Meinl?

**Chris Fitzgerald** · #1 02-21-2001, 07:39 AM

Yesterday I got to have a lesson with Berlin-based bassist Sigi Busch, who is in town for the university's jazz week festival. He's a super nice guy and a really good teacher (I have his method book as well). During the beginning of the lesson, he was checking out my bass and commenting about how well the setup was done, which started him looking for some kind of identification. After looking and not finding any, he said that he thought the bass might be a "Meinl" bass, that it resembled some of those he's seen in Germany. Apparently he considers them sort of "middle of the road" entry level carved basses - well made enough and decent sounding, but not using the absolute choicest materials at all times (he pointed out some flaws in the grain of my top). I told him, "well, it was the best bass I could afford", and he said that he actually kinda liked it, adding about the growl on the E-string (imagine this in a heavy German accent), "Dat string is a m*therf**ker, man!"

Anybody know anything about Meinl? (that's the way he told me it was spelled)

CS · #2 02-21-2001, 08:21 AM

They make cymbals and shakers and stuff. Never heard about basses though.

Mark Steel · #3 02-21-2001, 08:40 AM

I've always seen it spelled Meinel, if it's the same as an Eberhard Meinel. There's one listed on Hammond Ashley's website.
http://www.bassviolins.com/ebemeinel.htm

reedo35 · #4 02-21-2001, 10:43 AM

Here's another one, looks better than most that I've seen. I thought meinel mostly made student quality basses, but remembering the ones I've played, they did have a nice "growl" that would be suitable for jazz . Sounded kind of bright and tinny played arco,though. http://www.uprightbass.net/meinel_concert_bass.htm

**Chris Fitzgerald** · #5 02-21-2001, 11:20 PM

Thanks guys, I think we're onto something here.

reedo - the one on the link you posted looks remarkably similar. The differences are that my bass is a tad wider at the shoulders, has a more flamed back, and has single (individual) tuners. Other than that, it could be the same bass. It fits the story, too: the place I bought it from reported that it was originally in the $6000 range, and these two both fit. It might just be the picture, but the one in the Hammond-ashley link doesn't look a whole lot like it.

Even if it's not the same maker, it's in that same range of workmanship. I can live with that. So, which one of you guys is Sherlock and which Watson? Or, would you prefer Starsky and Hutch. No? Mulder and Scully?

reedo35 · #6 02-21-2001, 11:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Chris Fitzgerald
Thanks guys, I think we're onto something here.
So, which one of you guys is Sherlock and which Watson? Or, would you prefer Starsky and Hutch. No? Mulder and Scully?

How about Scooby and Shaggy?

**Chris Fitzgerald** · #7 02-22-2001, 02:17 PM

Nice...what's that all about? Is it something like your'n?

David Kaczorowski · #8 02-22-2001, 02:50 PM

Hey Chris, does being an elite member make you flame retardant?

**Chris Fitzgerald** · #9 02-22-2001, 05:42 PM

No, just plain old retardant.

Just for the record, I wanted to contribute to the board since I don't wanna see it covered with ads or have more forum space eaten up with sidebars & stuff (and also because I think it's the best site on the web), but I was gonna pass on the picture until I thought of the one I ended up with....after the "What do you feel when you play?" thread turned into a flame war of sorts because words make people misunderstand each other, I thought it might be kinda nice to have a picture of what I feel like while playing. More difficult to misconstrue, if you know what I mean.

That, and the fact that the little guy in the picture is a dead ringer for a little buddy of mine I had for 12 years before he passed on to that great litterbox in the sky recently...

Ed - Ahhhhh. Thank goodness. I thought I was the one who was losing it.