Bass Stuff

 

 

 

 

 

 

My main bass was made my Antonio Marconi in Veneto, Italy in 1872. It has a big dark sound that I just love. The bass used to have a machine C-extension, but I had it removed, for now. I've had this bass all of my adult life, I bought her the day after my 19th birthday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is my everyday working and traveling bass. It's a New Standard Cleveland. These basses are famous for their warm, wide sound, and it's very light! I can separate the neck and body and put them in a case for easier travel.

 

 

I have two bows, both German style. My main bow was made for me by my friend Sue Lipkins. It's an incredible bow, which lets me play anything I can imagine. Really special. My other bow is a German style bow by Lawrence Lamay, which I played on for 20 years until I got the Lipkins bow. I bought it from my teacher. I used to go to my lessons and have all kinds of problems getting my bow around the instrument. So I tried my teacher's bow, and WOW! Night and day. Eventually he decided to sell it to me. If you have this experience, it's time to get a better bow.

I'm not a pickup user. I haven't tried any that sound right for me. A big part of the sound of acoustic bass is the way the air moves around the instrument. I want to try to capture that. I use a DPA 4099 mounted on the bass, or an AKG C3000, mounted on a short mic stand with a boom.

 

To keep my bow handy while I'm playing, I use a bow stand I made myself, based on the design of one Ray Brown used many years ago. Instructions on how to make your own are here.