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07-07-2004, 05:48 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Ridgewood, NJ | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by jneuman Paul, the old joke is that the Italians use the shipping crates that the violin wood came in for the tops of basses (did I read that here?) | Maybe.
I've told of Julius Callman, a bass luthier in NYC, died in the early 60's, who bought a Testore. One day, the back split. Julie discovered it had worms. Testore used willow. Julie remembered that the guy next door on "music alley" (48th St from 7th to 6th) imported clarinets from France, and that the shipping crates were willow. You can guess the rest of the story. With full disclosure, the bass ended up in the Buffalo Symphony.
P.S. Julie shared his shop with Feldman, a woodwind repairman. One day, I went to visit. Feldman is alone. No trace of Julius, and one bass in the corner. Feldman says to me "Oh, Julie died 4 months ago. Are you Rufus Reid? There's your bass, in the corner." I froze. Then I said, "There's all the difference of night and day between me and Rufus." I left. I don't know if he ever got the joke.
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07-07-2004, 06:04 PM
| | Banned
Owner: Ken Smith Basses, Ltd. | | Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Perkasie, PA USA | |  Callman
I thought he Died in the Mid 70s or after. I was in his shop in the early 70s on the west side and he looked alive to me. Somewhere between 1975 and 1977 Irv Manning had an old Bass restored by him. He soon after brought it to my apartment to re-cut the bridge. It was appraised as an Italian Guadagnini and was later pegged as an English Bass. |
07-07-2004, 07:13 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Ridgewood, NJ | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by KSB - Ken Smith I thought he Died in the Mid 70s or after. I was in his shop in the early 70s on the west side and he looked alive to me. . | Why not? At my age, memory fades. Wasn't his last shop on the 2nd floor somewhere on 8th Ave north of 42nd? I connect the date with when I left an employer in that neighborhood. But he personally told me the Testore story.
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Certified to teach the Alexander Technique. see donaldhigdon.com
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07-07-2004, 07:16 PM
| | Banned
Owner: Ken Smith Basses, Ltd. | | Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Perkasie, PA USA | | Endpin
Ken M... the Endpin is in the middle of the rib at the block.
BTW, My label IS spelled Guadininni and NOT Guadagnini as they are up in Turin. Yet another reason to believe the Label was made when the Back was replaced. Maybe he meant Gagliano and just couldn't remember the spelling!!.....lol
I'm surprised all you Bass Lovers out there missed that ! |
07-07-2004, 07:19 PM
| | Banned
Owner: Ken Smith Basses, Ltd. | | Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Perkasie, PA USA | | Callman
Yes Don, I think is was 8th avenue a few blocks south of the old Union (Roseland) building.
I'v heard that Testore before as well. I'll start saving all my Crates and Skids.......lol |
07-07-2004, 09:18 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Traverse City, Michigan | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Don Zebrauskas I emailed laughingbear last week for a quote on tuners and I still haven't heard from them... | Don, I called him and talked at length about his products, very nice and knowedgable. I first emailed him with no response. I get the feeling he is not getting his mail. If you call him you might mention that so he can fix it.
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Ken McKay - Michigan - USA
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07-07-2004, 09:23 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Traverse City, Michigan | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by KSB - Ken Smith Ken M... the Endpin is in the middle of the rib at the block. | Well, then I think that taper is original. Yep, from this view that's what I think, for what it's worth.
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Ken McKay - Michigan - USA
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07-07-2004, 10:35 PM
| | Jeff Bollbach Luthier, Inc. | | Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: freeport, ny | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Ken McKay Well, then I think that taper is original. Yep, from this view that's what I think, for what it's worth. | Hi! Forgive me for interjecting here-but I'm not sure that logic holds. Makers usually place the hole offcenter, often closer to the top so that the instrument doesn't want to spin on the pin. If it were made that way then the taper could be the result of the years. Without examples of that being the makers style or examination of the interior, speculation of the originality of that taper is a little on the side of folly. But kudos on your skills to put those lines in the photo! |
07-08-2004, 01:15 AM
| | | | My only concerned thought on the lines added to the photo is that there may be some innaccuracy in the respresentation as perspective and lens distortion my have exaggerated the shape of the bass... |
07-08-2004, 01:31 AM
| | Banned
Owner: Ken Smith Basses, Ltd. | | Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Perkasie, PA USA | | Lens Distortion
Ray. may I invite you out to take your own measurements and report back to the Jury?..... You're only about 2 hours away from me.
BTW, I see by your profile you played with the Glenn Miller Band. When was that and was it with Buddy DeFranco? I ask because I worked with them when I was 17, 18 and 19. I kept quitting after a gig or two to do Jazz gigs but they kept calling me back. I got to do the Columbia House re-recordings in 1971, a two album set. |
07-08-2004, 01:41 AM
| | | | Measure? Naw. I was just pointing out that drawing straight lines on a photograph has its perils. Camera lenses are convex and tend to distort things spherically, and add to this perpective caused by the camera being even slightly off-axis and things that are otherwise straight won't stand up to a ruler placed on the photo.
I was with them a short time in '85 or '86. I was pretty fresh (musically) and didn't get on so well as I had only been playing a couple of years at that point. The drummer was really lame and I wasn't strong enough to carry him and sight-read the book. |
07-08-2004, 04:16 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Traverse City, Michigan | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Jeff Bollbach Hi! Forgive me for interjecting here-but I'm not sure that logic holds. Makers usually place the hole offcenter, often closer to the top so that the instrument doesn't want to spin on the pin. If it were made that way then the taper could be the result of the years. Without examples of that being the makers style or examination of the interior, speculation of the originality of that taper is a little on the side of folly. But kudos on your skills to put those lines in the photo! | Your interjection is good as gold! I thought most posts were centered. Live and learn. Thanks Jeff!
Right click on the photo, copy it, open Microsoft Paint in the accessories, paste the photo. Draw lines and squares on the photo an save as a .jpg photo.
Ken S, if you ever open it up let us know what you find in the way of altered linings and the like.
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Ken McKay - Michigan - USA
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07-08-2004, 04:54 AM
| | | | be careful whatyou ask for ! you might find him in a hotel with a butterknife and some hot water ! |
07-08-2004, 07:30 AM
| | Banned
Owner: Ken Smith Basses, Ltd. | | Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Perkasie, PA USA | | Hotel?
Don, that sounds a little strange in it self. It's best to tell the whole story or they are liable to think the wrong thing.
Ken W. , with a light and mirror, you can see the OLD corner blocks and lining and replaced lining on the C-bout as well.
Last edited by KSB - Ken Smith : 07-08-2004 at 08:41 AM.
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07-08-2004, 07:40 AM
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Originally Posted by KSB - Ken Smith Don, that sounds a little strange in it self. It's best to tell the whole story or they are liable to think the wronk thing.
Ken W. , with a light and mirror, you can see the OLD corner blocks and lining and replaced lining on the C-bout as well. | why do you think I only told "part" of the story ?! LOL |  | Thread Tools | Search this Thread | | | | 
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