When I first got this bass, it had some old Flat-Chromesteel strings on it. As I often do with basses when they come in if playable, I take them out to a rehearsal and see how it works and what it needs. This time, I had a last minute concert and thought it would be a good time to test the bass. At the end of the concert, the conductor complimented me on my sound. This is rare for him to do.
Shortly after, the bass went out for the needed set-up improvements which included a new fingerboard, nut, bridge and whatever else came up. As it turned out, an old back repair had opened during the first USA cold dry winter here after arriving from a more humid Italian climate. The Back came off and the traditional braces were replaces by a modified slant/x-brace system that had recently been put in another bass of mine and improved the sound as well as stabilize the flatback. The results on the Lombardi with this modification was no less.
After sitting in my rack at the shop and only being played on occasion, I decided it was time to take it out again and see for myself how the bass sounds in an orchestra since all the work as settled in.
Tonight I played the bass out for the first time in about 4 years doing about 5 Opera pieces at a rehearsal-only orchestra in Philadelphia. With Siprocore solo strings, the bass sounded great with power, deep tone and an extreme ease of playability. On some basses, solo Reds can sound thin, especially under the Bow. I have had tried some other sets on this bass including Belcantos briefly and a mixed set or Flex 92s with a Perm E which were very old strings that came off of 3 different basses at different times. The slightly used Belcantos sounded great but I needed them back on the other bass they came off of. The solo Reds were tried briefly on that same bass the Bel's came from so the Yellow/Red's went on the Lombardi and sounded great.
Now that I have tried this bass again after 4 years, I am pleasantly surprised how well it sounds comparatively to the other basses I have tried in that same orchestra this summer including the Hart, Marconcini school and the Bollbach Lion.
I think I have a new bass-friend here, the Lombardi.
