greater overstand makes the instrument easier to play in the upper positions.

Bob Branstetter · #6 05-30-2008, 05:39 PM

Excuse me for bringing back this old thread, but another TB member recently asked me to make my Hachez bass photos available for him to download. Some of the photos were taken by me while visiting the Robertson shop a few years ago, and others were downloaded from the Robertson site. I'll leave them on my .Mac site account for a few weeks if any of you wish to view or download them. Enjoy!

Uncletoad · #7 05-31-2008, 01:19 AM

my god.

Jake deVilliers · #8 05-31-2008, 01:26 AM

What do you mean by that?

Uncletoad · #9 05-31-2008, 01:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jake deVilliers

What do you mean by that?

Did you look at those pictures?

He's beyond meticulous.

I'm kind of stunned.

Jake deVilliers · #10 05-31-2008, 10:32 AM

Well yes, the workmanship is great but to be honest Phil, I don't find the overall shape to very appealing - its kind of thick-waisted or something - not quite right.

And I think that the inward-pointing purfling details detract rather than add to the overall aesthetic, especially in the button area. They give those little corners an awkwardness that they didn't need to have.

Or something like that - I'm not really an art critic and may not be expressing my misgivings properly. Where's Matthew when I need him?!

Uncletoad · #11 05-31-2008, 11:35 AM

I'm not much of a critic on aesthetic for that sort of thing. It just looked like a ton of work.

If it sounds good then the design works for me, if it's just average then it's a waste of some serious time.

quenoil · #12 05-31-2008, 05:05 PM

Not having played that particular bass, I still feel comfortable betting that it sounds pretty amazing. The couple Hachez basses I have played were just fantastic.

Bob Branstetter · #13 05-31-2008, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by quenoil

Not having played that particular bass, I still feel comfortable betting that it sounds pretty amazing. The couple Hachez basses I have played were just fantastic.

The two basses that I photographed were also pretty amazing sounding instruments. If I could own and play a bass made by any living maker, it would be a Dan Hachez instrument without question. I can only dream of ever making an instrument that looks and plays as well as Dan Hachez's instruments. IMO, Dan Hachez is in a league of his own.

**Matthew Tucker** · #14 05-31-2008, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jake deVilliers

Where's Matthew when I need him?!

Right here, dude.

I think the bass is Dan's Busan-influenced model, the same model shown in the very last (I think) Double Bassist magazine.

I think the best way of expressing what I feel about the bass shown, is it is "individual". Hachez clearly has a plan of what he is doing, his design looks almost alchemic. It goes well with the "vintage" of the model I think.

The bass shown in the DB mag had an inlaid rosette under the fingerboard and some diamond shaped marquetry inlay in the sound board.

My first reaction was "you can't do that" then a bit later "well why not" then "hmmm I quite like"

Uncletoad · #15 05-31-2008, 11:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toad

Did you look at those pictures?

He's beyond meticulous.

I'm kind of stunned.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toad

I'm not much of a critic on aesthetic for that sort of thing. It just looked like a ton of work.

If it sounds good then the design works for me, if it's just average then it's a waste of some serious time.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Branstetter

The two basses that I photographed were also pretty amazing sounding instruments. If I could own and play a bass made by any living maker, it would be a Dan Hachez instrument without question. I can only dream of ever making an instrument that looks and plays as well as Dan Hachez's instruments. IMO, Dan Hachez is in a league of his own.

I get that impression from the work in the pic. Hard for me to imagine someone doing that kind of detail making a average sounding instrument.

Outstanding.

toman · #16 05-31-2008, 11:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncletoad

I get that impression from the work in the pic. Hard for me to imagine someone doing that kind of detail making a average sounding instrument.

Outstanding.

There's one shop in particular that's been discussed here that seems to make a habit of producing decorated basses that are less (imo) than impressive. Still nice instruments, well made and good sounding, but I often have to wonder what the point is. To me, the basses exist in sort of contradictory state, especially since the added work required by the decoration will inevitably boost the selling price.

Personally I don't mind decoration on a really fantastic instrument (as these in this thread seem to be), but otherwise, no thanks...

Bob Branstetter · #17 06-01-2008, 11:22 AM

In this day and age when there are big shops that advertise their instruments as being "hand made" (but keep one or more CNC machines running 24 hours a day in a room out of public view), it's refreshing to see what one extremely talented man can do using only hand tools, his eyes and his mind.

All purfling can be considered decoration. However, the best makers frequently embellish their instruments with special purfling or purfling designs. Over three hundred years ago, Stradivari used ivory mosaic purfling as well as square corner purfling on some instruments. Maggini made his instruments with double purfling. Today, many talented makers, including several who post on TalkBass prefer to make their own purfling from scratch rather than buy commercially made traditional style purfling. Well executed purfling can be the luthier's signature, not mere decoration.

Jason Sypher · #18 08-22-2008, 01:11 PM

Who is playing one of these gorgeous instruments? I posted a video from YouTube today of a young guy playing a Hachez. The bass looked quite thin in the ribs and possibly even a smaller 3/4 sized body. I'd love to play any of his basses to see what all the hubbub is about... Anyone own one in NYC?

laurenmerritt · #19 08-22-2008, 03:51 PM

Love those tailpieces. Bob's photos didn't load for me in Firefox, but IE worked.

**Chris Fitzgerald** · #20 08-22-2008, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason Sypher

Who is playing one of these gorgeous instruments?

Sid King here in the 'Ville plays one. It's gorgeous, and almost plays itself. He uses it more for solo projects and for his flamenco group, as he says the sound is too distinctive to really blend with a section. Personally, I consider it the finest bass I've ever seen or played.