New page up..
 

Richard, at the rehearsals I've done for my last 3 gigs I left the price tag hanging on the D tuner when I pulled the bass from the rack. One person looked and asked why it still has the tag on it. I said, so you know how much you owe when you knock it over! :eek::eek:

On a more friendly note, the new pics are up now and we left the old page stand as well so people can look at both and compare if they wish; http://www.kensmithbasses.com/doublebasses/storioni/

Lovely looking bass!
Why did you put the little 'wolf tone' thing on the A string?

wolfy?
 

Well, the bass is so lively that the a string being the highest off the Top is the most powerful note and over-vibrates the bass somewhat. Depending on the string, the wolf is more or less. It is mainly noticeable with the Bow and open A or A harmonic. With lighter strings, it's barely noticeable.

I did an Orchestra concert and Chamber Gig without the eliminator and had no problem at all. Playing alone in the room though I can hear everything. When I stop playing, all of the other basses in the rack are making noise. This monster vibrates everything from the floor to the ceiling and the walls as well as everything in-between.

I had Original Flat Chromes on it first and didn't like them on this bass. Then I put some played-in Belcantos on and the bass improved 100%. Then I tried the Passione's and wow, the bass loves them. I used to use Flex 92s with a Stark 92E. The Bass loved those as well. I have yet to try 92s on the Bass post restoration but the Passione's are doing just fine. I also have a set of Jargar medium's coming in but until the Passione's wear out or wear out their welcome, the Jargar's will sit in wait. I find that this bass prefers lighter than heavier strings. I have to listed to what she tells me! ;)

Well Ken, my Ab notes on E & A are a problem. Should I put my little screw on device back on? Say, on the A string?

??
 

Try it and also try on the D. The Ab wolf is what I have now slightly. Much less in the way than the A natural.

Ken,

You must hold on to that bass at least until August! I am going to be in the North East early to mid July and need to play that one. :D

We are starting to plan the itinerary now, so I will be in touch to see when we could drop by the shop and take a test drive.

Best,
Brian

Lol.
 

I must? Well, I guess that's an offer I can't refuse. :cool:

I agree with Brian's sentiment. If the bass is that good, why would you want to get rid of it - life is too short.

Hey, I've just put that little screw gadget on my A string and the Ab seems clear now on that string!

ok..
 

Who says I want to get rid of it? Today I used my Mittenwald bass and will use it tomorrow as well. The Storioni is not a bass I can take to just any gig. It needs a guard for many of the places I might play or rehearse. Not from being stolen or the audience but from other Musicians knocking it over or in to it.

Also, I have other basses I like playing as well. One other bass in particular that I have in restoration is a sweet sounding old Italian that I am waiting to play and see which I like better.

Besides playing and collecting, these are basses I sell. I would prefer if sold, the Storioni would go to a player that I look up to and admire. I play it in the shop just about every day. Until Orchestra season starts up in the Fall, I have no where to take it. The concerts I have in the Spring and Summer are just not optimum situations for a bass like this unless it's the only bass I have.

Ken,
if you're happy, I'm happy.

Ken, just a little question about that little wolf tone device on your A string.
I put one on my A string (same place as yours) and it got rid of my Ab wolf tones - then I discovered that G, up on the A string, had a wolf tone. I tried the little chap on the D string, but it still effected the G.
I've taken it off because it is easier to live with a funny Ab. Have you had much experience with wolf tones? Is there any logic behind how the little device works?

wolfs
 

I don't know much about them only that they are waht we refer to as resonant frequencies. I remember back in the early 70s discussing this same thing about problems on a bass guitar (not to mention brand) and that's what we called them back then.

You can find a wolf on any instrument no matter how subtle but it's there.

Thanks Ken. Sounds like that Ab is just something I'll have to live with.

Cornered Cornerless..
 

I made a new Thread for one of my Cornerless Basses that has Corners but outside Scalloped Blocks. Thread here.

I have also seen several basses that had single Guitar Ribs but the Top and back had Corners. On the Ribs were glued on external corners across the Ribs. Only on of these I have seen in person. Inside, it looks totally Cornerless Guitar style. Here are a few borrowed pictures.

http://www5.ocn.ne.jp/%7Eatto/Salvadori/4.JPGhttp://www5.ocn.ne.jp/%7Eatto/Salvadori/3.JPG

I have seen a few others as well with similar external Blocks. One attributed to Testore, one to Montagnana and one just Northern Italy. None of them resembled each other in the actual style of the bass so I would say 4 different makers.

So whether Scalloped blocks externally or full blocks, there is more then one method of making a Cornerless Bass internally or rather, a Guitar model Bass.

To date, I have played each of the 3 styles, two of which I currently own.

I'm a bit confused as to the scalloped blocks. Are they what appear to be (for my novice eyes) rounded violin corners? That's how I'm perceiving them. Could they have been added later, or where they build with the bass?

Either ways, very nice looking basses. How do I go about getting in your will, Ken?

Edit: After looking closer at the pictures of your Scallopini, I see it a bit more clearly now. That is some impressive woodwork. Are the purely for beauty, or do the have a function? Perhaps they make the bass easier to lie down?

well..
 

http://www.smithbassforums.com/attac...3&d=1310088306

The first time I saw pictures of this bass I had my own doubts as the blocks looked detached from the actual bass in design. When I finally saw the bass in person it all came together in seconds. The Blocks are original to the bass. Without them, the corners would break off having no support under them. When Robbie (the Restorer) first saw the bass, he thought they were ingenious (or some comment like that Arnold mentioned to me).

Upon closer examination, the 'fluting' of the Scallops in the Blocks looked just like the Neck Button carving. The same hand, without a doubt in my mind. Internally, this bass looks a bit like a large elongated guitar. Externally, it looks like a violin model bass. The Scalloped blocks and the hooked 'tooth'-like corners leads me to believe it was a maker near a sea coast. That is why I suspect Genoa. My Candi bass has a carved out Crab in the Gear handles. I have been told these are from hotel keys and I have seen the same handles on other Italian gears as well. So Sea-like ornamentations on one Genovese bass leads me to believe it was a sign of the culture. Having the Scalloped Blocks, hooked like Corners (Shark tooth?), a Guitar/Violin maker in the period of this Bass named Lodivico and an actual similar shaped bass model almost as old (but more refined in its Violin style) seen with the inscription Lod Parisini 1813 (Bologna) all seems connected within this bass.

I might be totally wrong on the maker's name here but the other bass with the same shape, size and angled sloped shouldered round back looks like a match to me. I have never seen a bass like this before, all things considered. Look at the Scroll pics. This maker made this Bass. Similar carving to the Blocks but the Violin skills shine the brightest in the Head and also the beautiful Fs.

My bass cover is in the car. In a few hours I will hit the road to get this beauty. More to come on this... ;)

Two recent shots
 

Some recent shots now on FaceBook

Reinshagen Bass
 

Don't know if this bass has been discussed here, but here it is.

http://www.reinshagenbasssale.com

Yes, a few times and it was back in 2009 the first time it was posted here, many many pics. A very plain looking bass with a German style scroll but looks different in the back. The owner was more famous than the maker from what I see.

I love the nickless FFs.

http://www.reinshagenbasssale.com/Bass_Photos-4.jpg

3 Cornerless for Sale
 

Have you seen these interesting basses on the ISB site?

http://www.isbworldoffice.com/bass-sell.asp

http://www.isbworldoffice.com/images...anea-Large.jpghttp://www.kensmithbasses.com/double...front-full.jpg

That bass is a short string langth (40.35", 102.5cm), where as my Scallopini is now 41 1/4" but was closer to 43" with the previous neck. The body length is also close to 44" on mine so despit the smaller look, its a regular 3/4 bass. Many of these Guitar basses are small in design but some of them are bigger full Orchestra sized basses.

I've seen the pictures but never had the bass in my hands. It's in Spain I think. I have seen pics of many Italian basses with outside corner blocks. These corners look rounded over and the outer corners probably glued on the one piece ribs. My Scallopini bass has tiny blocks outside and cornerless inside as well. I once had an old Italian bass in the shop to examine internally with outer glued on cornerblocks and it was all cornerless inside as well.

Nice idea but with the long single floating ribs on each side, besides the slight sound difference, I think it can pull more on the top and crack itself more easily than cornered basses. When the bass moves, something has to give. The ribs on my Scallopini bass (Marconcini school) hardly look their age. The top shows its age easily but the back is fairly healthy with mainly only a center seam repair within the last century.

Another way of thinking about it, is that without the stiffening corner blocks, the whole assembly is more flexible, so when the top or back moves with humidity, so does everything else, meaning the top and back is less likely to crack.

In a way Matt but the back woods if maple are more flexible than spruce or pine. Also, the pressure of the strings is directly on the top with some on the stronger back wood via the soundpost if a roundback without a center brace.

We don't know how the woods were aged in these old basses and with various thicknesses and designs, science is hard to apply here. I think 'in theory' is about as good as we can do. Then, hope for the best! ;)

my point, exactly! :-)

Any comments on these also for sale on the ISB site? I'm not sure if you saw them.

Yes, I know of both those basses and I think I played the Baldontoni in 2009. It is a fairly small bass. I think my Marconcini bass is much better and better priced than either of those regardless of the past owner of the other bass.

If you are looking for an old Italian guitar shaped bass for a great price, I have it. Just come and play it. My bass is perfectly shaped for playing and is not a small bass by average standards. The new neck graft with a D-Heel and deeper block set brought it 'down' to 41 1/4" mensur from closer to 43" with an Eb neck when I got the bass. I have played mine in the Orchestra next to a full sized '80s Pollmann Maggini roundback used in pro orchestras and there was no problem hearing me with or over him doing Mozart 36. The Violas and Cellos around me (as I was tucked in between their last chairs) keep looking over at the bass during rehearsal and commented how beautiful the tone was. In the distance, it's as loud as my Hart/Maggini model bass and that's a professional orchestra pedigee classic. Many of the other smaller guitar basses are only suitable for chamber or solo work as they were originally intended for. This one of mine is as long a body length as any of my other 3/4 basses or even longer than some.

When Stefano Sciascia played it at this last ISB, he commented to me, "don't sell this bass!". He played it the first day or the show and the last day as well when he came to try my Slaviero bow and picked the Marconcini model to try it in. With a smile on his face while playing it I asked, "so how is the Bow?".. He commented, "I am not listening to the Bow, I am listening to the bass". So in the end, he never told me anything about the bow I wanted him to test for me but did mesmerize us for about 15 minutes of ad-lib playing on the bass.

Hi there,

I thought I'd share that I recently bought this Guillami at Thomas Martin's shop.
This was the same 1767 Joan Guillami bass that Anton Torello used throughout his career for solo playing.

I was wondering if anyone has and photos of Gary Karr actually playing it.

While the link lasts:
http://www.thomasmartin.co.uk/instru.../joan-guillami

Why not just ask Gary Karr?

I think I will.