Christopher Basses

[Richard Prowse]

I'm the proud owner of a Christopher 500 series fully carved, spruce/ebony violin shaped double bass. It took me a while to get the set up right, but now it really seems to be singing. I've got Bel Canto strings on. Are there any Christopher owners out there who want to talk about these basses?

[Richard Prowse]

I guess not.

[Ken McKay]

Richard,

I have a good customer who plays a nice shiny Christopher. I don't know the number or model but he gets a great amount of tone from that bass. He uses Helicore strings and has the height of his strings a bit high by my standards. The neck is a bit thick and it is heavy bass overall. The finish is very nice with not a flaw anywhere. The fingerboard is high quality ebony and is dressed well.

They are a nice instrument similar to some Shen models and X Sun.

[Richard Prowse]

Originally Posted by Ken McKay

Richard,

I have a good customer who plays a nice shiny Christopher. I don't know the number or model but he gets a great amount of tone from that bass. He uses Helicore strings and has the height of his strings a bit high by my standards. The neck is a bit thick and it is heavy bass overall. The finish is very nice with not a flaw anywhere. The fingerboard is high quality ebony and is dressed well.
They are a nice instrument similar to some Shen models and X Sun.

Thanks Ken,
It was getting a bit lonely on this thread. Luthiers in NZ seem to like setting up basses too high - none of the local ones play a bass, could be the reason. After mine came back from three luthiers, I read Ken's (Smith) advice and wound my adjustible bridge right down. It's not a perfect set up now, but it's pretty good. Mine is a 503 violin shape - 2nd to top model. They do have a thick neck, but I'm really enjoying playing mine. It has a good tone and seems to love the Bel Canto strings. Mine doesn't seem too shiny, but I seem to be scratching it quite a bit - my bass gets a lot of playing and moving around.

[Richard Prowse]

I took my Christopher out on a gig tonight - it was very, very slightly amplified. The room was big and empty. The bass filled the space. I really like my Christopher.

[Richard Prowse]

I've had a busy week at work and only got to put my hands on my Christopher for about 10 min. last night. I wish I could have stayed longer as it felt so good.
Hey, this thread is mainly me.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Richard Prowse

I've had a busy week at work and only got to put my hands on my Christopher for about 10 min. last night. I wish I could have stayed longer as it felt so good.
Hey, this thread is mainly me.

Richard, not everyone who reads the Forum has something to say. For what it's worth, my practice bass is a Shen which actually belongs to my son. Since he rarely plays DB, he leaves it at home so I can use it to practice with. Otherwise I have to bring something else back to the house.

I try to get my hands on a bass every day even if only for a few minutes. I keep this practice bass at home downstairs near my personal TV. If while watching tv a cool song comes on in a movie, I jump up and play along with it. Lots of Sinatra tunes in the movies today and stuff like that.

[Richard Prowse]

Ken, you need to keep a good bass at home.
Home is where the bass is and, of course, the wife.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Richard Prowse

Ken, you need to keep a good bass at home.
Home is where the bass is and, of course, the wife.

My Shen is a good bass. It's just not worth the price of the house.. lol

It is as good as many basses in the 5-10k range. Depending on the sound you are looking for. I once used this bass in an Orchestra concert as it was in town a block from where my son was and didn't want to haul a bass down there. I borrowed it from him and it worked just fine.

Thanks for your concern though..

[Richard Prowse]

I have two double basses at home - nowhere else to keep them.
I've just restrung my plywood A D G C.
I only did it for a bit of fun, but it turns out that I'm enjoying playing solo stuff on it. I used to have a bass guitar tuned like that, so I don't have a problem switching to the different notes. I might take this tenor bass busking. Who knows?

[Richard Prowse]

Originally Posted by Richard Prowse

I have two double basses at home - nowhere else to keep them.
I've just restrung my plywood A D G C.
I only did it for a bit of fun, but it turns out that I'm enjoying playing solo stuff on it. I used to have a bass guitar tuned like that, so I don't have a problem switching to the different notes. I might take this tenor bass busking. Who knows?

Just about to put the Weichs (normal tuning) back on the plywood.
I thought someone might want to know.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

My Shen is a good bass. It's just not worth the price of the house.. lol

It is as good as many basses in the 5-10k range. Depending on the sound you are looking for. I once used this bass in an Orchestra concert as it was in town a block from where my son was and didn't want to haul a bass down there. I borrowed it from him and it worked just fine.

Thanks for your concern though..

Speaking of.. I just found this on YouTube.. This was the Concert.. I'm the guy on 1st...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ze_AYnyJdwo

[Richard Prowse]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

Speaking of.. I just found this on YouTube.. This was the Concert.. I'm the guy on 1st...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ze_AYnyJdwo

Come on Ken, stop pulling my leg, that guy on first bass is far too young and good looking... ah, it is you!
What was the camera man suffering from?

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Richard Prowse

Come on Ken, stop pulling my leg, that guy on first bass is far too young and good looking... ah, it is you!
What was the camera man suffering from?

I just found that clip. Perhaps there is more to come one day. I have no idea who shot that. I actually have a CD of the entire concert I think that was shot much better but it's not on the web as far as I know. It was a special event for the Temple Univ. Science & Technology dept. Normally the Temple Orch. does this event but there were booked elsewhere so they invited this Orch.. The conductor who's a great guy is also the program director for Temple Public Radio, WRTI so he got the call.

This is an Amatuer Orchestra that I play in when I'm not busy elsewhere. Get's me out of the house and a chance to catch up from my 15 year retirement from playing bass and practice some of the Rep..

In the last few years I played maybe half the Concerts they have but still they keep me on 1st when I'm around. Out of the 4 main concerts they have this year, 3 series concerts and one Scholorship concert, I can only do one of them, the Scholorship. I am booked with two other Orchestras this year, my regular Orch. and another I sub in on occassion but was just offered the season so I took it. Still, when available, I go to the rehearsals of the Concerts I can't make to help out and get out of the house for the evening. I usually skip their Dress rehearsals so the guest artist doesnt get the wrong idea when I'm not on stage for the concert.

[Richard Prowse]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

I go to the rehearsals of the Concerts I can't make to help out and get out of the house for the evening. I usually skip their Dress rehearsals so the guest artist doesnt get the wrong idea when I'm not on stage for the concert.

Ken, you pop up more than the guy in the Where's Wally books - is he really called Waldo up in your parts? I hope you wear a striped shirt when you go to these rehearsals.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Richard Prowse

Ken, you pop up more than the guy in the Where's Wally books - is he really called Waldo up in your parts? I hope you wear a striped shirt when you go to these rehearsals.

Explain please.. pop up? where?

[Richard Prowse]

Well, talking about popping up, I've just been playing my Christopher violin shaped bass. Those Bel Canto strings make it nice and warm - I can't see myself ever wanting to change them. I'm playing at a carols evening tonight and was thinking about taking my plywood, but the Christopher sounds too good to leave at home.

Oh, the popping up thing - I was referring to you showing up in all those bass sections. In the book, 'Where's Wally?', each page has a huge scene with things happening all over the page and you have to spot Wally. I had this image of you turning up in different bass sections and someone in the audience playing 'Where's Ken?' - well, it loses a bit in the explaining.

[Dave Martin]

I should probably be worried that it made perfect sense to me.

[Richard Prowse]

No Dave, you're okay - you're from Nashville. Ken is from Perkasie.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Richard Prowse

Well, talking about popping up, I've just been playing my Christopher violin shaped bass. Those Bel Canto strings make it nice and warm - I can't see myself ever wanting to change them. I'm playing at a carols evening tonight and was thinking about taking my plywood, but the Christopher sounds too good to leave at home.

Oh, the popping up thing - I was referring to you showing up in all those bass sections. In the book, 'Where's Wally?', each page has a huge scene with things happening all over the page and you have to spot Wally. I had this image of you turning up in different bass sections and someone in the audience playing 'Where's Ken?' - well, it loses a bit in the explaining.

Well, speaking of, I just returned to the office with Mr. Martini from doing a Christmas Concert with yet another Orchestra. Same conductor that's in that clip. He asked me to help tonight because they had no one. Actually, there was only one Cello there from their roster and two subs so the low strings were sight reading for the most part. I have Flex 92 Starks on the bass with the discontinued Stark E/C of which I bought up the last batch a when that news came my way.