Double Bass Figured scrolls, pinnacle of class or gaudy?

[Low Main]

In the early 1970's, Eberhard Weber showed what his thinking was on scrolls. He was starting to travel a lot.
I don't know when he cut the scroll off his DB, but it seemed appropriate when he was part of Dave Pike's band for a recording session in Brasil.
Go commando, lighten the load.

 

[james condino]

Removing a scroll is nothing compared to the change in responsiveness for the times when I have removed a big fingered extension!

This is a timely topic discussion for me.

I'm currently working on a project that has been on my mind for several years: to 3d print an aluminum scroll & pegbox for my removable neck 1928 ALCOA that has a polished mandalorian helmet for the scroll. More updates to come in a bit!

 

[GretschWretch]

In the early 1970's, Eberhard Weber showed what his thinking was on scrolls. He was starting to travel a lot.
I don't know when he cut the scroll off his DB, but it seemed appropriate when he was part of Dave Pike's band for a recording session in Brasil.
Go commando, lighten the load.

View attachment 7485431

That bass looks just like my Kay!

 

[Don Hergert]

@Fretless55, that is an inspired scroll design!

(Here's my family's portrait from about 30 years ago: }

 

[EdwardofHuncote]

Not really sure what the creature is, but the bass was made by fiddler-maker Arthur Conner, of Copper Hill Virginia, not far from me. Arthur passed away a couple years ago and I never got to ask him to confirm how many basses or celli he made. It's been rumored there are either three or possibly a fourth bass. I've worked on two with regular scrolls, and never seen this one with the (I'll call it...) gargoyle. So at least three.

Many of his fiddles had a ram's head with the horns emulating a scroll. Here's a 5-string that belongs to a good friend of mine.

*I've also seen a mandolin Arthur built that had a duck head headstock. Just incredible, the detail.

 

[LouisF]

The only only scroll like that I have ever been drawn to is on the full-ornament Pollmann's. They've always been on my wish list:Pöllmann Busetto Lion Head Double Bass

 

[daveriedstra]

Basically indifferent myself, comes down to whether the scroll carving design feels like it fits with the rest of the instrument. I think carved heads are more at home on viols: viole da gamba | picture gallery | Gesina Liedmeier - Viole da Gamba | Carving

 

[41 Hz]

What a great thread. Beautiful pictures. I'm going for the middle option. If it works, it works.

 

[DJ Bebop]

 

[DJ Bebop]

Yep. You can see that photo at the bottom of his Gallery page. (I helped him set up his current website.)

Gallery | Ross Double Bass

www.rossdoublebass.com

I do believe it's a close-up of this bass, which he made. I have to say, on this bass, the figured scroll is completely fitting:

View attachment 7485379

Whenever I see this bass’s F holes…

I think of this…

Jake the Alligator Man

 

[flixbass]

Beautiful examples.
Personally, I am all for diversity in scrolls and heads. Although scrolls are beautiful, I think its a shame the smaller members of the string family are so rigorously restricted to the "classic" scroll design.
To me, violin makers obsession with scrolls is a little bit hilarious.
We bassists can count ourselves lucky to play instruments with relatively little standardization.
In the early 1800s, Francois Channot boldly chose to flip the scrolls on his Violins backwards.
I chose to take it one step further and inverted the scroll inwards (see my avatar). Kind of a persiflage of the classic design.

 

[JBarz]

When I was a kid (9-13), before I got obsessed with saxophone and jazz music, I had a borderline (hah!) autistic obsession with carving wooden ventriloquist dummy figures.

I’m still mesmerized when someone can capture ‘life’ in a block of wood.

I was thinking it’d be the absolute coolest to get a Glykon (ala Alan Moore) puppet serpent with long flowing hair down the back of the pegbox.

Can you imagine a more aptly figured scroll ishvara to represent latent creative manifesting kundalini energy?

When I look at my blonde Kay without my glasses I can’t help but see it now. I’d tilt the head down more than the sculpture pictured and put a ton of personality into it.

I think i might try to track down a nice instrument grade piece of maple and try my hand at carving a scroll, just for fun.

 

[JBarz]

Removing a scroll is nothing compared to the change in responsiveness for the times when I have removed a big fingered extension!

This is a timely topic discussion for me.

I'm currently working on a project that has been on my mind for several years: to 3d print an aluminum scroll & pegbox for my removable neck 1928 ALCOA that has a polished mandalorian helmet for the scroll. More updates to come in a bit!

James — This has got me thinking, hypothetically only, would one theoretically achieve similar change in responsiveness if you cut out the negative space of a fingered extension out of a standard, flat profiled fingerboard? I don’t think I’ve ever played my low strings that high up and am sure I wouldn’t notice the sacrifice.

 

[LouisF]

I used one of Bob Ross's 5-string dragon headed basses (I think he designed it with the late Paul Wharburton, based on his 5-string Bohmann bass). That thing was a floor shaking cannon but weighed a TON!

 

[Blues Daddy]

I voted 'Indifferent-all about the sound' cause its a musical instrument.

HOWEVER, as a fan of great Art and Design, I"m always impressed - and appreciative of the time, effort and skills - when I experience an ornately carved scroll ( and of course it's a Win-Win if a beautiful instrument makes beautiful sounds ).

 

[james condino]

"......the pinnacle of class...."

 

[Ed S]

Would that be the epitome of Glass?

(My kid use to work for Ball - in the aerospace division. The larger component, which made jars and cans, and other containers, was referred to as Ball Glass. But, of course, you all knew that...)

 

[sean_on_bass]

i think they are cool, assuming they actually have a cool design. even a standard scroll is technically decorative, right?

 

[JBarz]

i think they are cool, assuming they actually have a cool design. even a standard scroll is technically decorative, right?

I always assumed there was some ancient secret luthier sacred geometry that went into standard scroll design, tbh.

… but then again, “I want to believe…”

I might have to change my vote. The more I meditate on it (this thread has been fascinating, btw - thanks all), the more I’m settling in the “id be nice to visit but I wouldn’t want to live there” stream.

In the saxophone world there used to be a joke about players feeling the need to customize ($$$) and “pimp their axe” with whatever bougie products or repair services were trendy at the time. We don’t have a lot of options for that kind of thing other than strings and maybe endpins, but I’m starting to come around to seeing ornate scrolls in that category.

The wife truely is always right… eventually.

 

[LouisF]

Just curious here, given James' comments on the negatives of excess weight in the scroll, extensions etc; is there an "advantage" to the Mirecourt see-through scroll, such as on the Colin-Mezzin basses (below). French basses can be a bit "nasally" - does the hollow scroll contribute to that??

Jeroen Bruynooghe - Luthier - Contrebasse/Double Bass Double bass Solo Mirecourt ca1920

jeroen-bass.com