Question about Mr. Meyer

[Brandon Tuomikoski]

I just saw the great Edgar Meyer in a master class/ concert today.

What an exceptional bassist! Very good.

He was listening to kids solo, and would come up, and without having ever played the song, or even looking at a score of music, start playing parts of the song that the kid needed work on.


I love his bass. What is it? He said something like a Guarini 1740 something I think.

Anyone know where you can find pictures of it? All I saw was a not- so close up of it.


(We got to listen to him perform the bach cello suites too!!!)

[Richard Prowse]

Brandon, I'm pleased you're happy.

[Brandon Tuomikoski]

Well I sure am. It was one of the best days of my life. I hope to see him again.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Brandon Tuomikoski

I just saw the great Edgar Meyer in a master class/ concert today.

What an exceptional bassist! Very good.

He was listening to kids solo, and would come up, and without having ever played the song, or even looking at a score of music, start playing parts of the song that the kid needed work on.


I love his bass. What is it? He said something like a Guarini 1740 something I think.

Anyone know where you can find pictures of it? All I saw was a not- so close up of it.


(We got to listen to him perform the bach cello suites too!!!)

If I am not mistaken, I think I have read somewhere that his bass is 'claimed' to have been made by 'Giovanni Battista Gabbrielli'.

From the pictures I have seen, it doesn't look much more than 100 years old but I have never seen the Bass in person. Then again, my Gilkes due to its preservation and fantastic varnish doesn't look its age either but a closer inspection inside tells a different story.

[Paul Warburton]

It is, indeed, a Gabbrielli....pictures all over the place. Almost identical to one in the Elgar book....

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Paul Warburton

It is, indeed, a Gabbrielli....pictures all over the place. Almost identical to one in the Elgar book....

I knew someone would come up here and say that.. lol

My comment was mainly about how old it looks and not really about doubting its age. Most old basses show their age but not all.

Post some pics Paul while you're at at. Also, being in the Elgar book is no guarantee that it's authentic. There are quite a few mistakes in that book. Partially from how the book was done and partially from errors in the finally editing like matching names and pictures for the pages. The former mention due to accepting pictures from bass owners and putting them in the book without 100% certainty of authenticity.

Edgar's Bass sounds fantastic. The only other 18th century Florintine Bass I know of is one that I not only have played but helped to place in the former owners hands. That was the Sankey Carcassi Solo bass that was purchased by Stanley Clarke in the early 1970s by my recommendation.

[Anselm Hauke]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

Post some pics Paul while you're at at.

can i help you, paul?

it´s a really small bass, isn´t it?

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

My comment was mainly about how old it looks and not really about doubting its age. Most old basses show their age but not all.

i think if you compare pic 3 and 4 the age of the bass looks very different. it really depends on the picture how old you estimate the bass

[Brandon Tuomikoski]

I hardly heard him when he said what it was. He said he has taken it to almost every top luthier in the world, and they said it was ____ (fill in the blank)

I do not think that 3rd bass pictured is the same one however.

But 1,2 and 4 look just as I saw it in concert.


He says he does not have very many basses, as you would think. 3 IIRC.

[Dave Martin]

Originally Posted by Brandon Tuomikoski

I do not think that 3rd bass pictured is the same one however.

But 1,2 and 4 look just as I saw it in concert.

Brandon, I believe that all 4 photos are of the same instrument; the lighting and the angle of the photo make shot number 3 look a bit different than the others.

[Brandon Tuomikoski]

Yea after looking closer it is the same, just the lighting makes the wood look cleaner than it is.

[Abe Gumroyan]

I have played the bass personally when edgar came to Las Vegas and played with the UNLV symphony orchestra ... I got to play his bass while he went into the hall for a little soundcheck .... It is an amazing instrument. The bass used to belong to Sam Hollingsworth, former principal bass with the Pittsburgh Symphony. I am pretty sure there was a label inside. Its been awhile. The best people to ask would be Barrie Kolstein & Aaron Robertson, they know that bass inside and out.