The Great English Double Basses

[Ken Smith]

Dave, that's a beautiful Bass. When I was researching John Betts concerning a Bass I had here from London, John Furber was listed as one of his makers or 'out workers'. It's still unclear to me if Furber actually worked inside the Betts shop on his own supplying Betts or a combination of both. Later on, Tom Martin tells me my Betts is actually a Dodd. I believe it was T.Martin that ID'd your Bass as well, no? Either way, it held a similar value if not more. I sold it in less than a year to a professional Symphony Bassist. Next to my Gilkes and Storioni, it was one of the best Basses I have played. I am sure your English Bass is right on par with it.

I hope to be able to try your Bass one day. It looks beautiful.. Enjoy it..

[Ken Smith]

The Hart is done now and resting beside the Gilkes..

[Ken Smith]

I took the Hart out this morning for a dress rehearsal. It's only the 2nd time I've taken it out. Instead of playing the Martini as originally planned, I will use the Hart tonight for the Concert.

In a big hall like this I can really hear the tone and smooth sweet low end 'booom'' the Bass has. The Pizz is nice and the Arco even nicer. The low notes on the C-extension are so smooth and thick sounding yet easy to bow and as loud as any note on the Bass. This Bass is so even sounding I can't find words to better describe it.

I think I have found a new 'Concert' Bass to use. The Martini is fine and the Gilkes is fantastic. This Bass has them both beat combined hands down I think. The Gilkes seems louder I think when you play it but a different type of tone. The Martini seems to have some lower end floor-type spread in the sound. The Hart though is fairly loud, deep, clear, smooth, easy to play and did I mention beautiful to look at?

I used the Hart last week at a rehearsal and it felt bigger against my body than the Martini which I was more comfortable with. Today I had a 3-hour rehearsal and the Hart fit me like a glove on stage.

[Ken McKay]

Absolutely fantastic!!!!!

Nice restoration and congratulations on your new/old bass.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Ken McKay

Absolutely fantastic!!!!!

Nice restoration and congratulations on your new/old bass.

I used it for the Concert and I tell you, I could feel the Bass spreading wider by the second half of the Concert. We had 4 Basses in the section and when I dug in, I felt like I had left them at the starting gate. This Bass is truly in the upper class of high end Orchestra Basses as far as I'm concerned. It even has a nice funky sound playing Jazz Pizz and that's with regular Flexocors on it and used ones not doubt that I took off my Gilkes two months earlier!

[Ken Smith]

We are discussing Kurt's new Bass over on TB which was pictured in the Elgar book as an Attributed Daniel Parker Bass. While discussing it, two links about Devereux popped up. Here they are; One, and two. Also, here is the TB thread mentioned. I think all of this is important English bass history so I am including it here. It can also be duped here as well.

[carlopetro]

From this thread and the one you started on TB Ken I am noticing that English basses seem to have stamp on the back button. Is this a common trait for English basses? (City Year)

I also see you mention 'Linings', what exactly is a 'Lining'?

thx