Gone to Bass Heaven?

[xwtb]

Ever wonder what happens to old basses? Obviously some have been recognized as exceptional, and accordingly preserved for centuries. And some not-so-exceptional ones are not about to die, either-- as witness the bunches of 50- or 60-year old Kays still in use. But what about the rest? Can it be that anything like 90% of basses ever made are still with us, and the other 10% either fell down the stairs or were backed over in the parking lot?

With violins, the question is easier to answer. It's not unusual for a family to have grandad's old fiddle stashed up in the attic somewhere. Alternatively, the pretty ones can be made into planters, and the ugly ones given to the kids to play in the sandpile with. But grandad's old bass wouldn't be quite so easy to hide or re-purpose.

So what does happen to 'em? [Or should I be putting the question to the sanitation engineers over on the TalkTrash forum?]

[reedo35]

First Response is that obviously there are not as many Basses as other stringed instrument, as they require more materials and time. Thus the smaller population.
Second point is, a lot of times when an old bass is beyond repair, the usable parts are "Transplanted" into another Bass.
There are a Lot of "Shop" Basses like this, With different Tops or Ribs than they had originally. I know this doesn't account for all the Basses over the years, but remember your Physics-
Matter can neither be created nor destroyed, only changed into another form of matter.

[forester]

your mortality rate of 10% seems ballpark, but when factoring in school system victims, crime increases significantly,and the D.O.A rate soars. you can heal the sick,but you cannot raise the dead.
killed four this week...(1) 3/4, (3) 1/2's

[xwtb]

It's comforting to learn that there are people actually kevorking these old instruments and parting out the usable organs-- especially considering that one of the more traditional transformations of matter would yield only CO2 + H2O + heat.

[wayne holmes]

Almost every shop where work is done on basses, the luthier has a corner, a room, or someplace where many basses lay, sit, hang, or are on a table. We call it the never get to room. But, amazingly, one by one they are restored or used for parts. It's like what one of my bass teachers once told me when I misplaced my bow. He said "it has to be someplace, because everything has to be somewhere" Basses are found in barns, attics, and sometimes in a ditch. but it's rare that anyone would completely discard a double bass. If they do, someone will retrieve it before it reaches the landfill.

with lots of bass love.

[Greg Clinkingbeard]

Originally Posted by xwtb

................... CO2 + H2O + heat.

For somebody smart enough to live in Kansas, your science is a little fuzzy. Please 'splain.

[Droot]

Originally Posted by clink

For somebody smart enough to live in Kansas, your science is a little fuzzy. Please 'splain.

CO2 + H2O + Heat = FIRE

[Ed Fuqua]

Originally Posted by wayne holmes

He said "it has to be someplace, because everything has to be somewhere"

I dunno, I know some drummers that aren't nowhere....

[Stanley Design]

There isn't water in fire........at least that I've ever been aware of?

[Steve Killingsworth]

water = oxygen + hydrogen

Oxygen is flammable.
Hydrogen is flammable.
Therefore, water must be flammable!

[Jake deVilliers]

"An English Swallow or an African Swallow?"

[xwtb]

Well, actually, you start with a bass, which if it's a traditional one is largely wood. That'd be some form of organic matter, thus some compound of Carbon, Hydrogen, and Oxygen. Then you add a little bit of heat and a bunch more O (as in oxidization), and you get a dramatic transformation: the C becomes CO2 (or CO, if you're stingy with your O), the H becomes H2O, and the bass becomes smoke and history. Since the process is exothermic, it gives off heat and keeping things going while you run to the house and grab some marshmallows. That's how a bass that maybe wasn't so hot gets to heaven anyway, at least from Kansas.

[Stanley Design]

Has any famous bassists been buried with their bass? Did they have to get custom made caskets? Did they just toss it in the hole?

[forester]

how its done.
*go to the warehouse,grab several individuals destined for sacrifice, remove hat from head,place over heart,hum one verse of taps.
*slacken strings,remove tailpiece & wire, toss in (drywall bucket A) slash off the sadlle w/ heel of boot..toss in bucket (A)
* remove endpin toss in drywall bucket (B)
*gather strings to a single strand and wrap tightly in a crisscross manner over tuners/pegbox.
* remove neck..it's ok,you can get rough with it, if the end block comes along, that's alright too. place assembly in the "dime box" (so called because co-workers more often than not,drop a dime to the boss when you go back to scavenge parts).
* place corpus on floor face up,remove any good violin corners,toss in bucket (A) if the top has a SP crack..finish the job...straddle SP w/both feet,bend slightly at the knees,(spotter recomended here)give a head nod and say, "ouch" loudly...you know rest...
*remove SP through the top,remove remainder of top, stand in center,kick out upper and lower bouts, crush flat,fold and sandwich between back and top, repeat process untill all are accounted for, head to dumpster. nothing to it!

the dime box

[xwtb]

Originally Posted by forester

how its done.

Cold!

But surely the decedent in a case like this was only some run-of-the-mill beater? What happens if it's a bass of known reputation? I'm guessing (hoping?) that it'd simply get passed along to someone for whom its history outweighs its deficiencies, as opposed to being knackered in some obscure warehouse.

Anybody know of an instance where a highly-regarded bass has simply ceased to exist?

[hdiddy]

It would be more fun to destroy something Pete Townshend style.

[Greg Clinkingbeard]

What happens to all those nice German factory basses needing total restoration; those needing $10,000 in work to be worth only $8,000?
I suppose they get trashed as well and I find that sad.

A moment of silence, please.

[kurt ratering]

Originally Posted by clink

What happens to all those nice German factory basses needing total restoration; those needing $10,000 in work to be worth only $8,000?
I suppose they get trashed as well and I find that sad.

A moment of silence, please.

i dont think anyones trashing those..are they?

[Greg Clinkingbeard]

Dunno. I'm only assuming based on the number of posts on the 'net that say, 'nope, that one's too far gone. Pass.'

[forester]

Originally Posted by clink

What happens to all those nice German factory basses needing total restoration; those needing $10,000 in work to be worth only $8,000?
I suppose they get trashed as well and I find that sad.

A moment of silence, please.

my earlier post describes the demise of countless basses that were for the most part worthless facimilies,beyond repair,or as stated above exceeded in cost(in these cases) the $1,000 +/- value assigned per unit.

the big picture:
aquisition managers (not string people) purchase large quantities of instruments,buisnesses,clientle,etc. they feel they have done well when they can point to several hundred instruments and say " what a deal" only to find it has less value than a cord of firewood, and not cost effective to put them back into the system.

the bigger picture:
the many folk on of the TBDB forums are contributors in the rescue of many of the older,fine instruments, sometimes to the point of great investment in both time and money. They seem to have a discerning eye and are willing to share informed and timely advice when asked. i am trying to do my part..and the more i participate the greater the benefit i recieve