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Double Bass Lombardi 1976

#21
There's a bit of this going on:


ae0643c7.jpg
 
#23
Looking at the Double Bass by Raymond Elgar

It's one of the classic double bass books out there. I'm kind of amazed that no one has done a more comprehensive book on basses with hi-res color photos with details. There is a real need for a better book on basses and makers. Think of a big beautiful coffee table book with hundreds of gorgeous photos and details about the makers. It would be very expensive, maybe upwards of $200, but I would buy it in a heartbeat.
 
#26
No no... I told you I wanted to buy it sight unseen. I think it was about 5 years ago anyway. I guess the shop owner didn't know the maker, saw the rough craftmanship and maybe wanted to let it go quick. In France they are more after that cremonese perfection...

I didn't meet Lombardi personally, being from the south myself, but I have two basses by a great italian maker who finds that kind of perfection simply ugly... He will not spend too much time on the scroll or the finish, but he can make any piece of wood sound great. That's what real talent is. I think that's what Lombardi was trying to do as well.

You got a piece of history there and whole philosophy into it.
 
#27
Cool. Yeah, I can understand why some Luthiers might not dig it because they would think that it was made too quickly etc but it's the first modern bass that really moved me to actually buy in this price-range. A few years ago I would have never thought I would buy something earlier than 1900. This bass isn't perfect, none are, but it feels right and it really delivers the goods and makes me feel like i'm getting across in all musical situations.
 
#30
This bass looks really nice. Lombardi may have skimped on some of the visual flair, but he did a really nice job everywhere else, it seems. If you want to see an ugly bass, look at the Swanson basses. My 1968 Swanson's purfling (yeah, he put in a real purfling, but he didn't do a great job) along with the crazily arched top (more like rolling hills) makes it look as if Bob Swanson practiced luthiery while under the influence.

However, my bass, too, has amazing projection and volume plus a gorgeous tone. And in the end, that's all that should really matter, right?
 
#33
Hey Jason!

I know it's a fine bass, I'm the previous owner... I bought the instrument around 1996 in Bologna.

There's a whole story to it how I got it. I was in Italy with an orchestra when I walked around in the city of Bologna. I went into a guitar shop, and when I came upstairs at the bass section I saw 3 basses, 2 new ones and 1 old one (or so it looked). The old looking bass had a hole in the side and the bridge was bent... but when I played it I was blown away by the sound! I went back to get my own bass and tried to exchange it, but they didn't want to do that. They said the bass came from an attic of someone who passed away... and they would repair it first. I went home disappointed, but then I heard that my conservatory had a financing plan for acquiring instruments for students.
A few days later I was in a bar with my girlfriend, and she asked if I wanted to go to Italy... I asked when, she replied "now" jokingly, but it became serious, so we left that night! We stayed in Italy for a week, but the payment didn't arrive... so I went home disappointed again!
Later I went to get the bass by train, picked it up, slept at the park, and went home. The next day I played it in the big band lead by Frank Foster...

I made some photos of it in the park before going home:
Italian Double Bass pictures by AibajaBoy - Photobucket

It's indeed very good for different styles, I played Jazz, Classical, Klezmer, Tango and even R&B Hip Hop with it. With bowing I had a bit of a hard time playing around the G, it has some resonance there. Is that ok now? Anyway, nice to know who's playing it now!

Grtz, Andy
 
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#34
Some important information: the front soundboard is slid INSIDE the neck block, so if it has to be removed, tell the luthier... otherwise he might make some additional damage!

And a recording:
Link Removed (I think "when we kiss" is the best song)
 
#35
Jason Sypher said:
The one 'feature' I have not been able to find in any other bass is the edging. Lombardi did not bother to use purfling on this bass. He simply carved out an edge along the entire instrument. I wonder if anyone out there has ever seen such a feature on any other bass?
Click to expand...
I associate that with 19th century French basses. Here's that detail as done on my Jacquet, c. 1860. You'll note that he has the raised edge AND purfling.
http://www.stringemporium.com/jaquet-gand-edges-pop.htm
Same detail on the back:
http://www.stringemporium.com/jacquet-gand-back-pop.htm
 

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