Arnold, Pollmann for deSola?

Yes, I recognize the bass as one of a pair Wil imported from Michael Krahmer's shop. It was a new design for Mike at that time. I think Wil had one with a maple back and one with a poplar back. I was not involved in the sale to the current owner. They were very nice basses with excellent workmanship.

Eric, I'm surprised you'd remove the top for such a minor repair. I consider top removal invasive and a last resort.

 

" A few shops offered different opinions on how to repair, from opening just a bout and prying the top open enough to get a clamp in there to drilling holes through the ribs to affix cleats with piano wire."

There was a small-ish crack on an upper bout rib on my Jusek that was repaired by drilling a couple tiny holes and pulling a cleat with a thin wire. It seems to have done the trick and hasn't fallen off in the 12+ years that I've owned the bass.

BTW, that's a beautiful Pollman

 

I agree with Arnold. I think some custom type Clamps could hold a pre-Shaped patch using the Rib to reverse mold it. I would put some glue in the crack and maye a Patch until one day when the Bass really has to have the Top off. I had a crack on my Martini that was Glued with no Patch at all down by the Bottom just off the Bass Bar. Then shortly after coming to USA from Italy, another tiny crack at the bottom spread up a few inches next to the other on. I just pust some glue in it and used some wood blocks and the Tailpiece as a clamp for pressure.

When I brought it to Arnold for the C extension job he mentioned he can glue and patch them both with some special long clamps he has without removing the top. If one day the top comes off, it can be re-done if necessary. The Bass was last opened in 1999 by Sergio Scaramelli in Italy. Taking the top off is a last resort in my opinion as well.

 

I saw this bass before it went to Upton.My opinion was the top would have to come off to do it right.The crack would not flex under fiinger pressure from outside the bass.Real stiff ribs...I had no time w. my work load to get this back to the client on a timely basis.The crack was out of line w. itself like a fault.
I am curious about the wonder clamps that could fix this with out removing the top...Arnold ???

 

I'm embarassed to say that sometimes, I go to that repair page for fun and read through all the stories of injured basses.

My favorite by far is the Prescott, the one where you actually x-rayed the scroll. That is just too cool.

Sorry for off-topic..

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-1947-KA...ryZ16222QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

On the ebay kay, the strings are backwards....uhhhh?

 

This picture was "nice" ......

 

I've really enjoyed your string repair documentaries and I hope you will continue them. They are among the highest quality explanatory photographs I have encountered on the web. Beyond the other points you bring up, it really is appropriate to showcase this level of workmanship. It is the healthiest way to build awareness and trust as well as respect for the repair business where the customers are often confused about what happens to an instrument behind closed doors. You are putting it all out front for anyone to see or judge or second guess. I have to say that I whole heartedly support your efforts, method, and integrity. Thank you for sharing so much with us, Eric.

 

I remember seeing a documentary of Yo-Yo Ma many years ago. They showed him taking his priceless Stradivarius in for some kind of repair (I can't remember the luthier's name). Ma stood there dumbstruck as the luthier removed the top as casually as he was buttering an English muffin. Now that's cajones.

 

After looking at the repair pictures I was struck by the fact that I have seen few newer Pollmanns that do not have an antiqued finish. I’ve heard it mentioned that one of the reasons for this is that it’s easier to finish an antiqued look since less care is need in the finial prep, a ding is a ding. Although this kind of makes sense, I have a hard time imagining the masters at Pollmann taking such a market driven approach. I guess the other side of the reasoning is that customers want an antiqued look. But all…?
I had a similar crack on my bass (ouch) a couple of weeks ago and Ben at Hammond Ashley put in 5 cleats. He mentioned that he would change the repair next time the top came off (never I hope).

 

The poellman antique finish is actually more labor intensive than a regular finish and is designed to give the inststrument a "warmer" feel and look, as well as to lessen the trauma when the bass gets scratched for the first time. They've been doing that finish for a long time. I saw a 1950's bussetto at Kolstein that had the same finish, and it seems to be a poellmann trademark.
-Jon

 

Mike Krahmer is so skillful in antiqueing it's amazing. At the ISB competition he had a bass that was so incredibly antiqued it even had worm channels! I spent 15 minutes just staring at the bass and shaking my head. Edge dings, bow tip dings, worn out varnish areas, etc., etc. Nothing obvious, it just looked like a 200-year-old bass. Oh, yeah, and by the way, it won a silver medal for tone, and was promptly snatched up by Tango great Pablo Aslan...

Do I sound jealous?

 

And about those Clamps....Arnold????

 

I'm no luthier, and at the risk of seeming to blow my own horn too loudly, I made a couple of these that worked well for putting cleats on a flat back without removing it. I'm sure some variation on the theme would work for tops and ribs too.

 

Eric,
Those look nice ,but I guess I'm the slow one of the bunch.
How are you able to use these with out at least opening the back somewhat?? Please explain...

 

I really appreciate your "open door". I also think that's something more typical for the USA, and can't imagine a similar openness for Europe, or in particlar Germany ...
BTW, I liked your light hose for double bass illumination.