Uncletoad Takes Manhattan...or a frog gets lost in North Jersey.

[Uncletoad]

Between Xmas and New Years I traveled with my wife and Baby V to Closter NJ where my wife’s brother's family lives. It's a 15 minute drive over the GW to NYC. We go there once a year or so but this time I decided to try to visit some people from TB I knew from that area. What a great time that turned out to be.

First up I went to visit bribass (Brian Glassman). Turns out he lives about 3 miles down the road from where I was staying. Crazy. It worked out that my wife Cheri and Baby V ended up staying and hanging out with Brian and I, Brian's wife and their three kids. What a great family they have. We couldn't have felt more at home. Little Max even brought out his own toys to share with Baby V. Complete hospitality.

Here's Max and sister looking uber cute.




Brian's Prescott is outstanding. I played two notes on it and sunk in my shoes. This is a REAL bass. Warm, fat, articulate, sweet. A total package bass. I fell in love immediately. I could play that bass all day and never get tired. Repairs everywhere, tons of finish fixes; an instrument only a true bass freak would get. When Brian drew that Sue Lipkins bow across it the sound was absolutely gorgeous. That bow was outstanding as well. Fantastic construction. I see why her reputation is blooming so quickly.

Brian also had a German bass that was a great sounding bass as well. He was kind enough to make his way on that while I coveted his Prescott. We played together a bit. I found out quickly why he's such an in demand player in a place where it’s hard to be in demand. Chops, time, tone, arco, the total player I have aspired to be but haven’t shed enough to get to.





Baby V was very taken by us both playing and he was crawling around our feet messing with the basses and generally being cute in a way that parents love and non parents panic about. If you look closely you’ll notice Brian’s fantastic stance and hand position contrasted with my sloppy mess on the left. Schooled and principled on the right, street and stinky on the left.




We had a short stay as the kids and wives shelf life with basses and geekdom are short. I made it back several days later where we chatted across the kitchen table for hours. Gigs, gear, people, music, war stories etc. What a fabulous cat.

The last Friday of the year Cheri, her niece, and I went into NYC to do some Museums and shopping. We met up with Ed Fuqua at the Guggenheim. Got a chance to steal him away for some lunch around the corner. What another fabulous cat. Even my wife mentioned that my Internet friends are much much cooler than most of the dopes that I spend time with at home. Our conversation just scratched the surface of what I’m sure will be significantly more detailed conversations in the future. He taught me some juicy stuff about playing and we weren’t anywhere near a bass.




The next night we took Baby V to his first musical theatre performance. He’ll never remember it but we took him and my nieces to Radio City to see the Rocketts and the Christmas Spectacular. Seriously cheesy and completely over the top it’s a performance you could only get away with at the most over the top theatre I can think of. Nice intro to theatre for the young lad I think. Here’s us on the way out.




Sunday I met up with Donosaurus, Don Higdon. Here’s a guy that tells stories that I could listen to for days on end. He has such interesting life experiences. Showed me pictures of all these wonderful instruments he’s had. Told all kinds of stories about them. Showed me some of the music he was playing. Way over my head. I couldn’t read through that stuff to save my life. He was so incredibly humble and accommodating. He even strung up his bass with Spiros just so I could plunk on it for a couple minutes. How cool is that.

And that bass… Damn. Some Transylvanian made thing with violin corners, a ridiculously tapered set of sides, fat bottom bout, and a seriously freakishly good scroll. Played one note on that thing and I had to sit down. Clean, big, round and clear. Warm but bright at the same time. That bass is quick to respond with a fantastic sound pizz or arco, but rings with ease, as the top gets moving. Another bass I could play all day and not get tired of.

Of course by then my camera had run out of gas and I forgot the damn charger. Sorry Don, I don't even have some "stock footage" to insert here.

Edit: Here is a pic of that bass I stole from Don. Man she's a honey. Nice bass too.



Clearly these meetings were just the beginning of what I’m sure will be many others with these folks. Every time I meet the people from TB in person I’m amazed at how much even cooler they are in person than in print. I feel really honored that these folks made time for me in their busy lives. I’m humbled by how excellent they play and how kind they were to let some Internet guy from Ohio into their homes to share their toys and families.

One other thing I learned when I got home and picked up my Cleveland. It sounds great but nothing like those two other basses. It’s a good bass for $4K. Really good. But it’s nothing like the Prescott or Don’s Transylvanian. I realize now that what I’ve been looking for in my search through strings and all that other junk was not really a string thing at all but an instrument thing.

I have played some pretty high dollar basses, some even more expensive than those two, but I had not yet played basses with that kind of tone, ease of play, volume, clarity and power. The richness of that sound is really something. It’s addicting. I understand how people choose basses like that and then live with them for many years exploring how they respond and finding out how to play them. I understand why they spend tons of money traveling with them rather than renting or borrowing while on the road. It’s a relationship with an instrument I’ve not had and clearly have been wanting. It’s a relationship that drives you to play the instrument rather than needing to “take time” to practice.

The reality of my gigs is that most of them don’t require an instrument of that caliber. I see now that with instruments like that the requirements of the gig become irrelevant. It’s more about the act of making music on that instrument regardless of the gig. The idea is that rather than letting my gigs dictate my instrument I think perhaps my instrument should start to dictate some of my gigs.

That’s a big can of worms with a wife, a child, a business, a home, retirement etc to think of. In addition there is the feeling that I'm not worthy of such an instrument. There are such more talented cats etc etc. But I got bit pretty hard and I may not shake that bug...


To be continued...

[M Ramsey]

Toad,

You are my hero. When I grow up....well...let me put it this way. I've had the good fortune to meet folks I've established rapport with on the 'net. Most times, they all turn out to be very interesting individuals, some (very few) a little TOO interesting.

This confuser (computer) we sit in front of each morning, reading about basses, shows, strings, for sale, for trade, who said what about who, etc., etc., can be a very useful tool to expand our circle of friends, expand our musical tastes, expand our understanding of playing a piece of furniture.

Its called networking and I enjoy the interaction here on Talkbass.

Kudos to Uncle Toad. He quick-witted, sometmes in a semi-irreverent way, but I can tell from his posts he enjoys LIFE. Period. And does a good job of documenting these encounters he experiences.

Thanks, Toad, for sharing your Christmas vacation with us. Hopefully, I'll get up to Columbus as some point.

[Jason Sypher]

And they should read your story. Really just wonderful and heart-warming. Love the baby stuff as a relatively new father. I don't know what else to say, I just think this is a unique place on the web full of very, very nice people. Love being a part of it. Happy New Year all.

[fingers]

Ditto. Ditto.

Thanks for sharing Phil. I always love reading your posts.

If you ever make it up to Chicago I think a great meal and fine cigar are in order.

[Joshua]

Great post!

[Sam Sherry]

Definitely a great big ditto about how cool the folks on the board here are when we "meet."

Originally Posted by Uncletoad

The reality of my gigs is that most of them don’t require an instrument of that caliber.

Right, right, right. Most of the time on a gig NOBODY can tell what our instrument really sounds like in an accurate, controlled, unamplified environment. When we're lucky, A FEW people can tell.

Originally Posted by Uncletoad

I see now that with instruments like that the requirements of the gig become irrelevant. It’s more about the act of making music on that instrument regardless of the gig.

Right, right, right. This may not be 100% accurate but I'll toss it out there anyway: "I'm playing music for people. I'm playing the bass for me."

Originally Posted by Uncletoad

The idea is that rather than letting my gigs dictate my instrument I think perhaps my instrument should start to dictate some of my gigs.

I'm not going to follow you there, Phil.

I'm going to take my perfectly fine, undistinguished Romanian bass everywhere that my love of music and jazz lets me go. Every time I pick it up I say, "Damn, I am so lucky to play the bass."

After years of gear-hounding I was able to reach a peace: This modest instrument is capable of far more than I am. A bad bass is an impediment. A great bass is a joy and an inspiration. But at this point in this life, I'm able to take just as much joy and inspiration from a perfectly adequate bass. "It's the ear, not the gear."

Originally Posted by Uncletoad

To be continued...

You go wherever you need to, my friend. My answer is no more than that.

[Uncletoad]

Originally Posted by Uncletoad

The idea is that rather than letting my gigs dictate my instrument I think perhaps my instrument should start to dictate some of my gigs.

Originally Posted by Sam Sherry

I'm not going to follow you there, Phil.

I'm going to take my perfectly fine, undistinguished Romanian bass everywhere that my love of music and jazz lets me go. Every time I pick it up I say, "Damn, I am so lucky to play the bass."

After years of gear-hounding I was able to reach a peace: This modest instrument is capable of far more than I am. A bad bass is an impediment. A great bass is a joy and an inspiration. But at this point in this life, I'm able to take just as much joy and inspiration from a perfectly adequate bass. "It's the ear, not the gear."

Yes that was a bit over the top. I sometimes go for the way a line sounds rather than what it says and miss the mark.

I wrote this on Jan 1 but didn't get around to posting it until last night as I was working on the picture thing. My relationship with my Cleveland has improved greatly, I'm sure after this weekend's gigs we'll be happy friends again.

[Uncletoad]

Originally Posted by fingers

Ditto. Ditto.

Thanks for sharing Phil. I always love reading your posts.

If you ever make it up to Chicago I think a great meal and fine cigar are in order.

Oh yea. Love Chicago. Haven't been in a couple years. Might be due...

[Ed Fuqua]

Yeah it was a nice hang wit PapaToad and fambly (well I dint get to meet Vincent), sorry I was so tired we couldn't hang more Saturday night. The long holiday drinking finally caught up with me

I concur with Donosaur being a great guy to hang with and being wryly funny to boot. The first time we met in person he fell by a gig I had, walked up to the stand and said to the leader "Couldn't you guys find a bass player?" THEN he introduces himself. He's got a nice Sue Lipkins bow too, but French.

I also can't help but notice the goatee quotient in this thread...

[Uncletoad]

Originally Posted by Ed Fuqua

I also can't help but notice the goatee quotient in this thread...

I noticed that too.

Some kind of admission requirement I think.

[Damon Rondeau]

Me too me too me too, about all of it except the goatee. Love to do it myself and love hearing about it.

Long live TalkBass. Making bass-playing safer for everyone.

[bribass]

Originally Posted by Uncletoad

I noticed that too.

Some kind of admission requirement I think.

Yeah, Max and Vincent already know that and are working on it.

Phil, HNY!! wonderful to hang w/ you and your great fam. Had a ball playin' and talkin' 'bout life and the persuit of low notes. Thanks for the great pix and kind words about me, but you are WAY too modest.

Phil is even more witty in person and don't let him fool ya with that modest thing. He pulled a huge piz sound from all three of my basses. My plywood sounded so big in his hands it made me consider selling my German. He has the conviction behind his notes that only comes from the wisdom of years of real road pro band experience.

Yes, we bassists really are some of my favorite people and the TBers I've met so far certainly fit that bill. Uncletoad, Fingers, Mcmarket, Tyrone Bishop, my student Downneck all excellent, generous and interesting cats as are my peers in the NY area and other students as well.

Do you think there is something about the DB that attracts great people? Or is it the other way around? That very cool people choose the bass. The proverbial chicken or the egg thing.

Playing a really fine DB is kinda like discovering fine wine. Once you've spent some time savoring a high $ Dominus or Silver Oak it's hard to go back to Carlo Rossi or something that comes in a box. But hey, there are some very excellent wines under $16 from Berringer or Sterling, and even Chilean wines under $11 and those are way more apropriate with most meals.

Every time I take out my ol' plywood to a gig (my first DB that I bought in 1979) I'm reminded why I've never had the heart to sell it and how truly blessed I've been get to play the DB at all let alone to get paid for it.

Meeting great people thru music the great perc of the business.

Wishing all my fellow TBers health and all good things for '08!

Brian Glassman

[fingers]

Not to derail too much...

In my mind TBDB is a social networking site. That term is a bit of a dirty word because it brings up images of teenagers making crazy blog posts on their Myspace pages. The fact remains that it is. Just so happens we were all attracted here by the bass.

Phil's story is a great example of the power of the internet. The definition of community has changed. We still have to coexist just like in a brick and mortar community. The rules are just a little different.

Sometimes cyberspace meets the 'real world'. Being a active and productive member of the cyber-community makes that all the more fun.

Long live TBDB.

[MR PC]

Originally Posted by fingers

Not to derail too much...

This is a big part of my objection to anonymous posters. They are not 'full' participating members of the community in my mind.

How the heck do you "not derail to much"? That is a rare talent, indeed!

You don't like anonymous posters, thats fine, that's your right. But to say that they (we) are not full participants in the board is unfriendly. This has been discussed many times in the past here. It's not fun.

Maybe the next time you see some valuable information that will help your bass playing posted by an anonymous member, you should ignore it, even if it's that missing piece of the puzzle you've been searching for!

This thread is interesting thread, alot to be learned about the cats that choose to use their real life names, and parade together in real time once and awhile.

The pictures and stories of the kids playing together are great. They are always a reminder of how precious life is, and how it IS possible to get along despite our learned prejudices.

The basses; well that's gonna be long haul for many of us on the way to the Prescott and such. Good luck with you bass quest, Mr. Toad. I hope you get lucky!

[fingers]

I wasn't intending to be unfriendly or to start this conversation all over again. My apologies. I've removed that from my original post.

My only point was that people that choose to share some personal parts of their lives... pictures, gig notices, recordings, belchfests, websites, myspace pages, etc, etc... develop a very compelling online image.

Sorry to derail your thread Phil.

Long live TBDB!

[Kevin Hsieh]

So when I leave Manhattan to go back to LA, the infamous UncleToad goes to New York. I chose the wrong time to leave...

Maybe next time

Great post by the way. I still haven't met Brian Glassman, even though it was him who talked me into the string setup I'm currently using... a hookup is definitely in order

[KSB - Ken Smith]

Just how did you get from Ohio to NYC and back without stopping here in Pa?

Were you scared I might make you audition with a Bow to get in?

[Uncletoad]

Originally Posted by KSB - Ken Smith

Just how did you get from Ohio to NYC and back without stopping here in Pa?

Were you scared I might make you audition with a Bow to get in?

Airplane didn't stop in PA. Driving that distance with a 9 month old is too much. Flying was a bitch as it was. However you are going to have to put up with me in June when we drive back next time.

Audition with a bow is a sure fire way to leave me standing on the doorstep in the cold. Thank goodness these guys played German giving me a ready excuse or I'd have been stupidly embarrassed.

And speaking of that, after watching Brian play German it got me thinking about that too...


And those basses of yours.....

[Uncletoad]

Originally Posted by Kevin Hsieh

So when I leave Manhattan to go back to LA, the infamous UncleToad goes to New York. I chose the wrong time to leave...

Maybe next time

Yea. I'm going to make Ed suffer through a huge sitzin next time around as i drag all of NYTB to his gig next time I'm in town.

He'll never get a callback on that one.

[KSB - Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Uncletoad

Airplane didn't stop in PA. Driving that distance with a 9 month old is too much. Flying was a bitch as it was. However you are going to have to put up with me in June when we drive back next time.

Audition with a bow is a sure fire way to leave me standing on the doorstep in the cold. Thank goodness these guys played German giving me a ready excuse or I'd have been stupidly embarrassed.

And speaking of that, after watching Brian play German it got me thinking about that too...


And those basses of yours.....

Oh, ok.. a thousand apologies Sir Toad.

June will be just fine. For my wrong assumption and in public no doubt, I will change the audition to Pizz only for you. BUT, no slapping allowed on my Basses please. It disturbs all the Ghosts of the past owners that stayed with the Bass.

Did anyone here ever wonder that the old mellow sound we get with older Basses, that Mojo, that sweet color surrounding each note.. might just be all the souls the Bass took over the years?

Well, if you believe that then Luthers need to perform an Exorcism first before they start each restoration... Ahnolddddddd