|  | 
12-20-2009, 01:09 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Los Angeles, CA | | | From "The Economist" this week
http://www.economist.com/businessfin...ry_id=15108669
Apparently (and despite the photo) they don't make basses in Cremona. We get no respect!
Louis
--
Sign in to disble this ad
|
12-25-2009, 06:36 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Honky Kong, ShangriLamma | | | Hmmm...
"Most musical instruments wear out or are consigned to niche markets by design changes. Only violins, violas and cellos last hundreds of years if well looked after."
That's good news for bass players! Old basses just wear out and can be consigned to the scrap heap. No worries about insane appreciation. All those old basses can be had for a song, too, without needing a generous patron of the arts to help you purchase one. Once you get good at slapping on an old Amati, you can transfer your rockabilly skills to a new Engelhardt-Link and celebrate the acquisition of the fine new instrument by having a BBQ over the burning embers of that nasty old worn out Amati.
Think I'll ring Smithy and see if that Batchelder is still available, I need to work on my two-handed slaps and body-beating rhumbas.
__________________
DB in hand, headed for the horizon...
|
12-25-2009, 08:39 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: May 2007 Location: Roseburg, Oregon, US | | | Bass is always the forgotten instrument...*cry*
On a logistical note, you have to admit that, in professional circles, there are probably a higher percentage of players with new(er) basses than there are players with new cellos, violas, or violins (this is anecdotal from my own limited experience, I could be wrong). The current basic design of the latter three instruments has been relatively stable for a significant period of time and can be set up and played in a contemporary setting with very little change to their original design. This makes them valuable both as collectors items and as great instruments in their own right.
On the other hand, basses are largely non-standard sized instruments that, for much of their history, were in a process of evolution that eventually led to the rough proportions of a 4-string 3/4 size bass (though even that is far from what you'd call 'standard' do to the wealth of 5-strings, extensions, different sizes, shapes, etc.). Any bass that is extremely old has more than likely gone through serious restoration and been retrofit for four strings as it was probably a three string instrument at the beginning of it's life. On top of that, the sheer size and shape of the bass makes it prone to damage and any instrument with that much tension on it is going to have some sort of structural issue at some point in it's life.
My point, basses need love, and thats probably why you don't find a ton of them sold in the stratospheric price range of strads, etc. |
12-25-2009, 09:01 AM
|  | Oracle, Ancient Order of Rass Hattur | | Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Connecticut | | | Hello?
TB threads are echoing.
Take a look at this thread.  Quote:
Originally Posted by Flanning  ...On a logistical note, you have to admit that, in professional circles, there are probably a higher percentage of players with new(er) basses than there are players with new cellos, violas, or violins (this is anecdotal from my own limited experience, I could be wrong). | This seems true to me as well but I really wonder... would be nice to see some data.
__________________
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.
Last edited by drurb : 12-25-2009 at 09:05 AM.
|
12-29-2009, 11:47 PM
| | | I hate when basses say "Stratovarius Copy" because he never made any basses... 
That I know of.  |
12-30-2009, 12:33 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: May 2007 Location: Roseburg, Oregon, US | | Quote:
Originally Posted by VitaminC I hate when basses say "Stratovarius Copy" because he never made any basses...
That I know of. | Yea and neither did Stradivarius |
12-30-2009, 01:09 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Christchurch, New Zealand | | | Stratovarius being a Finnish metal band, I hope not...
I think one thing is this: a new-ish instrument is just so much more practical, since it has a good chance of being structurally sound, whereas most really old basses have been basket cases at one time or another... |
12-30-2009, 01:23 AM
| | | looks like I got my "O" and "I" mixed up.  |
12-30-2009, 07:13 AM
| | Oracle, Ancient Order of Rass Hattur | | Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Connecticut | | Quote:
Originally Posted by VitaminC looks like I got my "O" and "I" mixed up. | Then there's the matter of "t" and "d". 
__________________
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. |
12-30-2009, 07:17 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Belgium | | Quote:
Originally Posted by VitaminC looks like I got my "O" and "I" mixed up. | And your "d" & "t" 
Auch, didn't see that drurb already posted this
Still sounds funny, stratovarius... takes you straight up the stratosphere... |
12-30-2009, 07:25 AM
| | Oracle, Ancient Order of Rass Hattur | | Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Connecticut | | Well, Psycho, you know what they say about great minds.
__________________
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. |
12-30-2009, 09:39 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Blairsville, Pennsylvania USA | | | Thanks for the spelling lesson!
Now I think I'll scoot off to play by bass. |
12-30-2009, 02:57 PM
| | | Quote:
Originally Posted by PsychoScout And your "d" & "t"
Auch, didn't see that drurb already posted this
Still sounds funny, stratovarius... takes you straight up the stratosphere... | hahah, you're right... I guess it's the last time I'll use Google as a spell-checker. |  | Thread Tools | Search this Thread | | | | 
Posting Rules
| You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off | | | |
