Archives from the internet... There used to be a great Kay Double Bass Viol resource page created by Roger Stowers, and as we searched for it looking to reference a Kay model, it no longer exists after Rogers's death. Steven Ayres has picked up the torch and now runs kaybass.us and we are sure he'll turn that into THE resource page, but for now, since we know how to access old versions of websites, we are posting the below information to be easily found by all. Enjoy, and if you have a Kay bass, sign up for Steven's registry! COLLECTION…
View Full Post
Entrepreneur Gary Upton of Upton Bass hosts a double bass and business-specific podcast for bass players, luthiers and enthusiasts alike. Learn about Upton Bass and upright bass history, repair & maintenance, building basses, and many valuable business and life lessons along the way. All with Gary and some amazing guests! Take a listen HERE!
View Full Post
Oreste Martini (1893-1957) learned his craft from the great Mantuan maker Stefano Scarampella. After his tutelage under master Stefano Scarampella, beginning at age 14, Martini was producing his own instruments by his early 20s. He began his career with a focus on double basses (reported to be a double bassist himself) but went on to craft many violins, violas, and cellos (He is credited with more than 300 violins, 10 violas, 50 cellos, and 45 basses). While other pupils copied Scarampella's works, Martini adopted his own artistic flair. He received medals for his work in Cremona, Padua, and Paris and…
View Full Post
If you're not an active follower of us on Instagram, or waiting for your bass to be finished, you may not know what we've been up to all summer! With COVID-19 we've all been hit with varying degrees of challenges, and getting basses to folks in a safe and affordable way has been a hassle. Restrictions on the pickup are forcing higher than normal rates, and just trying to be a part of keeping people safe through social distancing practices, made us (ok, Gary led the charge!) think outside the box. Gary had a Sprinter cargo van that he used…
View Full Post