Pollmann Busseto.. (SOLD)

[Sam Sherry]

The "hollow key" tuner sure do look like they're gonna snap off the next time you bonk one. I dig the faux "plate" carving on the scroll a lot. That looks like fun . . . The extra carving on the ear of the scroll, OK, fun too . . . The ornate body carving in lieu of purfling has always struck me as over-the-top. It also seems to lack the benefits up purfling, i.e. a stop-point for edge-chips. Obviously we treat masterwork instruments with the utmost respect and do our utmost never to cause harm. Unfortunately, there are other people in the world -- and on the road -- and on the bandstand -- who might not rise to that standard.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Sam Sherry

The "hollow key" tuner sure do look like they're gonna snap off the next time you bonk one. I dig the faux "plate" carving on the scroll a lot. That looks like fun . . . The extra carving on the ear of the scroll, OK, fun too . . . The ornate body carving in lieu of purfling has always struck me as over-the-top. It also seems to lack the benefits up purfling, i.e. a stop-point for edge-chips. Obviously we treat masterwork instruments with the utmost respect and do our utmost never to cause harm. Unfortunately, there are other people in the world -- and on the road -- and on the bandstand -- who might not rise to that standard.

First off Sam, this Bass IS totally Purfled Top and Back just above the carvings into the curve of the edge in a masterful way. The inner edge of Purfling modulates into the outer edge of the carving. This work is beautifully done but in a subtle way.

Look closer in these Pics;


The sharp fine black lines that look like paint around the wood colored center is actually inlaid purfling, not paint. This Bass is built to the end.

The Tuner handles are sturdier than the thin flat club-shaped handles seen on 90% of the German plate gears of the 20th century. No Bass should get banged around, period.

[Phil Maneri]

I played this bass. It's really something. One of the best Pollmanns I've played. If it's the same one I played at Arnolds a month before it's the only Pollmann I've liked, if it's a different one I must say they are making better basses than they used to not all that long ago.

The carvings are astonishing but not my cuppa. The arching of the top, the flame in the maple, the little detail work is fantasticly done. Nice balanced player, has all the right stuff.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Phil Maneri

I played this bass. It's really something. One of the best Pollmanns I've played. If it's the same one I played at Arnolds a month before it's the only Pollmann I've liked, if it's a different one I must say they are making better basses than they used to not all that long ago.

The carvings are astonishing but not my cuppa. The arching of the top, the flame in the maple, the little detail work is fantasticly done. Nice balanced player, has all the right stuff.

This Bass was up at Arnolds around that time as he was finishing up the Neck Graft/string length modification. He does have a few other Pollmans there as well but this is the only one with the modified String length so it could be 'the one'.

I personally like it myself all around and that is the main reason I bought it. From time to time, I have what I call a 'secondary' or 'alternate Bass' around that I can take to Orchestra rehearsals, Concerts or Jazz gigs when I don't feel safe about bringing one of my 'Classics' out as far as stage size or venue. Basses get 'bumped' way too easy by 'non-Bass playing musicians'! I have in the past done this with another Pollmann I had, the Bisiach labeled Bass with and without C-extension, the Bollbach Lion, the 3/4 Bohemian, the Batchelder, Lombardi, Sirleto, and even the Loveri and Candi Basses which are fairly expensive Basses but still need to go out for that occasional ride once in awhile.

I did a test the other day with a listener about 30 feet away in the shop to see if he was hearing what I was hearing when I playing one of my 3 main Basses. These are the Gilkes, Hart and Martini. The results were almost what you hear on top of the Bass but carry power and depth is another thing. I always thought the Gilkes to have less power then the Hart or Martini but turns out they only have more depth and low end spread. The Gilkes is the loudest, the Martini the smoothest and the Hart in the middle sounding half Italian on the bottom and half English on the top. Perhaps he was a Pasta eater..lol. These differences (from one spectrum to the next) vary only about 10-15% between Basses on volume and tone depth. From the loudest to the softest or the deepest to the brightest it's a bigger difference.

Then, I decided to test the Pollmann Busseto to see where it would fit in that mix. I played the Martini first, then the Pollmann, then the Gilkes and then the Pollmann once more. The Pollmann is actually louder then the Gilkes but not as deep, smooth or mature. The Martini has less volume than both of them but still wins in depth and spread. The Pollmann needs another 150 years or so before it can compete with the Gilkes on tone but I have to say this. For a 7 year old Bass, it sounds good enough to sit in any orchestra with only that same 10-15% difference on the sound scale as tested. In a big hall, the tonal differences will be much less and the blend within the section will be just fine as it does have a smooth deep low end already. It just doesn't have the mature development to match the 1814 Gilkes.

When Arnold has some time for me (he has 2 other big projects of mine on his bench already) I will have him make a C-Extension like I have on my other Basses and get this 'puppy' set-up as my new 'alternate Bass'.

Also, I am thinking of making this into an Eb Neck to match the Hart. The Heel has plenty of room and for my taste, too much to get around. The Batchelder and Tyrolean Bass I have are Eb Necks as well and this is what I am most comfortable playing when changing registers from regular to thumb'. The distance from my Thumb in the Heel to my 4th finger on the F# varies on my Basses from 5 3/4" to 7". That's way too much variation when switching Basses. The Gilkes is the smallest but also a 41" string length and a D-Neck. The Hart is 6" but a 41 3/4" S.L. Eb-Neck. I would prefer that stretch closer to 6" (+/-) rather than 7" which one of my Basses measured. The D or Eb thing for me is less of a deal then the bigger stretch when moving into thumb position or just going for that middle ground between F and A. Once up in T.P. it's not a problem either way but getting there can be 'shaky ground' is the 'Heel stretches' vary greatly.

Bottom line, shes worth keeping!

[Mike Cox]

Just out of curiosity Ken, why did you decide to change the tailpiece on your new Pollmann?

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Mike Cox

Just out of curiosity Ken, why did you decide to change the tailpiece on your new Pollmann?

First off, the Bass is not new, it is from 2001. It is just new to me in case I wasn't clear about that.

The Ebony TP was on there when I got it. I think the Maple didn't look at that great and for Bowing, was too bright sounding. The Bass is plenty loud with the Ebony and bright enough.

I never played or heard it with the Maple Pollmann TP. Arnold may have before I picked it up. I left it to him to just 'make it right'!

Many of my older Bass have either their original TPs or an old replaced TP that is either black stained Maple or another hardwood that was stained. These include my Gilkes, Hart, Martini, 4/4 English, Storioni and Batchelder. My my Lombardi is Wenge, my former Bollbach was Walnut and my former Pollmann was Morado (I think) as is my recently acquired 19th century Gagliano school Neapolitan Bass and will get a custom made Cocobolo TP from Pecanic. My former owned Hungarian 5er had a stained Maple TP when it was a 4-string and it was replaced with a Macassar Ebony TP from Pecanic.

Percentage wise, about half the TPs on the Basses I've had came in without Ebony TPs and all but two were replaced. One (the Pollmann) because it came to me that way and I was told would be better with the Ebony TP and the 5er because we modified it from a 4-string.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

I still have the Maple Pollmann TB so maybe one day, it will find its way back onto the Bass.

The Wenge on the Lombardi will stay. Maybe it will get stained Black just for looks. The Morado-type TP on the Neapolitan looks bad to me all the way around so it will get a Cocobolo TP that I had made for the 4/4 English Bass Because that Bass is getting its 3-string modified-to-4-string TP back when the restoration is completed.

Strings I often Change on Basses I have. TPs, rarely as well as Tail wires. Bridges as needed. Basses? Keep em commin..lol

[Ken Smith]