Jon Burr's bass - what is it?

simpleybass · #1 02-20-2006, 11:26 AM

I recently saw Mark O'Connor's Hot Swing perform, the bassist is great - Jon Burr. I think he lives in New York. The show was real fun. Burr and O'Connor (violin) both played amazingly.

Anyhow, Burr's upright was unusual looking, strange shape, and I'm wondering if anybody reading this knows anything about it.

I didn't get a chance to talk to him, and can't provide any useful info about the bass other than the lower bout was very narrow, and it had a low-C extension.

I'm just curious, and maybe someone out there knows him or has seen him play and knows something about his bass.

hdiddy · #2 02-20-2006, 11:33 AM

I think Jon Burr plays one of Hannah Mayne's beautiful creations... it's this one right?

simpleybass · #3 02-20-2006, 11:46 AM

Yep, That's it!

As I said, he's got a low-C extension on it.

It looked like he had a realist pickup under the E side bridge foot, and a small mic in a tiny shock mount clipped to the G side of the bridge, hanging out over the F hole. The resulting sound was killer.

Thanks for the link. It looks like that is a pretty unusual instrument. Maybe even a one-of-a-kind...

Tumbao · #4 02-20-2006, 12:13 PM

greitzer · #5 02-20-2006, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by simpleybass

Yep, That's it! Thanks for the link. It looks like that is a pretty unusual instrument. Maybe even a one-of-a-kind...

Hannah Mayne really makes attractive instruments. I believe there's about a two-year wait list now. She does have her own style, that's for sure. I haven't seen John Burr live, but I've heard him (with this bass) on a CD and he is a great player.

I took my bass to her shop (The Bass House) in Oakland to get some bridge work done and they did a great job (by Michael Olivola, another luthier with the Bass House and he's also a fine player).

**Jeremy Allen** · #6 02-20-2006, 02:35 PM

I'm in love. Does anyone know what the prices are for the Mayne basses?

Michael Case · #7 02-20-2006, 06:41 PM

Beautiful bass and a beautiful lady, I wonder if she is married?

hdiddy · #8 02-20-2006, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YokoJohono

I'm in love. Does anyone know what the prices are for the Mayne basses?

Last I heard it was in the ballpark of $18k.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeyTheMookie

Beautiful bass and a beautiful lady, I wonder if she is married?

You're too late. I do believe she's married to Michael 0livola and I think they have a child.

Michael Case · #9 02-20-2006, 08:10 PM

Sam Sherry · #10 02-20-2006, 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike da mook

I wonder if she is married?

I suspect that all the luthiers around here would agree that you don't want to be married to a luthier in any event.

Jon and I swapped basses for about 15 minutes one time for fun. That bass was strung with gut (with a Spiro E) which is not my taste. The instrument itself was also not my taste -- there are very cool things but the heel area was idiosyncratic and the neck shape was not for me. If I recall correctly there was also something about the finish that was less refined than the woodwork, but it's been a while.

Jon is a great guy -- totally ego-free -- and a wonderful player. You play with Mark O? You better play in tune!

simpleybass · #11 02-22-2006, 09:43 PM

Yeah, the finish did look a little rough. I thought it was on old instrument.

I'd like to try playing it.

The thing is... it's the sound that matters most, and Burr was able to get a real good sound out of that thing.

reedo35 · #12 04-12-2006, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sam Sherry

I suspect that all the luthiers around here would agree that you don't want to be married to a luthier in any event.

Yeah, she has that wild-eyed look of someone consumed by their Art- check out this video
http://www.2makebelieve.com/documentary/bio/hanna.html

Bearbass63 · #13 07-19-2007, 01:26 AM

Greetings all,
I play opera in South Florida and my stand partner received his 5 string violin cornered Hannah Mayne bass around February of 2006. I've been playing for 32 years, 23 of those professionally and I've tried hundreds of basses from all over the world, including a 257 year old Gabrielli that's worth the price of a small condo down here!
My reaction went like this: I played a 2 octave D major scale on this bass and my jaw just dropped. I had never, ever heard a green bass - or rather - a brand spanking new, never played on bass, sound like this. I'd never even heard an old bass sound this way! It was the most projecting, luscious, warm, beautiful, kickass yet sophisticated loud bass I've ever played. Hannah Mayne is an amazing Luthier whose talent and artistry are unreal. She's also the nicest person.
I'm currently waiting for my Mayne bass to be finished. It should hopefully be done in 2 - 4 months. I had some things modified, including having her shave the heel down a bit. She's been sending pictures as she's been creating the bass and it looks stunning. I cannot wait to get my hands and bow on this baby, I know it will be everything I'm expecting it to be!

Kevin Hsieh · #14 07-19-2007, 01:53 AM

hey... seems like the basshouse site went down. can anyone scrounge around and find a picture of some of her work. i'm really really curious

Tejano Bass · #15 07-19-2007, 08:40 AM

+1 - yeah, me, too ! linkee no workee . . .

mojoluthier · #16 07-21-2007, 06:00 PM

The first bass I ever sold went to Hannah! She had the dreaded Cremona we love to hate before that.

I bought my first bass from a friend whose rehearsal studio lost it's lease and when I brought it home (on Valentines's day) my pregnant wife burst into tears, pointed out that I had spent money we were saving for the kid, and told me to sell it. My protests that I would never get such a good deal on a bass went unheard so I put an add in the S F Chronicle. Hannah was the first to call. This was before she knew Olivola or had any technical knowledge, by the way. I had payed $1400, she paid $2800, my wife said "buy another one". That how I got into this business, and interestingly, it seems to be how Hannah did too! Two lives turning on one bass endpin. Was the bass any good? She took it to Olivola to find out. He assessed it as a 1936 (as I recall) Roth needing only a reset of the neck geometry, otherwise unbroken and of very high quality as made. Probably my best score ever if only I had known.

When I last saw her, two or three years ago, it was her mayne ax. Couldn't resist.

They moved to New Mexico or Arizona, by the way.

Bearbass63 · #17 07-22-2007, 12:22 AM

Yes, they did move to New Mexico, a little over a year ago. Her website is down, she's building a new one. I believe it's going to be www.maynebasses.com. I will check with her again on that one just to make sure.

Bearbass63 · #18 03-30-2008, 11:19 PM

Greetings Bass World!!
Well folks, I finally got my Hannah Mayne bass 4 days ago and let me tell you...Hannah is a goddess!! The bass is everything I wanted it to be and then some! The sound is beautiful - clear, projecting, warm, full of depth, loud, it's all there. After receiving the bass, I took it over to Ben Joella to have him set it up (check out his website: www.joellabasses.com). Hannah shipped it without the bridge on as well as without the soundpost being set up. This was for protection and also going from New Mexico (dry) to Florida (humid) was going to make the wood go nuts, so better safe than sorry. Ben set it up, played on it for a bit and was quite impressed.
It's a beautiful and spectacular sounding instrument. I'm looking forward to breaking it in. Thank you so much, Hannah!!!

Heifetzbass · #19 03-31-2008, 04:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bearbass63

Greetings Bass World!!
Well folks, I finally got my Hannah Mayne bass 4 days ago and let me tell you...Hannah is a goddess!! The bass is everything I wanted it to be and then some! The sound is beautiful - clear, projecting, warm, full of depth, loud, it's all there. After receiving the bass, I took it over to Ben Joella to have him set it up (check out his website: www.joellabasses.com). Hannah shipped it without the bridge on as well as without the soundpost being set up. This was for protection and also going from New Mexico (dry) to Florida (humid) was going to make the wood go nuts, so better safe than sorry. Ben set it up, played on it for a bit and was quite impressed.
It's a beautiful and spectacular sounding instrument. I'm looking forward to breaking it in. Thank you so much, Hannah!!!

PICS?!?!?!?

Bearbass63 · #20 01-26-2009, 06:27 PM

Greetings All,

My apologies to the bass world. My life has been quite crazy and I've neglected to post pictures of my Hannah Mayne Bass. Well...better late than never. Please enjoy, she is a genius. The sound keeps opening beautifully.