Double Bass Contrabassetto from the ground up

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Here are a few shots of the instrument as it is nearly finished....or ready to be finished...

 

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Several more pictures. Andrea is closing in on the final parts of the instrument now. Everything looks great today although my wife saw the picture and said "It's a wee little thing isn't it?" "Yes but it is a travel bass, it has a full sized fingerboard"

 

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Furthermore some pointed shoe nit whit kicked a whole in the (150 and very thin upper bout) side of my bass the other night at the Dry Creek. He gave me this shifty look . I knew I should have put my bass in its case before I went.... If it had been this bass I would have plenty of room. I play on small and dangerous stages sometimes, between tables, in doorways. Be nice to have a smaller instrument that still is a bass.
Truth is I imagine I'm going to take it all sorts of places just because of its portability, and yet still acoustic.
Andrea is already a year or more out with commissions and I'll bet the wait gets longer. It is just such a great form factor for gigging. There is a guy who I think is waiting for Andrea to start in his and I can feel his excitement growing, so glad mine is almost ready.

 

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Custom made machine winders. Beautiful Scroll.

 

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Getting very close now. Andrea just cut put the whole instrument together for a first play. I think it looks gorgeous and I am very excited to see the final progressions. One can see how much smaller it is then a normal bass and yet it still has plenty of body.

 

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First undercoat. THe grain and quilting of the maple is so beautiful. I really love his design principle and man his work is just so nice. My old bass is a Tyrollean with a neck that really needs to be reset for modern playing (a block made) and now the shoulder has a hole in it. I am really looking forward to playing a more demure bass that will be both easier to control in terms of posture and ergonomics but a way easier schlep (but not a big electric bass). I am sure that the new bass will need a long time under the bow, I have been meaning to really get into that for a while. It will be so great to play a modern set up with a new board and no buzzes or seams or creaks or cracks. And man the beauty of Andrea's choices. I have not dealt with the Customs Duty yet so maybe I will have a depressing surprise, but so far with the mutually beneficial exchange rate, having Andrea build a bass (considering all the craftsmanship and unique design and application as a removable neck travel bass) is way in the ballpark. ( a couple of people have contacted me privately about prices, and there are so many variables that it is best to shoot Andrea an email to discuss it) I know there is at least a years worth of commissions maybe more.

 

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Final coats of varnish

 

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5th coat

 

[Seiki]

Forgive me if I come off as asinine, but is there.. a history of the contrabassetto as a member of some sort of instrument family? Before this thread, I had never known of the existence of the thing, and wonder if it is something that naturally evolved or if it's some sort of modern creation.

Translation: there's no Wikipedia article to force-feed me knowledge and my nearby libraries do not offer too much in terms of instrument lutherie

 

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No Worries. Andrea Spada the inventor of the Contrabassetto designed the instrument as a small bodied removable neck travel bass. It is a fully carved yet small instrument. Bigger then a Cello but slightly smaller then a 1/2 size bass. I discovered Andrea's website and became interested in the Contrabassetto because I wanted a travel instrument that was not a plywood Chinese instrument or an instrument that was chopped up into funny shapes or without a real body. I asked Andrea if there were any in the USA that I could try out and there were none. After some thought and discussion with Andrea I made the plunge and over the course of the past year Andrea has been making me this exceptional bass. It is nearly finished and when it has arrived here in the USA ( I am in California in the Bay Area) I will be glad to show it to those with interest. I was very attracted (as are many of his customers) by the idea of a modern bass with removable neck (a benefit of the removable neck is that the overstand can be adjusted without changing the height and tension of the bridge and strings) that will amplify well and be a beautiful work of Luthierie. I chose this design for its classic looks and because I wanted the first one here to represent a classic version, but Andrea has many designs, some of which are very novel and different. Andrea and I agreed that it would be a great idea to tell the story of this bass in shop pictures to show the workmanship and artistry involved. I am thrilled with the pictures and eagerly anticipating the arrival (soon) of the instrument. Andrea has made many Contrabassettos that are played both in Orchestras and modern music settings all over Brazil. Andrea is Italian (and makes annual journeys home to purchase the highest quality tone woods from European sources) but lives and works in Rio.
I am thrilled that it is possible in this modern world to make connections like this and to bring His extraordinary design and craftsmanship to the USA.
check out Andreaspada.com and Andrea Spada :: Liuteria d'Autore for complete pictures of all his projects.

 

[Seiki]

Most interesting - so it's an adaptation of an instrument for the sake of convenience and necessity. I'm incredibly interested in the end result, and if you are capable of uploading a video of yourself playing (and, of course, hear), I'd be super thrilled

 

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Yes My calculus for the this instrument and my playing style is this: I play in many places where a smaller instrument would be an advantage. 90% of my gigs are amplified. I like an acoustic amplified tone (a mic and pickup mixed or just a mic) and in most situations I do not necessarily need to project my purely acoustic tone to the end of the hall but I do want that acoustic tone (even if it isn't loud) to be beautiful. I want the instrument to be beautiful too. (I don't like the aesthetics of the Czec-ese or severely diminished body sizes) and I love fine craftsmanship. I want to play a real bass but one tailored for modern times and for modern stages and amplification requirements. The Contrabassetto more closely meets those expectations then any other travel or removable neck bass then I have seen. I fully expect that other luthiers will begin adopting this design (with the neck off and in its soft case it fits in an overhead bin) and I hope that when they do, that Andrea will benefit. This bass took most of a year to hand carve and is made from the finest european tonewoods, but I think Andrea is also thinking toward the future and making a more accessible instrument. I am really grateful to him for putting his designs out there (here) and so fully documenting his process.

 

[mikeGJ]

It is gorgeous, but given my experience with a plywood 3/4 DB, you will get lots of "nice cello" compliments!

Yes My calculus for the this instrument and my playing style is this: I play in many places where a smaller instrument would be an advantage. 90% of my gigs are amplified. I like an acoustic amplified tone (a mic and pickup mixed or just a mic) and in most situations I do not necessarily need to project my purely acoustic tone to the end of the hall but I do want that acoustic tone (even if it isn't loud) to be beautiful. I want the instrument to be beautiful too. (I don't like the aesthetics of the Czec-ese or severely diminished body sizes) and I love fine craftsmanship. I want to play a real bass but one tailored for modern times and for modern stages and amplification requirements. The Contrabassetto more closely meets those expectations then any other travel or removable neck bass then I have seen. I fully expect that other luthiers will begin adopting this design (with the neck off and in its soft case it fits in an overhead bin) and I hope that when they do, that Andrea will benefit. This bass took most of a year to hand carve and is made from the finest european tonewoods, but I think Andrea is also thinking toward the future and making a more accessible instrument. I am really grateful to him for putting his designs out there (here) and so fully documenting his process.

 

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Well you know how it goes...There is always that and worse. It's ok I can take it.

 

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Well its been a long and lovely journey for me and almost done (I gotta play it) but the instrument is finished. Andrea has really done a magnificent job. Here are the pictures of the finished instrument.

 

[geoffbassist]

Outstanding! Beautiful work!

 

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Truth is in looking at these pictures, is I've never owned a bass perfectly set up for modern playing. All my basses have been old and in different levels and bevels and over stands and tensions and all had some problem or another. But I am really looking forward to playing a bass built from the ground up to be modern. Thick long board (I like to play with my right hand low) adjustable action ( but without changing the tension of the bass) no cracks holes or dings. And as a one bass guy for my life up til now it will be great to get the old tyrol into the shop finally

 

[Seiki]

Looks like a real stunner drool

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

Beautiful.

 

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So although the bass was finished nearly a month ago, we had to figure out transportation and Andrea had a custom softcase made for it. We had to work out the best way of getting it here too and right when the Brazilian economy is tanked. But happily Fed Ex has handled it and although the cost is not inconsiderable for transportation ....it isnt THAT bad either.
I just want to point out to all you cats who are spending $5000 on travel basses, Having Andrea make a Contrabasetto of the finest woods and construction and aesthetics (and I am hoping a great sound...) Right now, with the Brazilian economy what it is...is the time...Write to Andrea and figure out a price, I think that you will be utterly blown away by what, comparatively the relative costs are...

OK so we shall see, right? I get the bass next week and I still don't exactly know what Duty will be and it is a big gamble to commission an instrument halfway around the world and all, but looking at say the cost of a Kolstein Travel bass or an Upton (both of which I really like BTW) and then checking out the aesthetics and craftmanship and beauty of Andrea's Contrabssetto's (that fit into an overhead bin in the softcase with the neck folded). Man just looking at the pictures of the bass Andrea made me and knowing what value that is in terms of a handmade bass....Just sayin... gotta hear how it performs, to be sure....