E&A strings reversed..

[Anselm Hauke]

Originally Posted by Matthew Tucker

Anselme, that's an interesting pegbox with its open back - don't see them very often. Also the spacing of the machines in two "pairs". Do you remember what bass that was? I've only see machines installed like that by another local maker.

it was a vuillaume st. cecile. (at least that´s what the luthier said...)
i have some more pics if you´re interested

[Matthew Tucker]

Love to see more pics!

[Anselm Hauke]

ok matthew, here we go.

iirc the bass had on original string lenth of 98cm (38,5")
the luthier changed the neck, now it has 108cm (42,5")
i will not comment this, if you have your own opinion what a well proportioned bass is, well...

the sound was a little to harsh and bright for my taste.

i´m not sure if its a real vuillaume. although the st. ceciles were a kind of economyclass-instruments, this one seems to be too less accurate made, imho.

i am courious what ken (and arnold?) will say.

[Anselm Hauke]

three more pics

[Matthew Tucker]

Thanks for posting those Anselme

That is one peculiar looking bass, particularly around the neck region. Kinda looks like a regular bass with a "cello" style top stuck onto it. Is all that carving (double button etc) all part of the design, or is it a result of a reconstruction somehow?

From the side, the neck heel looks rather weird ... how to be sure where your D stop is with such a wide heel curvature!

looking again at those machines, they can't be original? sure looks to me like the whole pegbox has been reworked in an "individual" way.

mt

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Matthew Tucker

Thanks for posting those Anselme

That is one peculiar looking bass, particularly around the neck region. Kinda looks like a regular bass with a "cello" style top stuck onto it. Is all that carving (double button etc) all part of the design, or is it a result of a reconstruction somehow?

From the side, the neck heel looks rather weird ... how to be sure where your D stop is with such a wide heel curvature!

looking again at those machines, they can't be original? sure looks to me like the whole pegbox has been reworked in an "individual" way.

mt

Matt, you need to get out more. That is THE typical 19th century French Bass, Violincello model. It may have originated as a design by Vuillaume but I see it on just about every French makers Violin cornered Bass from about 1850-1900.

[Matthew Tucker]

That's why I'm here.

We get to see heaps of german/bohemian-type basses over here, but not too many french ones like that one ...

hey, why doesn't my avatar roll its eyes on this forum? they roll on TB ...

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Anselm Hauke

three more pics

Beautiful Bass by the way. Also, besides this Bass with the unusual Peg stringing order it was the French that in the 19th century placed the lower pitched E and A gears above the higher pitched G and D gears.

I did this to the Martini myself to lengthen the E and A string. When the Extension was put on, the inner throat area of the peg box had to be notched because of the Gear being so high up on the Scroll was touching. Now, instead of doing that, I just switch the strings between the A and E as it would happen with an Ext.

Here are some examples. The first is the Martini followed by a French Bass, then also a Pollmann, a Bass modded by Alfred Meyer and my 5er.


All of the Basses with reversed 'tuners' have the lowest string on the normal peg but one position higher. It is the Basses with normal placed tuners that this extended E stringing benefits the most as well as the French method.

As you can see in this picture or the martini, even the A is up higher with the French tuner positions. Maybe this is the best overall method!