Cornerless basses

[Abe Gumroyan]

Ken or any of the other gentleman,

How many corner-less double basses have you seen in your careers? I've only seen two. One being Fernando Grillo's instrument at a lesson in Italy and the second being my colleague Matt Hare's italian bass (maker unknown). Is Grillo's bass authenticated as Rogeri or is it attributed ? That Storioni looks and probably sounds like a tank ... Ken are you doing anything about the long string length as far as shortening it.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Abe Gumroyan

Ken or any of the other gentleman,

How many corner-less double basses have you seen in your careers? I've only seen two. One being Fernando Grillo's instrument at a lesson in Italy and the second being my colleague Matt Hare's italian bass (maker unknown). Is Grillo's bass authenticated as Rogeri or is it attributed ? That Storioni looks and probably sounds like a tank ... Ken are you doing anything about the long string length as far as shortening it.

Ok. How many have I seen in person or how many have I played?

Played my attr. Storioni and another Bass I have in restoration which is somewhat of a hybrid Cornerless/Violin model It had one-piece Guitar Ribs but has some small corners with 8 separate carved scalloped blocks mating each corned with the Rib.

Other Cornerless Basses seen in person which were all brief I think numbers 3 of them. One at a glance a few feet away, one on a Bench and one in pieces in restoration. That's all I can remember.

On the Bass you mention being a Rogeri, I don't know if it's real or not. He saw my Bass and said in Italian to me (email) "Beautiful Storioni". So, returning the gesture, 'beautiful Rogeri he has'..

On my Bass is does sound like a Tank. Deep, thick and volume that is almost painful at 15 feet away. It fills the room so well that you can't tell where the sound is coming from as it vibrates everything around it. That is, when there aren't a bunch of open cracks like there is now. The Bass is so powerful that after gluing everything I could find (no patches, only hide glue) within a week of heavy playing, it opened itself up from its own inner air flow vibrations.

The String length is long and after playing it for awhile it feels like all my fingers and everything attached to them were just pulled apart. A 44" String length is only 1" longer from the Nut to the first Octave than on a 42". I can feel the difference between 41", 41 1/4", 41 1/2", 41 3/4" and 42" as I play Basses with all these lengths. I have to adjust each time to every Bass when switching. The Martini I have is 41 1/2" and it feels different than my Hart which is 41 3/4". Maybe there are other factors but I can tell they are different. That being said, a 44" is like a huge difference as far as finding your pitch. It's not just physical, it's musical as well.

The Storioni 'will' get a Block Cut along with a small portion of the Top, Back and Ribs in the Block ares trimmed off just like what was just done to my Mystery English Bass. There was also some brief discussion or mention of this in MY Cornerless Italian/Spanish Bass Thread. Read thru that if you haven't already.

String length alone from Nut to Bridge is not the only factor here. It's what notes are up at the shoulder by the Neck Block, where the D or Eb is on the G-string and where the F# and G octave is as well.

Arnold will be performing this surgery so I have no doubt it will be better than ever. The Bass will be 'fully' restored as well during the process. The Block-cut being only one of many items on the menu!

[Abe Gumroyan]

Ken,

I was just on youtube browsing through videos and came across a video of Edicson Ruiz, the 19 year old bass prodigy from Venezuela now playing in the Berlin Phil, playing a cornerless bass. If you type in Edicson Ruiz Koussevitzsky you will see hime playing all three movements in three different videos. Any ideas on a maker ? Would love to hear what you think after you have viewed it.

[Eric Swanson]

I have been watching the NYPhil/Bernstein "Young People's Concerts" with my four-year-old daughter, thanks to Netflix.

In a couple of the earliest discs, there is a gentleman playing a cornerless bass in the section. Of course, it being the late '50's, the picture is a grainy black and white image.

Questions relating to this thread: who is the bassist, what is that bass, and where is it now?

General query: Ken (or anyone else), do you know who the section members were in the NYPhil during the '60's, when Mr. Brennand was Principal? I recognize some of the bassists, but not that many of them.

[Ken Smith]

Well, how about some pics of those Basses posted here. Can it be done with the format in which they are shown?

I have no clue about the old section in NY, sorry. Maybe Carlos Henriquez can ask John Schaeffer about that. Carlo??

[Stefano Senni]

Originally Posted by Abe Gumroyan

Ken,

I was just on youtube browsing through videos and came across a video of Edicson Ruiz, the 19 year old bass prodigy from Venezuela now playing in the Berlin Phil, playing a cornerless bass. If you type in Edicson Ruiz Koussevitzsky you will see hime playing all three movements in three different videos. Any ideas on a maker ? Would love to hear what you think after you have viewed it.

I saw and tried that bass in a renown bass atelier in Italy a few months ago. It is thought to be a Milanese instrument from circa 1750. The luthier then told me it went sold to Mr Ruiz.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Stefano Senni

I saw and tried that bass in a renown bass atelier in Italy a few months ago. It is thought to be a Milanese instrument from circa 1750. The luthier then told me it went sold to Mr Ruiz.

How was it? What was the sound like, tone, volume, feel, bowing, pizzing?

[Stefano Senni]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

How was it? What was the sound like, tone, volume, feel, bowing, pizzing?

It was fully restored and looked beautiful. It had a great dark tone when bowed but not so loud (It was strung with Velvets 180 orchestra). Tension was somewhat too light for me and pizz was not to die for...Definetly a symphonic bass