Bass sightseeing in N. Italy?

[Brian Glassman]

Question;

If you were going to be in N. Italy, anywhere between Milan and Venice, perhaps as far south as Cremona, for a few days what would be your must see bass shop, luthier, and/or museum collection?

[Brian Glassman]

S. Scaramelli will be too far south of in our limited itinerary. I was thinking possibly one of those luthiers in Cremona if I can divert everyone that far south on our way from Milan to Venice.

Any bass luthiers in Brescia these days?

That's right on the way. Ken?

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Brian Glassman

S. Scaramelli will be too far south of in our limited itinerary. I was thinking possibly one of those luthiers in Cremona if I can divert everyone that far south on our way from Milan to Venice.

Any bass luthiers in Brescia these days?

That's right on the way. Ken?

Who me? Isn't Sergio sort of on the way across Italy to Venice? He is in Ferrara. I have never been in Italy so I really don't know. I know there are some Luthiers in Cremona but I don't know them.

I have met with Sergio here at the ISB last June as well as Stefano Sciascia. I would suggest emailing them both with your questions. They are both very nice gentleman and would almost certainly reply to you. maybe it wouldn't hurt if you mentioned my name and that I suggested to you that you ask them. They were both in my booth together playing, admiring and measuring the Candi bass. I have some pictures that were taken of Sergio with the Candi and the Gilkes with me in one of them as well with him. Sergio is the one who gave new life to my martini some 11-12 years ago before I bought it as he immediately recognized it and remarked "the oldest Martini". Sergio is also the Luthier who restored the Dragonetti d'Salo a few years ago and is regarded as one of Europe's top Bass restorers today.

Call and ask them both.

[Anselm Hauke]

hi brian

maybe this can help:
http://www.cremonaliuteria.it/liutaieng.php?page=9

italian db-forum:
http://www.musicherie.com/cgi-bin/fo...board=idcontra


http://www.contrabbassitoscani.it/

http://www.nolliviolins.com/

http://www.museosanmarco.it/WAI/eng/melodie.bsm

[Nick Skelton]

I visited Cremona by train from Milan one time back in 2003. An easy day trip. Best to go early before the Italian rush hour when the station is packed. The museum on the stringed instrument museum is attached to the art museum and is reached by touring the art museum. No basses but fascinating info on stringed instrument making including a selection of Stradivarius's tools.
Note that the town closes for lunch other than the restaurants and is mostly closed at the weekend, with the exception of the museum. Back then the Lutier center had no basses on display but they called around and found one for me to view (which took soem doing on a Saturday).
I wanted to Visit Sr. Nolli's shop, but the day I was there he was away displaying at an exhibition somewhere, but I do remember passing his shop and noticing that it was conveniently located next to a bar that advertised live jazz.
Everything is reachable on foot from the station, but puchasing a map while in Milan is a good Idea, as it took a while to find one. Then it was a trip down narrow streets to reach the Lutier center and other points of intrest.
While in Venice there is a small church that has been changed to a musuem, which displays the Bottesini ( or Dragonetti) bass, together with a selection of historical DB bows. (I did this trip before taking up the double bass some years before the Milan trip). It also has a nice selection of classical European CDs including some solo double bass selections. If I can find the name of the church/Museum I will post (edit. it is the St Marcos Link in Anselm's post above), but it is one block back from the grand c****. Tourist information can help. They are very keen on musical tourism in Venice.
Sorry about the lack of detail, but I'm getting older and CRS syndrome is upon me!!
Have fun and pack comfortable shoes.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Nick Skelton

I visited Cremona by train from Milan one time back in 2003. An easy day trip. Best to go early before the Italian rush hour when the station is packed. The museum on the stringed instrument museum is attached to the art museum and is reached by touring the art museum. No basses but fascinating info on stringed instrument making including a selection of Stradivarius's tools.
Note that the town closes for lunch other than the restaurants and is mostly closed at the weekend, with the exception of the museum. Back then the Lutier center had no basses on display but they called around and found one for me to view (which took soem doing on a Saturday).
I wanted to Visit Sr. Nolli's shop, but the day I was there he was away displaying at an exhibition somewhere, but I do remember passing his shop and noticing that it was conveniently located next to a bar that advertised live jazz.
Everything is reachable on foot from the station, but puchasing a map while in Milan is a good Idea, as it took a while to find one. Then it was a trip down narrow streets to reach the Lutier center and other points of intrest.
While in Venice there is a small church that has been changed to a musuem, which displays the Bottesini ( or Dragonetti) bass, together with a selection of historical DB bows. (I did this trip before taking up the double bass some years before the Milan trip). It also has a nice selection of classical European CDs including some solo double bass selections. If I can find the name of the church/Museum I will post (edit. it is the St Marcos Link in Anselm's post above), but it is one block back from the grand c****. Tourist information can help. They are very keen on musical tourism in Venice.
Sorry about the lack of detail, but I'm getting older and CRS syndrome is upon me!!
Have fun and pack comfortable shoes.

Actually there ARE Basses in the Strad Museum. The problem is they are packed away in storage since 1937! In the 1937 Expo in Cremona, Oreste Martini won the gold medal for a full sized double bass he made. All three medal winners basses of that Expo were forfeited to the Expo for the Museum. Because they were not Cremona Basses (from what I was told) they would not be exhibited in the Museum, ever! Just owned by them. These basses are packed away in some storage area falling apart no doubt. Win the award and your craft gets buried, literally. Unless of course you are a Cremona maker and then it will be proudly displayed. I am the proud owner and user of what is thought to be Martini's oldest and possibly his first bass made. In a few minutes I will pack it up and go to rehearsal with it. The 1937 gold medal Bass is sadly much less fortunate.

[Stefano Senni]

Originally Posted by Brian Glassman

Question;

If you were going to be in N. Italy, anywhere between Milan and Venice, perhaps as far south as Cremona, for a few days what would be your must see bass shop, luthier, and/or museum collection?

Brian,

Scaramelli is in Ferrara and it's about 1 hour of train south of Venice. Definetly worth it. There's another fine luthier in Mantova : Gianni and his son Guido Mariotto (www.mariottoguido.it). One in Cremona : Luciano Bini (www.lucianobini.it) and one big expert and collector/dealer in Bologna : Artemio Versari (www.artemioversari.com). All of them specialize in the double bass. Have a great trip !

[Brian Glassman]

Hey THNX guys!! Great links. I have wife & kids in tow, so not as easy as if I were traveling on my own, but I have been able to see these beauties at that church in Venice ,Nick. If I could just get that pic to load..

Very moving just to be in the same room w/ them! Tomorrow I'm gonna try and see the Gasparo de Salo bass.

Bri

[Anselm Hauke]

hi brian

great pic! do you have some detailed info about these basses?

[Pino Cazzaniga]

I just red this thread, I PM you

[Brian Gencarelli]

Looks like torture to me... I am not sure I could be in the same room and not play them!!

[Brian Glassman]

Hey, THNX for the concern, Wayne. Sorry for the delay in posting. Hit the ground running w/ gigs when I got home. We got out from Milan on Fri. luckily. I think all the flights the next day were cancelled. We had a wonderful time, but I didn't get in as much bass sightseeing in as I would have liked. I was dyin' to go to Scaramelli in Ferarra or visit luthiers in Cremona. I'll have to go back on my own (w/o kids.. 14, 9 & 4) for that.

As for the basses in the pic, the one in the middle is supposed to be an Amati from the 1670's, but I believe Ken once on TB ventured the opinion that it could be a Hungarian fake and I can see why. Up close it doesn't look anything close to 400 yrs old. A beautiful bass, however. The smaller one on the left is a Guadagnini (sp?) and did look VERY old. Can't recall the one on the right, Ken?

THNX again for all the concern and informative PM's. Double bassists really ARE the best people.

Bri

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Brian Glassman

Hey, THNX for the concern, Wayne. Sorry for the delay in posting. Hit the ground running w/ gigs when I got home. We got out from Milan on Fri. luckily. I think all the flights the next day were cancelled. We had a wonderful time, but I didn't get in as much bass sightseeing in as I would have liked. I was dyin' to go to Scaramelli in Ferarra or visit luthiers in Cremona. I'll have to go back on my own (w/o kids.. 14, 9 & 4) for that.

As for the basses in the pic, the one in the middle is supposed to be an Amati from the 1670's, but I believe Ken once on TB ventured the opinion that it could be a Hungarian fake and I can see why. Up close it doesn't look anything close to 400 yrs old. A beautiful bass, however. The smaller one on the left is a Guadagnini (sp?) and did look VERY old. Can't recall the one on the right, Ken?

THNX again for all the concern and informative PM's. Double bassists really ARE the best people.

Bri

The bass in the middle looks a bit modern to me. The one on the left is old and crude. The Scroll is terrible. The bass on the right looks the best from what I can see.

If you can post a normal pic we can see them because not everyone can open that file. I can only open it here, not at home.