Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-05-28
DOUBLE BASES.
Interesting Facts About nm ImpOr-
tant Instrument I'm the Orchestra.
Man. Xorly

CNew York SUM
Almost all double BASES used in this
country come from Germany and France;
three fourths OF them are imported from
Germany. and of these the larger number
are made in Saxony. They are some
times imported in cases singly, but the
ordinary import package contains two in
struments, back to back.
Double BASES are made usually with the
back, sides, and neck of maple, and the
top of spruce. and sometimes with the
back of sycamore The wood Is sawed
quartering, and the planks are put away
to season. For even the cheapest instru-
ments the wood is kept two years before
it is used; and for the very finest instru-
ment it is sometimes seasoned thirty
years. For the best instruments, Italian
wood, grown upon the boundary line be-
tween Italy and Tyrol, is preferred The
top and back OF all instruments, of what
ever grade, are made In two pieces Joined
lengthwise I'm the centre. These pieces
in their original form, are called slabs.
The back OF the lower-priced instru-
ments, say up 10 about SO, Is made fiat
outside and inside; the top is always made
with a swell In higher-priced instru-
ments the back also has a swell. When
the two slabs have been Joined for top
or a back the combined piece Is planed
smooth on the music side Then. II Il is
TO be a top or swel-back, its outer
side is bevelled of lengthwise from the
centre line TO the sides: IL is then cut into
shape. Next II is planed off to produce
the swell or rounding upon the outside,
and ii is gouged out upon the inside. All
this work is done by hand.
The sides, sometimes called the hoop
are sawed TO about one-sixteenth Of an
inch in thickness and finished with scrap
ers. In cheap instruments the sides
are sometimes lef, rough on the inside
The sides are sawed straight and be-
on hot iron TO the required form. To give
the thin sides a better hold upon the TOD
and back they are backed with Innings
and with four corner blocks The Innings
are strips Of wood perhaps an inch in
width and a quarter Of an inch in thick
ness, laid against the side top, and bot
tom. where they join the top and back,
and running all around the instrument
The four corner blocks are In the four
angles in the instrument at the sides.
The holes are cut In the top before the
instrument is put together. The sounding
post which Is Of spruce. is placed on the
rlght-hand side Of the double bass. as in
a violin. On the left-hand side, glued TO
the under side of the top lengthwise, and
extending for about three quarters OF its
length, is the bass bar which Is Of spruce.
about five eighths of an inch I'm thick
ness from side to side, and about an inch
and quarter in depth or thickness at
the middle. and tapering down to the
ends. The bass bar strengthens the top
OF the instrument and regulates its tone:
much depends upon its proper adjustment.
The double bass is put together entirely
with glue; there is no metal about H. ex-
eept In the head and the end pin. For
merly the keys used were Of wood. like
those commonly used In violins: but now
all double BASES have machine heads.
ana the keys have each screw which
turns In another screw on the end OF the
pin or cylinder upon which the string IL
wound, permitting the incest adjustment
with certainty and ease. The end min |
upon which the instrument is supported
while playing, was formerly Of wood end |
pins are now made of metal and so ar |
ranged that they can be adjusted TO any |
height TO suit the convenience OF the |
player or they can be retired within the |
instrument.
Double BASES are made OF three sizes. |
hair, three-quarters. and full; the double |
bass seen IN a theatre orchestra Is usually |
one OF three-quarter size Instruments |
OF that size and OF the qualities most fire.
quently sold range in price AT from SIS, |
or, perhaps. little less than that, up 10
%l-" FiOii tHdt lHty run up 10 S5uJ, ana /
sometimes up to $500. Anything above
SIS would be considered a special instru-
ment. and would probably be made to
order. The United States cannot compete
with the labor of foreign countries in
the manufacture of chap double basses
but fine instruments are made here
The double bass. on account Of its size
Is more susceptible TO variations of tenn
perature and more subject to mlshap than
the violin. and. therefore, not 50 long
lived: but a double bass will ordinarily
last many years. and. perhaps, hundreds
OF years. Steam heat does not appear TO
be favorable 10 the instrument. Nine out
OF ten CT the imported double bass 8 viii
crack or come apart In use. and have 10
be put together again. a player buying
an ordinary imported instrument would
prefer one secondhand in good order 10
a new one.
A new double bass will improve with
use for certain time. but after about
ten years II is likaly 10 be as good as
Il ever win be. An cd instrument which
has been In disuse win improve when
taken up again,
Years ago IL was not unusual to see