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Double Bass Kudos to the Kolstein's

Jason Sypher

Jason Sypher

Jan 3, 2001
3,836
5,203
Brooklyn, NY
jasonsypher.com
#1
I know there have been some conflicting reports about the experience of auditioning basses at Kolstein's shop and I just want to say that I went over there today and Barrie couldn't have been nicer or more professional. I emailed ahead and called when I realized I might be late (no problem). Barrie let me play any bass in the shop and basically gave me a brief synopsis of every bass that was available up front and left me to my own devices. I've been there before so I knew to expect nice basses, set-up very nicely, but I found his current line-up of basses to be absolutely stunning. There seemed to be quite a bit in the 20-25K range and then more in the 35-50K range. The best bass in the shop for bowing was a Gagliano shop bass that was going for 50K. The all-time jazz winner was Arvell Shaw's enormous Prescott (the one played in the film High Society). Although these are fine basses and 20-50K is a lot of money for all of us, I must say that in general I found his prices to be pretty spot on. If you are in the market for a fine double bass don't pass up this shop, it's worth the trip. I also got to play his new travel bass which was pretty impressive as well.
 
#3
How does it feel? Well, first off, you have to absolutely find a place in your head to put the price tag where you won't be overly focused on it. When you first set out to get your "good" bass you figure that you have about 8K to spend and that you will find something really great for that money. Then you start going to the shops and watching the store owner scratching his head trying to find you something "decent" for under 10K... That's a real wake up call let me tell you. It becomes useful to just think of it as monopoly money or something. Now when Barrie says, "This Gagliano shop bass is 50K", I say, "that's pretty reasonable"! I guess I just got used to it. I play a bass that is valued at over 20K everyday and it is a pleasure. I had to get over the price so I could actually take it out in the world. I've had this bass under a tarp in a monsoon, playing happily along. It has to become "just a bass" in your mind or you'll drive yourself crazy. (Of course it is totally insured). Now, for me, playing a bass that is 50K is a real treat. Usually a bass like that will look incredible. The wood, the workmanship, the varnish, truly museum quality. Over and over again when I play them I am stunned by how beautiful an instrument can be.
Playing one is unbelievable. But I have to interject at this point that the really great ones only show their true nature with a bow. Not to say that the pizz doesn't sound great, because it does...but the bow tells the story. It's funny because now when I try basses (almost entirely with the bow) I have to remind myself to pluck them! Of course, here is where it gets tough to describe. For one thing, they feel great. All the parts of the bass just feel like they are in harmony with your body. Secondly, the bass responds instantly to the bow. The moment you think of the note, it's coming out of the bass. Thirdly there is a depth of sound that is hard to describe, it's like a voice. The bass also feels as if it is a living thing. Of all the basses I tried, one was just stunning. It almost didn't sound like a bass, as we think of it. The sound was so clear, so transparent, it was just another thing entirely. Of course, I bass only responds to what you play on it and I find that the better you become as a musician the more rewarding it is to play on a master instrument. But a great instrument can also guide you to becoming a better musician.
 
#4
Jason Sypher said:
But I have to interject at this point that the really great ones only show their true nature with a bow. Not to say that the pizz doesn't sound great, because it does...but the bow tells the story.
Click to expand...

I was shopping for basses in a lower price range last summer, and I made the mistake of picking up a $35+K English bass and putting the bow to it. I just couldn't believe what it felt like, and I thought to myself "this bass would change me." I ended up getting bit by the bug, and I found a way to get a loan and buy it.

It's true that the quality of the bass is kind of lost when I'm going through a cranked amp and playing with a loud drummer, but I've had more than one person (big band leaders or other musicians on the gig) tell me that there's a clarity in the notes that, crappy amp sound notwithstanding, is pretty much priceless. It's like when people say of old P-basses that they sit perfectly in the mix, or that they surround the other instruments without obscuring them; this is a special quality.

The thing I love about basses is that different ones are great in different ways. Most people who pick my bass up play one note and go "whoa....," but some people don't notice anything special. I played a $85K Testore on the stage of a concert hall once, and I just don't have the arco chops to know why it's a good bass (when I plucked it, it just went "thdd" and I thought "well, that wouldn't cut it on a jazz gig). But a pro was playing it, and the experience of walking off of the stage and into the audience while he was playing was stunning: there came a point when I got out into the hall where all of a sudden the sound went from "normal bass" to "voice of God."

I don't have a point, just that playing really great basses makes me glad to be a bassist!
 
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#6
$35+K English bass?
Gagliano shop bass for 50K?
$85K Testore?

Something seems a bit out of order here. Unless the Bass is either of questionable origin or in dis-repair I don't think these prices for Italian and English Basses are possible from a major Dealer.

I know of one English Bass going for 36k in USA but it is an unknown hand written label from the late 1800s and the Bass looks German in shape and design. I have seen some Italian Basses near 50k but most are from the 20th century.

If two, three, or more dealers agree somewhat close to the origin of a particular Bass, then it might be a safe bet. I often consult 3-6 dealers/appraisers world wide before making a purchase decision unless I know for sure what the Bass is.

Do I agree with all the names, dates and origins attached to every Bass sold in a Shop? Very often not!

A good part of the price game is the origin, maker and date. It would be nicer if the sound and condition were more of a factor but with these higher prices, 'pedigree' prevails.
 
#7
Price tags have fuzzy meaning. Pedigree will not make tone by itself. I have played basses marked at 30,000 dollars that didn't hold a candle to my $10,000 no-name Hungarian. Then I have also played some that did. It's all subjective. I just got home from David Gage's shop. Mario Pavone was there and let me tell you his 70 year-old (possibly Wilfer) German bass sounded truly gorgeous.
 
#10
Barrie has a great shop and a top notch selection of instruments. I consider myself very lucky to both live and work close to the shop and have dealt with Barrie from the time I was in High School until now 15 years later.

I would also comment the "High Society" bass is just an unbelievable instrument. Along with so many of the basses in his shop. It is a joy and honor to go to Barrie's shop and have the run of a great inventory. To this day everyone in the shop remembers my name where I went to school and who I studied with, that says allot considering I only play part time and have since sold my expensive instruments.

Ken brings up a great point, I personally put my trust in Barrie on his opinions and prices. I have no other choice since to me he is the one with all the knowledge. If I was to make a large investment again getting appraisals or opinions from other shops would probably be the prudent thing to do. I do sometimes wonder how he and others can really find common ground on setting prices in such an illiquid market. It is really fascinating....

BTW - From the first time I stepped into the shop Barrie has always spoken very highly of Ken Smith Basses and Ken's design. Ken your knowledge and thought process of "pedigree" instruments is very valuable.
 
#11
If you know your strings, you can pretty much suss all of that out. None of these basses were strung with gut which is probably what I would do with them. Even though the true test is the bow, I would still need any bass I buy to be able to do it all. That's problematic, I know. Two basses is the call of the day. For me I think that would be a big honkin' American Standard for the day to day gigs and a very nice little bass for mostly bowing. The Robles was very small and sounded sweet under the bow but also had a very strong pizz sound. I was very surprised. It was not as complex as the Carlini, not nearly as sophisticated but sound-wise, a good value...or? I did not care for the looks of the Robles...I know that shouldn't matter. The Carlini was drop dead gorgeous in every regard.

Regarding the Prescotts. I was both happy and saddened to finally have a dream come to rest when I played those two fine examples that only add to the Prescott lore. They are absolutely enormous and I could never own one!! Lovely but huge.
 
#13
KSB - Ken Smith said:
$35+K English bass?
...
$85K Testore?

Something seems a bit out of order here.
Click to expand...

Don't ask me, ask Andy Stetson at the Cincinnati Bass Cellar; those two basses came from his inventory and those were his prices. I bought the English bass (partly on your advice, Ken); it's attributed to "John Smith" and dates to the late 19th century, and although it appraised at $42.5K the seller was quite motivated and sold it for somewhat below his asking price of $35K. It ain't no Dodds or Gilkes, and it's been smashed up a few times, but I think that the just-less-than-humongous tone it produces is actually more useful for jazz amplification and recording.

As for the Testore, it sat in Andy's shop for a long time. It actually wasn't that great of a bass, as Testores go (so I'm told), but it had the proper pedigree so the price was high (although not high, I think you are saying, for a Testore). Perhaps the advice I once received is correct: when you want to sell a bass, do it in NYC, but when you want to buy one do it anywhere but.
 
#14
Jason Sypher said:
Of all the basses I tried, one was just stunning. It almost didn't sound like a bass, as we think of it. The sound was so clear, so transparent, it was just another thing entirely.
Click to expand...

Jason, which bass was that?

BTW-Your Tewksbury is beautiful. Is it heavy?

Jason Sypher said:
Of course, a bass only responds to what you play on it and I find that the better you become as a musician the more rewarding it is to play on a master instrument. But a great instrument can also guide you to becoming a better musician.
Click to expand...

Very true.

I bought my Prescott Gamba Shop Bass from Barrie almost 5 years ago. One of the best moves of my life. Barrie was a pleasure to do business w/ and I feel he gave me a good deal on it. I base this opinion on many factors one having shown it to Lyle Atkinson who previously owned the bass and sold it to Barrie some eight years before I bought it. Roberto Valle owned it between Lyle and I and traded in to Barrie for an Italian. Lyle told me what Barrie had paid him for it back then and said that Barrie had given me a great deal when I told him I only paid < 10% more than that for it 8-9 years later.

It's small for a Prescott, gamba shape w/ 3/4 length and width measurements, but very deep ribs so it can be considered a small 7/8. http://www.thetalkbasses.com/
It's a bit bigger than the famed 'Lafaro Prescott' and not a Busetto model. There are two that have the same shape at Volker Nahrmann's shop http://www.nahrmannbass.com/. It is heavy for its size. I tried a massive Prescott in Boulder, CO when I was bass shoping back then and I could never have humped around one of those for a living, but this one just spoke to me.

I knew it was a great Jazz instrument from the first note I plucked on it. I tried compairing it to two Italian instruments at Barrie's that were priced 10-20K more than this reconstituted, highly repaired, players, old Yankee bass. They all sounded wonderful w/the bow. The Prescott being dark, robust w/ complexity and character as well. The Italians (a Tarantino and a small Cavani as I recall) w/ lots of sweetness and response. But I needed to compare "apples to apples" so I had Barrie put Spiros on all three and adjust the bridges to more of a height that I was used to. Again, even w/ Spiros great arco on all, but Piz? The Prescott was clearly the Jazz monster of the three.
Lush, but penetrating w/ robust organic growl and room filling punch. I was in love. Barrie graciously let me have a generous trial period before purchasing during which time I tried many other great basses. I took out on trial a Boston player's gorgeous French Lamy from the 1870's, I tried the JB Allen basshttp://aesbass.com/bassgallery.htm that Arnold beautifully restored, a bass that Dave Holland once owned and many other basses that were priced lower, the same and higher than my bass. They were all great for different reasons, but this bass just seemed closest to my ideal voice as a player and has a certain 'thing'. Jeff Bollbach said it is the "ultimate Jazz bass".
It's no pristine museum piece. It's been thru the wars and back, but it's a player's bass that's obviously been kept around for that reason. I'm lucky to have it. It inspires me everyday.
 

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