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Double Bass Edgar Meyer's Italian Bass

#2
There are probably other threads about this bass, but I believe it is smaller than a 3/4. You are correct about his tuning. The top three strings are solo tuning and the low E has a C extension. His strings are a mix of Spirocores and Flexocors.

- Steve
 
#3
Thanks!

I've been trying to figure out how he gets such a good sound with pizz and arco and the more I find out about his setup the less it makes sense :hmm:

I've heard a lot about people not going for spiros because their arco sound isn't very appealing but Meyer seems to make it happen.
 
#4
Edgar's 1769 Gabrielli is a smaller bass, especially in the length of the lower bout, and he wears his bass very high. The nut is at or above the top of his head!

In every photo and video I've seen, his bass has Thomastik Spirocore E & B, Pirastro Permanent E & A strings.
 
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#5
Jake deVilliers said:
In every photo and video I've seen, his bass has Thomastik Spirocore E & B, Pirastro Permanent E & A strings.
Click to expand...

I guess he used the Flexocors before the Permanents became availble. I'm basing my info on an old interview.

To the OP: There are plenty of examples of players getting a good bowed sound from Spriocores, especially the lower strings which offer addtional clarity in that register. A mixed set like Edgar's with Spiros on the bottom is fairly common. Of course, the skill of the player is a big factor as well....and don't even ask about Edgar's bow! :hiding:

- Steve
 
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#6
Steve Boisen said:
There are probably other threads about this bass, but I believe it is smaller than a 3/4. You are correct about his tuning. The top three strings are solo tuning and the low E has a C extension. His strings are a mix of Spirocores and Flexicores.

- Steve
Click to expand...

I read in an interview once that he plays or played a large 5/8ths bass, might be the same bass might not.
 
#7
Steve Boisen said:
I guess he used the Flexocors before the Permanents became availble. I'm basing my info on an old interview.

To the OP: There are plenty of examples of players getting a good bowed sound from Spriocores, especially the lower strings which offer addtional clarity in that register. A mixed set like Edgar's with Spiros on the bottom is fairly common. Of course, the skill of the player is a big factor as well....and don't even ask about Edgar's bow! :hiding:

- Steve
Click to expand...

And Don't Even Ask About The Bow? Not fair!! I read somehwere that he uses bows that are "inexpensive". If the string selection he uses makes you wonder how he gets that "sound", then his choices of bows must equally make you wonder.

And don't forget the story of The Boston Symphony bass section all crowding into a front row seat at a jazz performance to watch, and wonder, how Slam Stewart could get such sound from a Kay bass, presusmably with Kay bow. This not to compare Edgar Meyer to Slam Stewart, it just puts the equipment thing, for me, into better perspective.
 
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#10
I have seen Edgar live a few times, always using the same bow with the ugly tip repair. I heard he bought it in a violin shop for a couple hundred bucks and has broken it a couple of times. As far as spiro solo strings, they are actually much more bowable then the orchestral and resonate really nicely. I know Max Dimoff uses them among many others.
 
#11
chris1125 said:
I have seen Edgar live a few times, always using the same bow with the ugly tip repair. I heard he bought it in a violin shop for a couple hundred bucks and has broken it a couple of times. As far as spiro solo strings, they are actually much more bowable then the orchestral and resonate really nicely. I know Max Dimoff uses them among many others.
Click to expand...

He likes that bow specifically tightened all the way, he gets a different sound from it vs his other bows.
 
#12
Last year I built a bench copy of Edgar Meyer's Giovanni Battista Gabrielli, originally made in 1769.
The string length is 41".
It is a small 3/4 bass in length with full 8"+ ribs, tapering of course at the break/bend in the back.
This bass is unique in so many ways, and Edgar's daily playing of it for 50 years has had a massive impact on the sound and clarity of the overall voice of the instrument.
The one change, as requested by my customer, was to install a detachable neck. The owner has compared my bench copy to the original Gabrielli, with Edgar's permission of course, and the feedback was very positive and affirmative.
If I am allowed by the Talkbass TOS, here is a link:
#55 – A bench copy of Edgar Meyer’s Giovanni Battista Gabrielli (1769) – Nick Lloyd Basses
 
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#13
Nick Lloyd said:
Last year I built a bench copy of Edgar Meyer's Giovanni Battista Gabrielli, originally made in 1769.
The string length is 41".
It is a small 3/4 bass in length with full 8"+ ribs, tapering of course at the break/bend in the back.
This bass is unique in so many ways, and Edgar's daily playing of it for 50 years has had a massive impact on the sound and clarity of the overall voice of the instrument.
The one change, as requested by my customer, was to install a detachable neck. The owner has compared my bench copy to the original Gabrielli, with Edgar's permission of course, and the feedback was very positive and affirmative.
If I am allowed by the Talkbass TOS, here is a link:
#55 – A bench copy of Edgar Meyer’s Giovanni Battista Gabrielli (1769) – Nick Lloyd Basses
Click to expand...
That's one beautiful bass and looks like it would be a joy to play. Can I ask what you charged for it? (Not sure if that's okay we with TB TOS.)

Roger Mouton said:
And don't forget the story of The Boston Symphony bass section all crowding into a front row seat at a jazz performance to watch, and wonder, how Slam Stewart could get such sound from a Kay bass, presusmably with Kay bow.
Click to expand...
I love Slam's sound but never knew he played a Kay. Is there more to that story? I do think that people under estimate the potential sound and character of ply basses, even (especially) under the bow, so I'm not all that surprised. (I'm not saying I wouldn't prefer to play a high end carved bass, everything else being equal.) I've seen Christian McBride tryout a number of student basses before a gig when he couldn't bring his own, and it didn't exactly ruin his sound.

Did Slam always use gut strings? Well now I'm way off topic. Guess I better find the Slam Stewart threads.
 
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#15
Roger Mouton said:
... This not to compare Edgar Meyer to Slam Stewart ...
Click to expand...

SS used a very different technique than EM:

Slam Stewart.jpg
 
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#16
Nick Lloyd said:
Last year I built a bench copy of Edgar Meyer's Giovanni Battista Gabrielli, originally made in 1769.
The string length is 41".
It is a small 3/4 bass in length with full 8"+ ribs, tapering of course at the break/bend in the back.
This bass is unique in so many ways, and Edgar's daily playing of it for 50 years has had a massive impact on the sound and clarity of the overall voice of the instrument.
The one change, as requested by my customer, was to install a detachable neck. The owner has compared my bench copy to the original Gabrielli, with Edgar's permission of course, and the feedback was very positive and affirmative.
If I am allowed by the Talkbass TOS, here is a link:
#55 – A bench copy of Edgar Meyer’s Giovanni Battista Gabrielli (1769) – Nick Lloyd Basses
Click to expand...

Wow. I think this deserves it's own thread.
 
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