Yo FB,
That sounds really nice! I was glad you played in all registers. The low octove sounds 'woody' but not 'wooly'. Kind of like an effective HPF.
Best of luck with your efforts at expanding the exposure of this fine instrument.
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Double Bass Contrabassetto from the ground up
- Thread starter flatback
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Yo FB,
That sounds really nice! I was glad you played in all registers. The low octove sounds 'woody' but not 'wooly'. Kind of like an effective HPF.
Best of luck with your efforts at expanding the exposure of this fine instrument.
I just want to second the comments on Andrea as a great craftsman and person to work with. The $6K price might seem high but if he were in Europe or the States it would be double that.
Certainly. His craftsmanship looks incredible.
Other than Andrea, is there anyone else building similar basses? Is there any way to buy a contrabassetto-style instrument for under $6K dollars? That's more than my basses+car combined!
Other than Andrea, is there anyone else building similar basses? Is there any way to buy a contrabassetto-style instrument for under $6K dollars? That's more than my basses+car combined!
The Czech ease is a similar concept,. They make the laminated and hybrid. I have the hybrid and it is well set-up. Very nice instrument. I may have a recording somewhere that I can post if anyone is interested
Yeah I hear you on the socio economics. I sold a vibraphone I had for 20 years and saved for 2 years to be able to buy it . I did it because I really feel that for someone of my build and height 5'9 and shortish stubby digits, many basses are just too damn big. I wish I was Ron Carter with those beautiful fingers but I can still get to a place with this small bass where it just fits me like a glove and plays like it was made for me (hey it was).
It Can sound like a bass with a HPF built in and truth is that aint a bad sound in the context of most bands and rooms I play in.
And man sometimes when I have to take my son into SF for a rehearsal (he's a young actor), I bring the bass and go up to Stow Lake in Golden Gate Park and practice out on that island next to the Martial Arts guys...it is just a joy to have a bass this size to gig with too.
It Can sound like a bass with a HPF built in and truth is that aint a bad sound in the context of most bands and rooms I play in.
And man sometimes when I have to take my son into SF for a rehearsal (he's a young actor), I bring the bass and go up to Stow Lake in Golden Gate Park and practice out on that island next to the Martial Arts guys...it is just a joy to have a bass this size to gig with too.
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here's a practice clip on my czech ease. amp is on. mic is on but over 6 feet away. just miced the room sound
here's a practice clip on my czech ease. amp is on. mic is on but over 6 feet away. just miced the room sound
I just love this bass. Played last night, with the boys, we play loud and fast and this bass has so much going for it. First the low end is so sick, just completely articulate all the way down to E. I spent a lot of time playing at the bottom of the instrument It creates a beautiful sonic separation that is totally clear and ballsy. This instrument is a carved bass so the sound is complex and rich yet you have the feeling of being able to do anything. It took a while to get the pickup situation dialed in but I have the Stat B and Ischell on there (the Ischell in position 2 sounds badass on this instrument)
Andrea is going to make 2 more instruments: both I think Gamba flatbacks with slightly deeper ribs. I am going to keep one and sell one for him.
My big bass I am realizing is too big for my body. I have played it for 20 years now and it is only after a year and a half with this little wonder that I realize that so many of the issues that prevent me from playing the way I want to play are physical.
Andrea is going to make 2 more instruments: both I think Gamba flatbacks with slightly deeper ribs. I am going to keep one and sell one for him.
My big bass I am realizing is too big for my body. I have played it for 20 years now and it is only after a year and a half with this little wonder that I realize that so many of the issues that prevent me from playing the way I want to play are physical.
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just putting this here for reference. Jonas Caldas is another Brazilian luthier building basseto-style basses. I haven't spoken to him and don't know anything about his instruments other than the photos on his page: Jonas Caldas Luthier e Artesao
There are a lot of good luthiers in Argentina and Brazil (many of the of Italian descent). I tried for years to get the work of Roberto Giormenti known here, but people were hesitant to buy a southern hemisphere bass, with some exotic woods (for neck and tailpiece primarily), which was a shame. Hopefully the younger generation like Andrea will find a more cosmopolitan market
One of the things that made a big difference to me was that Andrea uses wood he brings from Italy (best European tone woods) My bass is exquisitely made from Maple and spruce and ebony and has been totally stable.
I just love the little bass. THe combination of full size fingerboard and smaller body makes it a much different experience then playing a half size instrument where the neck is smaller and the scale is smaller.
I just love the little bass. THe combination of full size fingerboard and smaller body makes it a much different experience then playing a half size instrument where the neck is smaller and the scale is smaller.
...much different in that the bass is normal length 41.5 and the strings are regular gage and length and the feel is tighter and more focused but not cramped or miniaturized. The instrument does not put out the same amount of acoustic low frequency but amplified (even with just a mic) it has plenty. As I said earlier the quality of the lowest strings and octave being totally un muddy is just sick. You can stay down there comfortably and really cut thru but not like an electric. It causes me to reorient the way I play to favor that area ( I really like to hear separation in the music and registers of instruments)
Great pics. I love how it looks like a real double bass and not some electric broomstick
Hey Aesopslyre my man, I totally appreciate the information about the Hungarian Luthier and the bass looks awesome...but I cant help but to feel a little like this is the wrong spot for it...it would be great to start a new thread for it, but I really believe in Andrea Spada and his work and his designs and this is a page to celebrate his work and promote it. You are essentially saying hey why buy his stuff when you can get this similar for half the price, and I agree that there is a place for that and I am really glad to know about Bango but man Andrea is my man. If someone put up a sign on my facebook page saying "Hey P is a great bass player, sure, but he charges too much come on over here for good cheap bass playing" I'd be pretty bummed.
No disrespect for you but, I am really trying to hail my friend and my instrument builder here and promote his designs. God knows Brazil and Brazilians are being put thru the ringer right now, economically, so to be undercut by half on his own praise page seems a little, well like it should be on it's own page, if you don't mind.....Looks like a great bass and thanks for sharing though....
No disrespect for you but, I am really trying to hail my friend and my instrument builder here and promote his designs. God knows Brazil and Brazilians are being put thru the ringer right now, economically, so to be undercut by half on his own praise page seems a little, well like it should be on it's own page, if you don't mind.....Looks like a great bass and thanks for sharing though....
No offense, but this thread is not a commercial advertisement for him, or anyone. It's a place where we can come and discuss Concepts
With all due respect, I replied in response to this post:
. And cultrvultr asked for pics, so I obliged him. Actually, I have been lusting after a contrabassetto since I learned of its existence a few years ago. But upon learning of the price, I had to look elsewhere. I see another Brazilian luthier mentioned in this thread, as well as Czech-ease, and I see you did not respond to those posts in the manner in which you responded to mine. I did not seek to derail your thread, but when a poster asked for info, I supplied it. In no way am I suggesting that anyone buy from Bango, instead of Spada.I am just replying to a request by a poster on this thread.Perhaps you should admonish cultrvultr instead of me, for asking such a question in the first place.
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