Double Bass Wood Shinkage

[Heifetzbass]

A bass is a much better investment that a car assuming you get a good one to begin with. A friend of mine bought a Panormo bass shortly after becoming a professional some 30 years ago. He paid about 7 grand for the bass and sold it 10 years ago for 90. That's a good investment.

When I bought my old French bass it was in a box and in pieces. My wife thought I was nuts to have spend $60, that's right 60 dollars on it. That was in l974. It has recently been evaluated by an independent third party expert at $30,000.
QUOTE]

Wouldn't be Jack B. with the Panormo, would it?

Some guys have all the luck...
Brian

 

[John Sprague]

Martin, I'm wondering if I've been to the same shop that had that excessive cello top thickness spec. I got the impression that it was a case of the guy in the back room having learned one measurement in his training and holding it up as Strad's secret, if you get my meaning.

 

[Martin Sheridan]

I'd better respond privately to this.

 

[Martin Sheridan]

Martin, I'm wondering if I've been to the same shop that had that excessive cello top thickness spec. I got the impression that it was a case of the guy in the back room having learned one measurement in his training and holding it up as Strad's secret, if you get my meaning.

They were both in agreement on this. I'll send you a private post, but I think they are doing their customers a great disservice.
And, how could you buy a cello or any other instrument on the promise that "it sounds like crap now, but just wait a few years and it'll be a Strad"?

I guess that's one way to sell stinkers. But I also must say that they honestly believed what they were saying was true; that 7mm-9mm thick cellos would be better in the long run. Like I said, that's why all those thick German cellos from the 50s on sound so good now, ha ha.