Double Bass Contrabassetto from the ground up

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It has taken some time (he is a busy man) but Andrea is beginning the process of making the Contrabassetto. Andrea will take pictures of the whole process and I thought it would be a nice story of a bass and luthier to put them up here as it progresses. Over the past year I have had the chance to think about this new Contrabassetto and how I will use it. I am really excited by the idea of having a real acoustic carved bass that I can take virtually anywhere.
There are a few more videos of Andrea's basses in action. I'll post them here.

 

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I have some more pictures of the Contrabassetto taking form. THis will be a violin cornered instrument with a removable neck. Looking good. Im getting excited to play a new instrument and very happy that it will be svelte and light and easy to transport yet a fully carved beautiful resonant instrument.

 

[dkimbrobass]

I just think these basses are so cool

 

[flatback]

Really starting to get excited about this new bass. I have been looking at the Kolstein Travel Bass and while it looks great I think that Andrea's Contrabassettos are artistic statements of beautiful design.

 

[aesopslyre]

Thanks for sharing this informative thread with us. Just one question... Can't find any indication of pricing on Andrea's website. Ballpark figure?

 

[flatback]

Hey I talked with Andrea yesterday. The prices vary considerably depending on what you are getting. Andrea is building me a fully high end carved spruce roundback contrabassetto. THe important thing to remember about these contrabassettos is that they are NOT an Emenance or Czech- ese or Chinese ply made into a travel bass. These are fully carved basses designed and crafted from the finest woods and by a gifted Artist Luthier (you should check out some of his other beautiful modern designs for Viola and double bass and Cello) Andrea I think is looking toward the future of travel for the upright bassist, without compromising on the quality of an Artist instrument. As such his Contrabassetto's (in my opinion) have a kind of unique spot at the top of that field.
I play my 150 year old bass everyday on every gig, then when I travel, I use some other bass that is always ....different.
My intention with the Contrabassetto is to use it as my main gigging bass around town and outta town. My other bass I will string up with Guts and have it dedicated to that sound. Since commissioning Andrea I have done scores of gigs and every time I get my stuff in and out of the car or drag it across the city, I think about that slim light smaller (less feedback prone) instrument.
I looked all around for someone who had one here and finally I started a conversation with Andrea and found out that there weren't any.
I'm really hoping that this beautiful instrument will be a lightning rod for interest in his basses and that he will get many more commissions (Andrea is scrupulous with his business and a pleasure to work with). To that end I will be happy to show it to anyone interested in the Contrabassetto.
I do not have any monetary interest in Andrea's business, but he is such a great artist and wonderful craftsman and luthier and excellent person, that I really do want to help him succeed and to get more Contrabassetto's in to the hands of discerning traveling players worldwide....

 

[aesopslyre]

Hi, Flatback. Thanks for your reply. I have to say that it didn't satisfy my curiosity RE the question I posed, haha. For instance, I own a Chennell Arco, and they start at around $5000, I would say. Perhaps the instruments occupy a similar conceptual niche, although the mensur on the Arco is about 34"

 

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Zagora, 2015 - Making of... | Facebook
Here is my bass taking shape. Andrea is making such a beautiful instrument. The more I see it take shape the more excited I am by the prospect of playing this bass. Cant wait.

 

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My Contrabassetto is nearing completion. Andrea has made a number of pictures detailing his craftsmanship and artistry. I am so grateful to Andrea for making these pictures. On FB at Andrea Spada :: Liuteria d'Autore you can get all his comments too as well as pics of some of his other projects. I think it is such a compelling story how an instrument is made and particularly this instrument. One can see that at every stage (including a whole new top when a check was discovered in the beautiful spruce) Andrea always takes the high road creating a beautiful instrument.
I have long thought about a fully carved instrument that is smaller: I once played a 5/8 bass in Cremona that was just beautiful (with a 3/4 string length custom configured) and I almost bought it but that was back before the airlines were so utterly shaged up. Now it seems to me that the Contrabassetto (and other travel basses) are really the way of the future. I particularly like the fact that this is an artist instrument in a smaller package rather then a customized Chinese Ply with folding neck.
Again I will be happy to show the instrument to interested players in the Bay Area or Passing thru....The Model that I commissioned from Andrea is the Zegora which has a beautiful Violin cornered shape (reminds me of my teacher Charlie Haden's Vuillaume...in a smaller package) But Andrea has also made some other really beautiful designs.
Really looking forward to playing this instrument in the new year.
Thanks Andrea.

 

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More Pictures. The Instrument is nearing completion. Finest European Spruce Top, carved round flamed Maple back (ribs and neck), Pau Ferro Tailpiece. Finally just sold my old Vibraphone to pay for it. Sent Paypal effortlessly.
The bass comes with it's own custom made soft case which can be used either with the neck in place or with the neck in transport mode, off and folded down the front (which offers protection to the top.
I have been looking around the internet for other instruments of this nature and there are very few. Mostly of the Eminence variety. The first bass I saw like this was the Kolstein Travel Bass but what really drew me to Andrea's instruments is the fact that these are not reduced in size so much that they are no longer a real bass. These are chamber instruments that may not have the full projection of a full upright but also don't need to. I play thru an amp with a fine pickup and mic blended and I think that this new instrument will be perfect. Andreas video examples where he plays with a bow shows that the instruments are open and vibrant and full just smaller really drew me in to this instrument.
Should be here by February. It has been so great that Andrea has created this very informative visual diary of his work. If you check out his facebook page Andrea Spada :: Liuteria d'Autore he has annotated all of the pictures. In addition there are diaries of his other creations, including a half size Amalfi travel bass and others. I chose the traditional model partly because I loved how it reminds me of Charlie's bass and also because I wanted to be able to show the instrument here to other players and have a most quintessential example. But Andreas more modern designs also really appeal to me: His pear shaped instrument, half pear and Gamba all have incredibly beautiful lines and proportions. Andrea as you can see here from his work pictures, has really nailed the proportions so that the instruments have gorgeous lines.

 

[flatback]

Contrabassetto

 

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nuther shot

 

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again

 

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one more

 

[flatback]

THe bass is nearing completion.

 

[geoffbassist]

THe bass is nearing completion.

Exciting way to start the new year! I can't wait to see the final photos.

 

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Andrea will finish it when he gets back from Italy in January. He pulled out the fingerboard that he had for this bass (top quality Ebony) but there was some abnormality in it so he will pick up another Ebony board while in Italy. I have played my old Tyrollean Flatback for so long and when I got it (from Larry Grenadier) I just stopped looking at other basses. But watching this process (thru the pictures Andrea puts up on his FB pages) from the start has given me such a deep appreciation for just how much exacting Artistic work goes into a new bass.

 

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A bassist friend of mine was checking out Andreas different basses...Andrea is also making a half size travel bass right now...about the travel bass Andrea says that he uses a fixed bridge but that the player can adjust the overstand angle thereby changing the action....My friend wanted to know if the Contrabassettos came that way...Andrea says yes all his travel basses have this feature.
Now I wasn't expecting to get that feature. Truth is I was looking forward to letting the bass settle and then getting it tuned up and just playing it with a fixed bridge (I don't seem to futz with it much anymore) but as I read about this feature (Upton offers it on their travel basses and maybe others) I see what a great way to go. IF it works like I imagine it would be way better then having bridge adjusters because the luthier can set up the bass and bridge ratio perfectly and then the action is set but the player without affecting the tension on the instrument....
The deeper I get into this Contrabassetto the more I love it.

 

[flatback]

Here are the pics of the Amalfi's neck block