Gallery 6 - The Vault
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The Vault
This section of the Bass Gallery was started to show some of the basses I have come across throughout the years. Many of these basses I have owned for a long time, and while they may not all be worth big bucks, I have played them and I dig them and they are keepers.
Have you ever sold a bass and later regretted it ?
How about a dozen or so times, right ?
Most of us cannot keep every cool bass we come across, we must choose and sometimes lose a special bass.
Sometimes that bass is not easy to replace, just because it is rare and fine and having a new one built could take a year or two.
Time is getting precious and a year or two might be a significant hunk of time to some of us.
There have been many a bass I have sold in the name of commerce, while regretting the need to do so from day one of the sale.
As a result of many such incidents, there have recently been a few basses pass this way, obtained with the intent of selling , that have been tossed into the Vault.
Sometime I need to experience a special bass for a while before I can let it go.
Maybe this is the one?
I need to find out for sure before saying goodbye.
You may have seen a bass or two here recently go from available to the Vault.
These are some basses that have had an unforeseen effect on me, causing me to take pause and consider "Is this the one? "
I hope you can all understand and can relate to my experiences.
Tough choices are tough to make.
I have come to the realization that I do not have the time to play a lot of bass - the big drag in my life right now.
So many basses, so little time. Kind of a "Twilight Zone" situation.
With this in mind, the "sightings" referred to are basses making their way out of the vault.
These are the basses I will one day likely regret selling, but what the hey.
They should be played.
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Kenneth Lawrence Instruments
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O'Hagan Guitar
O'Hagan was based in Minnesota.
Back between 1979 and 1983 they produced abut 3,000 guitars and basses , a very healthy number for a small company.
The guitar you see here is the Nightwatch double cutaway.
Neck-thru, Maple body and neck.
Great for Frippertronics.
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Beach Basses, Wooden Music - Chicago
Fretted 6 Baritone 1976
Fretless 5 1981
(Both by Jim beach, former owner of Wooden Music in Chicago. The fretless 5 was my design, and was completed in 1981. That's a lot of Cocobolo on that bass. The neck is a single piece of 100 year old German Maple - I have never needed to tweak the truss rod - how many 20 plus year old basses can say that ?
The fretted 6 was made in 1976 - I recently found it on the East Coast. I am certain that this bass was made to be what we today call a baritone guitar, since nobody was making low B strings back then. Also note the tight string spacing - not meant for typical bass strings.)
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Gibson Les Paul Basses
Gibson Les Paul Fretted 1972
Gibson Fretless 1972
( Both were made in the early '70's, and they served as my main basses throughout the '70's. Someday I will convert these babies into piccolo basses - they are the perfect candidates for this role )
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Guild B50 1976
( This is my "just play the damn bass" bass. When I find myself devoid of ideas, this is the bass I go to. No electronics, no amp. Just the bass. This bass was made in 1976 and I am glad I found it some 15 years ago. )
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Oasis Guitar 1976
(Made by Gary Cooper, features Hi-A pickups- early Bartolinis)
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Gibson Kalamazoo "Custom Shop" 1981
(One of the first made, with certificate of authenticity handsigned by Mr. Chet Atkins. 99% mint,, virtually unplayed.)
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Fodera
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Takamine B10
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Leduc
Here is a 1994 U-Bass by French luthier Christophe Leduc. What a fretless ! Plays great, sounds incredible - uniquely acoustic , kind of like Eberhard Weber's tone. Very lightweight and well balanced on a strap. A winner.
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Leduc
A pair of Leduc U-Basses, fretted and fretless. Handcrafted in France, these are uniquely "acoustic" basses. Very expensive, too. The fretted lists for about $5,200 , the fretless a little less.
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R / B Mini Bass
OK, I have spoken with Ed Reynolds and received this information.
The body wings ARE indeed Koa - a light colored variety.
The bass was made in 1980.
The "B" in the R/B is none
other than Bill Bartolini - it turns out that BIll wanted a bass for
himself to play, something easy to transport.
Cool - a little bit of Bass History here.
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Jerzy Drozd Sequel V
The Sequel is a semi-acoustic bass with the pickups biased towards the bridge.
The result is an airy and quick attack , full and rich , but no tubby tone like a Lakland HollowBody ( itself a very cool bass, indeed ).
The top is Flamed Maple , with another violin variation tint. The body is Etimoe, with a Maple center block.
The 35" scale neck is Maple with Wenge runners - the fretboard is Macassar Ebony.
This bass utilizes an Aguilar OBP-3 preamp with mid frequency select and active / passive switches.
And a passive tone, that works in both active and passive modes.
What can I compare this bass to ?
I draw a blank.
All in all, a uniquely voiced instrument.
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EYB
Anybody seen one of these before ?
This is an instrument ( made in 1996 ) by German luthier Gunter Eyb.
This is a 29" scale tenor sitar bass , tuned EADG like the bottom 4 strings of a guitar.
The secret to this piece's unique voice are the wooden saddles on the bridge, and the way they are adjusted.
The frets appear to be mandolin size.
A proper set-up and a little touch is all it takes to conjure images of Ravi Shankar and his lovely assistants.
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Elrick "Piccolo" 6
According to Mr. Elrick , this is one of approximately 12 such instruments he had made over the years.
Half were spaced tight , like a baritone guitar , the other half with a wider spacing, like a bass.
This mint example falls into the latter group.
29" scale
Neck-thru
Mahogany body
Mahogany neck
Cocobolo fretboard.
This is one fun piece.
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The Mosrite Twins
Old school sunburst doesn't get any better than what you see here on this pair of mid-late '60's Mosrites.
The bass was my first "real" bass, after the obligatory ( for the time ) genuine imitation Japanese Beatle Bass.
The guitar just arrived a short time ago.
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The Godin Trio
"Assembled in the USA from parts hand-crafted in Canada"
This is what it says on these guitars. Interesting.
I am NOT a Godin dealer , but I AM a big fan.
Great value for little $ , especially if you score used.
The play great , sound very good , look cool.
Each of these have the Synth Access Option , enabling the guitar to control midi modules.
Left to Right
Fretless Nylon string guitar - forget about chords
Fretless 5 with TI flats - thumpin' thud
Nylon - here for if / when John Mclaughlin stops by to jam - you gotta be ready for oppotunity
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