| October 1, 2010 | to | October 3, 2010 |
| October 1, 2010 | to | October 3, 2010 |
Mondomusica, the Italian Music Trade show at Cremona, focusses on Jazz this year, with an international seminar on jazz teaching, four masterclasses and the Mondomusica Jazz Club.
Archive for the 'Bass Making' Category
For Dave Gartland, bassplayer with background in sheet metal working, double basses made of Aluminium have always been fascinating. Over the years, he has collected much informations about these instruments, and he finally started building an Aluminium double bass of his own. He plans to update his website regulary with pictures of the progress.
The most Aluminium basses have probably been made during the 1930ies, before WWII. Dave says about these basses: “American made Aluminum instruments are unique in the fact that they were seamlessly welded whereas the Europeans used rivets & screws. This single tell-tale identifier can be used to spot one from across the room. The Europeans used spruce bass bars, blocks and sound post platforms as well as Maple necks whereas the American made instruments are entirely aluminum. It is our opinion that the European made basses, due to their construction, have a much better tone. The rivets allow luthiers the opportunity to disassemble the instruments for maintenance and repairs when needed. The American made ALCOA basses are far stronger though and can withstand the rigors of time (and abuse) much better.”
After 15 years and 1200 basses, Steve Azola announces “with great sadness that the doors of Azola Basses are closed”.
Steve Azola started bass making as the maker of a modern version of the Ampeg Baby Bass: “About sixteen years ago, Steve mentioned to his wife, Jill, that if he ever came across a vintage Ampeg Baby Bass, he’d sell one of his motorcycles to make it his. He’d seen one in a store window as a kid, and just thought it was too cool. Sure enough, he got his hands on a black five-string (and yes, there was a motorcycle involved). Once he’d had the Baby a while, and he started to really talk to people about it, he decided that there just might be some demand for a modern version of the classic Baby Bass. He thought the proper thing to do first was to obtain Ampeg’s authorization. After that was done, he worked out his design concept, built a prototype and took it to a NAMM show - to the delight of many bassists who also remembered the vintage Ampeg. And so the Azola Baby Bass was born.”
This YouTube video shows a concert performance, featuring a double bass repair …
If you don’t use the traditional, S-shaped sounpost setting tool very often, setting the soundpost can really be a big challenge. The new Gemini sounpost setting tool holds the soundpost securely against the saddle at the tip of the tool, in order to make it easier to insert the soundpost through the f-hole and into proper position without the risk of the soundpost becoming dislodged as could happen with a traditional sound post tool. During the setting procedure, the soundpost is held by a nylon rope. The release mechanism gently releases the tool from the soundpost once it is in position.
| June 21, 2010 | to | July 23, 2010 |
The Violin Craftsmanship Institute offers weeklong hands-on workshops in violinmaking and setup skills. Led by Horst Kloss, Paul Wiessmeyer, Francis Morris, Lynn Hannings, George Rubino. Sponsored by University of New Hamsphire; Durham, New Hampshire
www.learn.unh.edu/violin
Stolen from his home near Paris, France: fine 5-string double bass with “GAND 1869” label inside, dark red varnish. Mensuration: 1129.0 / 525.0 / 384.0 /673.0 mm. Also stolen: two bows, one “Fétique” (wood repaired with metal just next to the button). The theft was targeted on the bass, and seems the work of specialists. If you should hear anything concerning this instrument, the owner,
professional double bass player, Pierre Feyler, would be delighted to hear from you.
Chuck Treager, bass luthier and author, has published a new book: Coda to “Setup and Repair of the Double bass” – New Sound Setup Discoveries & Repair Tips.
With it’s 64 pages, Coda is a much thinner book than Traeger’s first volume, but also filled to bursting with Double Bass know-how, too. Many chapters reference to the first volume, but feature many new ideas and observations. In some issues, Traeger even correct himself or specify particular details. Being written as a sequel, Coda can also be read without knowing the first volume – for inspiratition and fresh ideas for double bassrepairs and sound optimization.
Contents:
The endpin – mightier than the sound post
How to make the bass louder and responsive
Simplifying mode matching
making a bass brighter or darker
more about sound posts
and many more ….
Chuck Traeger: “About the title, the dictionary definition of the word “coda” is:
music; A: a concluding passage, the function of which is to bring a composition to a cogent and well-proportioned close. My wife, June, suggested this title because that is exactly what I am doing here. This booklet is the conclusion of my research and my writing. It is not that there is no more to be done. It is that at eighty three I am running out of the time to do it.”
The book is available from Henry Strobel’s website, or (in Europe) also at www.JonasLohse.de.
Edit: I accidentally found an ooold photo of the author Chuck Traeger, which was taken in 1948 for the Down Beat magazine: http://memory.loc.gov
The bass’ (and cello’s) endpins usually don’t get glued in – as both the plug and the hole are conical, the endpin gets just plugged into the body. But some endpin plugs are really a challenge to get loose again. The best way I found so far is to use a hammer without handle. I screw the rubber tip off, slide the hammer onto the endpin, and screw on a large washer (as I don’t want to damage the rubber tip). Usually, it takes just two or three blows with the hammer to get the whole endpin assembly out off the bass’ body again.
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