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Double Bass My new Shen SB-190

#41
Steve Swan said:
I've been pushing for a flatback Willow Rogeri model for a year. A Maple flatback would be a great addition as well. I'd be greatly surprised if we dont see some by 2010 NAMM or even before.
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If they make a maple flatback version, expect a phone call!! :D I would LOVE to hear one of those! Please let John at CSC know there would be at least one very happy buyer if they did that!
 
#42
The SB190 is more squishy in the lower ribs. Might be because willow is a sound wood, but i'm also wondering if the ribs is too thin.

Frankly, i've not tried much Poellmanns but the ones i usually tried has less volume than what i get out of these basses. They are helluva heavy basses as well. They just look very pretty. I'm sure there are better ones, but they just didn't cross my path. :)
 
#44
"Flexible" is a more appropriate term. I owned my Pollman for over 10 years before I sold it, and it was already 30 + years old when I acquired it. So....no Pollman hatin' going on...just a comment about the response of this bass, while still new, is the preference to this bassist's ear. Thass all! No hate here.
 
#46
I also purchased one of the "NAMM" SB190 basses from Lisa Gass of LA Bassworks back in February when I was in Los Angeles. Lisa bought it from the Shen booth and brought it back to her shop. I purchased this instrument to serve as my LA bass and replace my beloved Hachez that I sold in November. Although the SB190 is certainly no Hachez, it is a wonderful bass that is loud with a very full and rich sound.

Lisa upgraded the endpin to a Goetz, installed Orchestral Spiros, installed my Fishman Full Circle and did a minor amount of fingerboard work to get rid of some minor buzzing when the strings were set low. Unfortunately I can't post any pictures or even confirm the serial number since the bass is in LA and I'm presently in Scotland and won't be back to California until the end of the year.

My main Scottish bass is a LaScala hybrid flatback, a very similar instrument indeed, and I'd love to get the two basses together in the same room for a comparison. However, they are both fairly large instruments and the size and mensura is almost identical on them. Since I'm doing most of my playing in Scotland where I now live for most of the year, I'd like to have the best sounding of the two instruments here. It is tough to figure out which one that is without having them together to compare. Cheers.

Erik Hansen
Scotland
 
#51
Hi whorrace,
Your humidity concerns with this or any hybrid are considerably less than with a fully carved instrument, but not quite as care-free as a plywood bass. It's our belief (that some will dispute) that most top cracks occur due to aggression from a moving back. When big and strong maple decides to move, wimpy little spruce has to go along or break. But with a plywood back, there is no movement to speak of. Still, there is plenty of solid wood on that bass and you should avoid humidity extremes in either direction and rapid changes.
 

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