Double Bass The bass I bought

[DerHoggz]

Hawt.

Plus here is a nice, easy, online metals source I just found, through my work (for rod and seamless tube):

Invalid Link Removed

Just thought I'd throw it out that seamless tubing was invented in my town.

 

[Paul Warburton]

Many folks helped me, immeasurably. Many sincere thanks to Ken Smith, Wil DeSola, and Arnold Schnitzer, for their invaluable expertise, time, perspective, generosity, and help during the selection process. It was a great pleasure and honor to visit both Ken Smith Basses and AES Fine Instruments, meet with these men, play instruments, and learn from their vast experience. Being able to spend a few hours with Ken Smith, playing through his amazing collection of basses, was an evening I will not soon forget.

I also need to give further credit where credit is due. Sincere thanks to Boston area bass luthiers Michael Hartery, Kurt Ratering, and John Styklunas who all checked the bass out before I bought it and shared their expert opinions.

Kurt Ratering, at Johnson String Instruments' "The Bass Shop" was incredibly thorough, helpful, and generous; he called in two North Benet Street violin-making grads as well as a professional bassist they have on staff, and the four of them crawled over the bass, stem to stern.

Michael Hartery, a wonderful professional bassist as well as a talented, accomplished luthier, gave the bass a solid approval after playing it several times.

John Styklunas, another talented bassist and luthier, after coming to my house to check out the bass, made some helpful suggestions and comments, as well as giving it his approval.

Wow. What an all star cast of helpers.
Way to do it right, Eric. Congrats!

 

[Eric Swanson]

Thanks, Paul. I try to not to make these big moves without help from those with more experience. Sort of a "group conscience" approach...

I still think every day about the basses I saw and played, when I met Ken Smith. What an amazing collection. He has done so much for so many basses, bassists, and luthiers. Being there, playing those basses, and meeting him was unforgettable, really.

He actually (on his site) did a comparison between my bass (which he suggested may be a copy of a copy, in terms of shape and overall concept) and one of his amazing instruments.

Not that suprisingly, (considering who he is and what/who he knows) Ken also told me about the bass' original importer, something about the original owner, and more about one of the previous luthiers.

For anyone interested, (especially in the measurement-by-measurement comparison on his post #6, with a link to his Hart-Maggini http://www.kensmithbasses.com/doublebasses/hart/), here is that thread:

http://www.smithbassforums.com/showthread.php?p=20336#post20336

 

[Eric Swanson]

Hawt.



Just thought I'd throw it out that seamless tubing was invented in my town.

Completely off topic, but, you know, I looked around a bit and found several different sources that say that seamless tubing was invented in their town, country, or by their company. Seems to be some debate, here...

 

[Eric Swanson]

Here are some Christmas Eve clips where one can hear the bass' sound. Please forgive, in advance, my sloppy, hobbyist chops...

A clip of the jazz pizz will have to follow some other time...

In "All and Some" the Hurdy Gurdy and bass duet is an added, slightly bizarre bonus

All and Some:

 

[Mike Goodbar]

Very nice playing, Eric, and from what I could hear through my crappy earbuds a good sounding bass -- very present, but not strident at all. (I also dug the hurdy gurdy!)

 

[drurb]

Sounds very sonorous! Thanks for sharing.

 

[tomshepp]

+1. I love Christmas gigs.

Sounds very sonorous! Thanks for sharing.

 

[Eric Swanson]

Here's another clip from the Early-music Christmas eve thing.

The bass just plays so easily. I was holding back a bit; you know, playing closer to the fingerboard, using a little less bow, etc., because it felt as if I was too loud for the band. In retrospect, I probably should have let 'er rip a bit more.

The band drags a mite, but the clip still shows off how easily Jed Kriegel's bass plays...

A little bit of what my former teacher used to call "stump grinding"; you know, chomping out time in the lower register...



If I get any decent clips of some jazz pizz, I'll post those. This was a fluke; my family was in the pews with our Flip video camera...

I'll just say it, I love my bass! I have spent most of my life playing instruments that were challenging and that never quite "had it". What a gas to play something that just responds so easily and fully, pizz, arco...whatever.

Bless Jed Kriegel; his experience, talent, drive, and ingenuity...