History of the American Bass

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Eric Swanson

Not that the rest of the renovated Allen bass isn't just lovely, but I really dig those custom-made machines. Who did that lovely machining? Who designed the detailing?

Except for the D and A gear sharing a split shaft, the gears are 100% original. One extra gear was made as a spare when the restoration was done just in case but those gears and designs were by J.B. Allen. I think Arnold mentioned that the Smithsonian has a telescope and/or a microscope that he made. It looks like the Basses he made were to show off his skills.

I played in an Orchestra last night with 8 basses (wow, what thunder!). One was a large German bass (Fussen is my attribution) with a small lower rounded corner (busetto) like the upper of the Allen and an upper molding quasi-violin but in the molding strips like a semi-squared off busetto. The Scroll was long as well. Prescott seems to have copied a Mittenwald bass for his models but the long Scroll box is reported to be after an English Viol. The Allen has some similarities to the Prescotts as do most Yankee basses but shows a level of skill we have yet to see on a Prescott. I am sure Allen knew what a Prescott bass was as it looks obvious. I doubt however that they had worked together at any point.