"Cornerless Italian & Spanish Basses"

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Scott Pope

Speculation: if the ribs were narrowed, it would seem to me more likely that a luthier would narrow them from the back; otherwise it would take a lot of re-engineering of the neck block instead of just a trim of the button side of the heel, which unless there were grave structural problems with the "top" side of the ribs would not be a cost effective modification to the bass, or any bass. And if it were trimmed from the rear, then the peg, assuming centered originally, would be farther back than forward.

I vote for it "always having been that way."

Please correct me if my reasoning is not sound (pun intended).

I have no idea. In fact, when I got the bass it was such a joy to play sitting OR standing I never gave it an ounce of thought until Arnold mentioned it. I thought it was just that way! Also, it's not the first old Bass I'd acquired where the endpin was not exactly centered.

These are very old basses, made with 3 gut strings originally when playing bass music was much simpler. Mozart was new music then so go figure. What a particular repairman did later on while modifying some old bass to modern standards, who knows what alterations these guys did.

Remember, the violin in Strads time had a pitched maple fingerboard, not a pitched back neck with overstand. Many old Basses have the necks still just barely sticking out from the body and pitched back for the string height. Back then, who really cared about the 'fixed' peg endpin hole?

[Pino Cazzaniga]

I don't think this is the case,as the back edge was almost fine, but (maybe) some old instruments were played without an endpin, with the back edge on the floor, sometimes with a clog. A Busan bass in the Elgar book has a clog glued on the back, and I saw another one in person. If so, it make sense to move the endbutton towards the top to prevent it from touching the floor. They were not so tall, back then...

[Ken Smith]

I took the Storioni out to rehearsal on Sunday for a later May program with another Orchestra and then again Monday and Thursday for Saturday, tomorrows concert with my Orchestra. The bass sounded great but too much foot traffic on stage for my comfort concerning its safety. So tonight (Friday), I brought my Mittenwald bass (attr. L.Neuner) instead and it did just fine.

Yesterday we had the first run thru with the soloist, Pianist Simon Tedeschi from Australia, a Gershwin specialist. We are doing the Bernstein version of 'Rhapsody in Blue' with him.

While warming up early (as I was as well) he started playing a few jazz heads. I tried from across the stage doodle along with him. On his drive back to the hotel, the chaperon (a board member) mentions that I was a Jazz player and such in conversation. He tells me when he got back for the 2nd half of the rehearsal (Shostakovich 5th) that maybe I should do a tune with him for the encore. I said "sure, we can rehearse Saturday afternoon before the concert". Tonight the conductor walks over and asks me to do a tune with him and he calls across the stage to ask which tune and Simon says 'Blue Monk'. After the Gershwin run thru I walk over with the bass and go over how he wants it and asked him to write out what I should do for the unison melody being that it was our only rehearsal, those 10 minutes. Then he asks, "do you know "the Preacher by Horace Silver? It might be better being that we are playing in a Church". I smile and say 'Yes' playing a bit of it and then I say "in 1969, I won the audition and one of my first gigs was playing with Horace". So he was thrilled and now he can announce I played with H.S. but I did remind him that in '69, 'The Preacher' wasn't a tune we did in Concert as Horace would usually play the newest tunes to promote his latest record.

It just so happens that the Neuner bass is a great Jazz sounding instrument as well. Very deep, punchy, pingy and loud enough to do the duo without an amp. I think if I played the Storioni, it might turn a few heads too many when I walk across stage for the encore with a giant looking Guitar and take attention away from the music. Carrying it with no corners to grab is also not so easy as one might imagine. The basses are tucked in the back along side the Cellos, just behind the Violas, and not across the back as usual. This is so the Tymp. player can be closer and not behind us directly. I am actually forward of the 3rd Cello row, just behind the second row Violas. Walking out for the Piano/Bass duo would be the first time they see a bass full view up close with this stage set-up as I walk between the Cellos and Violas, over the podium and stand next to the left hand side of the Piano. Kind of a first for me within an Orchestra Gig. The Nuener will handle the job just fine and not attract as much attention if at all as far as the actual bass goes.

Matt, do you know this guy? I hear is is quite famous in your land and around the world.

[Matthew Tucker]

Yes Simon Tedeschi is well known here. But I must confess, I've never heard him play.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Matthew Tucker

Yes Simon Tedeschi is well known here. But I must confess, I've never heard him play.

He's really a great player. My first time hearing him and hearing 'of' him as well. If in your area, he's definitely worth the ticket to go see and hear.

Now, back on topic. Later today I well run back to the shop and try the Storioni as a jazz bass and if I think she's ready for the task, switch her out in my case with the Neuner. Why not go all the way, right?

[Arnold Schnitzer]

[quote=Ken Smith;22417

Now, back on topic. Later today I well run back to the shop and try the Storioni as a jazz bass and if I think she's ready for the task, switch her out in my case with the Neuner. Why not go all the way, right?[/quote]
Put on the Spiros!

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Arnold Schnitzer

Put on the Spiros!

Arnold, she growls just fine with the Bels and bows fantastic..