ah.. well..
 

The old Lion relationship has come to an abrupt end. About two months ago, I got a call about a bass coming available. After playing it for a few minutes I took the plunge and bought it. After comparing it to the old Lion, I decided that it was a better bass for me than the old Lion that had just replaced the Hart that was recently sold.

So, my new bass which is restoration at the moment is an Italian bass by Custode Marcucci made in 1897. I played 2 concerts with it at the end of the season as well as a week long show which was the first working test. For me, it does everything better as well as comfort and tone. The old Lion is in the process of being sold. It would be hard looking at it in the rack and not playing it. I have two outdoor concerts coming up soon which I usually use the Kreutzer for protective reasons. Before next season starts, I will have the Marcucci back from restoration and all warmed up. I think THIS is my last bass change, 'bows crossed'! ;)

Currently..
 

Here are the basses I use. The Marcucci is my main orchestra bass. The Kreutzer is my back-up or secondary bass for pit shows and outdoor events and to keep the bass warmed up a little is my Viennese style bass (probably made in Prague in the early-mid 19th century). I recently learned that when the Viennese bass came to market nearly 20 years ago, it was selling as a Venetian (Italian) bass.

http://www.kensmithbasses.com/double...arcucci_rs.jpghttp://www.kensmithbasses.com/double...right-full.jpghttp://www.kensmithbasses.com/double...ide%20full.jpg

http://www.kensmithbasses.com/double...arcucci_ff.jpghttp://www.kensmithbasses.com/double...front-full.jpghttp://www.kensmithbasses.com/double...ll%20front.jpg

And then there were two! :eek: .. To be continued.. :cool:

well..
 

http://www.kensmithbasses.com/double...ges/full_R.jpghttp://www.kensmithbasses.com/double...right-full.jpghttp://www.kensmithbasses.com/double...ide%20full.jpg

1. Current main Orchestra Bass (Pollmann)
2. Secondary Orchestra Bass (Kreutzer)
3. Home Practice Bass (Prague bass)
4. Possible future main Bass (in restoration) (Lowendall)

after the test on a few gigs..
 

The Lowendall impressed me so much and in many ways, that I have decided to put it thru a full restoration. I dropped it off at AES in NY last Saturday. It will then likely become my main personal bass. In the mean time (4-6 months), I am using my Pollmann.

Ah..
 

Last night I took out the Pallotta Lion (made by Jeff Bollbach) to a rehearsal. The main reason was to test it a little bit more before sending it back to Jeff for a C-Extension. It would be made with a double wheel and no hole thru the head, with the extension form fitted over the Lion.

Last night, between stops from the conductor, my stand partner tells me how good the bass sounds and how well I was playing it. He has heard me play over 15 different basses in 4 different orchestras over the last 4 years.

Today, out if the blue he calls me to tell me specifically how well the Bollbach fit me in playing and sound last night and reiterated he was only calling me for that reason. He asked if I would keep that Bass as my personal one going forward. I replied.."Maybe" :rolleyes: .. We were playing Sibelius 2, which I had played about 4x in 4 other orchestras in the last year. So I asked, "was it maybe because I knew the piece from just playing it 4x last year?" :eek:

In the mean time..
 

People tell me in a couple of sections I play in that THIS bass is louder then my much bigger Pollmann. Now set-up with a beautiful C-Extension so I can play all the written notes like with my other basses I use. Maybe I should switch favorites again? :eek:

so..
 

After a few jobs using the Marconcini and also having the Marcucci back in my rack (with different strings now, OFC's instead of Bel's), I have decided to pack up the Marconcini and leave it ready for sale and to also switch back to the Marcucci as my main Bass and hold on to it rather than have it up for sale.

The Marcucci just fits me in all the ways the Marconcini does not. It's a personal thing despite how great the Marconcini. I do feel fortunate that I was able to have both basses job-ready this past year to compare them now that the Marconcini has a C-Extension and can go out on jobs where it is needed. But, it's packed up now and waiting for a new home! :)

well now.. whew..
 

With the Marconcini up for sale at AES in NY and the Marcucci Sold some time ago, I have a new line up depending on the gig.

At home for practice I have the Viennese style Bina? Bass. For shows and jazz gigs, I still like using the Kruetzer. But for amplified big band/Orchestra, I most recently used my Prague style Bina, the other one and it worked great. For Orchestra I used either the Pollmann 4/4 Busetto for a punchy sound or the newly acquired Lowendall for a thicker spread type sound.

Also to be considered, my two main Orchestra basses have different string lengths. The Pollmann is 40 3/4" and the Lowendall is 41 3/4". An inch difference. So, I have to warm up on each bass beforehand to get the notes in tune. :eek:

In order below, Viennese, Kreutzer, Bina, Pollmann and Lowendall;

Just read through this thread. All that I can say is:

. It's tremendous that you were able to cut the Favorites herd down from two to five. For better or worse, that seems to be the same phenomenon which is occurring to my waistline!

. You're a very lucky person and it is a joy to see you show that!

PLAY ON, BEST, SAM

waistline?
 

I don't consider anything lucky when it comes to my waist line. :eek:

I was using the Marconcini a couple of weeks back at rehearsals for a concert but felt it didn't have 'enough' so I brought my Lowendall for the concert. Last week I brought the Marconcini to an Orchestra rehearsal and my stand partner tells me as he did a year ago that this smaller Italian has more sound and roundness of tone than the other two big basses I usually play, the Pollmann 4/4 and the Lowendall.

I had solo strings on the Marconcini but felt they sounded to thin so first I tried a Flexocore mix and then a new set of Evah weichs like I had on the bass 4 years ago at the ISB in Rochester. These strings for me felt too slow and wide sounding with the bow, less center. Although watching Stefano Sciascia play it 4 years ago at the ISB with the same strings, he sounded great.

So, with the same solo set back on (original Flat Chrome G/D/A and Flex 92 E/C), the bass sounds good. I bought those strings back in 2011 for the Storioni for Leon Bosh to play on a recital but then he tells me he tunes up orchestra gauge strings. The bass was sold with Belcantos on it before Leon came over from the UK and used the Bollbach Lion instead.

So the Solo set I have on the bass is maybe 1-2 years of being strung up on at least two basses but are over 6 years old. I think the bright edge is gone now and they are mellowed out. Slightly thinner gauges and softer feel but on this bass, a huge round sound. Go figure! :eek:

I just put my pickup on the bass for a rehearsal this evening as I will have an amp for some of the tunes as the other 3 bass guys try and stay out of my way.. lol ;)

With the ISB just around the corner in a few weeks, there is no way to tell what will be sold at or after the show so I want to get my licks in on this Italian before it's gone. If not, I think it might make it to the front of my line-up.

Marconcini (main all around bass), Lowendall (2nd Orch. bs), Pollmann (alt Orch. bs.), Kreutzer (shows, Pops, jazz bs.), Prague/Bina (home practice bs.).

Ok, being that this is a Pops concert, I am switching over to the Kruetzer bass. The Marconcini is fine but on that stage and hall, I have used the Kruetzer in the past with great success in shows and Pop concerts with Amped tunes. Only one tune with the Amp but it is the 'big number'. The rest of the tunes are lighter stuff mainly with vocals and any bass would work. My section mates don't care either way.. lol :confused:

Update
 

Ok, so the basses in red are no longer here to play. The Marconcini is my current main Orchestra bass, partly by default. I have a show coming up so I will probably use the Kreutzer, it's safer in the Pit, I think!

A year from now, more or less, things can change again.

Now Bows, that's another story. With all my previous bows sold other than the Eibert/Sartory that I use for practice at home (or Shows and Jazz Gigs), I am playing two other bows that I acquired less than two years ago but never considered using either bow over the others I had then. The Slaviero and Lotte that I recently acquired.

New Bows, different basses. It's a revolving door here. :eek:

well..
 

With several of my basses now up in Brewster for sale, I am left with 3 in my possession for gigs and practice. Marconcini school (orchestra), Kreutzer (shows and other), Prague/Viennese (home practice bass). Sold the Bollbach Lion recently so adding an Extension for personal use will never happen now.

With 7 other basses still in restoration, nothing is definite yet! ;)

but..
 

And then there was one. I brought the Kreutzer and Prague bass up to Brewster to sell. I have several more basses coming out of restoration so I am making room here. After playing my last show with both the Kreutzer and then the Marconcini, I decided that the Italian does even 'that' better.



Last Friday I played a new laminated bass at an orchestra rehearsal to try it out. Having 3 outdoor summer concerts coming up soon, I wanted something else to play other than my expensive Italian.



I have a Tirol and a Viennese basses nearing their restoration completion. The Tirol has been there for years being worked on. Finally, the bass is nearly done. It sounded beautiful when it was a wreck so we will see what it does when I get it back and break it in.



After these two come back, I have two others needing much less work, a big but playable Dolling German bass and nice a French bass. So before long if these all remain in my rack, there will be 5 nice basses to choose from. Just like before, more time spent testing basses then actually practicing on one of them.. :confused:


Pictured; Italian, Tirol, Viennese, Saxon, French.