Replying to my original Luke Medley bass question

plucker · #1 09-18-2006, 10:21 PM

Since all of you were so eager to give an opinion on this luthier's work and no one having seen one or heard of him, I thought it best I check it out. The braces are scalloped just like a Martin guitar... It has two bass bars...and a modified soundpost.. the only neck that I know of sweeter than that one is on a J-45 gibson... (sorry Non-bluegrassers I don't mean to be talking over your head).. If you are going to use a bow get another bass.. the particular bass I played was #134 .

Now answering my original post... Yes I have played a Medley bass.. and if will shake the walls... I liked it so much that mine will be # 142

**Matthew Tucker** · #2 09-18-2006, 11:44 PM

Where does the modified soundpost fit? Under the second bass bar?

plucker · #3 09-19-2006, 12:42 AM

My understanding was that he trimmed the soundpost back to accomodate the 2nd bass bar. I was assuming that he fitted the soundpost just behind,but then you may be correct in your thought. the story of the 2nd bar I thought was interesting.. He did not intend to do that originally. he had built several and one day was working on the top,received a phone call and was trying to talk to someone on phone and work at same time.. he was not paying attention and placed the bar on wrong side.. he said rather than ruin a top trying to get the bar off ..he decided to just put an additional bar in ..and then he modified the sound post in trying to make things work.. all the time never intending to sell it because he did not think it would sound right... I played one that he had just "strung up" this morning and it sounded like a 30 year old Kay with a neck that is unbelievable...

**Matthew Tucker** · #4 09-19-2006, 12:49 AM

Wow. If he is able to - in the space of a phone call - one-handedly fit and glue in a bass bar, no matter which side, my esteem for this guy leaps several notches!!!!!! Even if he was using hands-free :-)

What's so good about the neck?

plucker · #5 09-19-2006, 07:54 AM

*L* Matthew.. From talking to the guy and observing him he gets into long conversations.. I think he may have set the bar,then took the call,coming back quite a while later. One conversation with this guy and you know he is NOT a multi-tasker! The neck is so slim,that a young kid could play the thing with no trouble. one concern I had was when people carry basses,they seem to reach under the fingerboard and get a hand hold there,and I thought the fingerboard might get pulled in time...but he makes an adjustable rod,with a flat piece of metal that comes down underneath..and should a problem arise it can be adjusted. I am anxious to take it to one of the all night jam sessions and see how the left wrist feels after several hours..