The bass I bought

[Eric Swanson]

I feel lucky to be able to say that after much looking, trying, and playing, this is my new/used bass. Here's the short version.

It’s a 12 year old unlabeled Hungarian flatback, brought into the U.S.A. about 12 years ago by an import company called E.M.M.C. It was bought and played for about 10 years by Paul Nowinski. Brazilian luthier Paulo Gomes did some work on the bass, including installation of the hatpeg tuners and gluing linen strips on the inside of the ribs, to reduce cracking.

Local luthiery wizard Jed Kriegel got the bass about 1 ½ years ago, with an eye to rebuilding it, from the ground up. Jed essentially used the existing bass as lumber and a basic shape, and built a new bass within the outlines.

He took it all apart, then regraduated both top and bottom plates. He thinned down all rib blocking, as well as top and bottom blocks. After removing the “ladder back” bracing, he replaced it with a SINGLE diagonal back brace, sort of like half of an X brace (note the single diagonal back brace, visible through the f hole photo). He reset the neck with 1 1/4" overstand, then made a raised saddle to keep string angles on the bridge correct. Carbon fiber neck insert, behind a new fingerboard.

Upper bouts are 20 ¾” wide. Ribs are 8 1/4" at the bottom, 7 1/4" at the bend, 5 3/8" at the neck heel. Body length (to bottom of heel) is 44". Bottom bout is 26" wide. String length is 41 5/8".

High-tech tailwire made from a super high-strength rope (“Vectran”) that Jed wove the ends of together with some sick nautical splicing (in addition to luthiery, he has a boat-building background). He made a new bridge, fitted with a Full Circle pickup. For me, he added a ½” diameter New Harmony delrin/carbon fiber endpin unit, made by David Bice (I will change the pin itself to steel, to keep the low-end "bloom" and "punch"; these disappear on this bass with the carbon fiber pin). Jed also changed the color from a reddish finish, to a dark, reddish-brown color. Ebony tailpiece.

What I love about it is the absolute quickness of the E string response, arco. Absolutely no hesitation. A quick, room-filling E string sound. Punchy, blooming pizz. Arco, both the E and A strings are unusually full-sounding.

The bass is loud and full, both arco and pizz, with a clear sound throughout the range. The wide shoulders (again, not my first choice) give the bottom end some real meat.

It’s sick. Sort of like one of those shows where they turn a Ford Pinto into a Nascar racer. Reminds me of the State Troopers I see driving around in insanely hopped-up, unmarked Taurus’.

It is sort of like that, too. I think of the bass as my "Ugly Duckling," the finish is funky, the external fit and finish (from the original maker) are a bit crude, here and there, but the engineering and execution of all of Jed’s work is dreamlike in its accuracy, thoughtfulness, elegance, and pure efficacy.

The E string, under the bow, has a fullness that reminds me of Ken Smith's Martini. When you hit the E there is nothing but a full, rich sound. The bass is very quick and easy to play.

I want to express my sincere thanks to Ken Smith, Wil DeSola, and Arnold Schnitzer, for their invaluable expertise, time, perspective, generosity, and help during the selection process. It was a great pleasure and honor to visit both Ken Smith Basses and AES Fine Instruments, meet with these men, play instruments, and learn from their vast experience.

I also need to give further credit where it is due. I feel tremendous gratitude to Boston area bass luthiers Michael Hartery, Kurt Ratering, and John Styklunas who all checked the bass out before I bought it and shared their expert opinions.

Kurt Ratering, at Johnson String Instruments' "The Bass Shop" was incredibly thorough; he called in two North Benet Street violin-making grads as well as a professional bassist they have on staff, and the four of them crawled over the bass, stem to stern.

Michael Hartery, a wonderful professional bassist as well as accomplished luthier, gave the bass a solid approval after playing it several times.

John Styklunas, another talented bassist and luthier, after coming to my house to check out the bass, made some helpful suggestions and comments, as well as giving it his approval.

All in all, I got a lot of help from a lot of great people. I feel fortunate to have been the recipient of such knowledge and generosity.

[Sam Sherry]

Eric, congratulations -- play it long and well.

Originally Posted by Eric Swanson

The E string, under the bow, has a fullness that reminds me of Ken Smith's Martini.

I'm sorry -- I can't hold back -- it's too good to pass up: "Ken Smith's Martini doesn't stay full for long!"

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Sam Sherry

I'm sorry -- I can't hold back -- it's too good to pass up: "Ken Smith's Martini doesn't stay full for long!"

But it's not me sipping on it. I don't drink!..

[Eric Swanson]

Ken, do you know anything about this import company, E.M.M.C.? I struck out on the Internet.

I am curious about this bass' original maker in Hungary, but know nothing else. Have you seen instruments similar in size and proportion, that you know more about? I really wonder who made the bass, in the first place.

The 20 3/4" wide upper bout is a bit unusual; I thought that you may have run across another one, in your travels...

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Eric Swanson

Ken, do you know anything about this import company, E.M.M.C.? I struck out on the Internet.

I am curious about this bass' original maker in Hungary, but know nothing else. Have you seen instruments similar in size and proportion, that you know more about? I really wonder who made the bass, in the first place.

The 20 3/4" wide upper bout is a bit unusual; I thought that you may have run across another one, in your travels...

I think Barrie Kolstein does or did business with them on a model he made and distributed thru them. Call Barrie and ask him. Also, why not ask Paul Nowinski? After all, it's one of several Romanian/Hungarian basses he's bought, modified and sold. Paul talked to me about buying some of these 'modified' Gypsy basses awhile ago. I passed on it. It seems from the work that Jeff did to correct everything that what was done in Brazil may have been a waste. Un-doing and re-doing is always more work than doing it right the first time.

I have had a few Hungarian basses come thru here as well and all of them needed some kind of tidying up in one way or another. All of them sounded good when I first got them and all of them sounded even better after the work was done. They seem to have some good wood over there as far as wood for making tone. It's just that the workmanship on the basses they send over is not always the best as far as meeting our standards here.

Glad to hear you found a match with your new bass. Enjoy it..

[Eric Swanson]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

...It seems from the work that Jeff did to correct everything that what was done in Brazil may have been a waste. Un-doing and re-doing is always more work than doing it right the first time.

Thanks for the info, Ken. I will contact Paul Nowinski and ask him what he knows.

Also great info on the comparison to the Hart/Maggini. Thanks for posting those specs.

Jed took the bass to another level, regardless of who did what to it, before.

It does sound as if there was some tedious reworking involved. He did regraduate the plates and fit a new bass bar. Also, his back brace engineering and execution seem to really work well. The thing can move some air...

The raised saddle/neck reset, and carbon fiber neck inlay are all helping, too.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Eric Swanson

The 20 3/4" wide upper bout is a bit unusual; I thought that you may have run across another one, in your travels...

I think your measurements are that of an English Maggini type bass. Very similar to my Hart-Maggini in many areas measured.

Hungarian;---------------------------------------Hart;
Upper bouts are 20 ¾” wide.......................20 3/4"
Ribs are 8 1/4" at the bottom.....................7 7/8"
7 1/4" at the bend...................................tapering
5 3/8" at the neck heel.............................5 1/4"
Body length (to bottom of heel) is 44".........44 3/8" (Top to the tips)
Bottom bout is 26" wide............................26 1/8"
String length is 41 5/8".............................41 3/4"

The Hungarian and Romanians like most all others copied the Italians. In this case, the English made several Maggini/d'Salo copies in the latter 18th and early-mid 19th centuries. My Hart is most likely a forgery of a Maggini or antiqued to look old for marketing when it was new. Your bass is a copy of the copies or something Italian that came from Maggini as well.

[Eric Swanson]

It seems as if the largest difference between the sizing and proportions of the two basses is the depth of the ribs as they move up the bass and the bend location. The Hart's ribs seem to be closer to a consistent width, until they hit the "bend," my bass seems to taper more aggressively, starting at the bottom.

The Hart's bend looks higher up on the bass; just by eye, it would seem to have greater internal volume than my bass.

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

I think your measurements are that of an English Maggini type bass. Very similar to my Hart-Maggini in many areas measured.

Hungarian;---------------------------------------Hart;
Upper bouts are 20 ¾” wide.......................20 3/4"
Ribs are 8 1/4" at the bottom.....................7 7/8"
7 1/4" at the bend...................................tapering
5 3/8" at the neck heel.............................5 1/4"
Body length (to bottom of heel) is 44".........44 3/8" (Top to the tips)
Bottom bout is 26" wide............................26 1/8"
String length is 41 5/8".............................41 3/4"

The Hungarian and Romanians like most all others copied the Italians. In this case, the English made several Maggini/d'Salo copies in the latter 18th and early-mid 19th centuries. My Hart is most likely a forgery of a Maggini or antiqued to look old for marketing when it was new. Your bass is a copy of the copies or something Italian that came from Maggini as well.