My "new" Bass

[jakeyramone]

I bought this bass this past summer while in Columbus, OH. I just thought about putting it up with some pictures.

The bass is a Testore solo bass. It has a lush sound and a milky, singing solo register. I've got Helicore Orchestras on it right now and I'm very, very pleased with it. The bass was made in China to cut costs and the varnishing and set up was done by the Reileys. The bass design and every bit of the overseas production was overseen by them and I thank them for it.

I had been shopping for a bass and pretty much had $7,000 limit. I was about to enter my Senior year of high school and mom and dad thought that I deserved a high quality instrument before I went off to study in college. Aaron Reiley came with a truckload of basses for us to try out at the American School of Double Bass with Dr. Mark Morton and this the crowd favorite as Dr. Morton played an excerpt and part of the Koussevitsky Concerto on each bass. I picked it up and knew I had to have it; this bass and I were destined. I called my parents and told them I had found it. It was bought on the spot that night.

Now before you think I'm a fool for such a thing I had traveled to the Loft Violin Shop in Columbus the day before and felt the same disappoint as I had felt before. I had been to Chicago, Nashville, and Cinncinnatti on bass shopping experiences. Hell, I had even played the Karr-Koussevitsky bass! I knew me and this bass were destined from the moment I played it.

This was Dr. Morton's favorite bass. My teacher at Western Kentucky Univesity, Dr. Bill Scott, was amazed by it. Sidney King at the University of Louisville was impressed by it as well. It's my proof to bassists my age that you can get a great instrument for $5,000...you just might have to seriously shop for a year and a half before making up your mind.

Enjoy,
-Jake

[ispider6]

Hey Jake,

Congrats on the new bass! You must be totally pumped! Can you give us some details regarding maker, origin, etc? It appears to be fairly new.

Thanks

[GriffithLea]

Jake, it's a beaut. More pictures!

You're lucky to be able to work with Mark Morton, as I'm sure you know.

[Nick Ioannucci]

congrats, i just picked up a bass to take to college as well for under 5,000. I love my upton hawkes hybrid. good luck!

[JoeyNaeger]

Ah the memories...being there when he bought it, I can confirm that is a very solid instrument indeed.

[jakeyramone]

It's odd about the maker. I'm sure it was produced by a team of very skilled Chinese worker but no name of the maker is on the label. It says, "made especially for Steven Reiley." It's funny how many of the fine Chinese lutheirs don't take more pride in their work. This brought to my attention by Dr. Shao-lan Lee at ASODB. She is an asian woman and she seemed kind of disappointed in that fact but was very pleased with my instrument.

I added another picture of the scroll work. It is a pratically brand new instrument in the fact I am it's first owner. It was built in 2005 and just sat around for a year or so before landed up in my hands

-Jake

[bpclark]

Big congrats Jake. Based on what I remember of the bass you were playing on the year before, it must feel like you went from a Yugo to a Mercedes.

Now I'm jealous and sorry I missed the camp this year.