Beautiful bass. I too have an old German lady with genuine patina. Would never think of re-finishing it.
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Double Bass Frankenstein came home with me
- Thread starter Champagne
- Start date
Oh yeah, sounds good. That's a nice little chain too. I guess that's just a regular room you're in. Your intro is cool, haha.
- Aug 1, 2005
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- Private Inventor - Bass Capos
I wouldn't say it needs to be shiny, but maybe a bit of brasso or liberim metal polish (liberon's better but more expensive) if the finish is a bit matt at the moment. My double bass started out with a very dull finish due to 60 years of kids bowing on and touching it. A bit of brasso and it's shining like an instrument that's been played and professionally looked after for 60 years.
No need to go overboard, cover the bottle with a clean rag, tip some onto the rag, and wipe it on. The less you put on and the quicker you buff it off the less the shine.
Good luck, that's a beautiful bass and I'd be tempted to leave it as is.
Joe
I recorded it in my smaller recording room (I run a sound studio) because I had that mic setup from other sessions. The room is 11 x 13.
I was lazy. I didn't want to set something up in the big live room. I had to be off to one side, not in a corner though, since there was an amp, concert bass drum and stacked drum set taking up 1/2 of the room. I really like how the top end made the room sing with its resonance.
Not yet. I am still trying to figure out how to get consistency having the strings on it that I do. Spirocores on the D and G with obligatos on the E and A create a challenge with bowing. I really have to focus to get the overall sound close but I haven't gotten there yet.
Are you talking about putting Brasso on the wood? I've only
used it on metal, the brass machines. The pic that is coming up on my screen doesn't show the scroll of the bass.
Yes, rub a brasso-covered rag on the varnish and it should take off the gunk. Test it on a spot by the tailpiece first though in case you don't like the shine
Hey nice room. I guess I was thinking it was like a living room w/ wood floors because it was kind of wet sounding. Did you have the bass right there, like you were sitting on that stool? I like details, they help inform my hearing over time.
- Aug 1, 2005
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- Private Inventor - Bass Capos
Brasso? You sure? Wouldn't abrasive and solvent get embedded in small cracks and bare wood where the varnish has chipped?
And there's plenty of bare wood there. I agree, french polish over bare wood, or a full touch up will keep the old finish vibe but will also protect and make the bass more beautiful, IMO.
No, that picture of the room taken a while ago and is from my website. www.woodcreststudio.com
I was standing when I played. That particular room however is setup for lots of reflections. There is one trap in the room, theater drapes on the window and the rest is poly-cylindrical diffusers, including the ceiling. It is about 50/50 diffuse/absorb. I was in the diffuse 1/2 (more room sound). The floor is hard wood and there is a very thin commercial carpet on it.
Make sense to your ears?
Is this what you mean by french polishing?
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Also, it there are cracks would the french polish get into them and prevent gluing? I am asking that because there is a crack on the rib. It has been repaired, but there is a gap, I think, that this polish could absorb into.
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Also, it there are cracks would the french polish get into them and prevent gluing? I am asking that because there is a crack on the rib. It has been repaired, but there is a gap, I think, that this polish could absorb into.
I too have an old German 34 or 36 (I forget) - with deep chunks missing bass side of neck
back in the day '30s '40s & early '50s 'Pop' was mostly big band swing - these guys went to town slapping and yanking the strings to be heard pver 8, 10 even 12 horns - few amps
a bunch of air has been breathed in & out of that box
back in the day '30s '40s & early '50s 'Pop' was mostly big band swing - these guys went to town slapping and yanking the strings to be heard pver 8, 10 even 12 horns - few amps
a bunch of air has been breathed in & out of that box
Didn't with mine, how you put it on is important too. Wipe on, wipe off, otherwise it'll take off the lacquer/finish.
What brassi does is this: it takes off the gunk. If you left it on overnight it might even take off the finish. I have pics of my bass at home if you're not convinced, although I wouldn't use it regularly, just to buff off a build-up of rosin/gunk/etc.
There's all sorts of weird tricks in the DB world. Toothpaste neck finish anyone?
