William Tarr (b.2/21/1808 ~ d.7/10/1891)

[Chris Shaw]

Your Tarr does indeed look wonderful Ken and I'm sure it sounds equally great. It makes me wonder, though, about the nationality of basses and their uses in different countries. Most professionals here in the UK prefer English basses and if you don't have one, it can be very difficult getting work as other instruments tend not to blend into the section as well. You say that your Tarr could be heard above the rest of your bass section. Isn't this a bit of a problem rather than an advantage?

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Chris Shaw

Your Tarr does indeed look wonderful Ken and I'm sure it sounds equally great. It makes me wonder, though, about the nationality of basses and their uses in different countries. Most professionals here in the UK prefer English basses and if you don't have one, it can be very difficult getting work as other instruments tend not to blend into the section as well. You say that your Tarr could be heard above the rest of your bass section. Isn't this a bit of a problem rather than an advantage?

Well, depending on how loud I played I could either blend or play over them. There was one other large old Bass, Fussen/German school to my eye and two early 20th century German/Czech school basses in the section. The others were of lesser quality and sound. If this had been a full professional section with better basses I would have blended in just fine but it wasn't. I was free and the Orchestra is close by so I basically just sat-in to play in a large section.

I don't see it as a advantage or a problem but rather a test run of what the bass could do. It was the first time the bass was ever played in USA in the few months it's been here. With the smooth low end depth-spread and clear deep bell tone mids I felt the bass could be played from pppp to ffff without much effort at all. One of the guys trying it on stage mentioned how easy the power came out when playing it.

Also, aren't there a few good Italians and old German basses in use in the UK? How about Hawkes basses? Aren't most of them German made on a modified English Panormo pattern?

Yes, English basses are great section basses but, if you are the only one with a $100k class bass can't you just enjoy the thunder?

[Chris Shaw]

Get your point Ken. As for other basses used in the UK - Hawkes basses are certainly expensive now, but still not really regarded as suitable for the best professional sections. Hardly any German basses are played professionally in the UK but, of course, there are some amazing old Italian instruments in use. Then it comes back to who actually made these instruments. I was playing with a guy last year who had a beautiful old Italian bass. I asked him if he knew who made it to which he replied "No, but I'll make up a name if I ever sell it". I'm sure this is the case with most of the Italians! The number of "Amati" basses seems to increase daily.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Chris Shaw

Get your point Ken. As for other basses used in the UK - Hawkes basses are certainly expensive now, but still not really regarded as suitable for the best professional sections. Hardly any German basses are played professionally in the UK but, of course, there are some amazing old Italian instruments in use. Then it comes back to who actually made these instruments. I was playing with a guy last year who had a beautiful old Italian bass. I asked him if he knew who made it to which he replied "No, but I'll make up a name if I ever sell it". I'm sure this is the case with most of the Italians! The number of "Amati" basses seems to increase daily.

"Number of Amati's", lol. I think that when they made Cellos back then, it was referred to as the basses. We play the Double basses, Cellists play the regular basses. I have a Hart bass that looks like a Maggini somewhat. Thwaites has a bass they call 'the old lady' a beautiful old British London school bass that was called a Maggini for decades if not longer. Stuart Knussen, a former London principal player bought and played a Maggini for 30 years. When he went to sell it they told him it was a William Valentine (Hart) bass, much like my 'John Hart' Maggini 'model' according to his son Ken. So, I think we find more British Maggini's mistaken for Italians than we do Amati's.