Well, the story on this bass is interesting.
This is from his book ‘The Bottom Line’.
The end of Meyer’s professional bass career was the death of his daughter from cancer. He was so distraught he could not bring himself to play. He sold his Betts, old Italian and newer custom solo English Lant basses. He also sold his 5 bespoke bows made by his friend PW Bryant.
It was 14 years and a custom 2 acre waterfront home on Vancouver Island in Sooke before he decided maybe playing bass again might be a good thing for him. This was about 22 years ago.
He needed a bass for a new orchestra being started by an old friend. Mary Rannie, principle bassist of the Royal Victoria Symphony and both good friends of Gary Karr, loaned Meyer a fine old bass and bow. Meyer broke the bow while playing one day. James Ham told him that bow had a flaw.
Dismayed by what happened to Mary’s bow he went bass shopping with his son Nicholas. He tried a few in a Vancouver store. Meyer had never bought a bass from a store. They were usually handed down by teachers or colleagues, from players like Eugene Cruft. So the basses in the store were all totally unsatisfactory. As Meyer was leaving, the salesman said he remembered one more in the basement.
Meyer reluctantly tried it, and lo and behold, it was the one. This one in today’s auction! The Eberhard Meinel. Perhaps being sold by Nicholas Meyer.
In Meyer’s words from his book:
‘The ribs and back were maple of a nice flame, the belly close-grained pine. It was very well made. There was a touching note in German roughly translated to “I have made this instrument for you and hope you have many happy hours playing it”. The bass was made near the town my father lived, I thought what a coincidence. On the way out the door with the bass the salesman informed us a tutor was included in the price. I politely declined.’
Robert and Nicholas next went to a Ford dealership and bought a station wagon for his new bass. At home he pulled out Simandl’s Gradus ad Parnassum and went to work to prepare for the bass chair of the new Sooke Philharmonic his friend put together. He was 78 years old.
