Fran Diaz Posted August 1, 2014 Posted August 1, 2014 Hi all, After a very nice trip through France and Germany I came home with my new Michael Bornhak double bass ([URL]http://www.bornhak.de/[/URL]). Michael is a very talented luthier who worked for Andreas Wilfer until he set his shop in Waldkirch, a beautiful town in the south of Germany, in the middle of The Black Forest. I was looking for a bass with pizzicato playing in mind but that could also work well under the bow and this one does it, even with Spirocore Mittels. I love everything on this bass: woods, tone, volume, playability, fit, finish, attention to detail,... When I visited Michael to see and try the bass he was very friendly and he even went home and left me alone in his shop with the bass so I could play it for as long as I wanted without distractions. I love an old bass as much as the next guy around here but provided the quality of the instruments compared being equal, buying from a living, working luthier was a plus for me as a way to support such an art, so this was my choice: my 2014 Michael Bornhak double bass: go to this link for the full gallery slide show: [URL]http://s97.photobucket.com/user/frandiaz/embed/slideshow/Gear/Michael%20Bornhak%20double%20bass[/URL] Some selected shots: that's the bass changing hands: [IMG]http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l240/frandiaz/Gear/Michael%20Bornhak%20double%20bass/MichaelBornhakampFran02_zps81146bf8.jpg[/IMG] full shot: [IMG]http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l240/frandiaz/Gear/Michael%20Bornhak%20double%20bass/MichaelBornhakDB_full_zps5b26be41.jpg[/IMG] the beautiful scroll: [IMG]http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l240/frandiaz/Gear/Michael%20Bornhak%20double%20bass/MichaelBornhakDB_headstock03_zps7569f725.jpg[/IMG] the French inspired neck botton: [IMG]http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l240/frandiaz/Gear/Michael%20Bornhak%20double%20bass/MichaelBornhakDB_neckjoint03_zps4ae4bbe7.jpg[/IMG] Michael even carved the bridge and adjusters from scratch: [IMG]http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l240/frandiaz/Gear/Michael%20Bornhak%20double%20bass/MichaelBornhakDB_bridge_wheeldetail1_zps8f7874a9.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l240/frandiaz/Gear/Michael%20Bornhak%20double%20bass/MichaelBornhakDB_bridge_wheeldetail2_zps74194cdd.jpg[/IMG] You can hear some sound samplers that Michael recorded here: [URL='https://soundcloud.com/bornhakbass/sets/gamba-doublebass-soundsample[/MEDIA]'][MEDIA=soundcloud]https://soundcloud.com/bornhakbass/sets/gamba-doublebass-soundsample[/MEDIA][/URL] Quote
fatgoogle Posted August 1, 2014 Posted August 1, 2014 Looks absolutely amazing. Makes me miss my own Gamba. What woods are used. Quote
Clarky Posted August 1, 2014 Posted August 1, 2014 Beautiful and the soundcloud sample sounds stunning. Lucky man! Quote
Fran Diaz Posted August 1, 2014 Author Posted August 1, 2014 The woods are the classic maple for the back, sides and neck, spruce for the top and ebony for the fingerboard. The wheel adjusters are also ebony. Quote
philparker Posted August 1, 2014 Posted August 1, 2014 Very nice - there's a lot to be said for buying a good quality new DB! Quote
Legion Posted August 1, 2014 Posted August 1, 2014 Wow, nice conclusion to your bass-adventure Fran - congratulations Quote
Fran Diaz Posted August 2, 2014 Author Posted August 2, 2014 Many thanks for your kind words, as we say here: I am like a kid with new shoes! Quote
TPJ Posted August 2, 2014 Posted August 2, 2014 Wow,that looks wonderful. I love the shape of the upper bouts. Enjoy Quote
Fran Diaz Posted August 4, 2014 Author Posted August 4, 2014 [quote name='TPJ' timestamp='1406980938' post='2516405'] Wow,that looks wonderful. I love the shape of the upper bouts. Enjoy [/quote] [quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1407169583' post='2518011'] Beautiful. [/quote] Thank you very much! Quote
Fran Diaz Posted August 13, 2014 Author Posted August 13, 2014 Two weeks at home and I'm still in love with this bass. :hyper: I just finished some arco study and if the arco tone with the Spiros keeps getting better (as it is happening one day after another) I might retire my other bass. One question for Spiro guys: Are the weich easier to bow than the mittels? I might give them a try just to hear how the bass responds to those (nothing wrong with the mittels, I'm just curious). Quote
Marc S Posted August 14, 2014 Posted August 14, 2014 Wow, that looks beautiful What lovely workmanship Congratulations on your purchase Marc Quote
Fran Diaz Posted August 14, 2014 Author Posted August 14, 2014 (edited) Many thanks. I really love the attention to detail that this bass shows...and it plays very well and IMO sounds great. What else could I ask for? Edited August 14, 2014 by Fran Diaz Quote
DBA Posted August 14, 2014 Posted August 14, 2014 Nice instrument Fran! the bridge wheels take my attention, are there any improvements with the usuals? Que mal se me da el inglés, copón! Enjoy the bass! Quote
Fran Diaz Posted August 14, 2014 Author Posted August 14, 2014 I will send you a private message in Spanish with the answer to your question. Quote
Fran Diaz Posted August 29, 2014 Author Posted August 29, 2014 Quick Update: It's been exactly one month since I got it and I'm still loving it...even though its sweet smell of varnish and oils is vanishing. I raised the string height a tad and I love the tone even more than before...more meat and less string buzz (a sound that I also like, closer to a fretless electric bass, but that I don't want at the moment). Quote
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