Choosing the 'right' Bass for you...

[Ken Smith]

Ok guys, I know it sounds like I can't make up my mind but the truth of the matter is.. that's a good possibility.. lol

As you may have heard before, I always fall back to the Martini as if it's my 'default' bass. Well, it seems that it is. It is the one that fits me best followed by the Gilkes. This is body-to-bass fit mainly. The heel issue of D or Eb is secondary I believe. The bass has to fit my body first. No bass is ever perfect for everything I guess. There will always be something you find fault with in your own personal instrument whether it be a string, a wolf or what have you.

I went back and forth all week playing the 4 basses and although the big Gamba spits the notes out like no other and the Hart has the best Eb Heel-to-Thumb position, the Martini is just easier for me to play overall. If it had the Hart Eb Heel area and the massive sound of the Gamba or the round power of the Gilkes, it would be awesome. But, it doesn't. It probably puts out about 10-20% less sound in one way or another than the other 3 basses.

Now this is not like I am picking a weak bass. To the contrary, a friend of mine has a fantastic English Hawkes Panormo that I helped him acquire. The word was that in the Orchestra it was in before, that Hawkes Panormo was considered unstoppable in the section.

A few weeks ago we A-B'd the massive English Hawkes and the Martini side by side. The Martini beat it hands down regardless of which one of us was playing it. Also, at the ISB while someone was pounding away on the Gamba bass, another person was playing the Martini beside it. The Martini cut right thru the middle of the Gamba as if it bore a hole thru its sound. The Gamba was much louder overall and with more spread but the Martini was sweet and focused and would not take second place in the sound department.

So my personal bass as suggested to me by several others in the past and recently as well will remain the Martini with the Gilkes being my standby when I need more cutting power. The Gilkes is actually louder and rounder sounding than the bigger Gamba bass. Go figure..

I love the Hart and the Gamba sound wise and everything else. They are fantastic basses. They just don't fit me as well personally.

You know, I had a fantastic Prescott and an English Dodd as well that was also more powerful than the Martini. Again, I just didn't play them as well.

[Ken McKay]

I love a good http://contrabbassi.it/eng/archivio.html Martini.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Ken McKay

I love a good http://contrabbassi.it/eng/archivio.html Martini.

That Martini was probably one of his last basses made as he died in 1957. I have seen in person another one like that (not quite as fancy) from around 1946 or so if I recall correctly. On this bass, he was 61 years old when it was made. On mine, he was only about 25-26 years old. He reportedly learned from the great Stefano Scarampella. This was before or around the same time that Gattano Gadda (his only 'recorded' pupil) began training with him. Martini's early basses look quite different than his later ones but look like his hand regardless. I have seen 3 or 4 basses from 1919-1926 and 2 from 1946-1954 as seen above in the link.

Martini was a stout man and a bass player as well, starting his training on the bass at age 14. This bass I have which is his oldest known bass may have been made for himself. The rear back/button carvings are more elaborate than the 1921 and 1926 models I have seen and the ff-eyes on top are wider spaced than another 1926 model that was played years before by a Philly orch. player. The wider eyes allows for a wider bridge and bassbar-soundpost placement resulting in greater depth. The bridge on the Martini is still only about a 155mm size but if it was only able to take a 150, the sound might not be as deep overall.

The Link you show is from Sergio Scaramelli who owned and restored MY Martini back in 1999. He came to the ISB and when looking at 'his' old Martini 10 years later remarked that this was a very early bass for Martini, perhaps the first one made.

I do know this however, if it gets sold anytime soon, it will be missed as I don't have another Bass that feels so comfortable. I do however own TWO cornerless basses, not just the one that you know, the Storioni. The 2nd one was about 42" SL or slightly bigger but a beautiful shape in the shoulders. That Bass could turn out even more comfortable than the Storioni as far as the note reach over the shoulders go. The Storioni has to be shortened from a 44.5" mensur to 42" or less. I haven't shown any pictures of this other bass because it was so far out on the schedule that I didn't want to be answering questions for 2 or 3 years on a bass I had little experience with. Regardless, besides the Martini, the Gilkes is the second most comfortable bass I currently have 'play-ready' but for different reasons. I would go to the Gilkes if the Martini was sold as far as it stands now.

[Eric Hochberg]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

I would go to the Gilkes if the Martini was sold as far as it stands now.

Now you've got me confused, why sell the Martini if it's your all around favorite bass?

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Eric Hochberg

Now you've got me confused, why sell the Martini if it's your all around favorite bass?

You're confused? lol

Well, it is the favorite amongst those 4 listed and all the others are in restoration. The differences, pluses and minuses are all slight between them. They are just all different.

I could live with any of the basses if I only had one. These are all basically inventory since I started collecting and dealing again like I did back in the 1970s & '80s. It is very possible that one of the Cornerless basses will fit me even better if not one of the others I have out in repair. I also have a modern English Bass that is both a joy to play as well as listen too. If all of the big ticket stuff sells, then I would get a C-extension and it and use that one.

So you see, my dilemma is more of, which one 'in the store' suits me best because I keep switching day in and day out and it's starting to get confusing. These basses I mention are quite different from one another so each require some getting used to.

[Eric Hochberg]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

You're confused? lol

Well, it is the favorite amongst those 4 listed and all the others are in restoration. The differences, pluses and minuses are all slight between them. They are just all different.

I could live with any of the basses if I only had one.

So you see, my dilemma is more of, which one 'in the store' suits me best because I keep switching day in and day out and it's starting to get confusing. These basses I mention are quite different from one another so each require some getting used to.

Are these basses or women? What would Freud say? Ken, is there a local chapter of bass addicts anonymous near you? Bass promiscuity!!!

[Tim Bishop]

Originally Posted by eric hochberg

are these basses or women? What would freud say? Ken, is there a local chapter of bass addicts anonymous near you? Bass promiscuity!!!

lol!!!! Too funny.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Eric Hochberg

Are these basses or women? What would Freud say? Ken, is there a local chapter of bass addicts anonymous near you? Bass promiscuity!!!

Also, on top of all that, it depends on what music I am playing. For Jazz, it might be none of the above so I am strictly talking Orchestra basses here.

Look, come over and buy 3 of the 4 basses listed above. Then I wont have a choice..

[Arnold Schnitzer]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

This is body-to-bass fit mainly. The heel issue of D or Eb is secondary I believe. The bass has to fit my body first.

No small challenge there...

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Arnold Schnitzer

No small challenge there...

Arnold, don't forget to add stand-up comedy to your resume..