What Blonde Bass is...

[Barron]

...Avery Sharpe playing in this video?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwMPZ...eature=related


A fabulous no-prize to the correct answer.


Plus a discussion topic: this blonde sounds fantastic, don't you agree? Why do we not see more of these types of doublebasses used in acoustic jazz?

[drurb]

Originally Posted by Barron

...Avery Sharpe playing in this video?

YouTube - McCoy Tyner Trio - Monk's Dream


A fabulous no-prize to the correct answer.


Plus a discussion topic: this blonde sounds fantastic, don't you agree? Why do we not see more of these types of doublebasses used in acoustic jazz?

Kind of looked like those could be Kluson tuners, which would make it a...

In any case, what sure sounds good is his playing! Hard to hear the character of the bass through that amplification but what I hear doesn't sound very good to me at all.

[Barron]

Originally Posted by drurb

Kind of looked like those could be Kluson tuners, which would make it a...

In any case, what sure sounds good is his playing! Hard to hear the character of the bass through that amplification but what I hear doesn't sound very good to me at all.

Sound quality overall is terrible, I agree...but what I can hear of the mid and upper register sounds rich. Maybe it's the fingers. Age old debate. I'm more intrigued by the blondes myself. Not many use them. What's up with that?

[Jake deVilliers]

Originally Posted by Barron

Sound quality overall is terrible, I agree...but what I can hear of the mid and upper register sounds rich. Maybe it's the fingers. Age old debate. I'm more intrigued by the blondes myself. Not many use them. What's up with that?

Judging from the brief look at the side view available toward the end of his solo, it looks to be a German shop bass. The rib crack says 'solid wood', the thick neck says 'not a Kay' and the darker ribs and back say 'refinished top'. The wider bottom suggests Markneukirchen maybe. Really good playing either way!

Edit: This interview says he plays a 1936 Roth - http://www.bassplayer.com/article/av...g/jul-09/97433 and here's some pix of a '39 EH Roth - nice basses: http://www.daveswiftbass.com/pages/b...oublebass.html

[Freddels]

I saw them live a few years earlier (around '85) at Caravan of Dreams in Ft. Worth and Avery was playing a much darker bass. I don't know what it was and it could have been a loaner but it was definitely darker in color.

[TroyK]

To my ears, I just hear "underwood". Not to be taken as an indictment of the playing in any way.

I'd say the color of a bass is about 12th in my line of priorities. It does look nice, but I'd never choose a bass for it's color.

[Barron]

Originally Posted by TroyK

I'd never choose a bass for it's color.

More like I was avoiding them, really. Not looking for the Kay "thud".


I like to hear other people play them in context though.