Custode Marcucci, Ravenna (Anno 1897, #271)

[David McLaughlin]

Good luck! Wish I could hear the performance. Please give us a follow up report on how everything went.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by David McLaughlin

Good luck! Wish I could hear the performance. Please give us a follow up report on how everything went.

It all went well. The Marcucci bass was great and I also played fairly well. I have another concert this coming Saturday with a completely different type of program. Same bass, different orchestra, different bass section, different music. I will play first chair here as opposed to 4th like today as I was filling in as a sub. I had a rehearsal this evening for next weeks concert right after today's concert so I had a double header. No playing fatigue at all. That's a good sign!

[Eric Swanson]

Very cool. I love Sibelius 2nd, especially. That part where the basses are playing a solo in unison, then split into doing contrary motion always gives me goosebumps.

What strings do I see in the photos? Are they Belcanti on the A, D, G, with a long Spirocore B?

Good luck with the next show!

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Eric Swanson

Very cool. I love Sibelius 2nd, especially. That part where the basses are playing a solo in unison, then split into doing contrary motion always gives me goosebumps.

What strings do I see in the photos? Are they Belcanti on the A, D, G, with a long Spirocore B?

Good luck with the next show!

3 Bel's and a Flex 92 STARK E/C.

[Ken Smith]

The Marcucci is in its preplanned restoration at this time. I brought the bass up to Arnold last month after having used it on a few gigs. Although we talked about this job the day I got the bass, getting familiar with the bass before its surgery helped to make decisions.

The neck is original and at an Eb at the heel. I will keep it original as it feels good to me as it is.

The neck setting and added heel button are slightly askew so the neck will be pulled, a new piece put on the heel and glued back in the block.

The bridge is slightly low as well, barely 6" or so. With the neck set back into the block with better seating than before as well as a new thicker fingerboard, the over-stand itself will be increased to just about the perfect spot. The new heel button will do the rest and the bridge will be slightly taller from the combined work. This will make the playing in the upper registers even easier to play than before.

The top has some slight sinkage in places as well as undulations throughout the top so a slight pressing is in order. With the bass sounding so good already and the top in such good health otherwise, we don't want too much change in the top that might affect the sound. We expect the pressing out will be slight as it is not being done with a mold attempting to make it like new. Just letting the bass reform itself with some hot 'shot bags' as a gentle influence and see where it wants to go.

There is an old sound-post crack that will be re-repaired as well as re-patched inside. The bassbar will also be replaced as it was removed for the top pressing.

The bass will be cleaned internally from all old work and repairs as needed only. Nothing drastic at all.

Finally it will get a new all-ebony chromatic C-extension to replace the old black painted maple E-capped one that was a bit hard to work.

This is still some fairly expensive and delicate work regardless of the degree of top pressing or new neck graft that was first discussed. To move and re-set the neck is about 75% the cost of replacing the neck. Since the neck is how I personally like it and also all-original, I opted to leave it an Eb. Also, pressing out the top in a full mold would not only be quite a bit more expensive but could also alter the sound adversely as well. The bass could take years to settle back in after that and the old sound might never come back so the approach with this is gentle and as-needed.

Note: Some of this work has been done already or in progress as I write this. The top has been pressed out and is as expected, it pushed out some of the way but was not forced back to its full original shape. I should have the bass back and all warmed up well before next season.

[Ken Smith]

I just got back with the Marcucci. Beyond words. Now I have no excuse for not practicing. Like I did before.. lol

[Eric Swanson]

Care to share any photos of it, post-luthiery?