Upton Bass String Instrument Co
Upton Bass String Instrument Co NewsletterVolume 94 - November 15th, 2013
Upton Bass
In This Issue
Hawkes & Sons
Pollman Gamba
B. Puglisi "Vitruvian"
French Guild, c.1880
Golia "Il Stiloso"
UB Bohemian Makore
UB Archives


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Hello!

This week's Upton Report features a fine selection of double basses currently available in our two shops. I've laid them out nice and large here, "gallery sized". Click on the photos for videos, measurements, and pricing. As as always, feel free to call us with any questions!  

See you next week!

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Josh
Upton Bass String Instrument Co.
Hawkes & Son  
The Concert Double Bass  
1907  
Piccadilly Circus, London

This is a fine Hawkes & Son Concert double bass previously owned by Matthew Rybicki and has been featured on many recordings. The instrument has been expertly maintained and setup and is ready to be owned and played by any serious Jazz or Orchestral double bassist in search of true English bass tone and character.
 
This bass is currently at the Mystic, CT location.

Pollmann Gamba Double Bass 2004, Mittenwald, Germany



Pictured here is a P�llmann "Gamba" model fully carved double bass from Michael and Ralph Krahmer, Mittenwald's fourth generation P�llmann (Poellmann) master bass builders, built 2004. Outrageous wood pattern pops out from every angle, while the Spruce top is deeply arched and hand contoured.

Very ergonomic in pattern, tapering comfortably at the neck heel. Pronounced arching with deep C-bouts for more facility with the bow. Eric points out the C bouts are over curved almost impossibly to the point, a deft note to craftsmen who might dare imitate...

This beautiful, comfortable instrument would shine in solo or chamber music settings with a clear, present and detailed arco sound.
This bass is currently at the Boston location.

 

Benedict Puglisi - Vitruvian Model Double Bass 2013 

This is the latest double bass to be release as part of the Benedict Puglisi collection. It is a Testore inspired model, built on classic Italian lines with a strong influence from the Northern Italian School of making, this bass features a highly figured carved European Maple back and matching ribs with voluptuous arching on a high grade Swiss Spruce top.  This Bass has a beatiful rich tone and sings in the upper register. 
 

Completed in May 2013, this beautiful instrument was built with players comfort firmly in mind. A brilliant Bass for solo, orchestral or jazz playing at a professional standard. This bass is currently at the Mystic, CT location.  

 

Late 19th Century French Guild Bass, possibly J.T. Lamy 


 This fine French workshop double bass has been fully setup and restored by Upton Bass and is available for audition at our Boston showroom. The instrument has narrow upper bouts and elongated C-bouts, making it ergonomically ideal for solo players. Warm in both its reddish-brown varnish as well as its tone, this bass has a sweet note, with lots of volume and projection; sonorous under a bow and 'poofy' when played pizz. Complete with rib bumpers, a Fishman Full Circle pickup, and Pirastro Evah Pirazzis, this bass is ready for the stage! This bass is currently at the Boston location.


Luciano Golia Double Bass Italian Bass, "Il Stiloso" 2000
This fine hand-crafted Italian double bass features a gorgeous fine-grained spruce top and a beautifully figured scroll. Golia basses are known for their slender C-bouts and wide bottom bouts; and each and every bass he makes is given its own name. This one was made in 2000 and is known as "Il Stiloso", which translates to English as "The Stylish". Formerly used as an orchestral instrument in the New Haven Symphony, this double bass has a sweet tone with a singing quality not unlike a cello and is perfect for the player who enjoys playing melodic passages with the bow. Although it has a deep pizz sound with a dark tone and nice sustain, this bass would be an ideal audition bass, just the instrument for a professional performer fresh out of university who is looking to join a symphonic orchestra. Has recently installed new fingerboard, bridge, and Thomastik Belcantos. This bass is currently at the Boston location.

UB Bohemian Makore Special Bass 2013 (SALE PENDING) 




This UB Bohemian was specially crafted for the 2013 ISB show in Rochester NY, as a celebration of our Bohemian model and as a showcase of what we can create with exotic woods.

 

The back, ribs, neck and scroll were carved from solid curly Makore wood (aka "African Cherry"). The finished Makore shimmers with a remarkable three-dimensional "plaid" and delivers a very dark, punchy sound in a relatively compact package. This very unique fully carved instrument eagerly awaits its first owner.   

 

...That is, if you can pry it away from Gary!  He notes on the tone, "It's so dark, it's got this pointed little Juzek sound but with this creamy Italian thing underneath it."

 

This bass is currently out on trial, but it's one that we here in the shop secretly hope comes back!

 

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