Hey Ken's , I'm enjoying the info...
You've both mentioned via photos, the figurations and flames in the wood, either in the regular Amati, / the Deluxe Amati or the various Sinfonicas pictured above. Is this flame just cosmetic, or does it influence the sound in an audible way? Highly figured wood seems to be reserved for pricier versions of instruments. Is this because compared to plainer looking wood, figured wood transfers vibrations+sound better, or is it just that figured wood is prettier?
About looking "Chinese"... well it does not look like these ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Bof1GlvAo0
That's Chinese.
Obviously, you two have sharp eyes for details, but in a general way, is it relevant to a player if the bass looks Chinese, Italian, German, Czech, U.S.A. or other nationality? At some point, once the quality is there, should not makers be proud of their birth names, their nationality and their designs?
For instance, since these Amati's are so good in a real sense, at some point would it not be better for the Chinese makers to label the basses with their own names? Even allow their styles to be more recognizable? Buyers will learn the new names and adapt, right?
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Backtracking a bit...
What questions do you advise someone to ask him/herself, in order to find out if it's time to upgrade instruments?
Between one's own 'emotional mind' and one's own 'rational mind', who leads the the search for, and evaluation of, an instrument, and who has the final say?
thanks,