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Double Bass Contrabassetto from the ground up

#81
Yes, flightcase. Stupid autocorrect! I think a cello case would be a good idea. If I ever play one of these and it seems as good to me as it does to you, I can definitely see one in my future. In the meantime, Looking forward to the arrival of the new Rob Allen (the one pictured above is the same model, but the top grain will be different) and hoping I can find a good vibe with it for travel. Keep giving us updates, as I know you've sparked some interest with this.
 
#82
I have some inquiries out to makers of fiberglass flight cases...it would have to be one with the neck off ... I suspect that the case would be really small . The instrument (mine in its softcase which would I assume go with it...although maybe not...) 40 in tall (neck off) lower bout 20 in upper 17 in 6 inches thick....It would for sure fit under the 50 lb limit.
THe bass has more physical depth then other travel basses, mine is a round back and I think that because it is fully carved and set up to have maximum projection and sustain that it is a really good form factor (a smaller body might just be too small to get that fat bass sound...it IS bright but still full) I have played an Emenance that amplified ok but had no real acoustic sound. And I rented a Chec eze once when I had gigs in NYC and that was really uninspiring.
On Saturday I have a gig on Al Capones yacht Acania (Miles Davis bought the yacht from a scrap yard and saved it from demolition and now it is fully restored and touring the bay..) I will take this bass and the MAS 16 with the Focus strapped to it.I know the music, so no stand or anything else. Really looking forward to gigging this way.
 
#86
Those Rouillard cases are super hip. All the cool cellists use them. :) I am also under the impression that a lot of Mario Lamarre's RN basses end up with Rouillard cases. And you can't beat the Messina bags for custom fits. The case that David made for me fits my big bottomed Golia like a glove.
 
#87
After a lot of practice with this instrument and a few weeks of gigs, I am getting a better handle on the intonation....I brazenly started playing this axe out as soon as I got it and had some super em-bare-assing moments when I reached for some note or melodic shape only to find that I was nowhere close to it. I spent the past week with the tuner really learning where the notes are on this bass how they lay across the fingerboard and why they sound different when they are in tune.
The scale is an inch shorter then my Tyrolean 41in instead of 42in. So that took a minute to get used to , but I have played other basses that I adapted to pretty quick so that didnt seem to be the problem. WHat I have been thinking about over the past week is that the bass rings a different set of overtones (brighter and a different emphasis on higher partials)...I am used to a very dark bass and so I have been going painfully sharp (the notes in tune are sometimes south of where I think they are) and I have to adjust really quick (sometimes not quick enough)
I remember Dave Holland's lectures at David Gages some years ago (wish Gage would release that video) and Holland was clear that he uses all the senses to stay on track VISUAL aural spatial etc.
SO I spent a bunch of time really focusing on where notes are visually (using natural indicators in the flamed maple neck) and how intervals feel at different points on the fingerboard, and how they sound with this bass when they are in tune.
I have smaller hands and so when I play this bass, for the first time I feel as though I have the effort equivalent and normal stretch of Ron Carter or any number of other tall big handed bassists. I have always seen big handed tall cats playing the bass and thought, "well, if I had fingers two inches longer all of this would be way easier" Well it turns out to be true. (sizing down in my case) But something to get used to.
On the gig with a loud (really loud this weekend) quartet and the MAS 46 with Underwood and Remic mixed, this bass was just a pleasure to play and hear (except for the warbles) Punchy, fat, quick, clear, acoustic and easy to get around. I go back to my old bass for contrast and it feels huge and heavy and in the way...To be sure it has way more sound coming out of it and that sound is BASS, but in truth I play amplified 90+% of the time and for that the Contrabassetto just rocks.
 
#88
I like your thoughts about string length. When I play my Yammie EUB (41.25" vs. 42" on my regular bass) its less work to intonate. I kinda have my eye to try out a Kolstein Travel bass (39" SL) just to see how it falls under the hands. In a sense it's similar to what you had Andreas build but I'm sure your Contrabasetto is prolly going to sound better.
 
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#89
Been gigging with this bass or the past few weeks, and I really love it...except for all the comments from half ass audience members, "what happened to the rest of your bass?" "Is that a Cello?".... I don't give a damn though, this bass rocks. I walk in with it slung over my shoulder (no pain, no wheel, fits in the car easily) plug it in and except for the punchy quickness of the sound and the extra 2 octaves of thumb position you cannot tell it is small.
I have been practicing a lot with the bow trying to open up the lower two strings some....the D and G have a fantastic warmth and presence and (amplified so do the A and E ) but the A does not yet bow with the same speed and openness...I wonder if it is the Zyex string...I have ordered a bridge with adjusters from Andrea, because I want to use the FC pickup and eventually try the Yamahiko,...when I get it I will try some spiros on the bottom to see if that makes a difference.
Also I tried a wolf eliminator on all the strings (from New Harmony) and it really didn't do anything except on the G string where it muted and mellowed the string in a really pleasing way....not pleasing enough to keep it on there though...
 
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#93
Piro - thanks for all of the updates. :) I have just gotten my short scale fretless for travel and like it very much, but want to keep up with this as well for the future. One of my students is from brazil and knows of the maker. Many of the graduate students at the U over the past 10 years have been from Brazil, including 3 of my top grad students in the bass studio. If we ever make a performance trip down there, I will try to see one of these in person, and if possible, meet the maker. Glad you are happy! You took a real leap of faith.
 
#94
Finally met Piro last night and he was playing the contrabassetto through an MAS 45 or 46. Had a pretty big sound for such a small package. Very well definied sound esp when he went up to solo. It's an interesting instrument, reminds me of the Clevinger Chimera and looks like a cello with a long neck. If Andrea did these basses with a removable neck, it'd be pretty fly.

Form factor wise I think I prefer the Contrabassetto over the Travel bass. There's a little bit more width to the upper bout to give that big DB feel. With the 41" SL it's pretty easy to play tho I just noodled for about a minute on it.
 
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#95
Hey Chris I would love to have a Rob Allen I'l bet that is a great bass. Really enjoying this instrument...Huy came by the gig last night....
 

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#96
Also I should say that space they were in was a little odd for some reason. Maybe it was just really loud (lots of people talking in the background), but when I got a little closer to the stage, the bass really jumps out and sounds really rich. I'll have to come to another one of Piro's gigs and see what it's like in a different environment.
 
#97
So nice to meet you Huy and hang out for a minute. Would love to get any more feedback from an audience perspective....THe bass feels and sounds when you are playing in a loud environment like last night, way more present and clear and much less frustrating (I find with my big dark bass that the sound can get swallowed up and then it is hard to hear definition) The little bass feels like a Pizzicato machine.
 
#99
flatback said:
So nice to meet you Huy and hang out for a minute. Would love to get any more feedback from an audience perspective....THe bass feels and sounds when you are playing in a loud environment like last night, way more present and clear and much less frustrating (I find with my big dark bass that the sound can get swallowed up and then it is hard to hear definition) The little bass feels like a Pizzicato machine.
Click to expand...
Yeah it was great to meet you too. Sorry I couldn't stick around longer. My wife was napping in the car and didn't want to keep her waiting.

For most of it, I was sitting about 15' behind where the photo above was taken.

I'm not sure what to make of it tho, the sound was definitely everywhere but at the same time not that focused in the back? Maybe that's by design with the MAS cabs? I would describe it as omnipresent - literally. I got up and walked around a couple times to sense what the other areas of the room and it was pretty consistent laterally. My own personal tastes, I want to say I prefer having a vector from which the sound is coming from, but I would probably benefit from someone else sitting in on my own gear so I can hear what it's like in the crowd.

There was definitely a physical line I had to cross to hear it at it's fullest - and only when I did that did I get the sound you're describing. It was rather uncanny. Get up there and it's delicious. I'm sure everybody up there with you was digging it.

The G &D strings were well pronounced, but in the back E & A were noticably weaker volumewise. It could be for many different factors due to the room, the volume of the band, and simply that I was sitting far back. Did you roll off the lows by any chance? The lows seemed a bit buried from where I was sitting (2nd set of tables behind the front row). To give everyone else an idea, the chairs and things were set far back from the stage. So the front row of tables was like the middle row of most other places.

That's my honest assessment. We'll have to try it again and see what it's like. If at all possible, I think maybe next time let me sit in on a tune so you can hear it out there for yourself?
 
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#100
flatback said:
Here is a solo from last nights gig...the zoom was across the stage in front of the guitarist and drummer, I was using an Underwood and DPA 4099.
Click to expand...

This is great. @flatback I am headed up to bolinas to play Smilys in a few weeks. I'll pm you to see if I can come by and try out the contrabassetto. Such a cool idea and it looks beautifully made.
 

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