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Double Bass Toronto Canada double bass repair

#21
bassbuz said:
boy you're really trashing a guy's reputation! funny he's done great rehairs for me. and steve is the man, bar none.
I guess they won't be doing emergency repairs for you any time soon..
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My teacher (Ed) has been going there for years, and he had fairly good re-hairs in the beginning but they started getting progressively worse. John has a ton of work to do so it makes sense that some bows don't get the needed quality of others. Is that an excuse? Not when you're paying good money for work to be done. I honestly don't consider it trashing his reputation, I was just sharing a 100 percent truthful story to let other Toronto bassists know that there are better and safer options for a rehair, like Ludi!! :)

Side note! What ensembles do you play with bassbuzz? I'm sure we've had the pleasure of meeting before!
 
#22
Calvin Marks said:
My teacher (Ed) has been going there for years, and he had fairly good re-hairs in the beginning but they started getting progressively worse. John has a ton of work to do so it makes sense that some bows don't get the needed quality of others. Is that an excuse? Not when you're paying good money for work to be done. I honestly don't consider it trashing his reputation, I was just sharing a 100 percent truthful story to let other Toronto bassists know that there are better and safer options for a rehair, like Ludi!! :)

Side note! What ensembles do you play with bassbuzz? I'm sure we've had the pleasure of meeting before!
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since you are still in school, it's safe to say we have never 'had the pleasure' of meeting.
buzz:rollno:
 
#23
Gentlemen - it's fine to disagree in the forums; without differing opinions, the forums would not be worth much. Just be sure to keep it respectful. :)

As far as reputations, think of the bass and internet version of the old "would you have acted in the same way if there was a policeman at your elbow?" maxim. In other words, as small as the e-world is these days, most things posted about any particular living individual on this or any other forum are likely to make their way back to the source. If anyone chooses to post a negative review of the products, services, or behavior of a person or persons who are not currently a part of the TBDB world, they should ask themselves if they would say the same thing to the individual in question face to face (within the usage agreement, of course ). If so, then post away, and be prepared to deal with the near inevitable fallout of the post being read by the person who was given the negative review. This is simply a matter of personal responsibility and accountability. Rebuttals of the opinions expressed (also within the usage agreement) are also welcome.

If any TB member feels that they would not express the same opinions, or not in the same way, if the party in question were present, then perhaps some rethinking of the hypothetical post would be in order at that point.

Please understand that I am making no judgement here, as I don't know any of the parties concerned. I just wanted to weigh in on the subject, especially since it has been requested that I do so by several members.
 
#28
bassbuz said:
fantastic. I have some business there tomorrow. I'll be happy to let the guys know about your rating of them.
bravo.
buzz
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Be my guest. I've had nothing but praise for Steve's work on my basses, and Troy is a great guy. Andreas is also hilarious. I've had bad re-hairs there and John is aware of it. Tell your tales, you obviously have nothing better to do with your time. That being said I wish you'd tell me your actual name and not resort to petty back handed comments
 
#30
Jake deVilliers said:
Hey Calvin, you could fill in a little more of your profile too, eh? :)
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What more do you need to know? I live in Toronto, I'm in my final year at the University of Toronto and I have my real name open to the public. I obviously stand behind what I say, that's why I chose to put my real name when I signed up for TalkBass. Hmmm...what else...I like long walks on the beach, Gorman basses, Walke Snakewood Bows...Is that good enough for ya? :) I'd appreciate it if you Bassbuz were honest enough to disclose your actual name instead of hiding behind "bassbuz"
 
#31
Calvin Marks said:
What more do you need to know? I live in Toronto, I'm in my final year at the University of Toronto and I have my real name open to the public. I obviously stand behind what I say, that's why I chose to put my real name when I signed up for TalkBass. Hmmm...what else...I like long walks on the beach, Gorman basses, Walke Snakewood Bows...Is that good enough for ya? :) I'd appreciate it if you Bassbuz were honest enough to disclose your actual name instead of hiding behind "bassbuz"
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Here's a twist on the old debate. I'm in a position where I might need to give your name as a sub somewhere and I'd rather stay at arm's length as far as who I am to you. The music world in Canada is very small and we are regularly in touch with players from both ends of the country. When you work freelancing, you'll find out how carefully you need to express yourself. Not having heard you play in an orchestra setting, I am going to ignore some of the things you have said and not take them into account if I need to give a couple of names to a colleague looking for bassists to play. This forum can be informative, but you need to understand what you are doing to your own reputation when you trash talk a luthier, player or bow rehair.
I'm out
buz
 
#32
bassbuz said:
Here's a twist on the old debate. I'm in a position where I might need to give your name as a sub somewhere and I'd rather stay at arm's length as far as who I am to you. The music world in Canada is very small and we are regularly in touch with players from both ends of the country. When you work freelancing, you'll find out how carefully you need to express yourself. Not having heard you play in an orchestra setting, I am going to ignore some of the things you have said and not take them into account if I need to give a couple of names to a colleague looking for bassists to play. This forum can be informative, but you need to understand what you are doing to your own reputation when you trash talk a luthier, player or bow rehair.
I'm out
buz
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Once again, there was no trash talking. From my own personal experience with the re-hairs at Heinl's, they were poor quality. With first hand knowledge of seeing and hearing from other bass players about their re-hairs from Heinl's, they also deemed it as poor. If a re-hair somehow leads to your bow being damaged in any way, then that's obviously not a good job, would you agree? I'm not talking about the guy putting too much hair on the bow, or not providing the best quality hair, I'm referring to him DAMAGING my bow by negligence. My post is legitimate in every way, there was no fabrication, and I could only hope that my re-hair disaster and damage to my bow will not happen to anyone else.

From what I can tell so far, the difference between me and you is, I stand behind what I say. John at Heinl's was made fully aware (in person) of how I deemed his work (as he did damage my bow), so I quite frankly don't care if you go around fabricating things; if anything it shows more of your character than mine because I don't need to hide behind a screen-name since I said and did nothing wrong in this forum besides provide accurate information.

You've judged my character incorrectly, and quite frankly unfairly. By reading your other thread-posts I think you have a prejudice in your mind that you carry with you against younger players. I've never said anything online that would in any way be deemed disrespectful towards any of my colleagues besides provide accurate information on this account towards a re-hair that landed in my extremely expensive bow being damaged. If you want to act as a gate-keeper or whistle blower that's fine, but don't try and fabricate the idea that I'm something I'm not.

If you really were genuine you'd PM me your actual name so we can talk this out in person and not hide behind a screen-name.
 
#33
Hi all,

Interesting thread. At the risk of getting flamed, I am going to relate my experience with Heinl's, and explain why I don't deal with them any longer. It's more about their ethics, than their abilities at repairs. The two, however, are surely related.

I don't deal with them any longer because of what happened when they had a bass of mine up for a consignment sale. They lent it out - to another TBer - while he was having the fingerboard replaced on his bass. When I found out, I went in and asked about it. Their attitude was "What's the big deal? He might have decided to buy it!" That was four years ago. I haven't been back since, but I have related this story a few times.

One last point, I have used the name 'Eh_train' for the last 5 years because I think there is some humour in it (for non-Canadians, or Canucks who are near-asleep, it's the Ellington reference coupled with the "Eh"). On one other occasion, I was taken to task for "hiding" behind this moniker, but I'm quite willing to share my name if asked.

Cheers,

Paul O'Connell
(Eh_train)
 
#35
eh_train said:
Hi all,

Interesting thread. At the risk of getting flamed, I am going to relate my experience with Heinl's, and explain why I don't deal with them any longer. It's more about their ethics, than their abilities at repairs. The two, however, are surely related.

I don't deal with them any longer because of what happened when they had a bass of mine up for a consignment sale. They lent it out - to another TBer - while he was having the fingerboard replaced on his bass. When I found out, I went in and asked about it. Their attitude was "What's the big deal? He might have decided to buy it!" That was four years ago. I haven't been back since, but I have related this story a few times.

One last point, I have used the name 'Eh_train' for the last 5 years because I think there is some humour in it (for non-Canadians, or Canucks who are near-asleep, it's the Ellington reference coupled with the "Eh"). On one other occasion, I was taken to task for "hiding" behind this moniker, but I'm quite willing to share my name if asked.

Cheers,

Paul O'Connell
(Eh_train)
Click to expand...

I understand what you're saying. I've personally never had any issues with actual double basses at Heinl's, if anything the work was really well done and done very quickly.

I will admit I'm probably one of those guys that if I saw a bass there I'd ask to take it out to try even if I had no intention of buying...from a sellers point of view I can see how frustrating that must have been, especially if somehow the bass got a bit dinged up with travel.

Perhaps they should have provided one of their own basses as a loaner versus someone else since they knew that this person had no intention of purchasing it?
 
#36
Neal,

I think you missed the point. They used my bass as a loaner, as Calvin points out. It's the equivalent of taking your car in to be repaired and being given someone else's car to use for a week! The person who was given my bass was quite upset when he found out - he thought it belonged to Heinl's. He offered to "speak to them about it". Instead, I spoke to them about it. But good.

CHeers,

Paul
 
#38
I am a Toronto luthier, having apprenticed with Zoltan Ari and Istvan Jacso at Remenyi (I no longer work for them) for over 2 years. I also apprenticed with Peter Mach and Master Luthier Luigi Lanaro. I also know Ludi very well so I just wanted to clarify something about a comment someone made earlier:
In the 4 years I was employed at Remenyi, Ludi did likely 99% of the re-hairs to all bows. There was a VERY (perhaps 1 month) brief time where someone else did some of the re-hairs, but Ludi has been at Remenyi now for many, many years. And he STILL does their re-hairs.
Only in the situation where someone isn't willing to wait for the open time slots and they insist it is a MAJOR EMERGENCY, does a bow see someone other then Ludi.
Sorry, I just had to clarify someones mistake in an earlier posting.

Cheers,
Gawpo
 
#39
Better late than never I guess... I just wanted to give another shout out to Heinl's for the great work they do on setups and restoration. I have had nothing but great experiences there. Steve and Troy(who I understand has moved to Spain now), have always been extremely helpful, and they do the best fingerboard dresses in my experience.
 
#40
:D
AMJBASS said:
Better late than never I guess... I just wanted to give another shout out to Heinl's for the great work they do on setups and restoration. I have had nothing but great experiences there. Steve and Troy(who I understand has moved to Spain now), have always been extremely helpful, and they do the best fingerboard dresses in my experience.
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AMJBass:

I am resurrecting this 4 year old thread to add my response to your post.
I agree wholeheartedly with what you have written.
I picked up my ply Eberle from Heinl's last week after they fitted a new adjustable bridge, soundpost and did a fingerboard planing.
Steve did the work....Troy explained what had been done.
I have to say the workmanship and set up is flawless. I have mostly always done my own work because of the distance I lived at the time from Toronto. Now I am much closer and thought it was time for the experts to have a go at it.
It was the best decision I have made with this instrument. I had a bit of a clue as to what I was doing before but it was not until I got my bass back last week that I realized how much I still had to learn.
The bass plays like a dream. Every note is perfectly clean and it takes much less effort to get the same volume I had before.
They still charge 100 bucks an hour but it was worth every penny to me. I was treated very well despite the fact I don't bow, play jazz or am in an orchestra.;)

I wouldn't doubt that other luthiers in Toronto could have done equally fine work but I wanted to relate my very positive experience at the venerable old Heinl establishment. It has given me new-found confidence about my bass being set up properly.

No more bass tinkering for me.:D
 

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