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Double Bass New Bass Day!

Ben Mitchell

Ben Mitchell

Mar 16, 2011
727
14
Dallas, Texas
#1
Bought my 2 week old Trevor Davis bass from Robertson & Sons yesterday. Could not be happier with my purchase. Not only is Trevor an artist at varnish, but this bass sounds absolutely incredible. It far outplays basses twice to three times it's price.

Trevor Davis is a new builder working out of Robertson's shop and I really recommend giving his basses a look if you are looking. Right now the prices are very reasonable because of how little known he is. He's super friendly and helpful and made sure to give me every detail on the bass and the reason why he made each decision.

Also, as I'm sure some of you are familiar, Aaron Robertson is a blast to work with. His passion seems to just rub off on everyone. He spares no expense or time in making sure that you are completely comfortable and educated on your purchase.

Overall I'm just very excited to own this fantastic new bass, and glad I was able to make the trip to New Mexico!

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#3
Congrats! Hope you enjoy for many years to come. Assuming prices are no secret, what was the price? It's difficult to evaluate opinions like a bass outplays others 2-3x it's price. Most of us know that price doesn't correlate directly with quality and desirability and personal preferences get figured into all that. So, it would be helpful, interesting, and informative to know what basses 2-3x its price you found to be less desirable and why. That can be really valuable information coming from an accomplished player. By the way, what kind of varnish was used? I see that Robertson's has one of Davis' basses listed in the $21-35k range.
 
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#6
This one was 25,000. I believe it's the photo that makes the top bout look not symmetrical.

I should have put in the description that in MY opinion it outplays other basses. I don't want to say that it's a fact, just it's the perfect match to me. Even Aaron, who has played 100's of basses was tickled with it. I'm really happy with it, but I don't want to force you to believe either way. IMO IME and all that.
 
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#8
Ben Mitchell said:
This one was 25,000. I believe it's the photo that makes the top bout look not symmetrical.

I should have put in the description that in MY opinion it outplays other basses. I don't want to say that it's a fact, just it's the perfect match to me. Even Aaron, who has played 100's of basses was tickled with it. I'm really happy with it, but I don't want to force you to believe either way. IMO IME and all that.
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Thanks for your reply. There was no need for you to make explicit that it was your opinion. Of course it was your opinion. It couldn't be anything else. So, given that you're hardly a newbie, I thought it would be quite interesting to hear what other basses (in the $50-75k) range were less desirable to you and why. If some of those were basses that others know and, for example, you could describe in what ways you found your new bass more pleasing, then that could be quite interesting and informative. Congrats again!
 
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#9
Well, for one thing, I found that older basses tended to sacrifice sound for playability most of the time. Whereas the newer basses a lot of time didn't have the filling, powerful sound that I was looking for. It's really an experience thing, you have to hear it, not an easy thing to explain in words. I felt like something was missing from the newer basses I tried, and that I had to make compromises in my technique in order to pull out the sound I was looking for in the older basses. Trevor's bass both displayed the maturity and complex thick sound I was looking for that older basses have and responds to the lightest touch and is amazingly comfortable like the best new basses.
 
#11
Thanks again. I'm quite familiar with what you're talking about, having experienced it myself. I suspect you meant that older basses sacrifice playabilty for sound. Yes?
 
#15
I would love to post sound samples, though the real pain comes because I won't have it until late September. Trevor is planning to take it to the Violin Society of America's makers competition in Indianapolis next month. I elected to leave it with him to avoid extraneous shipping.
 
#16
Beautiful bass! I'm playing mostly double these days and I'm looking for a new one to make the jazz / classical crossover a bit easier....although I have to say I'm more partial to a fatter upper bout, I can't seem to dig in as much on a skinnier one. Just me, though....
 
#17
Good pic of Trevor and the new bass (along with its new owner). This doesn't appear to be the bass for sale on the Robertson site.

Trevor subbed for a couple of my gigs when he lived in So. CA. and I got to know him before he went to Lisa's and then on to Robertson's. He did a set-up adjustment on one of my instruments and it opened up considerably. I wish he was still around. While he was in the area he made a Goffriller copy with Gallery Strings "Cole" tuners. It won ISB makers award. That's when I started wanting one of his instruments. He's accessible at Robertson's if you want to give him a call and talk bass. He's a most interesting young man and you'll develop the impression that the instrument making world will hear a lot more from him in the future. After all, hanging out with Guy Cole, Dan Hachez and the like has to be good for all those guys, right?
 
#18
No, this is a fresh bass, just recently completed. That bass was sold to a student of Dr. Mark Morton at Texas Tech shortly after the TCU Double Bass Festival. I played that bass before it was sold, and that's what made me fall in love with Trevor's work to begin with. I actually attempted to buy that one, but when I called it had been sold the day before. I guess it all works out the way it's intended to.
 

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