Ex-Riccardi Cornerless Bass Copy (formerly attributed to 'Storioni') (SOLD)

[Sam Sherry]

We've gone back and forth a bit about how the ribs look laminated and, lo and behold, are in fact laminated.

I suspect that has a noticeable, perhaps even substantial, positive influence on the tone -- worth thinking about including in your reproduction.

Have fun and let us know what's up!

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Sam Sherry

We've gone back and forth a bit about how the ribs look laminated and, lo and behold, are in fact laminated.

I suspect that has a noticeable, perhaps even substantial, positive influence on the tone -- worth thinking about including in your reproduction.

Have fun and let us know what's up!

I think we posted at the same time and just missed this. I have mentioned the Ribs of the original and my plans for the new Bass.

I was always able to hear the sound loud and clear (I think) thru the Ribs as I played. It's hard to tell where all the sound came from. Also, it is impossible to know how the sound would be with solid Ribs in Guitar form rather than the 2-pc laminated.

Still, to avoid problems in the build and in the future, we will go with traditional Ribs. With so much surface area to glue, laminating or rather 'doubling' the Ribs leaves room for hidden voids. That is definitely something I don't want to run into, new or old. The original will be restored as it is but the new model will be modified.

[Robert J Spear]

I hope this bass will find its way to the ISB Convention in Rochester in 2013. I'd love to see it. I have not closely followed the chatter on cornerless basses, but there seems to be a prevailing theory that they sound better. Of course, I ask if the sound is better because they are cornerless, because they are a few hundred years old, because they were made by guys who knew what they were doing, or because time has weeded out all the clunkers?

I can tell you that modern acoustical research has shown that there's a lot of bending going on in the center bout region of bowed string instruments. My feeling is that the presence of corner blocks acts to stiffen the center, but without any good evidence as to whether this is a good or bad thing. There's a good bit of evidence that the violin evolved from the viheula, a small Spanish guitar, which makes me wonder why we don't see more cornerless instruments. The bass, on the other hand, is perhaps a different breed. Anyway, get cracking, Arnold, and lobby Ken to let us see this puppy when it's done.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Robert J Spear

Anyway, get cracking, Arnold, and lobby Ken to let us see this puppy when it's done.

Robert, the Bass (copy) was completed shown at the last VSA in Cleveland. Shortly after, the C-Extension was added and then delivered to me. After playing only a single rehearsal with the bass, it was Sold to a professional Orchestra player. I never got to use it on a Gig myself. By the time it was Sold, the original was restored and ready to use. It is a great bass and the sound had some age right out of the box, so to speak. I am sure it will come to develop as one of the great early 21th century basses.

http://www.kensmithbasses.com/double...hnitzer-smith/ ..Sold..


Arnold Schnitzer

New York, 2010
SOLD