#1
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2008 Donald Gorman Bass!!
These are some photos of Bass Prof' David Currie's bass, I'm getting the twin bass made but with a darker varnish and shorter string length. (This one is set to 42")
http://www.dropshots.com/Calvin87#al...%20Bass%202008 |
#2
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That's a ridiculously small upper-bout! Or is it a ridiculously large lower-bout? Whatever; it's a really pretty and unique-looking bass.
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#3
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hehe, the upper bout is small 18.5 inches across...the lower bout is about 29"
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#4
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That's just beautiful maple ... is yours going to have the same quilt?
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#5
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Weird shape...
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#6
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Ya, it's really a gorgeous wood eh? It sounds fantastic too.
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#7
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Ouch, well it's certainly not "normal" but then again neither is my build when it comes to being a "bass player." I've seen a lot of instruments shaped like that, it's really just a variation on Quinoils, the Pollmann Salzburg and Alexandria shapes. It sounds really good so that's what I care about the most.
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#8
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The 42" string length really powers this thing, it sounds incredible and I might get the upper bouts beefed up a bit. It's set-up in a way that caters towards a small person so that's what I need...and Don is a great guy and great luthier who was very accommodating in price.
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#9
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Shape...
Well Unless you are playing more notes in the 2nd octave doing Violin Solos and not Playing in an Orchestra I don't see the need to chop the upper bout so much and possible sacrifice the Bass sound of the instrument.
I saw a fancy solo type Bass (I won't mention the maker but someone from Canada) being played in a small room at a VSA show. I was in the middle of the room and could barely hear him playing. Pretty Bass, great workmanship.. but no sound. I have several Basses with the Bouts +/- 20" and not as much slope with the exception of maybe my Loveri and Cornerless. Those are big Basses though with plenty of sound. I can reach the bridge on most of my Basses if I need to but most of what I play is under the first octave. So, why bother unless you own several other Orchestra Basses and this one is just a Solo Bass for that once in a while time. I saw Bill Blossom (NY Phil) play the Bach Solo Violin Concerto on Jeff Bollbach's #2. A twin Pallotta model to the Lion Head but with a flat back. He had no trouble playing end to end on that Bass and had plenty of sound even down to the C-Ext. He also uses that Bass in the Orchestra so a dual purpose Bass is more worth it in the math sense. |
#10
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Ouch, once again. I didn't really post these photos for people to critisize myself or Don's work. I'm telling you though, that bass has one of the biggest, richest sounds that perfectly blend in an orchestra. The upper bouts aren't even really THAT small. They're about 19" across, it may just look small in comparison to the lower bouts. Once again I'm not a big guy and my teacher who's a professional bassist finds this bass extremely powerful and suggested it to me because the shoulders really allow me to get up there. On my previous bass I could barely play up to the 2nd octave g near the end of the fingerboard...If you're ever auditioning for an orchestra and you need to play any solo piece you're going to need to get up there, also for just playing everyday 3 octave scales. This bass has a really big sound and Ed Barker just bought a bass very similiar to this also from Don Gorman. I find it slightly rude that you guys are saying it looks funny and all this while you've never even heard it. Ken, I'm sure you have many basses in stock with an UB of 19" that work perfectly fine for orchestral playing. If you want to call me and discuss Don's work please feel free to, I'm more than willing to talk about his basses. It's funny cause if I said the bass had dimensions of let's say....UB 19,LB 25,MENSURE 40....You guys would be like ya it's a small bass....this bass has a 42"mensure, 19" ub and 29" lb, and it sounds amazingly loud and rich for both orchestra and solo playing.
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#11
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If I wasn't 5'6" with small arms and back problems then I obviously wouldn't require a bass with that much slope. I'd rather have a bass that looks a bit funny but let's me do everything with ease vs. something just too large that will cause harm. Afterall it's your musicality and sound that wins a job, not the shape of your upper bouts,lol.maybe you guys should make fun of Ira Gold who plays with a 40.5" mensure or max dimoff with 39", both are smaller basses on top, and they sound amazing!
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#12
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5'6"
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#13
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Totally, thank you BTW Ken that was a nice compliment! I'd totally go for a normal looking bass if I was just a bit bigger but my teacher and Mr. Braditech believe this bass suits me well. Thanks again!@
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#14
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The Upper Bouts are 19" and the lower are 28", if you scaled the lower bouts down to 26" and had less slope on the upper bouts it wouldn't look "weird." By the way, this was the best sounding bass I've ever played and Ed Barker just got the exact same bass.
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#15
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I know Don Gorman, I like him, and I think he does nice work. The shape of the bass does not appeal to me and I am entitled to my opinion that it is a weird shape. I also build basses with a weird shape, so my comment is not inflamatory. Now if you scaled down the lower bout and changed the shoulders as you suggest above, you would have a completely different bass, so what is your point? I just personally do not have an affinity for basses with exaggerated upper-to-lower bout relationships.
Calvin, you had better get used to people disagreeing with you and having different opinions on aesthetics. You are in the arts after all, where no one type of music, or painting, or dance, is everybody's cup of tea. |
#16
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Best ever?
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Your Bass looks nice by the way. My cut Loveri is not too far off from your bass. Upper and Lower bouts are 19 1/4" and 27". The Top to the tip is 44 1/2" and the Back over the button is 46". It too is a great sounding Bass but, it doesn't compete with the likes of a Storioni or some other master grade Italian or English orchestral Bass. |
#17
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#18
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#19
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for a modern instrument..
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Good luck with your new Bass.. and to my esteemed Lunch companion Luthier Arnold, I think you are weird....lol.., but I love your work and your Basses. Wanna talk about weird? ... Arnold, Jeff and myself having Lunch together and talking shop.. I think the food just got in the way.. |
#20
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"Weird: 2. Of an odd, peculiar or bizarre character; unusual, strange, fantastic." (American Heritage Desk Dictionary) Let's agree that it is of an odd character and fantastic. Okay? Calvin, there was no intent to hurt your feelings, and thank you for the compliment. |
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