Making a Meyer Double Bass: Chapter 1 "THE FORM"
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ก.ค. 2021
- The Evolving Bass ! This video is a sneak peak into the Atelier Puglisi workshop and the first in the series, "Behind-the-Scenes: Making the Meyer Double Bass," inspired by the amazing music and sound of virtuoso Edgar Meyer.
I was lucky enough to meet with him in 2019 and had access to his Italian labelled instrument, and it turned out to be a passion project I just couldn't resist.
Part 1 reveals the procedure of making the internal form which the whole instrument is shaped around.
The ribs are then bent to reveal a beautifully shaped classy instrument, with has an ergonomic feel which just can't be beat.
Set to sweet music by the talented Rosie Westbrook and filmed entirely by myself in the winter of 2020 - find out more at rosiewestbrook.com.au
Please feel free to ask questions, and comment below. And if you would like to see more in this series don't forget to LIKE and SUBSCRIBE!
Thank you for your help with this project:
Andy Tigges, Luthier
Rose Chaffey, Assisant
Egder Meyer, Inspiration
Robin Brawley, Measurements
Rosie Westbrook, Original Music
Special thanks to the Puglisi Family:
Annelies, Leonardo, Sebastian, and Ebony
Thanks also to:
Tim Kill,
Corey Swan,
Ranier Beilharz
And Kae Goodsell
All filming and editing, Benedict G. Puglisi
© Benedict G. Puglisi 2021 - All Rights Reserved - เพลง
Imitation is the sincerest compliment, but wanting to make something your own through methodical improvement is what makes an artist.
Nicely said! I like to encourage that philosophy with my apprentices as well.
I make my own personal model, Vitruvian, and I always encourage not to do exact copies, but to put your own personal take on everything. However, in this case, I found it to be extremely rewarding, experience to try and reproduce, and film myself trying to reproduce this unusual model of instrument.
Very therapeutic in lockdown to share the experience as well.
Thanks for watching .
This was a truely spiritual journey watching all the videos, constructing this bass. Wow. I would love to have one of his nand made basses. How much are they i wonder.
Thanks Mate. I love the journey as well. It's easy to get out of bed in the morning when you have a new base to make.
My instruments start from 24,000 AUD for the flatback models, right up to the exotic carved back bases around the AU$40,000. www.atelierpuglisi.com .
Thank you for posting this. I have several basses by Luthier Neville Whitehead, a close friend,who you may know.I never realised how much work, skill and craftsmanship goes into creating one of these wonderful instruments! Great to see another Aussie building such ‘beaut stuff! Keep ai it mate!!
Thank You James. Neville is a bit of a Star in the Double Bass making world. I have meet him a few times and love his innovative style.
Very generous way of sharing your craft!! Thank you very much Mr. Puglisi, I have an old student model german 1960's double bass, and it needs recrowning, your video really motivates me, to learn more about this wonderful craft, that is so vast, you really are a great master! BRAVO!!!
Thank you Pavel. For the last 25 years or so I've always manage to go festivals or schools and universities to give demonstrations an answer questions about the craft of instrument making. I've even had groups of kindergarten kids coming to the workshop for a tour. So for the last few years we haven't been able to do that so the idea of doing a virtual tour demonstration seemed like the only way. I'm glad so many people have enjoyed it too.
Spend some more time with your local double bass repairer if you can. I know a lot of people that have become involved I just hanging around in the shop. Good luck with your 1960s double bass. And feel free to send me some photos as well. bass@atelierpuglisi.com
Regards.
Great to see you out here Benedict. I have visited Atelier Puglisi when in Melbourne and I have always been looked after extremely well. A lovely shop, GREAT work, and very nice people. I am currently making a double bass table/front out of Bunya Pine - an Australian Pine. This kind of video needs to be here. There are some great makers and Luthiers like Ben in Australia. I think people would be quite surprised by our World class instruments. Of course, our double basses are superb. Truly....but I may be biassed!
It's good to appreciate the fact that there are modern day craftsmen still keeping this centuries old craft alive. Just wish I could own one, without having to liquidate all of my assets. 😕
I love this, now I want to learn to make string instruments. I'm going to University for bass and have already finished an upholstery apprenticeship.
What a work of art.... I was literally in the atelier observing the becoming stages of this instrument. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks for the video...waiting for the next chapter
Hi John. Glad you enjoyed it! The next chapter will be up Sunday night Australian time. This one will concentrate on the making of the belly/top.
Very inspiring and interesting. Fearless!? I guess there is a way back if a mistake is made. Or perhaps with years of experience, mistakes disappear. I am a bass player and would love to make a bass myself. Since the condition of my back won't allow that, I bought a 5 string bass recently from a local luthier. It is big! But it has an amazing sound and is really responsive. Looking forward to your next video and sending the link to my various luthier and workshop friends for their inspiration.
Thank you Sam. So glad it inspires you. This is certainly not the only way you can make a Double Bass, and in fact there were many parts of this build which I had never done before myself. Many of the techniques haven't changed in hundreds of years and some are using a modern twist.
One of the advantages of being a restorer and repairer is that I often joke that if something goes wrong I know a good repairer...
In fact I should share that I actually had to made TWO top blocks for this instrument as the first one I carved slightly too small by a few millimetres. Luckily I had enough of the same block of spruce to make a replacement. Inevitably there are some mishaps and just working out the best way forward, and trying to turn them to an advantage is my aim.
I always say if my back was to give up I would concentrate on violin or bow making and sitting at a bench.
The next chapter in this video series is the making of the Top/Belly from a well aged piece of spruce I purchased close to 20 years ago. One of the most, or the most important part of the tone for an instrument.
Sunday night Australian time I will post this up.
Thanks again and enjoy your five stringer.
👋👋 Amazing! 💯
Best video ,making double bass!!!!
Amazing!!!
This is great, Ben!!
So glad you like it! Thanks heaps. Ben
😍😍👏🏻👏🏻
Magnificent ❤
Many thanks very interesting and well presented
Thanks Chris. Glad you like this. The next chapter will be next week.
This is a wonderful video - the editing and storytelling of the process are fabulous. Thanks so much for sharing your work so generously!
Thanks Misha. Rather than making a “how to” series I really just wanted to share the journey of making one of these large majestic instruments. If it’s entertaining and enjoyable, that’s a bonus.
Parabéns, sou de Maceió Al Brazil e vc ainda não mas me ensinou muito com seus vídeos
Amazing job,
I hope to see more building/making videos in the future.
Keep up the amazing basses and videos!
Thanks. Next week is the next chapter. The Top
Thank you for sharing your knowledge
Fascinating!
I noticed the shape of the top part of the bass tapers slightly inward towards the neck like an hour glass. It's different from the violin. All this time I assumed an upright bass was just a scaled up violin.
The size of the Double Bass is the main reason for the shape different. The shape of the double bass has evolved to be more playable/ accessible/ ergonomic as you more up the fingerboard. Having sloping shoulders can really help to accommodate this.
@@atelierpuglisi Makes sense, but I love designs that maintain shape regardless of scale, like Matryoshka dolls, bandsaws and lathes. I wonder if the earliest bases were more like the violin.
Beautiful work- Thanks!
Thank you Vincent. I hope you can watch next week as well.
Which is the making of the Top using a plank of aged Swiss Spruce.
Muito obrigado
To have one of Ben's basses has been a dream of mine for 20+ years.
Thanks Mate
Wonderful video! I especially like the shot carving the end block with 2 planes 😁 One of these days I would like to build an upright myself. Made an archtop guitar and a teardrop shaped violin, so I have most of the basic concepts, it's just the size of the thing that's intimidating. I'm curious, what wood did you use for the linings here?
Thanks mate. I taught myself to be ambidextrous with the tools. Learning to use, my left hand was really important to stop being fatigue and repetitive strain. One of the things that's very different from making smaller instruments is that you have to work around the instrument, rather than turning the instrument around to you.
The wood I used for the linings was Spanish Cedar. Often used in classical guitar necks. It's sort of like a mahogany in that It's a little bit porous, however it bends well. It just needs the glue to soak in thoroughly before joining.
@@atelierpuglisi well there you go, I’ve actually done a pair of chambered body guitars out of Spanish cedar. It’s pretty decent stuff to work with. I’m pretty ambidextrous too, but never tried a plane in each hand 😂
That’s funny about working around the instrument- I’ve seriously thought about making a wood strip canoe too, so now I’m picturing a bass as big as a canoe…. Just trying to squeeze around it
Mind blowing - I knew there was a lot of work involved, but wow! Does Ebony appear soon? :-)
Thanks Steve. I think for every minute of Video there is around 10 hrs work.... And yes Ebony will be making her presence felt on the next episode later this week.
How do you decide of the shape and volume of the instrument. Is there any standards I could look upon to make one myself ? Did you tried different shapes and volumes over time to get a different sound ? Looks like the best job in the world. I'm cabinet worker, carpenter, designer (college in architecture only). I love to make my own instruments and tools but I'm more into guitars and maybe a violin soon but would love to make one just for the pleasure. I'm disabled so I got all the time I need and I'm really patient. Don't really want to make some studies into it. Maybe just working for a guy who make it and get his help for a cheap pay could be nice.
There are so many different models of double basses. And they all have their benefits and drawbacks. Clearly the larger instruments will have more of a sub woofer base response. But like a large subwoofer, they need a lot of energy to make the air volume move. Small flatback instruments require less effort to push out the sound. However, they could like some deep bass when it comes to filling up an orchestra pit.
I always recommend people who wish to make a double bass start with a violin, viola or cello first. It's a great way to really get an idea of the work involved and not have to wait many months or years to see the result. Even starting with a kit violin is a great way to get the ball rolling. And the materials are certainly a lot cheaper to start with too.
When I saw you double-fisting those trimming planes I silently nodded to the screen, you Sir know your onions.
Beautiful expression. Learning to be ambidextrous was really beneficial for the maintenance of my elbow and wrist joints.
What would be a source for 2/4 size double bass construction?
Hi Barry. Not quite sure what you mean. Do you mean a half size double bass?
@@atelierpuglisi What about for a 8/16 size double bass?