Lots of Kays in those days. I owned a 1941 Blonde Kay 5 string. It predated the models called the “Chubby Jackson” model. The bass was purchased from a guy in my town who purchased it in a local music store when he worked there. The bass often traveled on the roof of a Packard with the bass drum.
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Double Bass How fragile is a carved bass really?
- Thread starter Lonestar777
- Start date
Who said I can only have one?
It might be good to purchase a second bass.
The last few festivals I've been to, there were so many ancient old geezers that I was far more worried about them stroking out in the heat
long before my bass did.
It might be good to purchase a second bass.
The last few festivals I've been to, there were so many ancient old geezers that I was far more worried about them stroking out in the heat
long before my bass did.
And get off my lawn!!!Who said I can only have one?
It might be good to purchase a second bass.
The last few festivals I've been to, there were so many ancient old geezers that I was far more worried about them stroking out in the heat
long before my bass did.
I’ve notoriously played all my basses in extreme festival setting including my 1850’s Tewksbury (this here is a factory German). I’ve had good luck in general. I think I’ve broken every rule stated here but I’ve come out all right. Be careful and keep your endpin long enough to keep it above the mud!
EdwardofHuncote
I Still Dream of Jeannie
- Aug 21, 2013
- 6,667
- 2
- 16,464
- Disclosures
- I privately own and operate a local musical instument repair shop.
Not more fragile? Solid wood is more likely to crack on impact.
Plywood is strong and long lasting, but cracked or de-laminated plywood is generally harder to repair than cracked solid wood, at least on a double bass.
A new, factory made bass like that is going to be fine in those conditions. An older instrument with a lot of repairs is going to be much more fragile.
Like others have said, if you are OK, the bass is probably fine, too. So, thee potential for damage is more likely in poorly thought out storage ideas. Make sure the bass is in a cooler place when you are not playing it.
Like others have said, if you are OK, the bass is probably fine, too. So, thee potential for damage is more likely in poorly thought out storage ideas. Make sure the bass is in a cooler place when you are not playing it.
Only if your shop is not setup for the needs of lamated basses. If you are, it is easy peasy; predictably reliable and they have different end goals.
Depending on a number of factors, a carved bass can be very fragile. Of course, based on many other factors- a carved bass is very robust. I play many outdoor gigs in the sun right next to lakes (Great or otherwise) in the summer and will use my laminates in these conditions. My hundred years old or so Czech flatback is reserved for comfy gigs per my luthier's recommendation. Your mileage may differ.
I had a student (who sadly died last year hopping a train) who very rough on their plywood bass. I used tell them that repairs are not any cheaper on cheap bass!!
That is well put, also a good answer to the should-I-buy-this-cheap-bass-with-issues kind of questions
Indeed, when I took responsibility for a cheap-bass-with-issues, it was with the expectation that I was going to be my own luthier. No luthier in my area would even touch it. As luck would have it, when I finally got it back together, it held up for a good 20 years before I finally gave it away to someone whose daughter was interested in bass.
Kolstein? Was this a Prescott once played by Scott LaFaro?When I lived in San Diego, I was renting a small cottage in Valley Center and left my bass when there was a heat wave and I was out of town for work, the AC stopped and was not reset, Infernal temps in the cottage and the top slid off the bass. Well it gave an opportunity for the Luthier to fix issues and frankly the bass sounded better. She also told me that she charged me less because the heat already did the ungluing for her. I think it was 2-3 hours of labor saced
. I forgot the place in Oyster Bay Long island NY, but I took my first DB there/ The luthier whose name I can't remember, was able to put back a bass for a customer that was in a car wreck. - it was in many pieces when it came to the shop
Don't worry about it. Common sense. All my carved upright always sound better with cracks. But don't intentionally do it. The wood will do it on it's own if really needed. Play it every day , play it for people . Otherwise it will be just like a dull sounding piece of furniture.
