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Double Bass The Best Quiver?

#23
I've had the reunion blues quiver for a while now, and it works allright. I can't tnotice a difference in the sound of the bass, but it does make wierd buzzing noises if it's not tied just so. I modified mine to stay open better by inserting a peice of coat hanger wire into the seam around the top edge, that way the opening can be bent to whatever roundish shape works.
 
#24
Dunno if it's the proper etiquette to rehash this dusty old thread, but I'm in the market for a quiver and want current opinions on the various options.

I've spent about 2 hours reading all relevant threads and have seen many good suggestions, but the ones that convinced me the most don't seem to be available anymore. Particularly the one made at David Gage's shop.

So, chime in on your quiver experience. I'm all ears... or eyes, as the case may be. And I've already made up my mind that I do in fact need one -- reductions to sound and vibrations notwithstanding. Thanks in advance. If anyone thinks this should be a new thread, I'll make one.

In case more info is needed, here are my requirements:

1 - something that is durable and will hold up to a little abuse
2 - plush interior would be nice I suppose but not necessary as I don't own a particularly nice bow
3 - it should stay put, without making any unwanted noise, and without flopping around too much
4 - obviously, it needs to stay wide open at all times, since the whole point is to maximize accessibility, and speed up the switch from arco to pizz
 
#25
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#26
MingusAmongUs said:
but the ones that convinced me the most don't seem to be available anymore. Particularly the one made at David Gage's shop.
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This is a surprise; I was in Gage's a few months ago and they were still available. They're made to order by one of the guys out front. Joe?

3 - it should stay put, without making any unwanted noise, and without flopping around too much
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Noise and flopping have more to do with how you attach it.

4 - obviously, it needs to stay wide open at all times, since the whole point is to maximize accessibility, and speed up the switch from arco to pizz
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On this feature, the Gage quiver wins hands down. Joe weaves in a spring which holds it wide open.
 
#29
Don Higdon said:
This is a surprise; I was in Gage's a few months ago and they were still available. They're made to order by one of the guys out front. Joe?
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Well, I should have stressed the word "seem" -- I'm going by the website, which doesn't make any mention of it that I could find. I'll give them a call. An earlier post I think said these were in the $90 range? Is that right? Is it worth double what the others go for? How so?
 
#32
MingusAmongUs said:
Well, I should have stressed the word "seem" -- I'm going by the website, which doesn't make any mention of it that I could find. I'll give them a call. An earlier post I think said these were in the $90 range? Is that right? Is it worth double what the others go for? How so?
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They're not a Gage product. One of his long term employees makes them on his own time and David lets him display them and sell them from his shop.
To me, yes. They're nearly works of art, and in function they beat everything else made. I have never had a problem selling them as extras when I've sold basses in the past. It was like having them for free.
 
#33
I have one of these and like it a great deal. Link Removed. Certainly pricey but they are beautifully made. I requested mine to be a bit shorter as I did not want it to be longer than the tailpiece. They will also add a little pencil holder that is made of leather to the inside of the quiver that comes in handy.
 
#34
stiv1 said:
I have one of these and like it a great deal. Link Removed. Certainly pricey but they are beautifully made. I requested mine to be a bit shorter as I did not want it to be longer than the tailpiece. They will also add a little pencil holder that is made of leather to the inside of the quiver that comes in handy.
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Yeah those are really awesome, and Henry's a really great guy and lluthier.
 
#35
I have a rather inexpensive black leather quiver made by Meisel that I got from Gollihur Music several years ago. It stays open very well and comes with two long laces that can be used to secure it to the tail piece. I listened to the bass both with it and without it, after reading Traeger's book. It does damp the very lowest notes, but is not noticeable in the range of open A and above to my ear. It was most noticeable (my bass is 5 strings) on the low B and a little bit on the E. I found the convenience of the quiver outweighed the small sound difference. In the low end my bass has vibration to spare. My tail piece is also a thick heavy hard wood variety. I've never weighed it, but I would guess it weighs at least 2-3 pounds. The weight of the quiver might make more difference on a lighter tail piece. It seems like this quiver was priced around $50. It looks very professional and has held up real well with no dye wearing off or the lip getting mushy. I can predict replacing the lacing at some point because that will wear out, but the body of the quiver should last indefinitely. It isn't a custom hand tooled type of accessory, but it works very well.
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#37
I don't know about their quivers, but I have one of the Reunion Blues bass bags and it is one of those life-time bags. I'd imagine there might be some differences between their quiver and the Meisel, but they might not be substantial. The Meisel looks like it will last forever. The laces probably will not, but these are easy to replace.

My father made hand-tooled, hand-laced leather things. Usually purses or handbags for my mother. He did really ornate carving into the leather and stamped dimension into the carvings. I remember a hand bag my mom had with roses carved all over it. I could see one of these custom quivers with a nice florentine pattern down the front dyed in two tones. There is probably someone doing ones like that or that would do one on commission. It would be a fairly easy leather project compared to a custom rifle holster or horse saddle.

BTW, My DB is a Kremona 4/4 model. It has some nice simple hand carving itself. :)
 
#39
I think it is 75" tall without the endpin socket. That's bottom of table to top of scroll. In Europe, what is often referred to as a 4/4 currently, is about the same dimensions as some 7/8 size basses. It's a big bass, but not like a Klotz. The string is 43". It is a kind of long, tall, well-proportioned Rubner inspired design. You know, kind of the garden variety modern 4/4 5-string gamba:

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The quiver is tall so I mount it with the top lace at the string holes in the tail piece. It is very much a "quick draw" position for me;- and I'm getting a lot better at getting it back in there during the last 4 of the turnaround. For what it's worth, I think a German grip can be drawn faster from the quiver. Looking at the bow in the quiver, it is already in the right orientation for the German grip.
 
#40
Here are some pictures of my bass + quiver. I like the way yours was tied, so I retied mine to see if it made a difference, because my quiver would always flop around when it was tied the other way.
Oh, and mine is a unidentified maker in czechoslovakia that I think is from around 1905-1910??

Whole Bass

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Shot with [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] at 2007-07-23

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Shot with [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] at 2007-07-23
 

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