Historic Basses: Don Sickler's Kay Bass

Kevin Hsieh · #1 11-07-2008, 04:08 PM

This Kay has been owned by Don Sickler (founder of Second Floor Music and also a well-known trumpet player) for 55 years.

He holds rehearsals at his place and all the bass players refuse to bring their bass because they love playing this bass so much.

Who has played it: Sam Jones, Christian McBride, Jimmy Garrison, Ray Brown, George Duvivier, John Webber, etc.

The best thing about it is that the strings that are on the bass are the same ones that were on the bass when Sam Jones and Jimmy Garrison were playing on it. They still sound great and it's Don's favorite thing to say "Now your sweat will be mixed in with the sweat of Ray Brown and Sam Jones!" The strings used to be a off-white color. Now after Ray Brown and friends have gone through it, the majority of the strings are a dark green.

EEWWW

I'm curious as to what these strings are. Green silk wrap on the top and bottom. Looks like possibly a steel core, but i'm not really sure but there's some kind of plastic wrap around it.

Paul Warburton · #2 11-07-2008, 04:12 PM

Those sound like the old Lycons from the 60's.
Ray had his special endorsed version of these strings. That's what I think these are.
Do a TB search on Lycon...we did some fun threads on these. To me and many old jazzers they were and ARE still the best pizz string ever. Red Mitchell turned me on to them...we used the regulars. Ray's were a bit lighter, but came in a nice plastic case with Ray's autograph.
The regulars had a blue thread on both ends. You can see them on the cover of " Hear Ye, Hear Ye " The Red Mitchell Harold Land Quintet on the old Atlantic Records label.
Our own " drub " here uses the original regular Lycon package as his Avatar.

Kevin Hsieh · #3 11-07-2008, 04:15 PM

it sounds surprisingly decent with this setup:

bass --> underwood --> radioshack patch cable --> oooold keyboard amp

i cringed when i saw the setup at first and it worked out alright lol!

salcott · #4 11-07-2008, 04:18 PM

Enjoy your sessions at Don's; he's a fine musician and you'll learn a lot.

Michael Glynn · #5 11-07-2008, 07:28 PM

Wow. I remember playing that bass (and those strings!) about 11 years ago. I think the strings were an early version of the Presto/Eurosonic strings. Kind of a clear-ish plastic with steel core. I remember Don saying that Peter Washington kept trying to buy the strings off of him.

Here's a picture of a modern Eurosonic. Look kind of similar?

Paul Warburton · #6 11-07-2008, 08:09 PM

Kevin, my bad. I forgot that you said something about the wrap.

Kevin Hsieh · #7 11-07-2008, 08:16 PM

I had a feeling they were Lycons!

drurb · #8 11-07-2008, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin Hsieh

I had a feeling they were Lycons!

Ah, but it seems that they are not Lycons after all. As Paul seems to have noticed-- not with that wrap. I'm about to get sentimental all over again. I still miss the Lycons but that was about 30 years ago.

Blaine · #9 11-08-2008, 12:19 PM

yeah, those strings are nylon covered steel, eurosonics are probably the closest nowadays, or maybe the labella black strings. except the strings on don's are very fat. and dead.
i wouldn't mind seeing those strings changed. display them on the wall, give them to peter(he loves them).whatever. i think that bass would sound alot better with new strings of similar construction.

Kevin Hsieh · #10 11-08-2008, 03:36 PM

iono man, it's something else to be playing and realizing that the green stuff that is growing on the strings most likely came from Ray Brown!

Paul Warburton · #11 11-08-2008, 04:36 PM

Yeah, I can dig...there used to be this chick that Ray and I both knew...

MR PC · #12 11-09-2008, 04:11 PM

Yeah man, I can dig, it's all about sharing. Kevin, can you share a photo of the Kay with us here?