Scallopini...

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Anselm Hauke

thanks for the info ken, very interesting!

I just found this as well;

ANTONIO OF BOLOGNA (Antonius Bononiensis). There is a Viol da Gamba by this maker at the Academy of Music, Bologna.

BRENSIO, Girolamo (BRENSIUS, Hieronymus), Bologna. Reference has been made to the Viols of this maker in the first section of this work.

The second I think is related as well.

I also found these;

Viole rinascimentali soprano e tenore, copie di Fabrizio Reginato.
Dal modello originale della viola di Antonius Bononiensis (XVI–XVII secolo) conservata presso il Museo Internazionale e Biblioteca della Musica di Bologna.


Viole rinascimentali basso e contrabbasso, copie di Fabrizio Reginato.
Dal modello originale della viola di Antonius Bononiensis (XVI–XVII secolo) conservata presso il Museo Internazionale e Biblioteca della Musica di Bologna.


These are copies of instruments by the above named maker. I show this so you can see the primitive difference and the similarities between the old Guitar model Gambas and the cornerless Double Bass which came a bit later in time.

[Ken McKay]

Beautiful bass you have there.

Did you do the restoration work Ken?

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Ken McKay

Beautiful bass you have there.

Did you do the restoration work Ken?

No, it was Robert McIntosh. I will have more pictures when we put a page up. I will do my personal set-up tweaks as usual but only as necessary. I know Robbie's work is good as I have seen it on the J.B. Allen bass Arnold used to have for sale and also on one of Robbie's own basses as well. This is the first full restoration he has done for me and at the recommendation of Arnold as he was busy with my other cornerless bass around the same time.

Ken, I said in the first post;
"Next week I will pick up the Bass and bring it home, finally. Here are some shop pics I got thru email earlier."

I thought I made it clear that it was being done at someone else's shop, as usual. If I had the time and if I hadn't given up all my tools back in 1991 I might have been doing some of my own work from time to time. Projects like these that require Top re-shaping and major breast patches should be left to the surgically inclined Luthiers rather than the general practitioners of the bass world. I have seen only pictures of work in progress on this bass but both the Hart and Storioni went thru similar surgeries as well. This bass had less done on the Back than the other two but the Top needed some serious t.l.c.. I look forward to playing it in a few days.

Also, speaking of repairing sunken Tops, Robbie knows about stress and support from another unrelated/related subject. Have a look; http://coveredbridgebook.blogspot.com/

[Ken McKay]

Oh...Robbie, I met him in Kalamazoo and saw a fine bass he made.
Yes it takes a great restoration specialist to do the work right.

[Matthew Tucker]

So, I assume you guys have been speculating WHY a bass would be built like this?? I mean, why add corners to a cornerless rib garland? What's your best guess?

[Eric Hochberg]

Solves the picking up and carrying problem with cornerless basses.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Matthew Tucker

So, I assume you guys have been speculating WHY a bass would be built like this?? I mean, why add corners to a cornerless rib garland? What's your best guess?

I guess so it looks like a normal bass from the front. Short of digging up a few graves and asking them, I think we just have to speculate. I have seen quite a few of these and that's my assumption. This is the only one I have seen with Scalloped blocks. All the others had full blocks added externally.

On the carrying comment, this one is not quite as easy to pick up but grabbing it under the Scalloped corner works fine as compared to no corners at all.

[Ken Smith]

Update, the 'E' string is pushing some air now and I have only played it for about 2 hours combined now. I would play it more but this is a busy week and have been busy every evening after work. Next week looks better for some serious break-in practicing on the Scallopini.

[Matthew Tucker]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

I would play it more but this is a busy week and have been busy every evening after work. Next week looks better for some serious break-in practicing on the Scallopini Parisini.

Well, we don't want you cutting any corners, do we?

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Matthew Tucker

Well, we don't want you cutting any corners, do we?

You made a joke.. lol..

I am thinking of a design for a new bass with some kind of rail/handle, decorative of course on the outside upper bout going across from scallop to scallop so you can lift the bass. One on either side. This Bass has already had its upper bass side corner broken off in the past most likely from being lifted with it. Now it's re-repaired with the half edging under it to keep it stronger than before. I have to lift it with the Scallop in hand to take the load partially off the actual corner. Maybe I can have this added to the bass at some future point. I have to get used to the bass first before I think seriously about any kind of modifications to this beauty.

Here's a Cornerless bass with an added handle that's pictured on the forum.