Hawkes & Son.. (The Official KSB Hawkes Bass Discussion Thread)

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Brian Gencarelli

Nice bass Ken!

Yes, thanks.. This one I am fairly certain is from Germany. Another one that we are at least 100% sure that it's from Germany is different in it's features from this one but the model and outline are the same. The Varnish looked the same as well but if mine was a Mittenwald contracted bass and the other Markneukirchen made as labeled, then possibly these were imported 'in the white' and then varnished and completed in London. Also, the gears on both bass although different had 'parts' from France like we see on French basses mainly from Mirecourt. One had French handles on the tuners with nice quality German gears and mine has French Gears and worms but English handles. I doubt that Germany did much trading with France in that respect but I am sure that England imported from both thus my theory.

[Ken Smith]

I took the Hawkes out tonight to an Orchestra rehearsal to see how she sounded and felt. This was a 2 1/2 hour rehearsal with about 2 hours of actual playing (including counting rests and turning pages..)

I was surprised a bit on how it handled. It was actually easy to play a 2 octave C scale on the A string when I was warming up. Going up the D and G was not much of a problem but reaching over to play up the A string to the end of the fingerboard was the true test. I got over the shoulders just fine.

Jed Kriegel who used to work with Arnold made the current Neck and graft as well as setting it out quite nicely. This was by far the easiest to play Hawkes I have ever laid my hands on.