Gamba Italian Basses..

[Ken Smith]

The design under the Back Button is very interesting. The Scroll I am told is not original but 19th century S.Germany, just above the Tirol where this Bass was made in Bolzano. The tuners are the exact same ones (smaller gears) that came on my Mystery Bass when I got it. I have seen these on some old Mittenwald Basses as well as an old English/Italian Bass. The gears date from 1850 and before. On my Bass, 3 of them were 100% identical while one looks maybe 5% different. My Guess is that the Bass had 3 of them and in later years when converted to a 4-string, the Gears were still available and a 4th was added but made in the same shop some years later. This bass too has two different Gear sizes but the same exact Worm handles.

This will be a 'slow growth' thread being that we are looking specifically for old Italian Basses in the Gamba form. I know they are out there but not many of them with Forum members unfortunately. Still, it's nice to look back at the Basses made that were not affected by commercial production and Italian as well where it all started 450 years ago in Italy.

I think it's a treat when someone like Maury offers to share pics of a Bass as rare as his. Tirol Italian Basses are rare as well. With this region being shared by Austria, Germany and Italy you never know what might turn up. A few weeks ago while visiting Arnold I saw a beautiful old Fussen made Bass. Looked Italian to me but was actually from the German Tirol from over 300 years ago. A big violin cornered bass with an original Scroll, wide unusual FFs with tabs almost Maggini/d'Salo-like. It also had blackened reddish brown Varnish like we have seen on some old Italians but then again, this wasn't Italian. It was made just north of Italy.

[Maury Clubb]

I think your ****ysis is spot-on, particularly regarding the difficulty of attribution (I experienced it 1st hand) and the gears. It appears 1800-1850 was a big period of change for double basses. I would like to see picture of other basses by this maker. BTW, the playability, volume range, depth and complexity of tone with this bass are amazing (maybe like your Storioni?)

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Maury Clubb

I think your ****ysis is spot-on, particularly regarding the difficulty of attribution (I experienced it 1st hand) and the gears. It appears 1800-1850 was a big period of change for double basses. I would like to see picture of other basses by this maker. BTW, the playability, volume range, depth and complexity of tone with this bass are amazing (maybe like your Storioni?)

Well, the power and low end fundamental of the Storioni borders on painful. My eardrums close up when I play or listen to that bass played within 5-20 feet away. I know someone who recently bought a huge attributed Montagnana Bass. That Bass is known as a powerhouse. He recently played my Bass as mentioned it was similar but with the shoulders sloped he could get around it better and play the 44" length as well.

I would love to play your Bass, anytime any day.

By the way, my Loveri was just restored by Jeff Bollbach and sounds quite a bit better then before. It is also much prettier to look at as well.



Are the words Gamba and Gumba related at all? I wonder..

[Nick Hart]

Well Ken, Gamba means leg and Goomba is a southern Italian, quite like myself, so I guess we can draw the comparison of a leg to the boot shape of Italy?

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Nick Hart

Well Ken, Gamba means leg and Goomba is a southern Italian, quite like myself, so I guess we can draw the comparison of a leg to the boot shape of Italy?

My Loveri is Italian and from Southern Italy. Does that make it a Goomba Gamba?

[Nick Hart]

Yes it does!

[Ken Smith]

I played the Loveri in 2 orchestras to give it a good run and see what it can do. It sounds great but personally I need a C-Extension for what I do. Having several larger bodied Italian and English Basses with Extensions already I have opted to send the Loveri off to market to find a new home. It will be showcased up at Arnold's shop in Brewster, NY.