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.