Quote:
Originally Posted by Abe Gumroyan
Well I ask because I played an English instrument owned by my teacher who plays in the San Francisco Symphony. A large gamba shaped instrument almost like Ken's "Gamba Supreme" instrument but amber in color. On the top rib there is an inscription that reads manchester but no label. I have fallen in love with this instrument, it is my bass of doom  . The sound is more Italian than English in my opinion. The projection is massive. This bass was once owned by **** Kelley, Sr. of the LA Phil. So i was just curious if anyone has come across a gamba shaped instruemnt from manchester ? |
Just about EVERY Bass from Manchester is Gamba shaped. The only Violin model ones known to me are by Joseph Tarr, son of William. I saw one not long ago and the only reason it was called a J.Tarr was because it was the second one seen by that dealer, the first one being labeled. The FFs were Manchester all the way, the outline more London-like! The wood was similar to my Gilkes and the Scroll very very close in the outline but not in the carving.
There is a maker named Briggs that made some large Gamba basses but like most basses from that region, the FFs were cut wide and well angled outwards at the bottom. The northern makers are believed to have followed the German makers like Neuner from Mittenwald. The basses of W. Tarr are often quite similar to those of Ludwig Neuner.
On my large Gamba the FFs are more Strad like and normal 'pitched' than the Northern school from Manchester used, not wide and not narrow either. I have no clue who actually made my bass or from where, but England is only a guess at this time with most of the clues pointing that way. With a name like Manchester stamped in your Bass, it is possibly by one of the makers we know of.