Just started taking my new Golia bass out

Mike Arnopol · #1 02-28-2009, 08:13 PM

I've owned lots of basses. This time I decided to be a bit smarter. I live in Chicago and my bass was made in Italy this year.. In June and July. I decided to leave my bass inside and keep the humidity at 45% and then let it down to 40% to let the bass acclimate. So this last week I played it on it's first two gigs. It's a very frightening crap shoot to commision a new bass. I have majorly lucked out. I just changed to a new set of Spiros and really haven't vaguely fine tuned it. This bass is MUCH more than I had hoped for. Imagine the ass-kicking low end of a Hawkes Panormo ( like Buster's bass ) with a darker timbre of an Italian or English basss. With a very easy, fast response. I'm not saying that tonally it competes with a great Italian or English bass. But I'm confident that it will grow into that with time. (maybe somebody else's lifetime!) But the basic components are there. And with newer Spiros. I've never played a new bass that I've seen more potential. There are other new makers like Dan Hachez and David Wiebe that make basses that are more jaw droppingly beautiful in terms of detail work, and that sound great. But I don't really think that they play or sound better. And they cost about $35,000. And they are probably worth it. But Luciano's basses cost about $13 or $14 thousand and are an amazing value. And he is the nicest cat you could ever deal with. By the way, he uses Poplar that comes from the same locations as a lot of the poplar used by some of the great 18th and 19th century makers. I know how difficult it is affording a good bass these days. I thought that the Golia bass would be better than the $5 to $8 thousand Chinese or Romanian basses and not as good as the typical contemporary basses that start at over $20k. Fortunately I was wrong.

jsbarber · #2 02-28-2009, 08:18 PM

Congratulations on the new bass Mike! I remember when you posted inidicating that you were in need of a new instrument, and then decided on Golia... If you haven't posted pictures could you please, so we all can drool (if you have already, then maybe you could edit a link to this thread so we can refresh our memories)

Jim

Mike Arnopol · #3 02-28-2009, 11:18 PM

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Mike Arnopol · #4 02-28-2009, 11:22 PM

Mike Arnopol · #5 02-28-2009, 11:26 PM

Mike Arnopol · #6 02-28-2009, 11:31 PM

sorry about the crummy picture quality. The bass is not shiny and the color is deeper with a bit more red. You might notice that the top is actually flamed spruce. He asked if he could make it with an antiqued look. When you see it in person it looks like an older bass.

tomshepp · #7 03-01-2009, 12:37 AM

Beautiful bass! I'm sure it sounds as good as it looks.
Congrats.

jsbarber · #8 03-01-2009, 07:17 AM

It's gorgeous Mike, congratulations!

Jim

Ghost_Note · #9 03-01-2009, 09:20 AM

That's a beautiful fat bottomed girl you've got there.

Eric Hochberg · #10 03-01-2009, 10:13 AM

I went out to hear Mike the other night and he sounded great as usual, and the bass is just too beautiful. I played a few notes on it and it is so much easier to play now than when I first tried it after he got it. A darkish sound and nice and loose feeling, like butta! Sounded real good in the mix with the quartet, too. As I said to him that night, "I could play this"!

Ed Fuqua · #11 03-02-2009, 12:54 PM

You gonna be back in NYC anytime soon?

**Chris Fitzgerald** · #12 03-02-2009, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ghost_Note

That's a beautiful fat bottomed girl you've got there.

+1

I like your bass and I cannot lie.

Mike Arnopol · #13 03-02-2009, 04:28 PM

Hey Ed
Probably not until fall. But these days I usually only travel with the Volante electric upright, which actually sounds fabulous. Not as good as my double basses, but surprisingly close. I was considering possibly bringing the Golia with next time to bring it to Gage's and have Sprocket or Mike W. redress the board, new bridge, etc.. I still prefer their setup work. I hope none of my Chicago repairman buddies are reading this thread. Luciano named my bass " Empathico" which turns out to be uncannily accurate.

Kevin Hsieh · #14 03-02-2009, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Arnopol

Hey Ed
Probably not until fall. But these days I usually only travel with the Volante electric upright, which actually sounds fabulous. Not as good as my double basses, but surprisingly close. I was considering possibly bringing the Golia with next time to bring it to Gage's and have Sprocket or Mike W. redress the board, new bridge, etc.. I still prefer their setup work. I hope none of my Chicago repairman buddies are reading this thread. Luciano named my bass " Empathico" which turns out to be uncannily accurate.

Mike, if you come by NY, could you bring the Volante? I've been dying to hear it.

cheers

Jason Sypher · #15 03-02-2009, 06:00 PM

Formidable. Enjoy that monster!

L.Golia · #16 01-06-2011, 03:43 PM

Dear Michael i'm finding this thing you wrote very interesting:

I thought that the Golia bass would be better than the $5 to $8 thousand Chinese or Romanian basses and not as good as the typical contemporary basses that start at over $20k.

I'm italian and no crap in this country about musical instruments, the quality of a doublebass is not in his price but in the craftmanship .There are modern makers showing prices like ............................30\40K
There's a german maker who is adding ads telling sold for 34k on the most popular websites, this is fantasyland.

Musicians are not Banks, a luthier is happy to sell his product because it's an amazing job, be honest asking a good price is not meaning low quality, and in today's economy trust me 10.000\12.000 euros it's a lot of money.

hope you re great

Mike Arnopol · #17 01-07-2011, 08:37 AM

HI Luciano!
I hope that there was no misunderstanding. I LOVE my bass! I did assume that at your price point that new $30,000 basses would sound better than yours. I was wrong. I haven't played a new bass that I like better. I've tried that best of the newer makers here in the States.Your bass is my favorite bass that I've owned. I've owned basses that were more valuable ( Vuillame, Cladot, Jacquet, Prescott, Tarr, Peter Elias, Hawkes Panormo) But for me, I enjoy playing your bass the most.
The other basses may be better in some ways, but as far as balance, response, tone----everything----I prefer my Golia bass.Every time I play a gig with someone who hasn't heard it people make a point of saying how much they like it! Even drummers!The first winter I didn't take it out and kept the humidity consistent to allow it to acclimate . I'm in a bit of a hurry to get out of the house, but I'll message you later. I tell players that you read my mind as far as my needs for the bass. It's dark, huge sounding but with a very fast and easy response.

L.Golia · #18 01-07-2011, 01:20 PM

Hi Michael!
No problems at all and thank you for the nice words. My message was referred to the market of the doublebass in general, I know you love your bass and obviosuly before your arrival to Italy I was a "mystery" for you so thanks again.

I just wrote a comment about the current market where an honest maker with a very high quality instrument does not have to be a thief.

The most of the modern makers are not selling anything more than lies...40k.... 35k......I wish them the amazing business I have had for many years. Helping keep my prices reasonable with an eye on the customers' wallet....
we had the most amazing fun and it has also been great to have you here!

Ciao!

Mike Arnopol · #19 01-07-2011, 06:48 PM

Yeah---
I was at Robertson's shop a few years back. They had 4 new basses by different makers. Dan Hachez's basses are really beautiful and I know he's a good guy but his prices were astronomical. I played a bass by David Wiebe. It was a copy of an Italian bass without corners. I think he copied Ken Smith's bass. It had walnut back and sides. It was one of the best new basses I'd played. So when I was deciding on a luthier a few years back I gave him a call. Very nice guy. He said that to keep costs down he could make a flatback. For $35k. Inferring that a carved back would cost more.
It's good to see Luciano here on the forum. He has a lot of respect for the old masters, but is not confined by their techniques. He has a lot of new ideas that seem to work really well. I welcome anyone to try my bass here in Chicago. I don't get any commisions from him. I would just like to support a great luthier who would rather make great basses affordable so bassists who aren't rich can have a wonderful instrument

bassphase · #20 01-07-2011, 07:48 PM

I agree completely with Mike, My Golia bass is also incredible. I really love it. I would describe it's sonic properties similar to how Mike described his bass---"Dark, huge sounding but with a fast response". Luciano names all his basses and mine is named "L' incantovole". I was happy to see many pics of my bass on Luciano's Facebook page and I'm also glad to see him here on TalkBass.

bob