This beautiful Mittenwald model Upton double bass was built as a big flatback five-string hybrid. The Mittenwald is a great gamba pattern for the low B, with plenty of depth and air volume. A classic build kept the straight fingerboard and antiqued hat pegs, plus rib bumpers and a custom angled endpin block. What really gave it the extra wow factor is the dark amber (maple syrup?) toned varnish that radiates golden highlights! We wanted to make sure this bass got its close-up as a color reference for anybody plotting a build. "Watt" Mittenwald Model Upton 5-String Double Bass
View Full PostA mighty, well-mannered Brescian Model, built with some mild outline adaptations as we continue our pursuit of the ultimate double bass! Opus#716 may look "ordinary" to most, but this Bresscian is very important as it was #1 in a model upgrade succession (V3) that began with Gary's very own Brescian in 2010! The upper bouts stayed largely the same, but with just a bit more slope to the shoulders to aid access into thumb position. The longer C-bouts bring the lower corners further from a collision with the bow during exciting passages, and a fuller, rounder lower bout adds more…
View Full PostThis is a pretty glorious Bohemian Hybrid Deluxe round back double bass, built as a 7/8ths! This moderately priced new Upton (came in under $6K) was built with some great upgrades: Deluxe top, Solo Extension fingerboard, upgraded Rubner tuners, edge bumpers and mother of pearl fingerboard markers. A big full-throated jazz cannon - very fun to play with a huge presence!
View Full PostThis contrabass was built for an English musician, inspired by a 19th Century French bass. It is built with some of our finest highly-figured big leaf maple in a lean new design. The bass features a large upper bout, violin corners, flat back, ff-holes from the French bass, 41" string length (could modify for 42) and a lightweight removable-neck travel build. Gary: "It's loosely based on our Brescian, but with some interpretations. The owner has a French bass that he keeps in England. We used that shape as inspiration then set out to make a really lively bass. So it…
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