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Double Bass Aluminiminty

#21
james condino said:
Hi Jason.

I play with a number of folks in different genres, but my regular gig is with The Dirty French Broads (named after a local tributary of The French Broad River). 'Not the most technical band I've played with, not a very good studio session band, and they have plenty of growing pains like all of us, but on a good day they put on a hell of a live show and rock the crowd beyond their expectations. That is whet it is all about for me. Plus they make pretty good $$$, unlike when I play a million notes a night crankin' out Django and jazz for a $24 paycheck...

Lemme know when you need a sub for your "regular gig"!
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Yeah, I found the Broads and the Django. I’m very intrigued by your NOT playing in a two feel with the Broads material. Gives it a different vibe for sure!
 
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#23
DB66 said:
thinking about buying an aluminum bass this year, if anyone knows any for sale please pm me. THX.
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I don't want to messup any commercially mumbo jumbo; 'just replying to a question asked.

John Hay and I usually have a couple of vintage ALCOA basses in stock. Prices and quality will usually be similar, it is just a matter of location. He is in Detroit and I'm in North Carolina. They ain't cheap, but why should they be when I rent mine out to famous rock stars for $1000+ per weekend, as shown below.

In case you are wonderin', that one is running a full Circle blended with a Realist run into the mains, probably my least favorite combination, but it got the job done quite well for the Halloween show last year. There is a KRIVO mounted up, but they chose not to use it as the FC & R are what Royal uses for his old Kay.

 
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#24
Don Hergert said:
An interesting question is if a "normal" Pfretz aluminum sounds different from a "normal" Alcoa. Both the aluminum DBs pictured in this thread are Pfretz's. There are some significant differences...

A stock or mostly stock Pfretz will have a wooden neck and scroll, and a wooden body skeleton around which aluminum sheeting is attached by screws. It has a wooden bass bar, a wooden sound post, and I'm guessing a wooden endpin / plug assembly too. I say mostly stock because I don't know if any Pfretz's came painted -- I've not seen any in pics or live that had original paint.

With a stock Alcoa, the only wooden parts are an internal support assembly inside the neck, the fingerboard iitself, the sound post and the endpin / plug assembly. The aluminum body is welded together and includes a welded aluminum bass bar and a welded aluminum soundpost-base. Otherwise the body is empty. The outer part of the neck including the neck heel and scroll are aluminum parts welded into place. And lastly, all of the original Alcoa DBs that I've seen, including mine which has been refinished in powder coat, were originally painstakingly painted to look like wood. My understanding is that some were also originally painted gold.

Note: My understanding is that both the Pfretz and Alcoa aluminum DBs also originally came with a maple bridge and an ebony fingerboard and tailpiece. None of these original parts have been with my Alcoa since before I owned it.

Our own @james condino of course is THE expert on aluminum DBs. He's seen, played and repaired more of them than probably anyone living today, plus he's actively gigging with them. He could probably provide a comparison of the acoustic sounds of these two Aluminum DBs better than anyone.
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The basses I posted are one of each; Alcoa, and a Pfeshner.
 
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#28
John Hay said:
Here’s a good view of what I have.
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Hey John,

I notice that your Pfretschner is a round back. I could swear that the only other one I’ve seen had a flat back. Am I crazy? Do you know whether they made two versions?

Also, the prices on both your basses seem ultra-reasonable. Didn’t these used to sell for 10k plus?
 
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#31
GretschWretch said:
Heavy weather is on its way. Don't take your aluminum bass outdoors and then stick your tongue against it.
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I've observed that the thick powder coat finish on my Alcoa does tend to insulate against touch related heat and cold injuries.

I have a raw aluminum bodied Dobro that I cannot touch in the sun on a hot summer day, gotta play it in the shade.
 
#32
eh_train said:
... I notice that your Pfretschner is a round back. I could swear that the only other one I’ve seen had a flat back. Am I crazy? Do you know whether they made two versions? ...
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Watching for John's and/or James' response, but in the meantime no, you're not crazy. I've seen both round back and flat back Pfretz aluminium DBs. It would be interesting to know if they were produced at separate, different times and if one version is more common than the other.

(Here's post #221 in the DB/TB Aluminum Acoustic Double Bass Club thread, showing a Pfretz flat back... With hat pegs too :D .)
 
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#33
Pfretzschner flatbacks are more common, but they also made roundbacks.

Pfretzschner roundback.jpg
 
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#34
I like the flaming O decal, James.

Mine is a roundback. One thing that I’ve done is add some grip tape under the bridge feet. It’s a product that Lee Valley sells ( I’m not sure if they still have it. I bought mine several years ago.
I think it adds a slightly better tone and has the added benefit of stability. The aluminum can be slick.
 
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