Don't do this! (But then again, you probably wouldn't.. also posted on TB)

[Thomas Erickson]

Originally Posted by Eric Swanson

many players routinely have him make reproduction frogs, for daily use, so that they may keep their original frogs safe and out of harm's way. Perhaps, after I have the original restored, I will also go with the duplicate frog approach.

I find this interesting - granted, I know little about fine bows and the preservation/restoration thereof, but I have to wonder about the value of a fine old bow (or instrument) if it isn't being used to create music. To me, that's a very stark line. Personally, I would not buy an instrument (or bow) that i didn't intend to use, if even minimally, because to me it seems like turning instruments into "commodities" is a disservice to our community in the long run.

[Eric Swanson]

Originally Posted by Thomas Erickson

I find this interesting - granted, I know little about fine bows and the preservation/restoration thereof, but I have to wonder about the value of a fine old bow (or instrument) if it isn't being used to create music. To me, that's a very stark line. Personally, I would not buy an instrument (or bow) that i didn't intend to use, if even minimally, because to me it seems like turning instruments into "commodities" is a disservice to our community in the long run.

I probably expressed the idea badly. It happens with me sometimes.

What Mr. Pasewicz said was that some players have a reproduction frog made, and fitted to their bows, for daily use. This occurs most often with expensive bows that are out in the world, being played, in harm's way.

[Thomas Erickson]

Originally Posted by wayne holmes

Once again, Thomas, you make a lot of sense. Is preserving the original frog and using its twin---would that fall into the kludge zone of things?

Nah, not really - It just seems to me like making music with a good old instrument or bow, and repairing/maintaining it through its life, is more in line with "preserving" it, as opposed to taking pieces off and leaving them in a drawer someplace so they don't get damaged. I mean, if we're too scared of hurting these things to take them out and play them, then why are they really so valuable? And I don't mean to be critical or anything, of course - I can't fault someone for being concerned for the safety of a nice instrument or bow!

[Eric Swanson]

Thank goodness we can all make our own choices.

For me, I will continue to choose to wear a seat belt, to wear steel-toed shoes at work, and to strap my young daughter into her car seat.

Once it is restored, I will try to keep my bow from further damage, in any way I can. I plan to continue to use it, daily. I am very fortunate to own such a bow; my recent experience nearly destroying it, through my own thoughtlessness, has simply provided a clear wake-up call. It may be that nobody besides me needs such a warning...

My hope, in starting this thread, was to underscore the frailty of such precious things (including, apparently, my short-term memory ). It is my wish that the discussion may help someone else from making such a grotesque error.

[Thomas Erickson]

Last I checked, to err is only human... and instruments can almost always be repaired. I often find more artistry in the repair than the original work itself...

I hope to some day own a truly great instrument, and that when I do I'll have the confidence to take it out and use for the purpose it was made for. And further, that if I happen to break it, I won't feel too bad about it.

[Eric Rene Roy]

Originally Posted by Thomas Erickson

...It just seems to me like making music with a good old instrument or bow, and repairing/maintaining it through its life, is more in line with "preserving" it, as opposed to taking pieces off and leaving them in a drawer someplace so they don't get damaged. I mean, if we're too scared of hurting these things to take them out and play them, then why are they really so valuable? And I don't mean to be critical or anything, of course - I can't fault someone for being concerned for the safety of a nice instrument or bow!

Sometimes the original materials are banned now...and taking them out of the country is risky if you don't have the proper paperwork. I know very good dealers who have had tortoise shell or ivory frogs confiscated by customs...even having what they thought to be the needed papers!

[David Powell]

Years ago I did the same thing with a nearly brand new Gossen Luna Pro light meter. That was in the ancient times when measuring light was a prerequisite for getting a photo;- on a curious material called gelatin-silver "film". Of course there were autos back then, but these had distributors, points, etc.; - but I digress. I took a light reading for a late evening shot at my parents' house, set the meter on top of my station wagon and then took the shot. In the meantime, it got too dark to see it easily and then I loaded up to drive over 200 miles, my brother following me in his car about 50 yards behind for the first several miles. Once we hit highway speed it flew off my car and bounced off his windshield. He flashed his lights and we stopped. He didn't know what it was but it was apparent that it had come off of my car and then I thought back and figured it out. 2 weeks later I came back to the same spot where we had stopped and searched for it. Miraculously the Luna Pro survived the incident, and it was many years before it finally stopped working.

These things always happen when we break a routine that usually keeps us out of trouble. In this case it was a rare fleeting sunset, for Eric, a bassbag with no bow case pocket. It can happen to anyone for the odd reason. I'm glad to hear that the stick was intact, Eric. It will play again.

Ken, one of my favorite bass-on-the-roof-of-the-car stories is from Danny Thompson. He has an old French bass that he had no idea what it was when he bought it (£5) because it was covered with some cheap black paint. He routinely drove it to gigs strapped to the roof of some tiny English car that was the only vehicle between all of his band at the time. One evening they chanced into a rather persistent deluge on the way home and the paint started coming off revealing the 200+ year old varnish;- on a Gand. Apparently is survived intact and he still plays it to this day.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by David Powell

Ken, one of my favorite bass-on-the-roof-of-the-car stories is from Danny Thompson. He has an old French bass that he had no idea what it was when he bought it (£5) because it was covered with some cheap black paint. He routinely drove it to gigs strapped to the roof of some tiny English car that was the only vehicle between all of his band at the time. One evening they chanced into a rather persistent deluge on the way home and the paint started coming off revealing the 200+ year old varnish;- on a Gand. Apparently is survived intact and he still plays it to this day.

A Gand? Would love to see that. Most basses called or attributed to Gand are not. Real basses by Gand are rare.

[Eric Swanson]

You are exactly right, David. One little routine change can make things go awry, very easily.

Those Gossen meters were rugged. I used one when I took pictures with my old pre-Dresden-bombing Exacta...(I still have the camera, with a Zeiss Jena lens, I am told that it was one of the first production SLR's; a great camera. The meter is still working, too.).

[Eric Swanson]

Got this back from Jerry Pasewicz, yesterday.

Miraculous work, his.

I am a professional woodworker, with a relentless eye for detail. His work is so good, it seems magical. When someone's knowledge, talent, and technique are that strong, the results look effortless.

I'll let the photos tell the story. Before and after...