the date?
 

Hey, can anyone enhance this pic and read the date on this label. When I blow it up, I see a faint 7 after the 9 and an even more faint 8 in front. That would be 1897. For this makers labels and the label slightly damaged, it still seems that the 9 is too far from the word 'Anno' to be 19-something (1900 it was believed). I see it as 1897. Anyone else?

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.n...11499713_n.jpg

I've tried three different programs to zoom and clarify; none are much help. A nice, big shot of just the label (and rip) would really help.

The thing that makes this so trick is the rip -- it looks like there's a 2 but it's wood-grain. It looks like there's a 1 in front of the 9 but it's the edge of the rip.

But really, just can't tell. For the moment we'll just assume that this instrument was made in the year 9.

Are you scouting this wreck or do you have it in-house?

The Pic was taken thru the F hole. That is the best we can get for now. Much of the ink is faded away. Possibly from washing away glue drips in the past when gluing open seams.

Bass in house?.. Let me look.. ;)

Ken, congratulations!
I have seen three instruments of this maker, and they are great in workmanship, character and sound.
The poplar wood of the back (is it poplar, right?) is consistent with them.
The maker is a legend here: self educated, probably illiterate, he was a barrel maker, then he begun making instruments and leg prosthesis...
Hope to see your find soon on your site!

Marcucci bass (1897?)
 

Thanks Pino. I will post some pics in the near future. It is an old bass of his period from what I can tell. yes on the Poplar back and sides and slab cut pine top in 2 pieces. The neck/scroll however is maple with some nice flame and all original. Same exact scroll and varnish as the 1898 bass of his that I compered to. This one has had a block cut and was a longer mensure before. The top and back is also beautifully purfled with violin size purfling.

These are the measurements;

Mensur... 106.7 (42") (modified/shortened with block cut)


Body (Top).. 112cm (44")

Back (over button).. 115.6cm (45 1/2")

Upper Bout... 48.6cm (19 1/8")
Middle Bout...35.9cm (14 1/8")
Lower Bout....64.8cm (25 1/2")

Ribs (ribs only, without top and back).. 20.3cm (8")
Ribs at neck .. 14.6cm (5 3/4")

Stop length..(base of neck to bridge center notch).. 57.1cm (22 1/2")

This is a very very comfortable bass to play. Even easier to play than my former Martini and Storioni was.

I have Belcanto G, D, A and Flexocor 92 stark E/C on the bass. It sounds beautiful and so easy to be musical. It has also an Eb neck which for me is better.

Custode Marcucci, Ravenna (Anno 1897, #271)
 

Here are some pics of my personal bass, newly acquired. Some restoration and set-up work is forth coming in the next few months so here are the pictures of the bass in the current state it's been in for the last few decades.

String Length is 42" (Eb Neck Heel)
Body/Top - 44 1/2", Back/with Button - 45 1/2"
Upper Bout -19 1/8"
Middle Bout -14 1/8"
Lower Bout - 25 5/8"
Ribs (without top and back) - 7 7/8" tapered to 5 3/4" at Neck

This Bass is not for sale!

Simply Stunning! Wow!

I have known this bass for about 20 years. Trust me when I say it sounds better than it looks. Ken is a fortunate fellow.

I feel lucky to have this bass, thanks to a certain dealer/friend in NY that called me when it came available.

I just got back from a show rehearsal. I do not recall owning a bass with such smooth, deep, rich sounding and easy to bow notes that grab the string in a split second going from Pizz to Arco in a fast 2-beat show tune. For the first 3 rehearsals I just did Pizz on the few single Arco marked notes because I didn't think I could play them quick enough even with bow in hand during the fast Pizz parts.

Tonight when I walked in the conductor mentioned that the Pit notes now includes some comments I need to look at. "BASS, Play all the Arco notes as marked" on the various tunes she noted. So tonight, I played everything as written Pizz to Bow and like magic, the Bow pulled the string like a deep, thick, warm, colorful sounding note as if I had time to lay the bow down and start the note which, I did not. My hand nearly slapped the bow on the strings, played a note or two and then back to pizz. Wow.. And I have owned a lot of great basses. This is the smoothest to date.

Bowing the sections that are more continuous, the sound of the bass is just beautiful.

Maybe the Lipkins Bow I have helps a bit. I am sure of it. Also, maybe those lessons I took several decades ago helped as well.. :p

Oh my. Just lovely. Congratulations, Ken!

Thanks Eric. I have been playing it every day now since last Sunday between Orchestra and Show gigs. It is a very special bass and the sound is more like a bigger older bass to me.

That's gorgeous, Ken ! Marcucci lived and worked in S.Agata sul Santerno, a very small village next to my hometown, Lugo (Ravenna) - Italia. An old lady there still has a Marcucci bass that belonged to his late father, and that Marcucci built directly for him ! A couple of years ago she contacted me and wanted me to acquire the bass after she has known I am an artist from that town...I was excited about it, but then her brother wanted to keep the bass in the family to honor their dad's memory....;) Maybe sooner or later they will change their mind and I will have my Marcucci as well ;) ! ... So far it's just a shame that such a bass doesn't get played and keeps deteriorating year after year ....

Why don't you tell them that to honor their father's memory, you will play the bass and be responsible for it's preservation and tell the story of how you received it at your performances. When you no longer wish to play it, you will then return it to the family.

or..
 

Better yet, sent it to me to be with its Twin to be played with a Bow and also get a well deserved "Smith Style Plays Like Butter FULL Restoration"! ;)

I have seen a few of them and they seem to vary in size. The build style is quite similar looking on all of the ones I have seen.

My first Classical concert with the Marcucci..
 

I have my first Classical concert with the Marcucci tomorrow and the program is tough.

Carl Nielson: Helios Overture, Op. 17
Saint- Saens: Violin Concerto No. 3 in B minor, Op. 61
Nancy Bean, Violin (Philly Orch.)

Jean Sibelius: Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 43


There are some very tough parts on all 3 pieces, especially the end of the Violin concerto, B major, 5 sharps.. Been shedding that for a few days. and the Helios has a tough section as well. The problem is that we only have 4 basses and for this sized orchestra, we need 6. I am a sub there when they need an extra player as 2 of the other guys in the section can't make it.



The other thing to mention is getting comfortable with a new bass. The endpin height. I am most comfortable with the endpin all the way in, on the floor. This way I can get close to the bass and reach into TP as needed and this program does have a few upper notes in it.

Good luck! Wish I could hear the performance. Please give us a follow up report on how everything went.

back from the gig
 

It all went well. The Marcucci bass was great and I also played fairly well. I have another concert this coming Saturday with a completely different type of program. Same bass, different orchestra, different bass section, different music. I will play first chair here as opposed to 4th like today as I was filling in as a sub. I had a rehearsal this evening for next weeks concert right after today's concert so I had a double header. No playing fatigue at all. That's a good sign! ;)

Very cool. I love Sibelius 2nd, especially. That part where the basses are playing a solo in unison, then split into doing contrary motion always gives me goosebumps.

What strings do I see in the photos? Are they Belcanti on the A, D, G, with a long Spirocore B?

Good luck with the next show!

the strings..
 

3 Bel's and a Flex 92 STARK E/C.

in restoration..
 

The Marcucci is in its preplanned restoration at this time. I brought the bass up to Arnold last month after having used it on a few gigs. Although we talked about this job the day I got the bass, getting familiar with the bass before its surgery helped to make decisions.

The neck is original and at an Eb at the heel. I will keep it original as it feels good to me as it is.

The neck setting and added heel button are slightly askew so the neck will be pulled, a new piece put on the heel and glued back in the block.

The bridge is slightly low as well, barely 6" or so. With the neck set back into the block with better seating than before as well as a new thicker fingerboard, the over-stand itself will be increased to just about the perfect spot. The new heel button will do the rest and the bridge will be slightly taller from the combined work. This will make the playing in the upper registers even easier to play than before.

The top has some slight sinkage in places as well as undulations throughout the top so a slight pressing is in order. With the bass sounding so good already and the top in such good health otherwise, we don't want too much change in the top that might affect the sound. We expect the pressing out will be slight as it is not being done with a mold attempting to make it like new. Just letting the bass reform itself with some hot 'shot bags' as a gentle influence and see where it wants to go.

There is an old sound-post crack that will be re-repaired as well as re-patched inside. The bassbar will also be replaced as it was removed for the top pressing.

The bass will be cleaned internally from all old work and repairs as needed only. Nothing drastic at all.

Finally it will get a new all-ebony chromatic C-extension to replace the old black painted maple E-capped one that was a bit hard to work.

This is still some fairly expensive and delicate work regardless of the degree of top pressing or new neck graft that was first discussed. To move and re-set the neck is about 75% the cost of replacing the neck. Since the neck is how I personally like it and also all-original, I opted to leave it an Eb. Also, pressing out the top in a full mold would not only be quite a bit more expensive but could also alter the sound adversely as well. The bass could take years to settle back in after that and the old sound might never come back so the approach with this is gentle and as-needed.

Note: Some of this work has been done already or in progress as I write this. The top has been pressed out and is as expected, it pushed out some of the way but was not forced back to its full original shape. I should have the bass back and all warmed up well before next season. ;)