Speaking of Restorations...

[Ken Smith]

Nice looking Bass there. A Bass this size could have been offered either for Solo playing with Cello fingering back then (maybe even tuned in 5ths?) or possibly a smaller person.

I have has many nice Basses in various sizes. Even the smaller ones like 3/4 or 5/8ths (whatever that measures or smaller 3/4s) that have a nice and powerful sound are heard or felt more 'in the chest' that under your feet 'thru the floor'. My experience has been that the 'in the chest' basses often carry better than the 'in the floor' basses. Some better basses are floor to ceiling i n sound and carry power. Those are the ones I dream about.. lol

Still, I have had a few basses with questionable cost values between purchase and repairs that total greater than their value but then again, the reward in sound when played is more often personal for the most part.

Anyone own a Boat? Talk about a 'hole in the water that you pour money into'!..
Negative Value?
Bass critics should shift their eyes over to the Boat docks.. More there to see in the 'minus' range in my opinion..

Enjoy your new Bass..

I have a fantastic sounding/playing Blockless Bass that everyone including myself will say it's a 'negative value' project, but guess what? When the slot is open at the shop (I have a guy lined up), I am getting it fully restored. The sound is worth the effort and expense to me. I love reviving old 'lost' Basses.

[Joel Larsson]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

I love reviving old 'lost' Basses.

My whole reason for doing it. A mistreated bass brings out my sentimental side...

I had time to use it twice on gigs before getting back to school. Five evenings with a small sort of cabaret troupe gigging around at minimal venues - a five-piece orchestra meant there was no real problem getting through - and here the size was a bliss, and one week in a small pro orchestra doing a very traditional New Year's Eve show, with tons of Johann Strauss stuff. The other bass player didn't want to use his own bass and played on the orchestra's, so I had to use my midget because my Pöllmann was 1500 kilometers to the north. And, it's not your ideal orchestral bass. You can produce volume if you're careful with your bowing, but it lacks any rumbling bass frequencies. That said, I think it'll make a nice chamber bass for smaller baroque ensembles when I get three more guts. The G I got from a friend sounded nice.

Oh, and also, there is ONE NOTE that sounds totally fab. Eb on the D-string. Don't know why, but here the bass starts rumbling like something three times bigger. The lowest notes on the E-string is surprisingly good for being a small, probably low end instrument, too. I'll take it to the most nearby luthier and see if some sound post adjustments would make more notes sound like this.