I know I have shouted out props to my man Matt Bohn (The Bass Doctor) of Felton California before, but this time he put a new elongated fingerboard on my bass (and a bunch of other necessary fixes) and set that board up for Jazz and MAN all I can say is Matt is THE MAN. Matt is good at everything (ask the Root players or the Buegrass players or the Slap players or the many classical players) but he has DIALED in the jazz setup like nobody else I know. And what a sweet, kind,dude...I like him immensely. I could hang out there and waste his whole day just smiling at him and chitchatting. If you can possibly get an opening (he is busy, Jackson) take your bass to Matt and you will be so happy. The thing is ,he looks you in the eye, opens his ears and listens to what you want, and then is really happy, to make you happy. I literally cannot say enough nice things about Matt. Totally worth the drive to Felton from ANYWHERE in CA.
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Double Bass Matt Bohn's ridiculously incredible jazz setup!
- Thread starter flatback
- Start date
Matt has my upright right now for a setup, Yamahiko installation, and fingerboard planing.
I met him last week for the first time (thanks flatback!). He spent over an hour with me in his wonderful shop full of basses asking all about my playing, bass, and musical goals. He made me feel immediately at home and I knew I was with a consummate professional and that my bass was in very good hands. Can’t wait to get my bass back next week from him and will report back how everything went.
I met him last week for the first time (thanks flatback!). He spent over an hour with me in his wonderful shop full of basses asking all about my playing, bass, and musical goals. He made me feel immediately at home and I knew I was with a consummate professional and that my bass was in very good hands. Can’t wait to get my bass back next week from him and will report back how everything went.
Indeed it is-you've seen my bass (it's the bass in my avatar)!
When I first got this upright, I had Gael McKeon add the dots to the fingerboard. I had no idea he would use such large dots, which has become somewhat of a joke over the years.
I learned my lesson-it always pays to go over the specifics with a luthier! Matt is removing the dots for now and we're going with temporaries until I decide on if a new neck is in order.
When I first got this upright, I had Gael McKeon add the dots to the fingerboard. I had no idea he would use such large dots, which has become somewhat of a joke over the years.
I learned my lesson-it always pays to go over the specifics with a luthier! Matt is removing the dots for now and we're going with temporaries until I decide on if a new neck is in order.I had Matt add very small markers (2mm) at the Octave then Bb C D E and Octave G (double high) the board he put on there is almost 3 octaves which is LONG and beautiful. I really like these markers. For Thumb position it really enables me first to conceptualize a much more cohesive and positive mental graphic of the notes and harmonic layout of a tune but also to reach for and slide into notes and smears that are incredibly expressive. I find myself for example playing a line that might end on Bb (the fifth of an Eb chord) and then adding color notes in an expressive slide (up to Eb or G or even to slide up and encase the Eb). Often I wouldnt dare to do that without the visual ref for fear of missing (it is easy to miss just because of the physicality of pushing your arm up there) But with these little dots in place different kinds of melodic choices present themselves (really partially thru the visual ability to SEE the whole thumb position board notes as a graphic quickly in my mind and hear it in my ear) I love it and I really don't give a shite what anybody has to say negatively about it.
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Same here on all counts, flatback. I've had dots in some form on my uprights for years. They often help with intonation when needed and I'm shameless about the whole thing-what I sound like is all that matters, with the ends justifying the means in this case. Matt will eventually place permanent dots (I think the larger 4mm) on my fingerboard-much in the same pattern he did for you-once we decide on final modifications to the bass.
A couple basses that Matt setup have come into my shop for basic things when they don't want to drive all the way to Felton. I have to say, his fingerboard work is impeccable.
