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As of this writing I am both enthused and dismayed by the current state of double bass making. On the positive side, I believe there is a renaissance afoot resulting in some of the finest basses ever made. Meticulous and well-trained artisans all over the world are applying their skills to the best materials available, creating instruments which meet the highest standards of workmanship and tone. On the less-than-positive side I see a market flooded with less-than-mediocre instruments built in a hurry from beautiful woods which are essentially being wasted on instruments of this caliber. Many of these basses are being constructed from unseasoned lumber, using inappropriate adhesives; factors which will doom these instruments to short and trouble-prone lives. Somewhere in the middle are shops in Europe, Asia, and the Americas which are making decent basses with decent materials and workmanship, and selling them for a reasonable price. There will always be a need for mid-level basses in that category. It has become an expectation that string instruments should last not for decades, but for centuries. Basses built with mediocre workmanship, materials or adhesives cannot meet that expectation, nor should they. Hand-made instruments should be constructed in a way that allows them to survive the unknown stresses of a long, useful lifespan. Of course there will be accidents, unexpected feats of nature, and basic wear-and-tear. But the enlightened instrument-maker takes these things into account when selecting and seasoning materials, carving and finishing his instruments, and fitting them up for their life of music-making. Basses are very large in comparison to all the other members of the string instrument family. Because of their sheer mass, wood movement is a much more prevalent problem. All wood changes in dimension in relation to humidity and temperature; the change occurs mainly across its width. Wood that has been well aged and dried stands a much better chance of surviving in instrument form, because it is more stable. It is crucial that the instrument-maker take into account the climatic tendencies of the area in which the instrument is likely to spend its life. For example, a bass made of wood air-dried in the humid tropics, which is then played in the dry winter of Canada, will undoubtedly crack and shrink. I am very careful in regard to the age and moisture content of the wood I use in my handmade basses. I also work to maintain a fairly constant humidity level in my workshop and studio, averaging between 38 and 45% year-round. The use of hide glue in all joints is a kind of safety valve; if two connected parts encounter intense stress from wood movement, the glue joint will usually give way before a crack forms. I believe in building basses with adequate overhangs (5mm or more). This provides some margin of error should seams open and need to be repositioned. It takes me between 300 and 400 hours to complete a double bass. During that time I like to envision the player for whom I am building, as well as the beautiful music this instrument will make. This keeps me focused on the end-result, rather than getting caught up in the tedious process work involved. I like to work to the sounds of classical music or fine jazz. Like the expectant mother who exposes her child to great music while still in the womb, I’m hoping to give each of my “offspring” a head start.
Bass
#18 by Arnold E. Schnitzer, 2008. Orchestra model, The wood is the star on this bass. This magnificent walnut came from the personal lumber collection of my colleague Ken Smith. The spruce top was cut in 1983 and came from the stock of the late Hammond Ashley.
This bass was made in 2003 for Louis Pappas, who plays for the United States Army at West Point as well as several local orchestas and combos. The back and ribs are made of highly figured quilted bigleaf maple, which was salvaged from a cabinet shop in Washington State. The seller informed me that the wood was at least 25 years old at the time I purchased it (about 5 years ago). This wood is extremely difficult to work with. When I showed the bass to my colleague, Barrie Kolstein, at the recent ISB conference in Richmond, he shook his head and told me, "You are a masochist!" The top is made of three pieces of Sitka spruce I acquired from my friend and mentor, Lou Di Leone. The wood was cut in the 1930's for his father, Frank, who did not use it because one of the two original planks was too thin. My solution was to cut the thinner plank in half, and attach these pieces to the outsides of the thicker plank. This allowed me to carve a normal arch into the top. The neck is bigleaf maple of a less-figured variety than the back and ribs. I felt that too much figure in the neck wood might make the bass look like a person wearing a plaid shirt and paisley tie (my favorite mode of dress!). With the old wood, this bass delivers thunderous bottom. The old Sitka top gives it a dark but woody sound that does not thin out in the upper register. But please don't ask; I have no desire to work with this maple again in the foreseeable future! While I adhere fairly religiously to the Italian masters' building techniques, there are a few unique touches in my basses: Graphite reinforced neck, for enhanced stabilty; specially carved and braced back, which increases volume and depth; scroll carved from the get-go with a C-extension in mind. I build slowly, which allows the properly-aged wood to stabilize, and prevents tension from being built in to the instrument. All my basses are oil-varnished the old-fashioned way, with a brush, adequate dry-time between coats, and a laborious rub-down to a rich semi-gloss patina. I do not use spirit varnish, shellac or lacquer on my carved instruments, as they can have a negative impact on tone. There is no substitute for time in the building and finishing process. I also build a slightly scaled-down version of the bass pictured above. This instrument is 3/4 size with narrower shoulders and a shorter lower bout. These changes were made to accommodate a bassist more involved in solo playing, and who sought an instrument with a more direct sound when played in orchestra section. Both styles can be built with either flat or round back.
Pictured above and below is the Ergonomic Contrabass III which was recently sold.
Ergonomic Contrabass II— Won two awards at the International Society of Bassists 2005 Makers' Competition:
Conceived as a combination orchestral/solo instrument, it is asymmetrical as a matter of form following function. The upper bout is wide enough to allow for a deep, puchy tone, yet the reduced treble side shoulder provides outstanding access to the upper register. The lower bout of the treble side was enlarged by the same amount as the reduction in the upper bout in order to maintain tonal balance between the treble and bass halves. The back slopes gently up to a thin neck block, allowing the player to nestle closely to the bass, keeping the bow arm in a naturally relaxed position. Along with ergonomic developments, the bass features unique back bracing, top arching and bass bar, all designed to reduce seasonal fluctuations and improve tone.
The f-holes are an aggregate of violin-family and plectrum guitar designs. The shape of the body was conceived to be corner-less; the upper corners are a concession to practicality. [The string length is 41" (104 cm) and the bass could be considered a long 3/4 size.] Made of curly maple, with an Engelmann spruce top. Ergo II is currently owned by Nathan Vedal and is no longer available. Models available for commission include Montagnana-style (7/8 and 3/4), Testore copy (large 3/4) and the unique "Ergonomic Contrabass".
Handmade basses by Arnold E. Schnitzer are currently in use in the following orchestras:
In
addition, you can hear bass #1 on The Little Bill Show, a
cable TV cartoon show.
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2002-2007, AES Fine Instruments. All rights reserved. |
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