American Standard bass Database pages

Discussion in 'Basses [DB]' started by kipmartin, Nov 30, 2005.

  1. kipmartin

    kipmartin

    Aug 22, 2004
    nashville, TN
    endorsing artist: intellitouch tuners, sansamp, uptonbass
    hey all

    im building an American Standard basses database. it will provide info about known American Standard, King, King Moretone, and H.N. White basses. do YOU own one or more of these old American basses??? if you do, i implore you to PLEASE send me any of the following:

    - the serial number
    - a description (color, condition, original neck or not, etc.)
    - a guess as to the date of manufacture
    - odd things about the bass (refinned, no name brand imprint, no pinstriping, etc)
    - where/from whom it came from
    - known recording histories

    this is asking a lot, but i think it will be a cool resource.

    thanks

    kip

    kip martin
    www.kipmartin.net
    www.americanstandardbass.com
    [email protected]
     
  2. Eric Rene Roy

    Eric Rene Roy

    Mar 19, 2002
    Mystic, CT
    President: Upton Bass String Instrument Co.
    Hey Kip, good to see you on TB!

    We sold number #40 to a gentleman in Italy. Here is the link if you want it. http://uptonbass.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/50/products_id/237

    We also have number 368 in the shop Gary took on trade. It's in REALLY ROUGH SHAPE THOUGH! No pics or listing...maybe someday it will find it's way to stringrepair.com
     
  3. Brent Norton

    Brent Norton

    Sep 26, 2003
    Detroit, MI
    Kip - Another TalkBasser, Ike Harris, has (had?) been doing a fair amount of homework on the same subject. Search the bass forum for "American Standard," Ike will be in a few; PM him and see what you've both got.

    Now, to your questions... I used to own the following Ameriocan Standard:

    - the serial number: 2682

    - a description (color, condition, original neck or not, etc.): Honey blonde color, no shading. Obvious refin of mediocre quality. Excellent overall condition, original neck with a repaired break near the peg box. Original tuning machines. Had a paper label + serial number pencilled on inside of bass. Had the "American Standard - Cleveland, Ohio" brand on the back.

    - a guess as to the date of manufacture: I'd guess mid to late 50s.

    - odd things about the bass (refinned, no name brand imprint, no pinstriping, etc): Again, refinned, which also meant the painted purfling was gone. I re-"striped" the purfling. Fingerboard was a brownish-reddish wood, though no one was ever certain if it was actual rosewood... Hornbeam and others were mentioned several times...

    - where/from whom it came from: I purchased it from a local violin shop - don't know the bass' prior history.

    - known recording histories: N/A
     
  4. Ike Harris

    Ike Harris

    May 16, 2001
    Nashville TN
    Kip-

    PM sent due to my email not wanting to send.

    Ike
     
  5. kipmartin

    kipmartin

    Aug 22, 2004
    nashville, TN
    endorsing artist: intellitouch tuners, sansamp, uptonbass
    hi ike, all

    what does 'PM' mean in relation to emailing/posting on talkbass forums?

    ii was hoping ike that you could help me with info for my website www.americanstandardbass.com as i collect data about AS and King basses. any and all info is great--stuff about your bass (serial number, characteristics, recordings, etc.).

    i too am a professional bassist, usually working with nashville bands. see my personal website at www.kipmartin.net for info about me.

    hopethis makes sense!

    kip
     
  6. Ike Harris

    Ike Harris

    May 16, 2001
    Nashville TN
    Means check your Personal Messages.
     
  7. mchildree

    mchildree Supporting Member

    Sep 4, 2000
    AL/GA
    Somebody needs to dig up the link for the "ASS'es On Fire" event a while back, and post it for Kip. I'm sure he'd find it amusing...
     
  8. Chris Fitzgerald

    Chris Fitzgerald Student of Life Staff Member Administrator Gold Supporting Member

    Oct 19, 2000
    Louisville, KY
    Thar she blows!. [​IMG]
     
  9. mchildree

    mchildree Supporting Member

    Sep 4, 2000
    AL/GA
    Dang! That thread is from 2001! I've wasted a helluva lotta time in this place...
     
  10. Don Higdon

    Don Higdon In Memoriam

    Dec 11, 1999
    Princeton Junction, NJ
    My entry in that contest, Old 87, is for sale.
     
  11. Ed Fuqua

    Ed Fuqua

    Dec 13, 1999
    Columbia SC
    Chuck Sher publishes my book, WALKING BASSICS:The Fundamentals of Jazz Bass Playing.
    I thought we had agreed that you would give me any basses you didn't want to play anymore?
     
  12. Don Higdon

    Don Higdon In Memoriam

    Dec 11, 1999
    Princeton Junction, NJ
    That was when I was sick. (I owned 7 basses, folks.)
     
  13. Ed Fuqua

    Ed Fuqua

    Dec 13, 1999
    Columbia SC
    Chuck Sher publishes my book, WALKING BASSICS:The Fundamentals of Jazz Bass Playing.
    Sigh...pretty ones, too.
     
  14. basstef

    basstef

    Dec 18, 2004
    Bologna, Italy
  15. I own number 1730 now.
    It's been beat up by middleschoolers but it still works!
     
  16. tomshepp

    tomshepp

    Jan 11, 2006
    Maynard MA
    Congrats! Now let's see it. Pics please.
     
  17. MollyKay

    MollyKay

    Sep 10, 2006
    Southern PA
    Bass Hobby'ist
    Congrats on the new bass. :)

    I’m not sure where the American Standard and King Bass website will be hosted in the future, but I do know Kip Martin was offering to hand the project over to some one new. Recently on the bluegrass blog he offered the database to anyone who would take it over for “care and feeding”. He was behind on his updates and did not have the desire (he has had some health concerns recently) to continue to host the site. There was interest by someone other then me to host the site in the future. If I find out for certain where the new site will be hosted I let you all know. It would be a loss to the upright bass world for this historical information to not be shared and available.

    Here is the current link for now... http://planetkip.com/index.html
     
  18. MollyKay

    MollyKay

    Sep 10, 2006
    Southern PA
    Bass Hobby'ist
    Here is the original e-mail from 6/29/10 and note Bobbi Geyer offered to take this over but I do not know if that has happen.

    hi all

    anyone want to take over the American Standard Database website? i have another 50 basses to put in there. it would be 4-8 hours up front to catch it up and possibly clean up some stuff, and then maybe 15 minutes per week to maintain it as it is set up now. if you want to add more research and dig up more historical pics, thats up to you, if you do take it over, you get to be 'The Official HN White Upright Bass Historian'!

    im tired of airports, buses, vans, and playing way out in front of the beat. i just dont have it in me to do the same 40 songs at the same old summer bluegrass festivals ("Its always nice to be back in...uh, where are we again?"). maybe i just need a break.

    seriously, anyone want it? its at www.planetkip.com right now. you can move it to any site name you like, even wordpress, which is free. just let me know soon as im yanking it off the web in a couple weeks if no one else wants it. and could someone mention it on TalkBass, please?

    thanks!

    kip

    kip martin
    [email protected]
    www.facebook.com/bassophonic
     
  19. no!
    that's an awesome resource!
    i will email him and see about getting new hosting set up for that.

    aMbx3.jpg

    there's the ugly beast! #1730!
     
  20. Let's get some hosting for this secured and I will be willing to help maintain the data.
    Anyone have any leads? I'm poking my tentacles out seeking some help as well. Let's do this!