Double Bass interesting scrolls

[KSB - Ken Smith]

I have owned two Lion head Basses myself over the years. Back in the mid '70s I had a beautiful 3/4 Bass by Hans Schirmer, a German maker c.1920. This Bass was beautiful in every way.

The second Lionhead Bass was THE Bollbach Lion that I just recently sold to a good friend of mine here in Pa.

The Bollbach Lion has details that stun the eye. One well known Violin authority examining the Bass stated that it was the best carved and detailed Head he had seen in modern times.

Now, I personally find beauty in well carved Scrolls as well. The Scroll on my Gilkes is about the best I have seen. From a few feet away it's just a Scroll but when you look close at each line, each bevel, each curve, you start to wonder if it was made by human hands and not some higher form of life.

It doesn't have to be fancy to be beautiful. That's what I am trying to say. Yes, I love my Gilkes and can't stop talking about how beautiful it is but it is important for all those that look at instruments to study the best makers that have lived. Gilkes is noted in all the English journals as a first class maker of ANY period.

Also, putting an Extension in a carved head is not as easy as thru a scroll in case you might want one in the future.

 

[Ed Fuqua]

I've always thought that the head of a chess-piece would look nice topping a scroll

I don't get it?

 

[Dan Seabolt]

This is a bass i just finished for a bassist in michigan.

 

[Matthew Tucker]

Fantastic! Love the lolling tongue!

 

[Dan Seabolt]

Thanks, its one on top of notre dame

 

[Dan Seabolt]

i took it to oberlin last week to show. it turned out pretty cool

 

[PaulCannon]

So what's the deal with those crazy f-holes? There's two bassists here at Rice with identical f-holes, and I'm curious where they come from. One of the basses in question is about 200 years old.

 

[Dan Seabolt]

????????????? found them on the internet, maybe from the same era as the gargoyles

 

[Heifetzbass]

i took it to oberlin last week to show. it turned out pretty cool

So... what did Mr. Meyer think of the bass?
BG

 

[Michael Glynn]

So what's the deal with those crazy f-holes? There's two bassists here at Rice with identical f-holes, and I'm curious where they come from. One of the basses in question is about 200 years old.

I've heard them referred to as viola d'amore f-holes. Indeed, if you look up pictures of viola d'amores (violas d'amore? viole d'amore?) most seem to have this kind of f-hole.

 

[bassist14]

that reminded me of lajos montags bass, made by Lajos Kovács, with the bat-f-holes
it has also an interesting scroll. sorry, but i have nor better pic from the scroll

 

[Dan Seabolt]

edgar used words like; cool, awsome, thats exciting.

 

[Jazzdogg]

Might one of these carvings might be adapted as a bass scroll?

 

[Dan Seabolt]

Jazzdog,
The possibilities are endless with the scroll. Both of those carvings could work with some tweeking. Has to be somewhat functional but i could see it working. Dan Seabolt

 

[Jake deVilliers]

"Edgar used words like; cool, awesome, that's exciting"

Who wouldn't?! Good looking bass Dan, very nice!

 

[Ed Fuqua]

Might one of these carvings might be adapted as a bass scroll?

I would hate to try to get my bag off of Mr. Leafy Face there...

 

[Ed Fuqua]

Fantastic! Love the lolling tongue!

Wasn't it Glen Moore's Klotz that had a removable tongue in the carved lion's head scroll?

 

[toman]

Wasn't it Glen Moore's Klotz that had a removable tongue in the carved lion's head scroll?

I'm pretty sure its felt, or something similar.

 

[Mike Goodbar]

I alway thought that if I ever came across the jing to have a top-end bass made for myself, I would have a friendly bear's head for a scroll carved for it:

 

[Ken McKay]

I once carved a bass scroll that looked like Bullwinkle. And that was after studying feline anatomy, so my hat goes off to Jeff Bollbach.