"Cornerless Italian & Spanish Basses"

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by davidseidel

Wow that is an impressive looking instrument. Does the guitar shape have any advantages or disadvantages for practical playing comfort? I never have tried one myself. Funny how a long stop doesn't always feel noticeable. Will you take it on a gig in present condition?

It is so easy to play, My Gilkes is 41" string length and is harder to play with its higher shoulders and violin corners. The middle bout on the Storioni is 1 1/8" wider but it's easier to bow without hitting anything.

I took the Bass to an Orchestra rehearsal tonight. We had to add an extra 'p' from pp to ppp because this Bass added to much bottom to the orchestra and I was plucking in 5th position in the pizz sections to play softer. With my other Orchestra I have rehearsal tomorrow (thurs eve.) and Saturday morning with a Sat. eve. concert. Yes, I am playing the Bass now as-is but with a basic set-up that took me about 4 hours last night. I made a new Nut after I took off the extension, re-cut the Bridge top and changed the strings. The E-string is still in the 'A' peg like it was with the Extension but it's a Stark non-ext Flexocor. The other strings are reg Flex, normal gauge, not Starks.

Ron Lacey; I'd go with impressive, too. With a 44 1/4" scale length it must be huge!! How do you carry that beauty with no corners to grab?

It is not easy to lift or carry. Something I will have to get used to. The sound is well worth any simple troubles like that. Tonight I stood up for over 2 hours straight, no break. Tomorrow I have a 3 hour rehearsal with a break. I will be sitting as there is a stool there for me.

With this Bass I can feel the sound better then I can hear it. I have to lean into the neck to hear my intonation. The Bassist on 3rd stand who knows this Bass and first told me about it a few years ago mentioned how loud it was tonight. The bottom two strings are earth shaking. It's more like a tidal wave pushing from under the ocean than a 20ft surf with everything out front like my Gilkes is which by the way is a cannon over the Storioni but the Storioni is an earthquake to be felt. By the time you hear it, it's too late!

[Ron Lacey]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

The bottom two strings are earth shaking. It's more like a tidal wave pushing from under the ocean than a 20ft surf with everything out front like my Gilkes is which by the way is a cannon over the Storioni but the Storioni is an earthquake to be felt. By the time you hear it, it's too late!

Yeah, that's the stuff!! That's what I love about THE BASS!

[Ken McKay]

That is one cool big guitar.

Here is the start of mine that I am building. http://www.upnorthstrings.com/cornerlessbass.html

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Ken McKay

That is one cool big guitar.

Here is the start of mine that I am building. http://www.upnorthstrings.com/cornerlessbass.html

I played it last night in my main Orchestra sitting on a stool and I must tell you it was sooooo comfortable. No Corners hitting my legs or Bow. The length was not painful. Just a bit out of tune from time to time but I will improve with that as I already have. The day before, I could not play the Vivo solo in the Pulcinella in tune. Last night I almost nailed it. Just a few notes and shifts I need some extra traveling to reach the intonation point. So in just a few days I have gone from 'total fear' of a bass over 42" to 'not so bad' on a Bass over 44"! Now, put that in your Bow and smoke it!

On the sitting thing, I must admit that this Bass just melted in my lap like no other has while sitting. I often alternate between sitting and standing mainly due to some discomfort with the Bass on the stool. Last night I was ready to put this Bass and its feel in my personal 'hall of fame' as far as all time most comfortable goes.

Ken, go and make your cornerless Bass. As much as an eyesore they might be to some makes up the difference in comfort for the player. Yes, carrying it out of the case is not as easy (so I grab it under the FB) but once you play it standing or sitting, all those problems go away in your mind.

[Charlie Hack]

Beautiful bass, Ken. The varnish is such a beautiful, deep color. Another question from an overly curious student: What is the difference between the two terms 'GUITAR-model' and 'PEAR-model'? One reads of the 'French Pear Model', but I suspect that is in reference to the older Gamba-form basses with sloping shoulders and... well... rather 'healthy' bottoms. But I have also heard of cornerless basses referred to as pear-shaped, and they certainly look like pears. Perhaps it has something to do with the relative sizes of the bouts?

Cheers all,

Charlie

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Charlie Hack

Beautiful bass, Ken. The varnish is such a beautiful, deep color. Another question from an overly curious student: What is the difference between the two terms 'GUITAR-model' and 'PEAR-model'? One reads of the 'French Pear Model', but I suspect that is in reference to the older Gamba-form basses with sloping shoulders and... well... rather 'healthy' bottoms. But I have also heard of cornerless basses referred to as pear-shaped, and they certainly look like pears. Perhaps it has something to do with the relative sizes of the bouts?

Cheers all,

Charlie

Yes, the Varnish is beautiful and of a very high quality as is the wood under it. On the names, like anything else, these are just nick names to describe a shape. Pear or Guitar describes a cornerless Bass just fine. Pear also refers to a sloped top bout as in the French Basses you mentioned. My Loveri is a Pear shaped Bass but it's not Cornerless! However, it was cut down to this shape in 1937 which was around the time we started seeing those French Pear type Basses in Gamba or Violin shape as long as the shoulders are extremely sloped.

By the way, I played my Cornerless Bass tonight in a concert. The sound is hard to describe but something that I have only dreamed about in the past if that helps at all.

[Eric Hochberg]

Here's a link to a bass patterned after Storioni.