Bow Quiver Solution - Johs

[Anton Johannes Hejl]

Hello,

I just uploaded three pictures and a descriptive text to the blog I started writing in september: Bassolution (http://bassolution.blogspot.dk/)

I set out to construct a Bow Quiver Holder, that does not dampen the vibration of the strings.

I would enjoy if other bassplayers found this solution useful :)

Cheers,
Johs

[Ken Smith]

Have you weighed tailpieces before of various woods? Many basses over 100 years old with original tailpieces are stained boxwood or maple stained black and not ebony. With the quiver added, (weight them!), that ads 4-5 ounces. I almost always use a quiver and even pack my bass with the bow in the quiver. I have very very expensive basses and bows as well. These great old expensive basses are not effected much at all with a quiver. I put them on tight to the TP as seen on some of my pages.

http://www.kensmithbasses.com/doublebasses/marcucci/images/big/marcucci_ff.jpg

http://www.kensmithbasses.com/doublebasses/storioni/images/big/front.jpg

http://www.kensmithbasses.com/doublebasses/martini/restore-images/front.jpg

http://www.kensmithbasses.com/doublebasses/hart-gilkes/images/hart_gilkes4.jpg

http://www.kensmithbasses.com/doublebasses/gilkes/137.jpg

http://www.kensmithbasses.com/doublebasses/prescott/images/pres_fr.jpg

http://www.kensmithbasses.com/doublebasses/malvolti/images/big/front.JPG

http://www.kensmithbasses.com/doublebasses/bohemian-lionhead/images/big/front-full.jpg

http://www.kensmithbasses.com/doublebasses/mittenwald/images/front-full.jpg

http://www.kensmithbasses.com/doublebasses/batchelder/Batch.jpg

The first bass I have now as my personal instrument. All the others were at one time my main bass (except the Malvolti and Prescott) have have been sold. Bow quivers had little or no effect other than smoothing out the high end of the bass on some instruments. Your body touching the bass is the biggest mute, not the 5 ounce quiver.

[Anton Johannes Hejl]

Hi Ken,

I play pizz 90% of the time. So the weight is bow quiver + bow.

When I made the observation that my bass was more resonant without the bow-quiver + bow, my bass was strung with Efrano gut-strings. I expect that the effect of extra weight on the string-holder may have been noticeable because of the low-tension strings?

I mostly play very loud volume gigs so the bump when throwing the bow into the quiver was amplified through the bridge-mounted pickup. This bump is no longer noticeable in my amplified signal.

So all in all this solution works great for me.

- Johs

[Ken Smith]

I have never had a problem with with or without bow on any bass or quiver and have not noticed a BUMP when I PUT (not throw) my 5 ounce, 140gram bow in the quiver.

In my earlier days, I had a 300 year old Italian bass (Rogeri attr.) and a Sartory bow. That bass sold a few years ago for $200k in dollars in Europe. A Sartory today is about $20-30k or so depending on condition etc. Even back then, this was top priced gear so I never thru anything ever. I place it gently even if done quickly. I played plenty of jazz then and the bow sat more than it was used in my then hand made leather quiver that was made by NY jazz bassist Chris White and was given to me as a gift.

So, good basses are no so affected by these things you have mentioned. Not to my ears. ;)

[Anton Johannes Hejl]

Hi Ken,

Nice story... We share an appreciation for beautiful old basses and bow quivers!!!

For most people it may seem mad to install a steel-rod on a bass to solve what most would consider a non-problem... Especially on an expensive bass.

I am no expert, but have an investigative nature and maybe sometimes I am drawn to experiments, just for the sake of trying something different. Often enough I will end back where I started. This is however not the case with the bow quiver holder. It has been working great for me while touring the past six months.

When I posted, I was hoping that other bassplayers would pick up on the idea and maybe share their experience. It seems this is not an issue, which can shake up much interest...

- Johs

[Gerry Grable]

Ken, what do you use to mount them. Rawhide lacing? Does it help to wet the rawhide to let it shrink more tightly?
Gerry
What great basses! I don't think I've even played that many in my whole life. Come to think of it, I did get to play quite a selection in Gene (Joe) Byrd's loft apartment, in Baltimore, in the '60s.

[Ken Smith]

Ken, what do you use to mount them. Rawhide lacing? Does it help to wet the rawhide to let it shrink more tightly?
Gerry
What great basses! I don't think I've even played that many in my whole life. Come to think of it, I did get to play quite a selection in Gene (Joe) Byrd's loft apartment, in Baltimore, in the '60s.

The Quivers come with Lacing. Beside my 20 year hand made Quiver I had way back, I have been using Kolstein's quivers for the past 12 or so years.