Double Bass "....the top might need a little work...."

[james condino]

"Hey James, I have this old bass and the top might need a little work."

 

[Steven Ayres]

Looks like the top might need a new top. Will James' mighty Vacubassomatic be up to the task? Watch and learn, kids!

 

[james condino]

No problem; plenty of life left to this old bass. The "Vacubassomatic" will own this one! This is just in the middle of the scale of what I see all of the time.


Looks like a mouse skatepark!

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

If Salvador Dali was a bassist...

 

[GretschWretch]

If the Vacubassomatic doesn't get the job done, try stuffing some balloons in there and inflating them.

 

[james condino]

If Salvador Dali was a bassist...

Yes! It definitely challenges my sense of space and time....maybe a bass wormhole....

 

[Don Kasper]

The "Vacubassomatic" will own this one!

I heard this "Vacubassomatic" really sucks...
Yeah... I said it.

 

[james condino]

For those unfamiliar with my old Kay restoration rig(s), here is what it looks like in action and one of the survivors:

The funky green is an early '50s model right when they transitioned veneers, so it is half maple inside ply and half tulip poplar.

I've just made a full set of moulds for recreating original factory spec American Standard parts with it this month. I may have an upcoming springtime Luthier CSI thread showing it in action.

 

[unbrokenchain]

Looks like the bridge was cut for the Dali top... wonder how long it'd been played like that

Fwiw my '46 Kay is holding up great a couple years later (it had this treatment from James)

 

[james condino]

.....(it had this treatment from James)

Plus that sweet new removable neck!

 

[Hoyt]

How does something like that even happen? Water damage combined with soundpost issues?

 

[KUNGfuSHERIFF]

Sprung bass bar let go from the bridge upwards and was not repaired.

 

[Carl Hillman]

"Hey James, I have this old bass and the top might need a little work.”

Yeeow! That’s got more drop than a Clayton Kershaw curveball.

 

[Hoyt]

Sprung bass bar let go from the bridge upwards and was not repaired.

I actually had no idea that the bass bar provided that much structural integrity until you said it.
Makes sense though.

 

[Don Hergert]

If Salvador Dali was a bassist...

LOL

I'd swear Salvador Dali and Picasso together inspired the Alcoa DBs. Especially mine.

 

[james condino]

How does something like that even happen?.....

10,000 gigs and 3/4 of a century of partying....the way life should be!

 

[charlie monroe]

10,000 gigs and 3/4 of a century of partying....the way life should be!

Can I hear an Amen?

 

[Hoyt]

Can I hear an Amen?

Amen

 

[RSBBass]

Just put a Stewmac Bridge Doctor in there and your good to go.

 

[Bar Star]

Can I hear an Amen?

AMEN!!!