Quote:
Originally Posted by Eric Hochberg
Ken, I think that if I was in your position of having so many wonderful basses to choose from, I would go completely nuts.  From your posts, it sounds to me like the Martini is your "go to" bass and Big Ben is the one for special occasions. Do not touch any of the others ever again!  |
Quote:
Originally Posted by Arnold Schnitzer
That's right, send them all to Eric for safe keeping.  |
So funny but true in a way. When I was at the ISB I asked two guys there for a quick lesson on maybe one thing or two I should work on to just play better. Having been out of playing for so long till just a few years ago and not studying for decades as well took a toll on my 'getting it all back' plan.
Arnold has seen me play and will appreciate this one. The first guy (a pro orchestra player, no names) suggested I slow everything down and practice the notes that I might be missing because I play fast things very fast that I used to play well and didn't re-build my technique back up this time around. I just 'jumped back onto a speeding train', as the say. That was helpful hearing that because although I know that, I know a lot of things I need to do but where should I actually start? Not music wise, but my approach to practicing.
The second guy (an orchestra pro as well as an Electric bass player) went a step further. What we did both times is I just played for about a minute for them to see what stuck out the most about any weakness that was the most obvious.
He looked at the 6 Bass behind me and said I need to pick just one bass and play and practice on only ONE Bass. Four of the six basses were ones I used depending on which was available to me. You know, one in restoration or set-up, one out on trial and I play or choose from what's left at the time.
So, I picked the Martini because of its comfort and because overall, I play it the best. I am not in love with the neck. I like the Hart and Gilkes better. I am not in love with the overall sound either. It is sweet, has low end spread but is a tight projecting tone and not a wide spreading projector like bass. The Big Gamba spits out the notes the easiest but I don't love the neck or the shoulders and I play it a hair flat in the upper positions due to all of the above. If it was my only bass, I would get used to it. But, switching to the others back and forth, I have trouble finding 'home plate' at times.
Of the 4 basses mentioned (Hart, Gilkes, Martini and Gamba) 3 of them have shown better to orchestra pros with the exception of budget. The Martini is usually the least favored of the 'big hitters' because of having a bit less spread power. This concerns me as I want to have my best in my personal hands but then again, I would need to put them all in a blender as no single bass has everything. There, I said it.
When I returned from the Show, I started on the Martini but soon switched around all the basses picking a different one each time. Sometimes for a day or two and sometimes only an hour or two. Then the 2nd or 3rd time around in less than a month (I can't remember anymore) I settled on the Big Boy because of the sound. Then I remembered that everyone liked it and was the best candidate to sell to an Orchestra pro being less money than the two English Pedigrees mainly because of just that, Pedigree.
I had the Gamba in my rack with the Hard beside it as a 2nd if I needed the shoulder reach for a program. Then just the other day onTuesday I was all bandaged up on my left arm, wrist to shoulder from having some elective surgery on my arm. I chose July because it's the time I can most afford to heal up and do less. With several incisions stitched up under the bandages I started playing each bass to see which was easier with my restricted movement. It was not the Gamba for reach and not the Hart for the shoulders but the Martini and Gilkes for their slightly smaller shoulders.
Look, I can cover 3 of them up so I don't touch them and take one home and mark it not for sale. That's the easy part. The hard part is choosing which one will overall suit me best and will be less likely to be sold as I do show them all. The 'sold' part is one I cannot predict. One never knows!
So, in my 2-space rack near my desk are now the Gilkes and Martini. The Gilkes because thats the only space I have for it and my favorite 2nd for comfort and the Martini because that's the one overall I like playing the most. If I was in a major orchestra I might need more sound but at my 2nd lesson my friend pointed out that the Martini is better than all of the Basses in the orchestra he plays in and when he has subbed in the Philly Orchestra, it is also better than a few of the basses over there as well. So, if I was playing in the Philly (not this lifetime) the Martini would still work just fine.
On Wednesday I un-bandaged my shoulder and played the Martini as much as I could being it's a slow week at work. I think until the Stroioni is restored and 3 or 4 others I have out, the Martini will be the one. In about 2 years from now, I will be going thru this all over again.. lol
By the way, in the 5+ years I have had both the Martini and Gilkes I have used them fairly equally. The Martini for smooth deep blending and the Gilkes for audible power. I measured the bridges and nuts on both of them and they are so close. Overall, the Martini is 1mm wider at the bridge and a hair less arch in the middle. Overall, the Gilkes is 1mm wider at the Nut. That is a 3rd of a mm difference per string in the spacing. The Martini is 41.5" S.L. with slightly sloped shoulders and the Gilkes is 41" S.L. with modified Cello shoulders. The longer Martini with a D-neck is easier to play than the shorter Gilkes with closer to an Eb neck, go figure. The Martini's ribs at the neck and upper shoulders are narrower as well as compared to the Gilkes.
I just wish the Martini had the power of the Gilkes, crunch of the Hart and the bazooka tone projection of the Gamba. Either way, my only hope for an improved bass to play would be the Storioni when it's restored. It played east at 44" with narrower ribs and sloped shoulders with as much sound as the Gamba and sweetness topping all of the above in the tone department.
Now you know why my head is always spinning..
