A Late Bultitude, #3 (a keeper!) "Better Late than Never!"

[Ken Smith]

A few years ago I was lucky enough to acquire a beautiful Bultitude Bow. Within a few months I was at Arnold's shop picking up my Prescott Bass (former) that was just restored. Another Classical bassist was there testing out his newly completed Schnitzer handmade Bass. I had also brought up my Dodd Bass (former) for a few adjustments. As I was pulling out my Bow case before uncovering the Dodd Arnold asks me what Bows did I bring and I told him it was my Bultitude and Lipkins. Arnold asked if his customer could try his new Bass with my Bultitude. I agreed and that was the last time I ever saw it because I agreed to sell him the Bow after less than an hour of trial. It was never my intention to sell my favorite Bow but it was one of many good Bows I had in my collection.

A few months later I find another Bultitude for sale and I jumped on the chance to see it and made the purchase decision within minutes of playing it. A few months later I was up at Arnold's showing him my newly acquired Storioni to get a restoration consultation. Another Classical bassist was there for some Bass related business who was also a good friend of Arnold's. He was trying my Bass out with the Bultitude and seemed to enjoy playing both of them. A few days later Arnold calls me and says his friend must have that Bow, must! I agreed once again to be the nice guy and let a working professional buy it to improve and further enjoy his art. That's the 2nd time I was 'ambushed' with my favorite bow in hand..lol

A few weeks ago I went to pick up my Candi Bass that was just restored. I asked Arnold for a Bow to try it out and he says "Where's your Bow?". I answered, "Home safe and away from you and your customers"..lol

Well, a few weeks ago I heard about yet a 3rd Bultitude Bow available for sale and pursued it. I open the Bow case and my eyes Pop!.. I have seen 4 Bultitude Bass Bows, 2 of them were mine and all of them looked within 80-90% the same as far as the Model, Tip, Frog and Stick. This latest Bultitude looked nothing like the others I had seen with the exception of the wood and the sound. Yes, it had a familiar dark smooth sound when drawn across the String. This Bow however had a longer slightly thicker Stick, thinner Head, thinner Frog, lower Frog and a completely unmatched Screw.

Well, I thought to myself "is this really a Bultitude?" I took some pics and made up a hidden link (shown above now) and emailed it to a few people in USA and several in London. All but 2 of the people I contacted replied but in one case, I got a 'double' reply. One of the people I sent the pics to not only gave me his knowledgeable opinion but went one step further and contacted a living Bow maker that actually knew Bultitude and knew him well, personally and professionally. He pasted the other opinion in with his Email and that made my day, big time. I am referring to Anthony Houska of the Contrabass Shoppe in London and Bow maker Brian Tunnicliffe who knew Bultitude before he passed and provided me with just the information I was looking for.

Why am I posting all this you might be asking? Well, even for me it was an interesting week as far as trying to ID an old and rare Bow. The links posted here are to give some mental relief for all the various Bass and Bow names mentioned.

Here's what we have. My opinion was just about correct but I was only guessing. I needed some confirmation to be sure. One authority here and in the UK both implied it is probably not a Bultitude. Another believed the Stick was probably good but the Frog is possibly not with the Screw definitely German and replaced.

The Bow Stick and Frog are actually both Bultitude. The Screw was replaced in the past and lost by now as it came to USA 10-15 years ago as it looks now. Bultitude worked for the Hill Bow shop for about 40 years and then retired from Hill in 1961 to make a few Bows for musicians at his new home-shop. He had planned on working for about 10 more years but put in over 20 years making over 2,000 completely handmade Bows. Only a few of these were Double Bass Bows. The other two that I had were the first few he had made with his brand and it is reported that at Hill, he never made a Bass Bow. This latest Bow was most likely one of the last Bows he ever made. The workmanship looks to be that of an old man with poor eyesight and less hand control than the master we knew him to be. Tunnicliffe mention that Bultitude told him near the end of his bow making career, and I paraphrase "I want to give those so called experts out there something to think about". That is 100% evident here with this Bow as besides it being so different in the fittings, model and workmanship, it does not have the number stamped under the Frog that just about every Bultitude Bow has. Maybe, it is under the grip/lapping which I will remove before sending it up to Sue Lipkins to restore. Maybe, he just left it off to add to the mystery.

One thing is for certain in my mind. When I play a note with it, it brings back old but brief memories from the short time I owned and played the last 2 Bultitude's I had.

I spoke with Arnold today and told him I found #3. I then told him he would never ever see it because each time I show him my favorite Bow, someone convinces me to sell it.

[Jim Gullen]

Hi Ken!

What a beautiful bow!

I love silver tips on bows....they just look so elegant and "bookend" nicely with a (french) button.

I get the priviledge of rehairing a beautiful Steven Beckley cello bow with a sliver tip occasionally. Don't tell anyone, but it's such a beautiful bow that I'd rehair it for free just to get to "check up on it" once and a while!

Enjoy and congrats!

Jim

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Jim Gullen

Hi Ken!

What a beautiful bow!

I love silver tips on bows....they just look so elegant and "bookend" nicely with a (french) button.

I get the priviledge of rehairing a beautiful Steven Beckley cello bow with a sliver tip occasionally. Don't tell anyone, but it's such a beautiful bow that I'd rehair it for free just to get to "check up on it" once and a while!

Enjoy and congrats!

Jim

I am considering having Sue Lipkins make me a new Screw/Button to match the Bow. I have pictures of 3 Bultitudes, 2 were mine. I will send her the pictures with the Bow.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

I am considering having Sue Lipkins make me a new Screw/Button to match the Bow. I have pictures of 3 Bultitudes, 2 were mine. I will send her the pictures with the Bow.

Bultitude #3 is now in Sue Lipkins' hands. After examining the Bow first hand, her opinion was identical to the opinions I received from London. The Stick and Frog were both made by Bultitude. This Bow was most likely one of the last Bows that Bultitude made. This is evident by the workmanship of an elder master Atelier. This Bow has also led a 'busy' life. The Bow model-wise is completely different for all the others I have seen by Bultitude. The Tip is extra narrow with a Frog to match. Obviously 'a pair in the making' as far as the Frog matching the Stick. The Frog is super low in height and it appears that the area where the thumb goes may have been altered a bit for playing comfort for a previous owner.

The Screw is no doubt a replacement but not a very good match at all. The Mortise where the Frog sits inside is not squared off at the edges like usually done. Clearly a sign of a tired old maker. The Tip Mortise under the plug for the Hair is a huge deep canyon. The Grip is also 2 separate parts.

I have given Sue the 'go ahead' to do a full restoration and give this Bow what it needs. I have done this with many Basses but this is the first time I have a Bow that needs so many things to 'get right'.

Sue will 'complete' and square the Mortise under the Frog and clean up one small old repair to the Frog as well. She will also slightly fill the Tip Mortise under the Plug. The Stick is classic Bultitude and deserves a proper dressing. The Stick will get a full compliment of Silver and Leather for a new Grip. The hole drilled for the Stick at the end for the Screw is slightly worn. This will get 'plugged' and re-drilled. The final step just before the classic Lipkins re-hair job will be the making of a completely new Bultitude style split-Screw made from Ebony and Silver to match the Bow the Screw style of Bultitude from. Sue is also familiar with my 2nd Bultitude so the style is no stranger to her.

The Bultitude restoration will take a few months to complete. I don't expect to have many updates if at all but if anything interesting happens, I will report back..

[Jim Barber]

Great story Ken. Hope to hear more of the adventures of #3 as time progresses.

Jim

[Eric Swanson]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

The Stick will get a full compliment of Silver and Leather for a new Grip...

Ken, have you ever noticed a change in "feel" or tone when changing grip types on a bow?

I played my Morizot for a long time with no grip, which was how I received it from my teacher. I recently had it gripped with the lightest silver wire and leather, very nicely, by Eric Lane. Eric also weighted the tip slightly to keep the balance point the same (offsetting the grip's mass).

I have to say that I think that the bow was sweeter before I had the leather and silver put on. The stick seems slightly dampened by the extra mass and doesn't feel as lively in the hand. I am not talking about the extra grams of mass or the bow being heavier; I am talking about the stick's vibration and its feedback loop with the strings/bass. Because I liked the bow's feel before, I am seriously considering having the work undone when I go in for my next rehair...

Ken, or anyone else, with any experience with tone/feel changing with grip types?

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Eric Swanson

Ken, have you ever noticed a change in "feel" or tone when changing grip types on a bow?

I played my Morizot for a long time with no grip, which was how I received it from my teacher. I recently had it gripped with the lightest silver wire and leather, very nicely, by Eric Lane. Eric also weighted the tip slightly to keep the balance point the same (offsetting the grip's mass).

I have to say that I think that the bow was sweeter before I had the leather and silver put on. The stick seems slightly dampened by the extra mass and doesn't feel as lively in the hand. I am not talking about the extra grams of mass or the bow being heavier; I am talking about the stick's vibration and its feedback loop with the strings/bass. Because I liked the bow's feel before, I am seriously considering having the work undone when I go in for my next rehair...

Ken, or anyone else, with any experience with tone/feel changing with grip types?

The weight in the Tip could be your problem. The Grip is only a few grams and will 'lift' weight from the Tip as far as the balance point goes. That is one way to battle a Tip heavy Bow. On one of my Bows (the Eibert), Biase put thicker Silver wire and now the Bow actually feels lighter. It's 152 grams with the rubber, 146 without and easier on the hand than some of my 140s. That Bow felt heavy 'before' the heavier wire was put on mainly because it was Tip heavy. Now it's one of my favorite Bows and the one I compare all Bows to when testing including Lipkins and Bultitudes.