tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1993540601125591022024-03-04T22:59:10.429-08:00MDP BassWorksMDP BassWorkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05086666559339439551noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199354060112559102.post-15750701210596449312011-04-16T18:08:00.001-07:002011-04-16T18:21:09.557-07:00Just for the fun of it<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_REMAr2c2N3Kitvj8Vuy-bZDeRFPM0LmMkAlEp6is5K7M3hzVD7Ql87TzMcbjx86TD2GuurY_geNW6tQyaKuXFAPvL-Pet6nFJI93zF_wr6ljxMgizvUD5QxkOBoaM8tpG5t3lnECWJxA/s1600/images-5.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 102px; height: 102px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_REMAr2c2N3Kitvj8Vuy-bZDeRFPM0LmMkAlEp6is5K7M3hzVD7Ql87TzMcbjx86TD2GuurY_geNW6tQyaKuXFAPvL-Pet6nFJI93zF_wr6ljxMgizvUD5QxkOBoaM8tpG5t3lnECWJxA/s320/images-5.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596355800198467554" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyEuw-FFJRqUNKXuufnQliWpS5WvM7tJF4tOCqFAXGzM10A9tc4za22G0RKov1KeVcv3ecChIPxn7IxLafSA8ST9iQxCddWilPEaPHF4X53HkvXVuWcEasCOGjT6jTxaMTPGRodhpmpheX/s1600/images-4.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 259px; height: 172px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyEuw-FFJRqUNKXuufnQliWpS5WvM7tJF4tOCqFAXGzM10A9tc4za22G0RKov1KeVcv3ecChIPxn7IxLafSA8ST9iQxCddWilPEaPHF4X53HkvXVuWcEasCOGjT6jTxaMTPGRodhpmpheX/s320/images-4.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596355798551241442" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBljbbMxdFu2EFESbqewN3dvbfvmdS1eYkv-UV-Qfoll3dg0H6NWhH9UTex2u3JXe9OLJjQCbphk7yKdQ4noxK9Ey0QJNKmTjB8w9XTSo2Yg7yezCdtJUhDZTImoq8AdUEA9TAeveEFdtt/s1600/images-3.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 78px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBljbbMxdFu2EFESbqewN3dvbfvmdS1eYkv-UV-Qfoll3dg0H6NWhH9UTex2u3JXe9OLJjQCbphk7yKdQ4noxK9Ey0QJNKmTjB8w9XTSo2Yg7yezCdtJUhDZTImoq8AdUEA9TAeveEFdtt/s320/images-3.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596355791331226690" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixmXRA1SYeo_XpjdZGQHLEyGWQxZcCjsG5YaILfR97JcXqbDYxhpJginZ7BT5-S4y1uNytCFEQiVHlG7seB8eI0aoYVSHnsQe9DdVkcaW5cy8CL9QJgarRr2xpCj7dwOiD0pjCoseu_JlI/s1600/images-2.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 236px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixmXRA1SYeo_XpjdZGQHLEyGWQxZcCjsG5YaILfR97JcXqbDYxhpJginZ7BT5-S4y1uNytCFEQiVHlG7seB8eI0aoYVSHnsQe9DdVkcaW5cy8CL9QJgarRr2xpCj7dwOiD0pjCoseu_JlI/s320/images-2.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596355790793065250" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwFE8eGCjIomh6h89RlFA21lHpQZVmMEQk0WzX__YdZ2EB6DnLWs8oNkZPaXBzsrnI-BLU8ASm6dYwLTLycqcH7s7TRvk14BJSGoMl1gsWykiwPLoZOPgSflixHqLEsij9jey8tLaEhvwG/s1600/images-1.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 282px; height: 179px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwFE8eGCjIomh6h89RlFA21lHpQZVmMEQk0WzX__YdZ2EB6DnLWs8oNkZPaXBzsrnI-BLU8ASm6dYwLTLycqcH7s7TRvk14BJSGoMl1gsWykiwPLoZOPgSflixHqLEsij9jey8tLaEhvwG/s320/images-1.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596355789054762210" /></a><br />I've been busy with other stuff lately. Lots of low C extensions, preparing for the upcoming <a href="www.isbworldoffice.com">ISB</a> conference in San Francisco etc. and I've been wanting to do some bloggin' but been feeling a bit "uncreative". So, today, after a week of ordering a bunch of promo stuff to hand out in SF come June, I started thinking about the power of the logo. Just for the sheer fun of it, I googled "MDP" and am now posting a few of the images that popped up. I still like my <a href="www.draplin.com">Draplin</a> elephant the best.MDP BassWorkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05086666559339439551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199354060112559102.post-55925796144258453962011-02-16T23:08:00.000-08:002011-02-16T23:49:59.049-08:00Making stuff look better<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNLIYlOHaj0yhQUvS7vQvE5yfhlOFGO18iJuOUvY6Gdv1F89JQpWkMpUJrTx97dycDxR60WKOm2B5hdRkfMzLNbFsqy1l-S8p3SWFKzNXWrojoykWsg6ikWV8MF1m7kDlCcQ1j1jbSLN2k/s1600/cnbefore.jpeg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 222px; height: 166px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNLIYlOHaj0yhQUvS7vQvE5yfhlOFGO18iJuOUvY6Gdv1F89JQpWkMpUJrTx97dycDxR60WKOm2B5hdRkfMzLNbFsqy1l-S8p3SWFKzNXWrojoykWsg6ikWV8MF1m7kDlCcQ1j1jbSLN2k/s320/cnbefore.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574562455047902194" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSwi8c4EBrsLFchiu5MPV7CHqRHxI9u6tdHjb9DyiSxl9JkIGowJv_EMKSs-rM0fWGsmb0Uibrujbfx2WdozEMgT_4tOq8ci9lLj3aWjnZ-hcv-z9lJlABv4qitwIkih8FIe4U6jsGC66Y/s1600/cnafter.jpeg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 222px; height: 166px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSwi8c4EBrsLFchiu5MPV7CHqRHxI9u6tdHjb9DyiSxl9JkIGowJv_EMKSs-rM0fWGsmb0Uibrujbfx2WdozEMgT_4tOq8ci9lLj3aWjnZ-hcv-z9lJlABv4qitwIkih8FIe4U6jsGC66Y/s320/cnafter.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574562455259951538" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5wNyKuoJo0SSFRwTto0eDfh90SIBHX1hBsIBvo_Ece7Um1ja0GeG2adk7he7_KeaQmJdS8cOv76wAWkjJDM7_1L1Ot_svgp1Ls2-9_uxzB3m6louFzQsZO-OTvb3AMeUOyQ1kqWRZJJHB/s1600/cntopb42.jpeg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 222px; height: 166px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5wNyKuoJo0SSFRwTto0eDfh90SIBHX1hBsIBvo_Ece7Um1ja0GeG2adk7he7_KeaQmJdS8cOv76wAWkjJDM7_1L1Ot_svgp1Ls2-9_uxzB3m6louFzQsZO-OTvb3AMeUOyQ1kqWRZJJHB/s320/cntopb42.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574562451928398242" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcXwD0ZbyQxH4L0h3rS7U5GCgqgooSONx_3ZtE6BWwVxoC04TGv7HazqEX7za7Y8lCNTUgnOAxxx0WvFd5RLKfOz81mjOwDX2zNrFcRNcDp4ZTBAJJPKfwb5kHHr_OYH-Rkmt65ss7rsPS/s1600/cnrawtop1.jpeg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 124px; height: 166px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcXwD0ZbyQxH4L0h3rS7U5GCgqgooSONx_3ZtE6BWwVxoC04TGv7HazqEX7za7Y8lCNTUgnOAxxx0WvFd5RLKfOz81mjOwDX2zNrFcRNcDp4ZTBAJJPKfwb5kHHr_OYH-Rkmt65ss7rsPS/s320/cnrawtop1.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574562449774871554" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyMlbrHfJk6Pj9iKBYZnIiF8a8ZTEL2UeSzmxksq7KpWg2rkIYGHlbxqgQI9IQ3PJmx1qZ4CYSWSQs9xQIWl0L4kUBSUEiuMR_w4aLxd2zP3kR2oeVrIvkKLzmaJrLNNjo5jq1sGraAiK2/s1600/cnfinal.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyMlbrHfJk6Pj9iKBYZnIiF8a8ZTEL2UeSzmxksq7KpWg2rkIYGHlbxqgQI9IQ3PJmx1qZ4CYSWSQs9xQIWl0L4kUBSUEiuMR_w4aLxd2zP3kR2oeVrIvkKLzmaJrLNNjo5jq1sGraAiK2/s320/cnfinal.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574562446610144306" /></a><br />Recently, I had a customer bring a bass to me with some seriously bad varnish issues. The bass had obviously been part of a school inventory in the past and had some major problems. Now I've seen my share of trashed school instruments. Initials carved into the body... candy wrappers stuffed into the bass through the f holes... boogers stuck to the the neck and fingerboard... You name it, I've seen it. This particular instrument had, at some point, been rescued from this abusive lifestyle and ended up in a shop in Connecticut. Being a smaller scale bass, my petite customer snatched it up and had it shipped directly to my front door. <br />Upon cracking open the shipping container, I hate to say, I was horrified. It looked as if someone had dumped a can of stain all over the instrument without bothering to clean up their mess. Although the bass was playable I absolutely COULD NOT allow my customer to play on a bass looking the way it did. Cosmetically speaking, this went way beyond an enjoyable patina and into the world of "Burn it, burn it, burn it!". I had to do something. <br /><br />Unfortunately this "something" meant losing a few brain cells. <br /><br />Fully outfitted in protective gear (respirator, latex, etc.) I went to work. Underneath the pitiful stain on the back of the bass, I uncovered the beautiful, original varnish underneath. Lovely, golden, European flamed maple began to show. A little bit of elbow grease went a long way. The top of the bass was a whole different story. After years of abuse to the varnish, the only thing I could do was strip it. Now usually this IS NOT the answer, but, in this case, we had to do it. After even more elbow grease (and some serious "light-headedness") we have a bass that's real pretty to look at. It sounds FANTASTIC too.<br /><br />All in all, a really satisfying project.MDP BassWorkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05086666559339439551noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199354060112559102.post-69572976053015500502011-02-09T13:41:00.000-08:002011-02-09T14:21:12.988-08:00MDP Person of the day!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTso1WUQb15I5OUVGugqFEVBQoPBDmicGeKExTMTqW0d3dYcXf3iZAoCTSYnpEKVs9jPvIhbAfh49ACRiJ1Dvom8WV2ggeyr9powAZsG1wBfWz5gIsLGknoMzFH2s6PUtfVgWDSlt4HasR/s1600/carderT.jpeg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 124px; height: 166px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTso1WUQb15I5OUVGugqFEVBQoPBDmicGeKExTMTqW0d3dYcXf3iZAoCTSYnpEKVs9jPvIhbAfh49ACRiJ1Dvom8WV2ggeyr9powAZsG1wBfWz5gIsLGknoMzFH2s6PUtfVgWDSlt4HasR/s320/carderT.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571818210528528210" /></a><br />So, if I do a couple of blog posts a day, I can still make my "10 people in 10 days promise". With that being said, today I'm going to write about the one and only MR. STEVE CARDER!!!<br /><br />Here's a couple of interesting facts about Steve....<br /><br />-He has more nicknames than anyone else you know. Seriously. And he responds to each and every one of them.<br /><br />-He grew up in Vienna. Vienna, West Virginia.<br /><br />-The only boss he listens to is <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF-Ii627fDmqTZWMdEwFvVE0W0UHn8MNyKdZuZbQZw2RK61KA5M4SJ1_zK2gz5sNxzQg6fPlqRJgY9FBrtPXpyJUUjwsj9u9OJaBYhA0wWVZJnW_KBT8NXszUDZGdSXGxgO_i3T8mWlVk/s400/springsteen.jpg">Bruce Springsteen</a>...because #1, Bruce Springsteen rules, and #2 Steve Carder is his own BOSS! Steve owns one of the tastiest sandwich joints in Portland.<br />If you haven't already, go grab a snack at <a href="http://www.sandwichofportland.com/">The People's Sandwich of Portland</a>. I promise you, you won't be disappointed. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it.<br /><br />And the final fact o' the day about Steve is that he has a million friends*. ONE MILLION. You don't have a million friends without being pretty darn awesome, and that he is. One of the most genuine people I know. Thanks for representing MDP Steve!<br /><br />*Okay, maybe not a million friends but it sure seems that way. <br /><br />p.s. If you go get a sandwich at TPSP and mention this blog post, Steve will give you a free HIGH FIVE! Alright!MDP BassWorkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05086666559339439551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199354060112559102.post-69193488295369609662011-02-03T13:30:00.000-08:002011-02-03T14:07:57.452-08:00Just to prove I'm not a liar...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYglw7Mjvg5tcos1-PP7N4BUkJTaZ0EPMB8ZtkqEL4uU3wUeWv2xEkk0FdjZimyyeMRkV69lDq4zNvX8Nn062hjW2z-JMNa1J0JqEUD5EHadDhZQe0XNLdRbW5wNjagXHwKjeSQjehBkP_/s1600/captainT.jpeg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 124px; height: 166px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYglw7Mjvg5tcos1-PP7N4BUkJTaZ0EPMB8ZtkqEL4uU3wUeWv2xEkk0FdjZimyyeMRkV69lDq4zNvX8Nn062hjW2z-JMNa1J0JqEUD5EHadDhZQe0XNLdRbW5wNjagXHwKjeSQjehBkP_/s320/captainT.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569587356690302738" /></a><br />I swore, a long time ago, that I would write a blog post about each and every person who sent me a picture or let me take a picture of them wearing an MDP t-shirt. I'm keeping good with this one. Let's say... 10 posts in 10 days. If I don't keep to my word, the first person to call me out on it gets a present. Seriously. I give you a present. It will most likely be a t-shirt.<br />OKAY SO LET'S START WITH THE AWESOME GUY WHO MADE THESE T-SHIRTS, MR. JOHN MONSEN-KEENE!!!! <br /><br />John, more famously known as "Captain John", works at a pretty cool place in Wood Village, OR called <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/place?oe=utf-8&rls=com.ubuntu:en-US:unofficial&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=big+d%27s+printhouse&fb=1&gl=us&hq=big+d%27s+printhouse&hnear=Portland,+OR&cid=371733559652312773">Big D's Printhouse</a>. These guys hooked me and a bunch of people I know up with some really great merchandise. Friendly? Check! Professional? Check! A job well done? Check and 5 stars! <br />I couldn't be happier with the work Captain John did for me. <br /><br />In addition to being a master printer, John is also a badass bass player in Portland band <a href="http://www.diesto.net/">DIESTO</a>. If you haven't already, check them out! Next show is 2.18.11 in Seattle.<br /><br />AND, in addition to being a master printer and badass bass player, Captain John is just one of those people that you are lucky to call a buddy. Thanks Captain! YOU RULE!<br /><br />p.s. Sorry about the blurry photo. I'm still working on keeping my fingers away from the lens...<br />***one down, 9 to go....stay tuned!***MDP BassWorkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05086666559339439551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199354060112559102.post-38941948763135409652010-12-10T13:59:00.001-08:002010-12-10T14:00:52.559-08:00Speaking of "Lenny"...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilnJiT33Su0kwtGWqoCGRARSM_YwT1DFRSC0oSsf9qWN8aw6qC2DASWXISAViEQwl3RQhyphenhyphenLmX70RAcg2638T5EwqiPc_J_TymNpspStuqEX8g50fsjkkMlxQ-83D30VL_4CUtv2wTeL-aK/s1600/lennyb.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 138px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilnJiT33Su0kwtGWqoCGRARSM_YwT1DFRSC0oSsf9qWN8aw6qC2DASWXISAViEQwl3RQhyphenhyphenLmX70RAcg2638T5EwqiPc_J_TymNpspStuqEX8g50fsjkkMlxQ-83D30VL_4CUtv2wTeL-aK/s320/lennyb.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549176829356016930" /></a><br />This is one of my favorite photos of the man.MDP BassWorkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05086666559339439551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199354060112559102.post-52690705848644562642010-12-09T13:27:00.000-08:002010-12-10T14:02:21.775-08:00Remembering Homer Mensch<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5sGQe6EAOTnvARGzsd7h-uvUe8W5yEif32JMJaBj50czuEjBZ66YV7We_4X6MqZ51v74CpyPCMP9CnkMUPuXFCHZjEMtQXxgKWZcy4K4MIHgISGf5nceERLs6-9FdNSMJoDKNkWiEEv0a/s1600/homerme2.BMP"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 209px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5sGQe6EAOTnvARGzsd7h-uvUe8W5yEif32JMJaBj50czuEjBZ66YV7We_4X6MqZ51v74CpyPCMP9CnkMUPuXFCHZjEMtQXxgKWZcy4K4MIHgISGf5nceERLs6-9FdNSMJoDKNkWiEEv0a/s320/homerme2.BMP" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548806619616047122" /></a><br />Today I am remembering the late, great <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homer_Mensch">Homer Mensch</a> who died five years ago today. I had the honor of studying with Mr. Mensch while I was a student at the Manhattan School. I could tell you all about the wonderful things he did professionally but instead I'd like to add a few personal quips...<br /><br />One of my favorite things was his level of "casual" professionalism. Every week I would take a lesson from him in his own apartment and every week, without fail, he would be waiting for me with shined shoes and a freshly pressed shirt. He showed respect to everyone. Even the scrubby kid in the Dead Kennedy's tee shirt with half her hair burned off because her "friend at NYU" tried to bleach it the night before. He was the classiest man I've ever known. <br /><br />He also had a "phone crush" on my mom. Now, he never once met my mother but would tell me week after week about "what a lovely woman she is" because she would chat with him occasionally when he called to schedule lessons. Obviously he had good taste. My mom rules.<br /><br />He only drank decaf. He taught almost 50 lessons a week and only drank decaf. That's impressive.<br /><br />He played on the original soundtrack to Jaws. Du-duh. Du-duh. Du-duh. You've all heard him and he invokes fear in you! Du-duh. Du-duh du-duh du-duh duduhdudhudhudhhdudhdudhhdhduhbgdhjduduhdh! JAWS!<br /><br />He was a total badass tennis player. Seriously. Almost went pro. <br /><br />He was a pretty good tuba player too.<br /><br />He would casually refer to the one and only Mr. Leonard Bernstein as "Lenny" as if you all were the best of friends. I thought that was so cool. <br /><br /><br />I could go on about all the little things I remember about my time with Mr. Mensch but the underlying point is that he was one of the most influential people in my life. In ways he probably never realized he affected me so positively. He was an amazing man who offered his time and knowledge to so many young musicians. When I visited with him years after graduating he welcomed me into his home as he always did and showed interest in my personal endeavors in an almost grandfatherly sort of way. I feel lucky to have studied and spent time with such a man. A true legend.MDP BassWorkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05086666559339439551noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199354060112559102.post-90720959954280981132010-11-15T15:07:00.000-08:002010-11-15T15:12:15.134-08:00Liner notes<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBVVpkZGCzv2WFLx_qq6UL33o1xY0_R2OYlezO__0_cTVJSXtBfpVOUKc_-tFnrnXLJ8jPJUXYtQgBY2A4sdiZhKvEZJxVvsFuvOG_dzAcZMuXOp-rEClkVS1LLVxYqkIYu2DeYIhgmnbC/s1600/linernotes.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 124px; height: 166px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBVVpkZGCzv2WFLx_qq6UL33o1xY0_R2OYlezO__0_cTVJSXtBfpVOUKc_-tFnrnXLJ8jPJUXYtQgBY2A4sdiZhKvEZJxVvsFuvOG_dzAcZMuXOp-rEClkVS1LLVxYqkIYu2DeYIhgmnbC/s320/linernotes.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539917875154359490" /></a><br />I was recently given a recording of <a href="http://www.oregonband.com/">Oregon's</a> latest album and was delighted and honored to be mentioned in the liner notes. To purchase or listen to clips from the album go <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Stride-Oregon/dp/B003Y7L5TQ">here</a>.MDP BassWorkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05086666559339439551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199354060112559102.post-10222285235128121372010-11-15T15:02:00.000-08:002010-11-15T15:07:14.689-08:00Gift idea for your favorite string player<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC4c3RPy79Dp56QEjOfllPzV5tq6QNEQhho0ZbxYKtLib0bJVxQJy3tRjB4Bg0lSzMz0FSLnTbkUYQBVcWJr62aEnDAMxr6iel70QI8pQ3hggkhCxxH7xRGyd7YwVq7PNYfRQAJJbglOoF/s1600/violintie.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 222px; height: 166px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC4c3RPy79Dp56QEjOfllPzV5tq6QNEQhho0ZbxYKtLib0bJVxQJy3tRjB4Bg0lSzMz0FSLnTbkUYQBVcWJr62aEnDAMxr6iel70QI8pQ3hggkhCxxH7xRGyd7YwVq7PNYfRQAJJbglOoF/s320/violintie.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539916677829855954" /></a><br />Went shopping at one of my favorite spots <a href="http://www.reduxpdx.com/">Redux</a> this weekend and found this. A bit cheesy and kitschy but beautifully made.MDP BassWorkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05086666559339439551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199354060112559102.post-12514029817823093852010-09-01T16:22:00.001-07:002010-09-01T17:03:49.905-07:00Bad idea #1,152<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghOeyFbzWlIjT6Ut0UFxQobyv3-AM9-HvHhVbIBHFdYFp2SNeOQX84-i3Il7NP1_evbiOuO8UiaXuy6oL4A-q10uNKwTMv7zk_86NHipEGzuXZYxXL8nsKmwxquzmMPsF0UUmw_eq80d7p/s1600/ttprescott3.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghOeyFbzWlIjT6Ut0UFxQobyv3-AM9-HvHhVbIBHFdYFp2SNeOQX84-i3Il7NP1_evbiOuO8UiaXuy6oL4A-q10uNKwTMv7zk_86NHipEGzuXZYxXL8nsKmwxquzmMPsF0UUmw_eq80d7p/s320/ttprescott3.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512099816918921986" /></a><br />Putting bolts in necks of basses is a really bad idea. I've pulled many screws, bolts and even nails out of necks after <a href="http://www.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/10324412/2/istockphoto_10324412-upset-diy-person-with-bent-drill-bit.jpg">Joe dude</a> with a power drill decided that "I'm gonna fix that there broken neck once and fer all! This thing ain't goin' nowhere after I drill this here wood screw into it."<br />I will admit, it seems like a great idea. I mean, wood screws have been holding various wood items together for years. Fences, furniture, houses etc. And heck, the bass is made of wood, right? Yes, but let's discuss this for a moment. Wood, especially the wood that fine instruments are made from, is very sensitive. It reacts to temperature and pressure changes. It continues to expand and/or contract throughout it's life as a violin or a bass or a guitar or a house or a bookshelf. Think about this. We've all been in or lived in an older home at some point. Ya know how those pesky little nails snag your socks as you walk across the old hardwood floors? Well, the wood in the floors has shifted with age but the metal nails stay exactly the same. Now think about that concept in relation to a musical instrument. Especially on a wooden instrument that is very large and frequently moved around. By putting a rigid metal fastener in the neck it can actually start to force a break open again and then you have a much harder repair to try and fix. "How about using a wooden dowel in place of a bolt?", you ask.... Again, sounds like a great idea but it's not.<br />A wooden dowel can be just as bad or worse than putting a bolt through the neck. The wood of the dowel is going to shift in a different way than the wood of the neck. They end up fighting against each other most of the time resulting in a break being forced open again. In the case of a broken neck, if a neck graft is unfeasible, just stick with plain old <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_glue">hide glue</a>. Getting a good clean glue joint is the most effective repair. More about neck grafts tomorrow....MDP BassWorkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05086666559339439551noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199354060112559102.post-5592775112437722762010-08-31T17:13:00.000-07:002010-08-31T17:16:59.013-07:00Taking shape<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggCs7FC_lkyCkJg83IrGUNeaUSVpYJ_evORc5NzdBpebf8hULsyZmtvxANv4272LDURKG0MJx2ZWarO5ogSm8lGFL591Rd5Hu3on9Mh0hxz3DVRsYgEOyegjpu2VOIWifnC8czcvQenjAb/s1600/presbb.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 124px; height: 166px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggCs7FC_lkyCkJg83IrGUNeaUSVpYJ_evORc5NzdBpebf8hULsyZmtvxANv4272LDURKG0MJx2ZWarO5ogSm8lGFL591Rd5Hu3on9Mh0hxz3DVRsYgEOyegjpu2VOIWifnC8czcvQenjAb/s320/presbb.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511732308304799714" /></a><br />So my bass bar is taking shape. This is the fun part. Cutting just so that the table, or the top of the instrument, sings. Then the top gets glued back on and the bass bar goes back into hiding...MDP BassWorkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05086666559339439551noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199354060112559102.post-62915825953208052822010-08-30T14:18:00.000-07:002010-08-30T14:32:53.582-07:00Twitter<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmi4MMQ-ITnFPxJwx29_i8Rie0k6TAE0hzzJ0tUjGRNiCHs-pXwbl64pUv6N_Zu993OofGwC4fRUIlvtmnz7gSvoR4SyzJgn9BJLmPXaq5v8bgcrIlAKt49KzmdCqbDLZjUIU69yFeLJT1/s1600/baby-bird-4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmi4MMQ-ITnFPxJwx29_i8Rie0k6TAE0hzzJ0tUjGRNiCHs-pXwbl64pUv6N_Zu993OofGwC4fRUIlvtmnz7gSvoR4SyzJgn9BJLmPXaq5v8bgcrIlAKt49KzmdCqbDLZjUIU69yFeLJT1/s320/baby-bird-4.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511318669923672018" /></a><br />So we're on <a href="www.twitter.com/MDPBassWorks">twitter</a> now. Not sure how I feel about that or what I'm going to "tweet" about but we're trying it out. So if you do that twitter thing, follow us. Please. Thanks.MDP BassWorkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05086666559339439551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199354060112559102.post-32277182181953536652010-08-12T17:44:00.000-07:002010-08-12T18:07:03.043-07:00The Bass Bar<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp0fdMBJGnguV1ACXp3-MKYYAXky9JqbnM9gT7IlpDSrXzk86kOf1Ypv-fOUsGRMbwqz7mUo-ws-oykkl8omOPPTBq_7TKHfEDZYdDIDe3Kkdvv2-AFqfoqwuGKPVZy7JWxY0JQ-VwNBWK/s1600/bassbar.BMP"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp0fdMBJGnguV1ACXp3-MKYYAXky9JqbnM9gT7IlpDSrXzk86kOf1Ypv-fOUsGRMbwqz7mUo-ws-oykkl8omOPPTBq_7TKHfEDZYdDIDe3Kkdvv2-AFqfoqwuGKPVZy7JWxY0JQ-VwNBWK/s320/bassbar.BMP" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504689654445412386" /></a
<br />
<br />Where basses go for a drink after a long day in rehearsal.
<br />Hahahahahaha!
<br />
<br />I'm only halfway through a very long day in the shop.
<br />I apologize for the attempt at a corny joke.
<br />
<br />Setting a new <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bass_bar">bass bar</a> into my Prescott project. I'll post some pictures in the next few days. This here is a picture of a bass bar that I put in an old Czech bass many years ago. That bass ended up sounding great! I'd like to write more about bass bars but that's going to have to happen later. Gotta get back to my project before I lose my light.
<br />
<br />More to come!MDP BassWorkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05086666559339439551noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199354060112559102.post-28442864744656949032010-08-12T14:24:00.000-07:002010-08-12T14:34:40.630-07:00New logo!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDD-Q-NkHmfP5-GHF3ZJBvgCkSpruNS7_KiJv68_dVICSUKAISyVtc2keF783aGGQMKCF_ZxsFLMZnMsRsSV4jJmsp4GqgrMsHo_-DWt0Lz3efn8Rr-xd8W0bjt-MLBdnoWYX3Ka9WvDVY/s1600/logo4cut.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 156px; height: 216px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDD-Q-NkHmfP5-GHF3ZJBvgCkSpruNS7_KiJv68_dVICSUKAISyVtc2keF783aGGQMKCF_ZxsFLMZnMsRsSV4jJmsp4GqgrMsHo_-DWt0Lz3efn8Rr-xd8W0bjt-MLBdnoWYX3Ka9WvDVY/s320/logo4cut.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504639063738990626" /></a><br />Alright! This gem was worth the wait. Thanks so much to Aaron Draplin from <a href="http://draplin.com">DDC</a> for the fantastic logo. Just put an order in for t-shirts and other promo stuff today. I should have a whole bunch of nifty stuff for sale in the shop by the beginning of September. <br /><br />More blogging soon. I PROMISE!MDP BassWorkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05086666559339439551noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199354060112559102.post-14999061355731725262010-06-23T17:18:00.000-07:002010-06-23T17:35:21.985-07:00Look at my beautiful eyes....<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ3PeSSoJWVXausJ73TqmL-QZUOSXm1WKFLxIvRGH7AWlhpRKfNw4nCWmw_30Hxo-ADe939sHyNf0dhfsspdOftzJHjoC8nwGOdevzI4MjCEC3oO61X4NKFgm2c6RY0FStq4hxrGXKN5Ie/s1600/feinbergeyes6.23.10+028.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ3PeSSoJWVXausJ73TqmL-QZUOSXm1WKFLxIvRGH7AWlhpRKfNw4nCWmw_30Hxo-ADe939sHyNf0dhfsspdOftzJHjoC8nwGOdevzI4MjCEC3oO61X4NKFgm2c6RY0FStq4hxrGXKN5Ie/s320/feinbergeyes6.23.10+028.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486130110097834274" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPC-OB7TfIGzSR0iJF_-uLB8Ye9Kss0fYH8lYdTmVDIQhq1faX4SlWmICGyJFwkpNzQdwSL_TAAqtpIgwpj5kmtKLc8IqQXKUq12B3FBYM6eMD_KxyejFg1j77OSK5-F1A-NYV1b_gIvZJ/s1600/edgar_meyer_with_bass.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 224px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPC-OB7TfIGzSR0iJF_-uLB8Ye9Kss0fYH8lYdTmVDIQhq1faX4SlWmICGyJFwkpNzQdwSL_TAAqtpIgwpj5kmtKLc8IqQXKUq12B3FBYM6eMD_KxyejFg1j77OSK5-F1A-NYV1b_gIvZJ/s320/edgar_meyer_with_bass.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486130094601675426" /></a><br />At the request of a customer, I added mahogany "eyes" to the fingerboard of his bass. These eyes serve as markers for certain intervals or specific notes. Although this fingerboard modification would have <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serge_Koussevitzky">Koussevitzky</a> rolling over in his grave, a lot of kids are doing it these days. One of these "cool kids" being none other than the great <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Meyer">Edgar Meyer</a>. Although he gets a lot of criticism from his fellow Classical musicians, he proudly displays his "dots" with the thought that <span style="font-style:italic;">why not</span> make things a little easier if you can. Although I tend to side more with the rigid traditionalism of the Classical music world, I think they look kinda pretty....MDP BassWorkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05086666559339439551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199354060112559102.post-58330796725743851122010-06-15T11:18:00.001-07:002010-06-15T12:05:05.627-07:00Sweet Cheeks<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPEvzH3brzVj7UGXEfadsjhaDVAdkTE0YgqVdDULX-MZKelSuPSLTpnPP5uDPlnVcikgnxHIk4SDSy7CEliypiqaZIkI63hDQ32EFEl1pySZJHVOZFfmjLEPXhuwxUzO-2IhWEbxALq4YN/s1600/shoppics6.10+038.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPEvzH3brzVj7UGXEfadsjhaDVAdkTE0YgqVdDULX-MZKelSuPSLTpnPP5uDPlnVcikgnxHIk4SDSy7CEliypiqaZIkI63hDQ32EFEl1pySZJHVOZFfmjLEPXhuwxUzO-2IhWEbxALq4YN/s320/shoppics6.10+038.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483076981047096962" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyEgLSV7q7ggqKryssUkR-bsxOQXqb1bcIs_yR_1auIVGNs33XybevlitXVEqNrXkv7yGs3NLFqyc57YmNpxJfTp2hLhRZLLNQEXRxEntlKJNyuRbs7mmMpbN_BCqzyZWZQjDyHoSx4uMe/s1600/shoppics6.10+052.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyEgLSV7q7ggqKryssUkR-bsxOQXqb1bcIs_yR_1auIVGNs33XybevlitXVEqNrXkv7yGs3NLFqyc57YmNpxJfTp2hLhRZLLNQEXRxEntlKJNyuRbs7mmMpbN_BCqzyZWZQjDyHoSx4uMe/s320/shoppics6.10+052.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483076971493061586" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDZTS4HB0HVvkNEmhrsLtP7UrrgLoyHQ6kGOeuJ8EcyvtG9wptCb8tT1X93U0jMOE_WekAoMkl6NFLrMNrtVDsouIQYU0qZAwT0dcdj9Zr0vqn_CKqq1XVDMmaTahLx0HpVCFdQJfmFALD/s1600/shoppics6.10+055.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDZTS4HB0HVvkNEmhrsLtP7UrrgLoyHQ6kGOeuJ8EcyvtG9wptCb8tT1X93U0jMOE_WekAoMkl6NFLrMNrtVDsouIQYU0qZAwT0dcdj9Zr0vqn_CKqq1XVDMmaTahLx0HpVCFdQJfmFALD/s320/shoppics6.10+055.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483076956571437506" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg_FBSzQZs6EsDEQZ9wBEv6yNa8uKNrHlL0B8bGpcjk_g6ZeRt3_Elzzxe90-1NBJUUVQOdXDs9BwcwaHvyrMTh-lGDlkSDlsiMVoCPlK8Ao4NdL5NTm_xjUPgxNN-7g6QppZ2XKL9d9Fm/s1600/shoppics6.10+057.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg_FBSzQZs6EsDEQZ9wBEv6yNa8uKNrHlL0B8bGpcjk_g6ZeRt3_Elzzxe90-1NBJUUVQOdXDs9BwcwaHvyrMTh-lGDlkSDlsiMVoCPlK8Ao4NdL5NTm_xjUPgxNN-7g6QppZ2XKL9d9Fm/s320/shoppics6.10+057.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483076955998042162" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSXEKgVG1bKw0gQwutZ-hnkNX4mGc5AZDA6lSw426NRuCwZMrhWuwjGkSCnwA5hcWubucRV_g7LSKyNssN8F564nmmaZ35Z0BXL6M_u7hVyyvPb5rfn8MRzRc15BMea5dPJl01bs80eXn5/s1600/shoppics6.10+059.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSXEKgVG1bKw0gQwutZ-hnkNX4mGc5AZDA6lSw426NRuCwZMrhWuwjGkSCnwA5hcWubucRV_g7LSKyNssN8F564nmmaZ35Z0BXL6M_u7hVyyvPb5rfn8MRzRc15BMea5dPJl01bs80eXn5/s320/shoppics6.10+059.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483076945343467074" /></a><br />Here's an example of a quick repair I'm doing on yet another, older middle European instrument. It seems the scroll busted off many moons ago and was never repaired correctly. For a long time basses were commonly repaired by various woodworkers, but not by violinmakers. It is still quite common for violin shops to turn away basses at the door. I assume it's the sheer size of the instruments that is foreboding....the bigger they come, the more time they consume and the greater the cost of supplies needed to fix the darn thing. But, back to what I was saying.... Often times basses were "repaired" by boat builders, cabinet makers, and generally any other Joe Dude with a workbench in his garage. I've seen basses screwed together with wood screws and necks bolted to blocks. I've pulled numerous staples and nails out of scrolls and necks. I've seen basses held together with Elmer's, hot plastic "glue gun" glue, and even duct tape. Whenever I get a call about "Grandpa's old bass" that's been sitting in the hallway closet for 20 years, I never know what to expect. As is the case with old "sweet cheeks" here. After years of being held together by wood screws and putty, it was time to fix her up the right way. I soaked all the old glue and putty out of the fracture and re-glued with a nice, clean glue seam. Then, to reinforce the break AND to pretty up the outer "cheeks" of the peg box, I removed a 3mm layer of the original wood and replaced it with a new maple veneer. When doing a job like this, it is important to match the chevron of the new wood with that of the old. In this case, the chevron refers to the "V shaped" pattern in the flame of the maple. That way the two woods will move and age similarly and also absorb and reflect light in the same way. With precise varnish touch up, this repair can literally disappear.MDP BassWorkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05086666559339439551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199354060112559102.post-69550295870266813042010-05-27T14:01:00.000-07:002010-05-27T14:26:49.244-07:00Summer resolutionsOkay, so I keep telling myself I'm gonna get better at blogging more regularly but this time, I mean it. It will be the summer of the blog and website for me. I promise. I often forget that most people really rely on the web for their information. Just because my brain goes numb after 30 minutes of being on the computer doesn't mean all people suffer from the same "internet brain freak out". I swear to you, all 6 of you blog followers, you'll be hearing more from me.<br />So. What to blog about.... <br />-I have a great story about another crappy bass I had to work on. I'll save that for a day when I really feel like complaining... <br />-I could talk about helping my good friend and customer Tim Gilson find a new (old) bass. What a fun time that was. More about that when I have a bit more time....<br />-I can tell you a bit about the next big project that's just got put on the bench, but I'll do that in a few days when I can get some pictures up alongside....<br /><br />I KNOW! I'll just plug the <a href="http://www.mdpbassworks.com">website</a>. <br /><br /><br />It's still under construction but it's on it's way. Thanks to Richard for the little extra "kick in the pants" this morning to remind me that I need to spend time behind the computer too...not just behind the bench. More to come but for now I'll leave you with this awesome <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOY2SFbikN0&feature=player_embedded">little clip</a> for your amusement. Enjoy.MDP BassWorkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05086666559339439551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199354060112559102.post-84434107636790876732010-01-19T23:25:00.000-08:002010-01-20T13:58:08.388-08:00Getting back to what I was saying.....<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIrLZ0VeSJ5EtHMaPh4XvXodTofK63Weux5cDFvvfz7hcRK_7YFHtINiLVlluF4DkiiWCmgnmTOcFGkJBSrrIM6Js4LIYZWLgnJiqliv5vpoqi67vLqTTfEkIWHrMM4dV83loq1kRPO492/s1600-h/bass+1.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIrLZ0VeSJ5EtHMaPh4XvXodTofK63Weux5cDFvvfz7hcRK_7YFHtINiLVlluF4DkiiWCmgnmTOcFGkJBSrrIM6Js4LIYZWLgnJiqliv5vpoqi67vLqTTfEkIWHrMM4dV83loq1kRPO492/s320/bass+1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428720263359981170" /></a><br /><br />Wow. It's been some time. I wish I had some great story about how I was traveling through Europe searching out fine instruments hidden in old churches but I wasn't....and most of those "lost Strads" have been discovered so I'll just be honest.<br />I was busy. Working. I'm not complaining. Work is good and I do love it and 2010 is a big bold new year and my head is FULL of some new ideas but sometimes it's not the right time to blog. The reason being, my trusty, rusty ol' Dell desktop hit a little bump in the road. Understandable. It is 6 years old and I am no computer whiz. She needed a little TLC and I set out to fix her up. Now, here's where the complaining will start...<br />So, even though I'm not a big fan of citysearch.com and other websites like it, sometimes you gotta give things a chance. Found a local PC repairperson to come and help me out. Without getting into too much detail, or naming names, I was very disappointed with the service (or lack of) that I received. Flat out, the computer barely functioned when returned to me. I was then further disappointed when aforementioned repairperson said that there was no guarantee. Now, as I said before, I am no computer whiz. This is exactly the reason I trust a trained professional to provide me the work and service I pay for. My experience with this computer "situation" made me think very much about the service I provide to my customers. It is so important to me that you all are happy and comfortable with the work I do for you. The relationship between person and instrument is close one and I feel happy knowing I have the trust of so many wonderful people. So here's a huge THANK YOU to all the folks who have repeatedly given their business over the years. I strive to provide the service for you that I expect of someone doing a job for me and I appreciate your business.<br />On a less complainy note.... huge thanks to my friend David Sullivan who brought my computer back to life. Not only is he the real computer whiz, he's also a guitar maniac! Check him out...<span style="font-weight:bold;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3Vcoq-QRo4<span style="font-style:italic;"></span></span>. Next time I'll call him first. Thanks to him there is lots more blogging for me to do.<br />And while I'm handing out compliments... thanks to Ron at Specialty Auto, <span style="font-weight:bold;">http://www.specautocare.com/<span style="font-style:italic;"></span></span> for being a fantastic and really honest, down to earth mechanic. Thanks to him the bass-mobile is running better than ever. And last but not least, thanks to Tyler Bjerke for the above image. Check out more of his photos on display March 2010 at the Night Light Lounge, <span style="font-weight:bold;">http://www.nightlightlounge.net/news/5-art/20-march-art-by-tyler-bjerke-a-seth-hollingsworth.html<span style="font-style:italic;"></span></span>. Tyler, you're welcome to come back and take pictures anytime. <br />What does any of this have to to with basses, you ask? Nothing and everything. There are so many people who help make MDP Bass Works operate the way it does and I just wanted to give credit where credit was due. <br />More to come.....MDP BassWorkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05086666559339439551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199354060112559102.post-36107754893481197562009-11-13T14:28:00.000-08:002009-11-13T14:35:50.935-08:00Gary Karr in Seattle on Sunday November 15, 2pm Brechemin Auditorium<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSq5d-eUJeYZU_mL5DS62FxsHfI1HDGGEnnVifNEYZwz_jkz_oFzAJ21LvgV_9rLnMVx8HWvBxO9w6nLeEqlTsZE8fwOKACWQYn37ZY_pXtFlgkqnIPPQtqFh53mK0TdApfDgTfHQTZDbL/s1600-h/gary_karr.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSq5d-eUJeYZU_mL5DS62FxsHfI1HDGGEnnVifNEYZwz_jkz_oFzAJ21LvgV_9rLnMVx8HWvBxO9w6nLeEqlTsZE8fwOKACWQYn37ZY_pXtFlgkqnIPPQtqFh53mK0TdApfDgTfHQTZDbL/s320/gary_karr.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403720295134988466" /></a><br />If you can make it, it will be well worth it. Gary Karr is one of the most prolific bassists of our time and is a joy of a person. Below is all the info you need reposted from Barry Lieberman of the University of Washington. I'll be there to check it out, I hope you can make it too.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Barry Lieberman and Friends<br />An Afternoon with Gary Karr, Part II</span><br /><br />EVENT<br /><br />Gary Karr, considered by many to be the most iconic double bassist of our time, returns to the School of Music for Part II of an extensive interview with Barry Lieberman. The interview format will employ historical recordings by Karr as well as performance by Karr and his musical partner, Harmon Lewis. Part I of the interview, conducted by Barry Lieberman in 2007 in Brechemin Auditorium, may be viewed at YouTube.com<br /><br />DATE & TIME<br /><br />Sunday, November 15, 2009<br /><br />2:00 p.m.<br /><br />LOCATION<br /><br />Brechemin Auditorium, University of Washington, School of Music<br /><br />Map<br /><br />TICKETS<br /><br />$10 (cash or check at the door 30 minutes prior to the performance)<br /><br />206-685-8384<br />About Gary Karr<br /><br />Although he comes from seven generations of bassists, he was not encouraged by them to go into music. In an interview with ActiveBass magazine he said that he has no contact with the professional bassists in his family.<br /><br />His major teachers include Herman Reinshagen and Stuart Sankey, with whom he studied at the Aspen Music Festival and the Juilliard School. Karr's breakthrough came in 1962, when he was featured as a soloist in a nationally televised New York Philharmonic Young People's Concert, conducted by Leonard Bernstein. On that famous telecast, Karr performed "The Swan" from Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint-Saƫns. He has since appeared as a soloist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Montreal Symphony Orchestra, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Simon Bolivar Orchestra, Jerusalem Symphony, Oslo Philharmonic, Zurich Chamber Orchestra, and with all the major orchestras of Australia. He has premiered new works written for him by Gunther Schuller (Concerto for Double Bass), Hans Werner Henze (Concerto for Double Bass), Vittorio Giannini (Psalm CXX), Alec Wilder (Sonata for Double Bass and Piano and Suite for Double Bass and Guitar), John Downey (Concerto for Double Bass), Ketil Hvoslef (Concerto for Double Bass), and Robert Xavier Rodriguez (Ursa, Four Seasons for Double Bass and Orchestra.<br /><br />He has taught double bass on the faculties of the Juilliard School, New England Conservatory, Yale University, Indiana University, and North Carolina School of the Arts and has published a number of instructional books for the double bass. He focuses on finding one's unique sound on the double bass and approaching one's playing with the lyrical emphasis of a singer.<br /><br />After 40 years as a concert artist he retired in 2001 to Victoria, British Columbia, where he lives with his dog Shin-Ju.<br /><br />Gary Karr website (with music samples)<br /><br />Gary Karr YouTube channelMDP BassWorkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05086666559339439551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199354060112559102.post-79418518801821487942009-10-23T10:49:00.000-07:002009-10-23T11:30:12.986-07:00Spending time with the next generation of bad ass bassists....<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNqE9XThEqhlmxqso1MFrMQUosymuzp-cuuQ8qIEmuev58ve0CQJEy8jRg9COWtreimkQ1ynpZLZXlpofjm3e92Jr_-rIOcBwALr3GubZW0QC5F_H8o5ZHaYwKxgVbVDj4u2jh_uv6RbDe/s1600-h/invite2.bmp"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 252px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNqE9XThEqhlmxqso1MFrMQUosymuzp-cuuQ8qIEmuev58ve0CQJEy8jRg9COWtreimkQ1ynpZLZXlpofjm3e92Jr_-rIOcBwALr3GubZW0QC5F_H8o5ZHaYwKxgVbVDj4u2jh_uv6RbDe/s320/invite2.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395864226771632178" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOaGt-zCvH0ENSlwpVc-d8J4nP5W-CMp8POfdaL6xMnsbcsXUt3oBh0GjHm8OtlzZNgPmha9jrjWNPk5-W8i2Dw0n9IX4UiM4hrktK-QbjGMto-Ca1COxfTuzd3o9fQY5utb5um0JuSFdL/s1600-h/thankyou2.bmp"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 246px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOaGt-zCvH0ENSlwpVc-d8J4nP5W-CMp8POfdaL6xMnsbcsXUt3oBh0GjHm8OtlzZNgPmha9jrjWNPk5-W8i2Dw0n9IX4UiM4hrktK-QbjGMto-Ca1COxfTuzd3o9fQY5utb5um0JuSFdL/s320/thankyou2.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395864219463234146" /></a><br />A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of spending the afternoon with a local high schooler interested in luthiery. She had e-mailed me asking if she could do a job shadow with me for a senior project that she was working on. Needless to say, I was honored...and a little bit anxious. I spent a little extra time tidying up the shop that morning to say the least. She showed up right when she said she would (I love punctuality...) and we got down to business.<br />First things first, paying bills...it can't <span style="font-style:italic;">all</span> be glamorous. She started with a basic interview....education, influences. etc. I was so impressed with her ease and maturity and felt honored that she was truly interested in me and the career I chose. Turns out, it seems we have a lot in common. She, like me, is auditioning for the same schools I had and shares the same desire to study in NYC. We talked at great length about the conservatory education. Certain teachers I had worked with she would like to...and there was a peculiar familiarity in the sparkle I saw in her eye when she talked about her feelings toward playing the Double Bass. It felt nice to offer someone the advice and guidance I wish I had received before choosing to attend a conservatory. All in all, it was a lovely afternoon and according to the thank you card I received a week later, sounds like she had a nice time too. So thanks Hannah, I wish you the best in your musical pursuits. With your talents and grace you should go very far. <br />* To hear Hannah play check out the benefit concert on November 15. I'll definately be there. For info, visit www.americanmusicprogram.orgMDP BassWorkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05086666559339439551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199354060112559102.post-76779862071916254992009-09-29T21:28:00.000-07:002009-09-30T17:23:48.993-07:00No time to blog lately....<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-T9H0VrlcURkBebB5h-2RyL9ErkRv_WIorbRJMOIo13-_3jPRoQtTIH6fZMxP0nxtFyhXlNjUVQK1wYAuXwEpBI7MosJKtL9lyH4I-DcC4nIBmY98Znu5IyKGNTq8RaU5YOhm6LMrwyWN/s1600-h/prescott9.30.09+007.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-T9H0VrlcURkBebB5h-2RyL9ErkRv_WIorbRJMOIo13-_3jPRoQtTIH6fZMxP0nxtFyhXlNjUVQK1wYAuXwEpBI7MosJKtL9lyH4I-DcC4nIBmY98Znu5IyKGNTq8RaU5YOhm6LMrwyWN/s320/prescott9.30.09+007.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387117757933885522" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVtLOAkU37EQuhyphenhyphenBiXAvrrspUdXey8FhPXgk5zpbh9Xof1FWKtwaS_YSwbDErfeDBauAojzK_Cz2L94_MVRAdi72089unzOqvAU9TWajexal0VNPH_wXrZBmIvO8wQfHUMqZmak3wx8Jvv/s1600-h/prescott9.30.09+005.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVtLOAkU37EQuhyphenhyphenBiXAvrrspUdXey8FhPXgk5zpbh9Xof1FWKtwaS_YSwbDErfeDBauAojzK_Cz2L94_MVRAdi72089unzOqvAU9TWajexal0VNPH_wXrZBmIvO8wQfHUMqZmak3wx8Jvv/s320/prescott9.30.09+005.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387117750908721298" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhybgrU2rw__-kPl-0ZxiFgYefaBV_M62U_4IfsRxqd_JRUoddUVJIrihqMPmEfd7tESri1hlVr7yCOFa5yOE9OPDCmdVQW3x-2fLrkp-56Y4ngwfWtur7xhD2kBNSqQAl0zucOHF4LrmKY/s1600-h/prescott9.30.09+002.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhybgrU2rw__-kPl-0ZxiFgYefaBV_M62U_4IfsRxqd_JRUoddUVJIrihqMPmEfd7tESri1hlVr7yCOFa5yOE9OPDCmdVQW3x-2fLrkp-56Y4ngwfWtur7xhD2kBNSqQAl0zucOHF4LrmKY/s320/prescott9.30.09+002.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387117741596595490" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlp05a98K4R2YK3Y4L1SJSk7h60Rs8KmJdzsVSHswBt1vx_QCNSDaPHEKXKNSX3jOZxDQ_SMaBqJ3P1UuonWp3siCllcNE1rclIRW0FuKWMnx24paT_6SNRP5s5uvKc6ZYtfrx_dM6T7zn/s1600-h/prescott9.15.09+002.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlp05a98K4R2YK3Y4L1SJSk7h60Rs8KmJdzsVSHswBt1vx_QCNSDaPHEKXKNSX3jOZxDQ_SMaBqJ3P1UuonWp3siCllcNE1rclIRW0FuKWMnx24paT_6SNRP5s5uvKc6ZYtfrx_dM6T7zn/s320/prescott9.15.09+002.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387117432677959490" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgABbpV4L2pFaEBJRJbfDgBzXfaAtiQJhSqrLbiLuGLFeo1M-FUBWmTN-UZtBA9jk1766a1EIDPEAAzoPNaumCOsBUQJD9Xf-wwvRpVVA8QKsaYZrgjjiwqCVWxPhcMNvU0YhUwiytMqnRL/s1600-h/prescott9.30.09+014.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgABbpV4L2pFaEBJRJbfDgBzXfaAtiQJhSqrLbiLuGLFeo1M-FUBWmTN-UZtBA9jk1766a1EIDPEAAzoPNaumCOsBUQJD9Xf-wwvRpVVA8QKsaYZrgjjiwqCVWxPhcMNvU0YhUwiytMqnRL/s320/prescott9.30.09+014.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387117424589241266" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNqB_Jv4mzgFW1smGKPlEuhBCY_2NsYw1J5Dk2j3PI9RhdgZEfeMf-Rklt5hHS_I98phUX24K0W_7fKiKDQ0HWCNBzbjVt4ZJrA-1T7wFoPWP-015QCmRi0tDaRgY4zKv3S3E6o-O0c6t5/s1600-h/prescott9.30.09+015.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNqB_Jv4mzgFW1smGKPlEuhBCY_2NsYw1J5Dk2j3PI9RhdgZEfeMf-Rklt5hHS_I98phUX24K0W_7fKiKDQ0HWCNBzbjVt4ZJrA-1T7wFoPWP-015QCmRi0tDaRgY4zKv3S3E6o-O0c6t5/s320/prescott9.30.09+015.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387117418061267474" /></a><br />But hopefully that's going to change real soon. You see, I've been working long days on one particular bass that I have had a long relationship with. It's a beautiful old instrument belonging to a dear customer. A customer I am more than pleased to call a friend as well as one of my best clients. Well, the poor bass suffered quite an injury during an outdoor concert with the Oregon Symphony about a month ago and well, that's where my month of September went. Sometimes I find it hard to stop working on an instrument. It becomes such a part of my life during the repair that I almost don't want it to be over. (which is hilarious because I am <span style="font-style:italic;">soooo</span> looking forward a real nights sleep...) Anyway, we're a the end, for now. A strong impact wound to the upper top of the bass resulted in a full bass bar crack and due to the fragility of the instrument to begin with, there was a whole lot of reinforcement to do. Take a look at the pictures... I just got her all glued up tonight (special thanks to Chris for the muscle). More about this bass soon, but for now, bed. Goodnight.MDP BassWorkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05086666559339439551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199354060112559102.post-14411706327598354942009-08-27T14:02:00.000-07:002009-08-27T14:41:03.903-07:00Out with the old, in with the new.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5aIAzF7W-Y5vpFUN5ev7NkYL63O4hemOws-qVbkL5bNjXAXff7duAa-oe1XsgRWACa7LaHutUYkXU6wqX1HINNGz_wZMkKYf48CkBw7CwY4KVsBB8DHebGrWYyMNwU3pGGgBSgJW_hbAz/s1600-h/prescott09+003.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5aIAzF7W-Y5vpFUN5ev7NkYL63O4hemOws-qVbkL5bNjXAXff7duAa-oe1XsgRWACa7LaHutUYkXU6wqX1HINNGz_wZMkKYf48CkBw7CwY4KVsBB8DHebGrWYyMNwU3pGGgBSgJW_hbAz/s320/prescott09+003.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374761538286179842" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoGc_4z3ikCebR0T9QaxGr9SkChqw29SQIb9sPpahlmsZylsyu7KmFTsZkvXJb5Y95LfG9Fb4zxjfKTeGpdI_2gUOTrGZpD6vDaWyTpe5qq8tMY40LotI0jlu43UGmJIYJImeBsmH69jly/s1600-h/gibbsbass+013.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoGc_4z3ikCebR0T9QaxGr9SkChqw29SQIb9sPpahlmsZylsyu7KmFTsZkvXJb5Y95LfG9Fb4zxjfKTeGpdI_2gUOTrGZpD6vDaWyTpe5qq8tMY40LotI0jlu43UGmJIYJImeBsmH69jly/s320/gibbsbass+013.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374761534850158914" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd8Uy2a107vCYROqKfeLYVgjLsleVU-p1CTGQbADlOx2J0Pasaf2K4wNjhSwyhiKAhdRv2BcP86Ua2crqfoE4rH3scBg69MHopWlOZ8u8PUo7PNLmsR8zmR58xUvcC_rVRevQRInaWuBJ4/s1600-h/gibbsbass+012.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd8Uy2a107vCYROqKfeLYVgjLsleVU-p1CTGQbADlOx2J0Pasaf2K4wNjhSwyhiKAhdRv2BcP86Ua2crqfoE4rH3scBg69MHopWlOZ8u8PUo7PNLmsR8zmR58xUvcC_rVRevQRInaWuBJ4/s320/gibbsbass+012.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374761525299640754" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ3lJxZZG30mhIsUUkjU4P7AENxy_2T2YUbuprGm3WbBqI5OuKm-YL2nsHu2cA7_8YrJXTLu_JxBbRewx3yr3iJtaoKNuXZ6lPUkCxxs-V2AObqpjn_Rkyv28rnbcg1fiNcmQOs3G4adi8/s1600-h/gibbsbass+009.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ3lJxZZG30mhIsUUkjU4P7AENxy_2T2YUbuprGm3WbBqI5OuKm-YL2nsHu2cA7_8YrJXTLu_JxBbRewx3yr3iJtaoKNuXZ6lPUkCxxs-V2AObqpjn_Rkyv28rnbcg1fiNcmQOs3G4adi8/s320/gibbsbass+009.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374761517918238130" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg89lI4nFGd2AyP3D_oOc3A5rp-ae_3LFqn5RcizIKoY5DFfRnIxj81W8x5XkxcJ_CjIhyN0wUzDAiK0n6kyEV7sABqH6OMEcQXSBhMYLtjzHDuaCZUai_DK3u165AH47gIOZ7jK1Xi2fpb/s1600-h/gibbsbass1+006.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg89lI4nFGd2AyP3D_oOc3A5rp-ae_3LFqn5RcizIKoY5DFfRnIxj81W8x5XkxcJ_CjIhyN0wUzDAiK0n6kyEV7sABqH6OMEcQXSBhMYLtjzHDuaCZUai_DK3u165AH47gIOZ7jK1Xi2fpb/s320/gibbsbass1+006.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374761507088262098" border="0" /></a><br />Continuing a bit from yesterday's post, let's talk about neck blocks. Violin family instruments have 6 blocks inside the body. One at the top (neck block), one at the bottom (end block), and one at each corner (corner blocks). These blocks are typically made from quarter sawn* spruce although it us not uncommon to find willow or pine blocks in some older basses. The blocks are the first things to be put in place in construction of a new instrument, and the rib structure is then built around the blocks and the mold. So needless to say, they're pretty darn important when it comes to an instrument's structural integrity.<br /><br />A few months ago a customer of mine brought me his lovely German flatback c. 1900 because it had developed some cracks in the neck. Being that this was the original neck on a bass well over 100 years old, it was time for a <span style="font-style: italic;">neckgraft.</span> A neckgraft is a procedure where a new neck is carved for an instrument and the pre-existing scroll is <span style="font-style: italic;">grafted</span> onto the new neck. Upon removal of the old neck I found a neck block underneath that was an absolute mess (check out the pictures....). Since it makes no sense to put a brand new neck into old block, it was time to rebuild the block too. It was like giving the old man a new spine. The before and after pics say it all.....<br /><br />Maybe more about neckgrafts soon....<br /><br />*<span style="font-style: italic;">Quartersawn </span>boards are created by first cutting a log into quarters and then creating a series of parallel cuts perpendicular to the tree's rings. The grain in quartersawn wood is more consistent and stable and this is why it is preferred by violin makers.MDP BassWorkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05086666559339439551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199354060112559102.post-87961300915459300422009-08-26T14:29:00.000-07:002009-08-27T13:44:12.117-07:00What not to do....<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmGC46LcThsItTDhzejGedw0jsjW9RuGjcQL980XzOgkAXnscQ1Hnsl6JFjp3ZTyf7ybInkhsus7zjW9R-mdAcXkCK34qgzphZEXqdub7rnUR5te_zXl9NUdpFsI4AiLE1rIrDh5OiAfKB/s1600-h/prescott09+036.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmGC46LcThsItTDhzejGedw0jsjW9RuGjcQL980XzOgkAXnscQ1Hnsl6JFjp3ZTyf7ybInkhsus7zjW9R-mdAcXkCK34qgzphZEXqdub7rnUR5te_zXl9NUdpFsI4AiLE1rIrDh5OiAfKB/s320/prescott09+036.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374394124947127490" border="0" /></a><br />So. We all want somethings sometimes. And sometimes we want these things so badly that we don't wait for the right things to come along. I see this happen so often when people decide that they want to start playing the Double Bass. One word. Patience. Please have patience. Do your research. Talk to folks like me or me for that matter. Or you might end up like this poor guy.<br /><br />So, nameless customer comes to me a few months ago with a bass he found online for only $500! Brand new! Now there are lots of companies overseas making these "economy instruments" and while they'll put a brand new, shiny bass in your hand for cheap,... buyer beware. You'll spend at least twice as much getting them set-up. And once you have 'em set up they still are what they are. A cheap bass. They look pretty and all but take a look inside. The biggest problem with these basses is the materials (woods, glues, fittings, etc.) are from the bottom of the barrel. Take a good look at the picture. What you're looking at is the neck block inside the bass. This is there to stablize and support the neck and to withstand the tension the strings are putting on the bass. The one in the picture, look closely, HAS A HUGE CRACK IN IT! It's rotten. Literally. This brand new shiny bass is made out of rotton wood and glued together with white glue (more about glue soon...) and is set up with strings that seem more appropriate to be used as piano wire. Ugh. I see it so often. It makes my job of setting them up harder and more time consuming AND although said customer has spent at least another $500 to set up a $500 bass, the bass is still only worth $500.<br /><br />So, think about it. Save up a little more money and shop around. Call me. Find your best option for your budget and get something that will acutally <span style="font-style: italic;">appreciate </span>in value. Your experience as a beginner to the Double Bass will be a more pleasant one, and you're much more likely to excel with an instrument that sounds and plays it's best. Trust me on this one....MDP BassWorkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05086666559339439551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199354060112559102.post-45014461814115261582009-07-16T14:59:00.000-07:002009-08-26T14:56:48.012-07:00Helping out a friend...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh287XoODzNx4JcbougME8NjS0c_f4mNKiypZar5-xdbZZjVW75YAzuDTUEBOyeP-mOM9x1QCc7NiMHgZc2NGUaRhSsvVGEFHVowQV09Rde7EYF9iW6nexEBfLpjfO_-B0aAW38NYKwA6qX/s1600-h/andy"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359189532683212162" style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; float: right; width: 320px; height: 240px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh287XoODzNx4JcbougME8NjS0c_f4mNKiypZar5-xdbZZjVW75YAzuDTUEBOyeP-mOM9x1QCc7NiMHgZc2NGUaRhSsvVGEFHVowQV09Rde7EYF9iW6nexEBfLpjfO_-B0aAW38NYKwA6qX/s320/andy's+axe.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>So a few months ago my friend Andrew came to me and said, "Maureen, I want to refinish my flying V....". Without asking too many questions about WHY he wanted to dive into a project like this, I set him up at a bench and talked him through the process. Revarnishing/refinishing is never a really fun project. Aside from how tedious it is to remove the original finish (not to mention how this might affect the value of the instrument*,) it is also not so good on the ol' respiratory system. After a week of meticulously scraping the thick black coat of varnish off the guitar, we were down to the raw mahogany. Beautiful, really. A lovely light orange, with almost pink hues. Mahogany is one of those woods with an amazing amount of depth to their dimension. It seemed we could look at least 1/4" <em>into </em>the wood. Why would anyone want to cover this up with a matte, colored finish? Andrew, being the classy guy that he is, wanted to keep the guitar its natural color. So after another week of fine sanding and scraping we were ready to varnish. We applied a half a dozen hand rubbed coats of clear varnish and finished her off with a French Polish. Needless to say, we were both very happy with the way she turned out. Special thanks to Neil for the photo. (check out more of Neil's photo's at <a href="http://www.neildacosta.com/">http://www.neildacosta.com/</a>) And thanks to Andrew for the vision....it turned out to be a lot of fun. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>*Refinshing/revarnishing is often not the best way to treat an instrument with some finish problems. It is better to "touch up" than it is to completely revarnish. Generally it is not okay to strip an instrument of it's original varnish. This can GREATLY affect it value and antiquity. More on this topic another day....</div>MDP BassWorkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05086666559339439551noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-199354060112559102.post-64459048824160692602009-07-13T15:31:00.000-07:002009-07-13T16:42:24.148-07:00Here we go....I'm very new to this blogging thing so bear with me. I figured, after 13 years of luthiery, maybe I should start to connect with the online bass world. I hope this blog can help to answer whatever questions you folks out there might have. I've devoted the past decade or so to learning the art of violinmaking, having worked under and with some of the world's best. I hope to continuously post current projects I am working on as well as some things I've done in the past. That's all for now. More to come.MDP BassWorkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05086666559339439551noreply@blogger.com1