So A little update here. MAybe a month or two ago I was using the bass at an outdoor trio horn hit with an active drummer and I had a terrible time with it. Mostly because of electronic problems...I had lowered the action too which caused some problems (too easy to play, I am used to pulling) I was getting a big standing feedback off of the open A string and I was just sweating it out (the gig was under my name too so I was on call to solo a lot) Anyway that gig made me pull back from playing the little bass out, although I have played it constantly since for practice. But a couple of weeks ago the problems with my big bass (someone kicked a small hole in it and it is buzzing and weak sounding) forced me to start playing the little one out again.
I started playing it on duo gigs and for that it just sounds great always: lyrical tenor, punchy, deep bass, etc. all the stuff I said earlier. But the last few days I have been playing loud modern quartet gigs and I was nervous to take it out on those.
But man, the little beast just came thru for me. With the right pick up on there (I was blending an Underwood and Stat B vintage thru the Felix...) it was just sick that that much bass could come out of this little instrument. All the cats in the band had to take back their "is it a Cello" comments and were blown away. People kept coming up to me asking about it. Bassists are just floored.
I have been practicing long enough on it that I finally got the intonation under control (I was having certain shifts that I made instinctually that just would over shoot and leave me 1/4 step or more sharp...it is a slightly different scale then my bigger bass)
But last night we played with serious gusto and the wee thing was like a darting sword. I could hear every note as a punchy fast, tight yet acoustic and woody tone, when it came to solos I could play lines so much easier and truer. Now my big bass is an old Tyrolean and it has not been rebuilt so it is not a modern set up (raised overstand, needs new fingerboard etc) and some of what I may be rejoicing in is just a really good set up on the little bass but to walk into a gig with a bass the size of a cello and then anchor a band as though it was a big doghouse is just a totally sick thing to do. Made me so happy.
THere are so many other things I love about this instrument, many detailed above in Andrea's fine workmanship, but the fact that this small bodied instrument is as I said earlier a Pizzicato machine built for exactly what I use it for (and yet lovely to bow and solo on) and so easy to schlep is just a wonder to me.
I have seen that Andrea is making these fantastic 5/8 travel basses and other modern designs, but the Contrabassetto is a killing awesome instrument that I find myself just having a blast with.
Commission one from Andrea. The year wait will be hell but after that you will not be disappointed.
