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Double Bass Contrabassetto from the ground up

#221
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#229
with all this interest in the Kolstein Travel Busetto (Chris just bought one and I am seeing them around more) I just want to plug the Contrabassetto by Andrea Spada once again. Right now it is my main bass and it just rocks. The wood for one is not cheaper poplar but hand picked spruce top and flamed maple back and sides. OR like Kristian's new contrabassetto pear wood. The design is not limited to the beautiful violin cornered model like mine but can be many different designs custom made to order. The bouts are wider then the Bussetto so the tone is fatter deeper and more bass like. The neck off design is simple, light and totally elegant. The price right now with Brazil's economy in freefall is way less for way more. Remember a contrabassetto is not made from Brazilian woods (it can be and it turns out there are some great brazilian woods Andrea was telling me about) And Andrea is an Italian luthier who lives in Brazil. He studied under masters in Italy.
I think that anyone looking for a travel bass should check out the Contrabassettos for example check earlier in this thread for pics of all the different models. I really would like another in a Gamba flatback.
 
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#231
Plus 1 for Andrea - I have his "guitar shaped" bass - [This invalid link has been removed]

A terrific instrument and a terrific artist to work with.
Also, if you are looking for great bass bows, he works closely with Elias Guasti (of Guasti & Bottoni) in Brazil.
Definitely worth looking into
Louis
 
#232
Yeah Louis let me know if you ever want to sell one of those fabulous 5/8ths you own...I still think I want Andrea to make me a flatback gamba 5/8 with shoulders I can get around and that wonderful board Andrea puts on his basses. The more I see that guitar shaped instrument the more my traditionalism gives way to the beauty of them....
 
#235
oh no man, nothing against either you or the Kolstein, both are great. I am just trying to promote my good friend Andrea who really does make exceptional instruments...it is hard to make overseas commissions and I so believe in his craftsmanship... that I just want to promote his work. Plus I really believe in these smaller instruments in a lot of contexts for modern music.
 
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#236
When I got mine it didnt have a raised saddle. I put one on made by franz moser. It is kind of cool because it is adjustable, so you can change the tension ratio some. Since then I believe Andrea has been making them with raised saddles. It makes a huge difference almost immediately in the sound and feel of the bass. I still use the Moser adjustable one, it has a titanium bar that the tail cord rests on. Curiously after several years of having a wide range of possible places to put the bar (raises it different amounts) I have settled on it raised but not to an extreme. Just about where a well designed ebony raised saddle would be....
 
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#237
Shwashwa- what makes you think the saddles need to be raised? Here's my bass with its 1835 "grandmother". Both were set up by Jason Brown then at Lemur (The older Spanish bass is not mine). No mention of a higher saddle.

Flatback - hands off my Spada!! :) (but the 1812 Tyrolean is available till spring). Let me know if you're down in LA.
Louis
 

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