Quote:
Originally Posted by Vince Mendoza
Ken,
As much as most everything you said was very enlightening especially for a novice like me, what really stood out was your remark on how numerous instruments that started out as "student" grade are now being played by professional classical and jazz bassists. That, I found, was most revealing and eye-opening.
Thanks very much,
V.
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You are very welcome and might I add this next story here. About 30 something years ago I was in a bass shop in NYC. Both me and the Luthier were current active professional bassists. He had several fine Italian basses and at least one fine French bass while I had one Italian and at least one French bass as well. He had in his hand for repair a German shop Bass possibly labeled Juzek. These were the student basses of our youth days. He remarked pointing to the bass, "these are the Italian basses of tomorrow"!
Currently I have a nice Shen bass made of European woods made in 1996 or '97 ( 3/4 Gemunder & Sons copy model. I have seen 2 original models by that shop and played one recently, c.1920). It was one of two made for the 1997 summer Namm show where I bought it. A few years later when I took it to one of my favorite luthiers in NY (Arnold) for a Fingerboard dressing (it's really my Son's bass now) he remarked, "I have never seen a Shen like this before". Even though made in China, it is a well made bass and a professional bass as well. I had its twin in a 7/8ths as well made a few years after (Arnold made the same remark about seeing this one as well) and one conductor remarked to me "I love the sound of your bass". There were 4 basses in the section. Mine was the only new one, the other 3 being 50, 50 and 100 years old. One other player in the section remarked after hearing and seeing the bass, "that's a NEW Bass?".
So, German, Chinese or Italian. Good hands in bass making are good hands and that goes for the rest of the world too.
I had an Orchestra Concert last year at the Kimmel Center in the Hall next to where the Philly Orchestra plays.. wow.. lol.. so, I asked my Son who lived near the Kimmel to bring me his Shen to borrow for the concert and it was delivered to me back stage. The other two Basses being a Czech and an old German Bass. I went Chinese that night, bass wise that is, lol. A few weeks later, a DVD was given to all the players of the event. I can hear my bass loud and clear on the recording over the Orchestra without any problem.
Now, don't get me wrong here. I love the Shen bass as it was the first bass I bought when I started to play again 10 years after I had retired from working in NY BUT, I do actually play some high grade Italian and English Basses for the most part. I talk about my basses
here in this thread along with others discussing their bass needs as well.
When I was in High School, I bought a set of books (3) by Raymond Elgar. 'Introduction to the Double Bass', 'More About the Double Bass' and Looking at the Double Bass'. There were no bass magazines then. No internet. Dial telephones without touch tone. No cell phones and many families still had only a single black and white television. Look what we have now at our fingertips! Knowledge-wise on the DB, we are still infants for the most part as far as the study of the basses and playing them as well. At least though we have plenty of sources in which to learn from.