Kudos to the Kolstein's

How does it feel knowing you are playing a 20K-plus bass?

 

I was shopping for basses in a lower price range last summer, and I made the mistake of picking up a $35+K English bass and putting the bow to it. I just couldn't believe what it felt like, and I thought to myself "this bass would change me." I ended up getting bit by the bug, and I found a way to get a loan and buy it.

It's true that the quality of the bass is kind of lost when I'm going through a cranked amp and playing with a loud drummer, but I've had more than one person (big band leaders or other musicians on the gig) tell me that there's a clarity in the notes that, crappy amp sound notwithstanding, is pretty much priceless. It's like when people say of old P-basses that they sit perfectly in the mix, or that they surround the other instruments without obscuring them; this is a special quality.

The thing I love about basses is that different ones are great in different ways. Most people who pick my bass up play one note and go "whoa....," but some people don't notice anything special. I played a $85K Testore on the stage of a concert hall once, and I just don't have the arco chops to know why it's a good bass (when I plucked it, it just went "thdd" and I thought "well, that wouldn't cut it on a jazz gig). But a pro was playing it, and the experience of walking off of the stage and into the audience while he was playing was stunning: there came a point when I got out into the hall where all of a sudden the sound went from "normal bass" to "voice of God."

I don't have a point, just that playing really great basses makes me glad to be a bassist!

 

couldn´t have said it better
(especially with my poor english...)

 

$35+K English bass?
Gagliano shop bass for 50K?
$85K Testore?

Something seems a bit out of order here. Unless the Bass is either of questionable origin or in dis-repair I don't think these prices for Italian and English Basses are possible from a major Dealer.

I know of one English Bass going for 36k in USA but it is an unknown hand written label from the late 1800s and the Bass looks German in shape and design. I have seen some Italian Basses near 50k but most are from the 20th century.

If two, three, or more dealers agree somewhat close to the origin of a particular Bass, then it might be a safe bet. I often consult 3-6 dealers/appraisers world wide before making a purchase decision unless I know for sure what the Bass is.

Do I agree with all the names, dates and origins attached to every Bass sold in a Shop? Very often not!

A good part of the price game is the origin, maker and date. It would be nicer if the sound and condition were more of a factor but with these higher prices, 'pedigree' prevails.

 

Price tags have fuzzy meaning. Pedigree will not make tone by itself. I have played basses marked at 30,000 dollars that didn't hold a candle to my $10,000 no-name Hungarian. Then I have also played some that did. It's all subjective. I just got home from David Gage's shop. Mario Pavone was there and let me tell you his 70 year-old (possibly Wilfer) German bass sounded truly gorgeous.

 

By top pick do you mean for orchestral Bowing? Most expensive type basses are strung up with Orchestral/bowing strings that do not usually pizz as well as a Jazz sting on a hybrid 3k Bass.

We must compare these in the correct light to see things equal to some point.

 

Barrie has a great shop and a top notch selection of instruments. I consider myself very lucky to both live and work close to the shop and have dealt with Barrie from the time I was in High School until now 15 years later.

I would also comment the "High Society" bass is just an unbelievable instrument. Along with so many of the basses in his shop. It is a joy and honor to go to Barrie's shop and have the run of a great inventory. To this day everyone in the shop remembers my name where I went to school and who I studied with, that says allot considering I only play part time and have since sold my expensive instruments.

Ken brings up a great point, I personally put my trust in Barrie on his opinions and prices. I have no other choice since to me he is the one with all the knowledge. If I was to make a large investment again getting appraisals or opinions from other shops would probably be the prudent thing to do. I do sometimes wonder how he and others can really find common ground on setting prices in such an illiquid market. It is really fascinating....

BTW - From the first time I stepped into the shop Barrie has always spoken very highly of Ken Smith Basses and Ken's design. Ken your knowledge and thought process of "pedigree" instruments is very valuable.

 

I know what you are saying here. I'm not in the 20k + category, but I do have a fully carved and a plywood bass. When I pluck them I have trouble deciding which one I like the sound of best, but when the bow comes out........well, it's a whole nuther story. The carved bass really excels. Yes, it's great to be a bass player.

 

Don't ask me, ask Andy Stetson at the Cincinnati Bass Cellar; those two basses came from his inventory and those were his prices. I bought the English bass (partly on your advice, Ken); it's attributed to "John Smith" and dates to the late 19th century, and although it appraised at $42.5K the seller was quite motivated and sold it for somewhat below his asking price of $35K. It ain't no Dodds or Gilkes, and it's been smashed up a few times, but I think that the just-less-than-humongous tone it produces is actually more useful for jazz amplification and recording.

As for the Testore, it sat in Andy's shop for a long time. It actually wasn't that great of a bass, as Testores go (so I'm told), but it had the proper pedigree so the price was high (although not high, I think you are saying, for a Testore). Perhaps the advice I once received is correct: when you want to sell a bass, do it in NYC, but when you want to buy one do it anywhere but.

 

Jason, which bass was that?

BTW-Your Tewksbury is beautiful. Is it heavy?

Very true.

I bought my Prescott Gamba Shop Bass from Barrie almost 5 years ago. One of the best moves of my life. Barrie was a pleasure to do business w/ and I feel he gave me a good deal on it. I base this opinion on many factors one having shown it to Lyle Atkinson who previously owned the bass and sold it to Barrie some eight years before I bought it. Roberto Valle owned it between Lyle and I and traded in to Barrie for an Italian. Lyle told me what Barrie had paid him for it back then and said that Barrie had given me a great deal when I told him I only paid < 10% more than that for it 8-9 years later.

It's small for a Prescott, gamba shape w/ 3/4 length and width measurements, but very deep ribs so it can be considered a small 7/8. http://www.thetalkbasses.com/
It's a bit bigger than the famed 'Lafaro Prescott' and not a Busetto model. There are two that have the same shape at Volker Nahrmann's shop http://www.nahrmannbass.com/. It is heavy for its size. I tried a massive Prescott in Boulder, CO when I was bass shoping back then and I could never have humped around one of those for a living, but this one just spoke to me.

I knew it was a great Jazz instrument from the first note I plucked on it. I tried compairing it to two Italian instruments at Barrie's that were priced 10-20K more than this reconstituted, highly repaired, players, old Yankee bass. They all sounded wonderful w/the bow. The Prescott being dark, robust w/ complexity and character as well. The Italians (a Tarantino and a small Cavani as I recall) w/ lots of sweetness and response. But I needed to compare "apples to apples" so I had Barrie put Spiros on all three and adjust the bridges to more of a height that I was used to. Again, even w/ Spiros great arco on all, but Piz? The Prescott was clearly the Jazz monster of the three.
Lush, but penetrating w/ robust organic growl and room filling punch. I was in love. Barrie graciously let me have a generous trial period before purchasing during which time I tried many other great basses. I took out on trial a Boston player's gorgeous French Lamy from the 1870's, I tried the JB Allen basshttp://aesbass.com/bassgallery.htm that Arnold beautifully restored, a bass that Dave Holland once owned and many other basses that were priced lower, the same and higher than my bass. They were all great for different reasons, but this bass just seemed closest to my ideal voice as a player and has a certain 'thing'. Jeff Bollbach said it is the "ultimate Jazz bass".
It's no pristine museum piece. It's been thru the wars and back, but it's a player's bass that's obviously been kept around for that reason. I'm lucky to have it. It inspires me everyday.

 

Does Kolstein still make basses in New York? Or do they just sell their older basses and those of other manufacturers? Or do they buy basses made elsewhere and put their stamp on them?

 

I believe they do all of the above.

BG