Info on a Large Mexican Mariachi Bass

[Robyn]

I have a large Mexican Acoustic Bass that was bought from a band member in Mexico in the 1970's but I don't know where to go to find out anything about it.
Anybody here got some ideas of where I should begin my search?
Thanks in advance!
Robyn

 

[TolerancEJ]

Post a few pictures. There should be some TalkBass members who can help to identify the instrument.

 

[Eilif]

What you are talking about sounds like a "Guitarron".

Is it a short scale, 6 string fretless with a huge body that is shaped like a boat hull on the backside?

They are the typical bass instrument of Mariachi ensembles and the strings are typically plucked two at a time. It's about the only acoustic bass short of an upright that can truly compete with the volume of two strummed acoustic guitars.

IIRC, the last time I looked into them you can get a Chinese "Lucida" import for 300 bucks, Mexican Guitarrons tend to start at $500 and a nice one will run you a grand and up. Strings are not hard to order, but instructional material tends to be Spanish only.

Good Luck with it!

 

[Robyn]

Great suggestions and info. Thanks
Robyn

 

[Eilif]

Great suggestions and info. Thanks
Robyn

You're very welcome!
If you have a picture I'm sure folks here would like to see the instrument. I'm lucky enough to play one occasionally at a local shop but generally we don't get a chance to see many guitarron's on the forum.

 

[Robyn]

I'm in the process of getting a few good photos and accurate description. We are selling a bunch of gear and I'm in the beginning stages of organizing and pricing everything.... (Wish this part were over!!!)
But I'm on the case! It's cool that you play one. The one I have was bought in Mexico, right off the guy playing in the Mariachi band by my husbands father who was as very famous steel guitar player (he played on ALL THINGS MUST PASS ~ G. Harrison) as well as many many many other very well known artists....
Robyn

 

[Inara]

I'm in the process of getting a few good photos and accurate description. We are selling a bunch of gear and I'm in the beginning stages of organizing and pricing everything.... (Wish this part were over!!!)
But I'm on the case! It's cool that you play one. The one I have was bought in Mexico, right off the guy playing in the Mariachi band by my husbands father who was as very famous steel guitar player (he played on ALL THINGS MUST PASS ~ G. Harrison) as well as many many many other very well known artists....
Robyn

Wait - was your father-in-law Pete Drake??

 

[Robyn]

Yes, he most certainly was..... I gather you must have heard of him.....
Apparantly, he loved the sound of this guitar and used in in several recording sessions on people he produced..... That's what my husband Johnny says, (he engineered or set up most of the sessions)
Musical history is fun, eh?

 

[1bassplayinfool]

 

[Inara]

Yes, he most certainly was..... I gather you must have heard of him.....
Apparantly, he loved the sound of this guitar and used in in several recording sessions on people he produced..... That's what my husband Johnny says, (he engineered or set up most of the sessions)
Musical history is fun, eh?

Yes, I've heard of him. I grew up not too far from Nashville, and lived and played there for a decade. He had already sadly passed nearly 20 years before I lived there, but he was and still is a legend.

Music history is indeed fun. Welcome, best wishes, and I'm looking forward to seeing the pics of the guitarron!

 

[klyph]

Mexican Guitarrons tend to start at $500 and a nice one will run you a grand and up.

It would be great to see pictures. I’m dying to see what it has on it for tuners. Many really nice ones were sold with just friction pegs, but a busy player would often swap those out for bass guitar tuners; I saw a complete set of Fender lollipop + 2 cloverleaf tuners on a guitarron in Guanajuato...

 

[Wfrance3]

I played one in a fairly legit looking music shop in Pto Vallerta. It was 4 string EADG.
Was a while back. I don't remember it being fretless, but maybe... Was the shortest bout of GAS I ever experienced. Was determined to check one out after seeing a mariachi band that had one. Sounded dubby, thick and loud for an acoustic instrument. Played around on it for 10 minutes, at most. Then the thrill was gone...

 

[Robyn]

As with all acoustic instruments, the quality and the feel combined with the sound make one fall in love (or not!) But with upright bass has that thumpy, thick sound too. It's just a matter of what the music is calling for I think.....

 

[c10]

Welcome to the forum Robyn, we've all probably heard Pete's playing on a bunch of songs and never knew who it was.

Invalid Link Removed
Pete Drake Biography

If you aren't already on it, The Steel Guitar Forum is another good site.

 

[chadds]

Is this steel guitar good for metal?

 

[Robyn]

Your question is confusing. We are discussing a Mexican bass acoustic guitar...

 

[Eilif]

I played one in a fairly legit looking music shop in Pto Vallerta. It was 4 string EADG.
Was a while back. I don't remember it being fretless, but maybe... Was the shortest bout of GAS I ever experienced. Was determined to check one out after seeing a mariachi band that had one. Sounded dubby, thick and loud for an acoustic instrument. Played around on it for 10 minutes, at most. Then the thrill was gone...

That's an interesting -possibly custom- find, but not at all a traditional Guitarron which are fretless, 6 stringed and nearly always less than 30 inch scale.

Similarly to you though, actually playing one did calm my GAS quite a bit. Not that I wouldn't still like one, but it quickly disabused me of the idea that it'd be nothing more than a big ABG that I could pick up and play easily. It's definitely it's own animal.

 

[cholyoke]

Your question is confusing. We are discussing a Mexican bass acoustic guitar...

chadds's comment is forum-specific humor based on semi-common threads where new bassists ask for suggestions for the best bass or type of bass for playing heavy metal style music by asking "what is the best bass for metal?"

 

[Rabidhamster]

They're quite easy to find around here, getting brought over from Mexico constantly, neat but not expensive used. Used Mexican Fenders would make a reasonable pricing analogy for the hand made in Mexico Guitarrons like what would be used in a mariachi band.

Its really a cool story and might be worth more to you for display and conversation purposes?

 

[Robyn]

Okay folks! I have photos and the info on the giant acoustic bass I was asking about. It's a Harptone fretted 4 string (duh!) with spruce top. I can't tell what the body's made from but it doesn't have much grain, so I expect maybe a plain maple (as the hardwood aspect would give a good sound, right?) It's not Brazilian rosewood or mahogany or an exotic wood as far as I can tell. Model is B-4 and SN# is 2028-80. It's in really good (might I say excellent) condition, hasn't been out of the case since before Pete passed in 1988 (until now). It's been stored in a home with AC and heat so no extreme temps have touched it.
I will add a few pics. I'm really interested in the value of this because of the relative rarity of the insturment combined with the fact that it was used by Pete on many sessions he produced on various artists. I know it was used on BJ Thomas (my husband said he liked the tictac sound). As for how it came to be in Mexico, played in a Mariachi band (when he found it and bought it off the musician), I don't suppose we'll ever know.... But I know for sure (my husband Johnny had to deal with bringing the dang thing back on the plane on his lap!!!!! Obviously the rules about flying with a giant guitar were different back then.... But that's a story for another day.... and oh my....are there stories!!! lol!!!). Thanks for any leads or help you might be able to offer me!