Double Bass Frankenstein came home with me

[Champagne]

I've been looking at basses for a number of weeks and I fell in love with this one today and it wound up coming home with me. It is a early 1900's german carved round back. It purrs with a light growl and can get even more aggressive sounding. I have Frankenstein strung up with obligatos for the E and A, weich D and mittel G. A full set of obligatos mellows out the top end while still purring on the low 2. All the reading I have done on strings lately lead to this experimentation.

Being a century old,
Frankenstein has all sorts of repairs. It is really wild actually how much character Frankenstein has. The shop I bought is from was awesome and are standing behind the bass for a year. I drove home feeling really good and I just did a little recording of it. I will post a little bit of that in the next few days.

I just had to post about it. I am so freaking excited.

 

[Fretless55]

Actually I thinks it's gorgeous!

Tour a lucky man.

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

Now, *that's* patina. I like it. Looks like the bridge could use a little adjustment to center it with the f hole notches, which would probably make it sound even better.

 

[Anonymatt]

So you went through the trouble of recording and didn't post anything? I mean, who else is gonna give a **** but us??

 

[Jack Clark]

Chris and Fretfless55 are right on about the patina. So please don't even think about refinishing it. She is gorgeous as she is. That's a fine photo, BTW, the highlights really set it off. Looks very much like a painting we have hanging over our piano.

 

[Jonathan74]

Thats a beauty. Congrats!

 

[Jake deVilliers]

Very nice! I love an instrument that looks like it knows what its doing.

 

[Champagne]

So you went through the trouble of recording and didn't post anything? I mean, who else is gonna give a **** but us??

After I nap, I will share some tone. It is on the recording rig and I have to fire it up and print the tracks.

 

[Champagne]

Chris and Fretfless55 are right on about the patina. So please don't even think about refinishing it. She is gorgeous as she is. That's a fine photo, BTW, the highlights really set it off. Looks very much like a painting we have hanging over our piano.

It is too late. I just got done sand blasting




Just kidding

 

[Fretless55]

Damn near gave me a heart attack!

The more I look at your "new" bass the more I love it!

Promise to always keep her in her full glory.

 

[Phil Rowan]

Looks like the bridge could use a little adjustment to center it with the f hole notches, which would probably make it sound even better.

+1 (I know from experience the effect of having the bridge placed correctly in relation to the notches.. 'tis a good one, I say!).

 

[Jack Clark]

It is too late. I just got done sand blasting

ARRRRGHH!!

Just kidding

Whew! Okay, then. I envy your find there. I hope you enjoy her a whole lot for a whole lotta years. I guarantee you that people who come hear you play will enjoy looking at her, too.

 

[PMF1]

wow, a really nice bass. Thanks for sharing and enjoy

 

[Champagne]

There is no way I am touching the finish. Everyone that has seen it so far has fell in love with him too. In fact, it still smells like Mike's cigars!

I looked at the bridge and it is 100% centered and still on the marks Mike placed it, so it has to be the camera angle that makes it look off. Well, it is a smidge forward of center, but not by much of anything. He told me I could play with the position ± 1/8" if I wanted too and he said it would make a pretty substantial difference. Right now, I am leaving Frankenstein be to let him settle into place after the string change and just being revived from stasis.

So, the long awaited recording:

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

I am not a great player yet and this is the first thing Frankenstein and I have written together. The latter section I played lighter, so you can hear the difference in character of Frankenstein's response and sound. Man, this is such a cool bass to play.

If curious to the recording itself, I used a Rode K2 microphone loaded with a NOS telefunken tube which then went into a pendulum audio MDP1 preamp, through a lynx aurora DAC. The mic was placed 2 1/2 - 3' in front of the bass, 3' off the floor tilted down about 20º. The microphone was set to cardioid and there is nothing done to the recording (meaning no eq, compressor, etc).

This is the unadulterated sound of the Frankenstein.

 

[gerry grable]

Very nice! I love an instrument that looks like it knows what its doing.

Jake,
It sure does look like my tap room bass, right down to the solid wire tailpiece set-up before I got a cable from you. Were these made by different makers from the same plans?
Gerry

 

[Champagne]

Gerry, do you have pictures of your bass? I am very curious to compare.

 

[chuck norriss]

There is no way I am touching the finish. Everyone that has seen it so far has fell in love with him too. In fact, it still smells like Mike's cigars!

I looked at the bridge and it is 100% centered and still on the marks Mike placed it, so it has to be the camera angle that makes it look off. Well, it is a smidge forward of center, but not by much of anything. He told me I could play with the position ± 1/8" if I wanted too and he said it would make a pretty substantial difference. Right now, I am leaving Frankenstein be to let him settle into place after the string change and just being revived from stasis.

So, the long awaited recording:

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

I am not a great player yet and this is the first thing Frankenstein and I have written together. The latter section I played lighter, so you can hear the difference in character of Frankenstein's response and sound. Man, this is such a cool bass to play.

If curious to the recording itself, I used a Rode K2 microphone loaded with a NOS telefunken tube which then went into a pendulum audio MDP1 preamp, through a lynx aurora DAC. The mic was placed 2 1/2 - 3' in front of the bass, 3' off the floor tilted down about 20º. The microphone was set to cardioid and there is nothing done to the recording (meaning no eq, compressor, etc).

This is the unadulterated sound of the Frankenstein.

She sounds good! congratulations. No bow?

 

[bassteban]

OMG you old doghousers are buying into the *relic* fad



KIDDING/beautiful, and I like your playing too. Congrats.

 

[Fretless55]

Having heard it, my envy only increases.

That girl has some major mojo!

I'm so glad she's found someone you appreciates her!

 

[gerry grable]

Gerry, do you have pictures of your bass? I am very curious to compare.

If I can figure out how to send a pic. I forgot how.
GG