Recent content by MarkWHolbrook

I did an experiment with my Upton 5 string. When changing the strings to some D'Adarrio Helicore lights my trusty Sprio B broke. So I put 4 new strings on, let them settle in a bit and played a bit while monitoring the sound with a frequency analyser and a SPL meter. Then added the Helicore...

I play a 5 string Brescian from Upton bass in the local symphony. Other players have extensions including one 5 stringer with an extension and a high C string. Some early classical and baroque music only had cello parts and the bass part was added later just doubling the cello part. With the...

I have a bass with a low B string and find the smartphone ap TE Tuner will tune down to that B. It shows the frequency it is reading so you know. Other features are a metronome and a good frequency analyzer that shows if your bass is stronger on the fundamental or a harmonic. Doesn't work...

Kung Fu Sharif is a great name for a band! I think my son's bass has about 4 braces across the flat back. Looks to me like it was made with 4 boards as the bottom bouts are quite large. I will see it again on Tuesday night as we both play in the local symphony and rehearse that night. I'll...

KungfuSherif: I returned the bass to my son so I can't take a picture of the grain of the top. I had to re-glue a back brace that came loose. It is the second one. I struggled to get it in place and braced through the f-holes. He needs it for two more local symphony concerts and if the...

Thanks Jake. I'll take a few more when the light gets better.

My son plays a flat back bass I'm trying to figure out who made it and roughly when. There is no label inside it. It has a carved spruce top and a wood flat back. Plays pretty nice. Paid about $3300 for it. It has a fingerboard with flat angles on it. Fairly nice tuners. Any help is...

I live in the mountains of Idaho, a similar climate to Denver but maybe a bit colder. I bought a fully carved Upton and before it arrived installed a whole house humidifier on my propane furnace. The furnace thermostat is very smart and can drive the humidifier by itself if the humidity falls...

I bought a 1930's Alcoa aluminum bass and it had some students notes from a math class stuck in a seam at the bottom of the bass. Had a hard time getting them out in big enough pieces to read but it was interesting. Along with the gum wrappers and other dust and debris from 75 years of being...

Here are a few pictures of the ISB luthiers at work. A massive amount of work is being done. I'm amazed.

My son and I are at our first ISB. About an 8 hour drive from our home so not too bad. The conference has been great. The sessions are plentiful and the ones I've been in have been well attended. A bunch of luthiers are building 2 basses this week and I've been checking in on them a couple...

Might post where you live so if someone close by has a bass for sale they can contact you. Best of luck and sorry for your loss.

Thanks for that information. The fretboard is probably original then.

James: Thanks for the encouragement. I need a winter project anyway. I play mostly in symphonic venues so a polished aluminum bass might be too flashy for that kind of work. I do have a question for the experts: The fretboard looks newer than the bass. It is also about 1/16" narrower...

Just picked up an old Alcoa too! It is missing everything but the body, frettboard and tuners. Now the big question. What to do with it? Buff it or not? The finish on the front looks pretty god but the back is very scratched. Can anyone tell me when serial number 393 might have been made?