C extension history

[CPike]

Does anyone know when the first fully chromatic extensions began to appear? When I was coming up through high school and college in the '80s, the only ones I encountered were machines and the fingered variety, but when Edgar Meyer's Work in Progress came out in the early '90s I noticed his 4- capo extension. I'm interested in the history and evolution of the concept of extending the low string via instrument modification, not scordatura.
Chris

[Schoolhouse]

Good question! In his series of books from the 1960's, Raymond Elgar gives a short history of the extension. Specifically, "More About the Double Bass" 1963, chapter one.
This is an overlooked area of research.

Tom

[robobass]

Originally Posted by Schoolhouse

Good question! In his series of books from the 1960's, Raymond Elgar gives a short history of the extension. Specifically, "More About the Double Bass" 1963, chapter one.
This is an overlooked area of research.
Tom

Does the Elgar book show any gated extensions? I would be surprised. The first time I saw one was in around 1990 when a Harlem luthier named Gino Biondo showed me a "D" capo he had made. At about the same time my teacher, Homer Mensch, had David Gage build him a fully gated B-extension with ebony closures. I never actually got to play on it, but it put a bee in my bonnet, leading to my product. I know that a few orchestral players around the U.S. had already done this (chromatic latches), but I think the idea was still very new at this time.

I believe that the extension itself dates to late 19thC. Leipzig, but I know of no examples of chromatic gates before about 1990. There must be some out there!

[CPike]

Anyone else have any recollections about the first time they saw or heard of a chromatic/gated/capo extension? Luthiers, how about the first time you became aware of them or the first time you made one?