Bass Gallery


Players and their basses
Gallery 1 - Past LAG Basses
Gallery 2 - Past LAG Basses
Gallery 3 - Jerzy Drozd Basses
Gallery 4 - NAMM 2005
The Vault

The Vault
This section of the Bass Gallery was started to show some of the basses I have come across throughout the years. Many of these basses I have owned for a long time, and while they may not all be worth big bucks, I have played them and I dig them and they are keepers.  

Have you ever sold a bass and later regretted it ?

How about a dozen or so times, right ?

Most of us cannot keep every cool bass we come across, we must choose and sometimes lose a special bass.

Sometimes that bass is not easy to replace, just because it is rare and fine and having a new one built could take a year or two.

Time is getting precious and a year or two might be a significant hunk of time to some of us.  

There have been many a bass I have sold in the name of commerce, while regretting the need to do so from day one of the sale.

As a result of many such incidents, there have recently been a few basses pass this way, obtained with the intent of selling , that have been tossed into the Vault.

Sometime I need to experience a special bass for a while before I can let it go.

Maybe this is the one?

I need to find out for sure before saying goodbye.

You may have seen a bass or two here recently go from available to the Vault.

These are some basses that have had an unforeseen effect on me, causing me to take pause and consider  “ Is this the one? “

I hope you can all understand and can relate to my experiences.

Tough choices are tough to make.

I have come to the realization that I do not have the time to play a lot of bass – the big drag in my life right now. So many basses, so little time. Kind of a “Twilight Zone” situation.

With this in mind, the “sightings” referred to are basses making their way out of the vault.

These are the basses I will one day likely regret selling, but what the hey.

They should be played.

Kenneth Lawrence Instruments



Beach Basses, Wooden Music - Chicago
Fretted 6 Baritone 1976
Fretless 5 1981
(Both by Jim beach, former owner of Wooden Music in Chicago. The fretless 5 was my design, and was completed in 1981. That's a lot of Cocobolo on that bass. The neck is a single piece of 100 year old German Maple - I have never needed to tweak the truss rod - how many 20 plus year old basses can say that ?
The fretted 6 was made in 1976 - I recently found it on the East Coast. I am certain that this bass was made to be what we today call a baritone guitar, since nobody was making low B strings back then. Also note the tight string spacing - not meant for typical bass strings.)
    

Gibson Les Paul Basses
Gibson Les Paul Fretted 1972
Gibson Fretless 1972
( Both were made in the early '70's, and they served as my main basses throughout the '70's. Someday I will convert these babies into piccolo basses - they are the perfect candidates for this role )
    

Guild B50 1976
( This is my "just play the damn bass" bass. When I find myself devoid of ideas, this is the bass I go to. No electronics, no amp. Just the bass. This bass was made in 1976 and I am glad I found it some 15 years ago. )


Oasis Guitar 1976
(Made by Gary Cooper, features Hi-A pickups- early Bartolinis)


Gibson Kalamazoo "Custom Shop" 1981
(One of the first made, with certificate of authenticity handsigned by Mr. Chet Atkins. 99% mint,, virtually unplayed.)
    

Fender



Fodera



Leduc
Here is a 1994 U-Bass by French luthier Christophe Leduc. What a fretless ! Plays great, sounds incredible - uniquely acoustic , kind of like Eberhard Weber's tone. Very lightweight and well balanced on a strap. A winner.



Leduc
A pair of Leduc U-Basses, fretted and fretless. Handcrafted in France, these are uniquely "acoustic" basses. Very expensive, too. The fretted lists for about $5,200 , the fretless a little less.



Marleaux Signature 6 Bolt-on Here is a very interesting ( at least to me ) bass. A Marleaux top off the line Signature bass using woods favored Jerzy Drozd - Walnut body and Burl Black Poplar top. This is a very lightweight and balanced 6 string. Plays and sounds great. My compliments to the chefs , Gerald Marleaux and Tilman Antons.


Bill Moll


Vadim

Demeter