Kolstein 7/8 Carved Bass

[Pastor Hal]

For sale is my Kolstein Liandro DiVacenza Bass (B600)--fully carved, flatback, violin cornered, D-neck. I purchased this bass new in 1999 from Kolstein's shop in New York. He calls it a "modified 7/8 size." It has a fairly large body and a very playable 42" string length. Body length is 45", Upper Bout is 20-5/8", Lower Bout is 26-5/8." Two-piece spruce top, four-piece maple back, maple ribs, reddish-brown amber varnish. You can read a little more about these basses on Kolstein's official page here: Kolstein Music, Inc.: Liandro DiVacenza Orchestral Bass (B600)

This bass was made in Kolstein's sister shop in Romania to Kolstein's specifications. Setup was performed in the Kolstein shop in NY. It is strung with Kolstein Heritage strings, a very nice hybrid string that has excellent sustain for pizz and a good response under the bow. The bass has a big, dark sound. Kolstein calls this an "orchestral" model, but its sound is very well suited to jazz, bluegrass, and other genres with the appropriate stings. It has served me well for classical, folk, bluegrass, jazz, and Klezmer.

I have always kept the bass in a climate-controlled environment (i.e. properly humidified in the winter.) It has never had a crack or a seam open. There are a few cosmetic dings on the edges of the shoulders, as you can see in the photos below. There is also a little tarnishing on one side of the brass plate of the tuning gears.

Kolstein lists this model for $3900, including an excellent thickly-padded iLi cover and a (very cheap) bow. I'm offering mine for $3200 including the cover (no bow). I will also consider a trade for an AI Ten2 (in excellent condition) + cash. The bass is located in Chapel Hill, NC. I will travel up to 50 miles to deliver it to you. If you want the bass shipped, I will see about arranging shipping at your expense.



















Closeups of the little nicks around the edges:





And the bass in the bag:





Feel free to contact me with any questions!

- Hal -

[Pastor Hal]

In response to some questions I received by PM, here is some more information and a few more photos.

The fingerboard is ebony and in very good condition. Its thickness is typical for a quality instrument. The flash photos below don't quite do it justice. There are some nicks and scratches from the strings at the bottom, but otherwise it is smooth and easy to play on. A couple of thing set it apart from many fingerboards. One is that the wood has some lighter-colored veining running through it. In most light, it is not nearly as prominent as it appears in the photos below, and I find it quite attractive. The other is that the fingerboard is curved as is typical on the G-A strings, and is beveled on the E string side. It may appear odd on close inspection, but I have not found any difference in playing on it compared to a more typical curved fingerboard. I have switched between curved and beveled fingerboards quite transparently.

At the end:



By the neck block:



By the nut:



The bridge is adjustable, and has very nice wood adjusters. When the bridge is at its lowest setting, the string heights, measured at the end of the fingerboard, are:
G: 6mm; D: 6mm; A: 6.5mm; E: 7.5mm

A closeup of the bridge and adjuster:



- Hal -

[Pastor Hal]

Sold to a TB-er. Thank you, TalkBass!

- Hal -