Great Shen Willow Sighting

Ike Harris · #1 08-31-2008, 12:29 PM

Last Monday night Kip Martin(Am. Standard site) and I met finally in person at the famous Station Inn here not far from Downtown. We found the Monday night resident band, The Time Jumpers, in tact with all the regulars aboard. This included Dennis Crouch, fresh from his tour with Allison Krauss and Robert Plant. The bass he was playing sounded like an old Italian, huge and open, but it had new varnish and gears. We thought it was an old bass that had had a new facelift. But after talking to him on the break, we discovered it was a new Shen 7/8 Willow(w/ Helicore Pizz strings). He bought it recently as a tour bass from Dustin Williams shop after a visit to check on an ongoing restoration there. Jack Phelps from the shop said there were two 7/8 Willows there but this was the definite cannon of the two. He said Dennis played it and decided he would have regretted it if he hadn't bought it on the spot then and there. We concurred it was a great pairing of player and bass.

Ike

Bobby King · #2 08-31-2008, 12:37 PM

Hey Ike,

I knew that Dennis had bought that bass but I thought he was using a plain gut D&G/Pirastro Pizzicato E&A setup for the Krauss/Plant tour. Are you saying he had all steel Helicore Pizzicatos on it at the Station Inn?

kmanley_29649 · #3 08-31-2008, 01:50 PM

There was one at the local luthier here in Greenville, SC when I was looking for my first DB. I absolutely loved it, but it was a good bit out of my price range. I ended up getting a Shen SB80 from a guy I met on here. I'd still love to get a willow, though.

Ike Harris · #4 08-31-2008, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobby King

Hey Ike,

I knew that Dennis had bought that bass but I thought he was using a plain gut D&G/Pirastro Pizzicato E&A setup for the Krauss/Plant tour. Are you saying he had all steel Helicore Pizzicatos on it at the Station Inn?

I couldn't swear either way, but there was a lot of tuning going on between tunes, so could have been some gut presence. Sure sounded like it, but I don't remember seeing a mixed set. You're probably right about the Pirastro. i just remember Pizz being said, and that they weren't making anymore of them, whichever brand it was.