Double Bass care advice needed, and a local expert?

[Magic Matt]

My late father had a nice Austrian made double bass - I've always loved it, as it is a beautiful looking instrument and has a really smooth tone. However, since he passed away, mum has kept it in what was his room, and nobody has really touched it. The only thing that's not original on it (other than strings) is the bridge, which was replaced by one of Dad's friends who I think may have been a carpenter.

I looked at it the other day, and heartbreaking... there's a hairline split appearing across the back. The sound post seems to be fine, and it's still in tune, so it doesn't seem to have affected anything structural... yet... but I want to stop that getting any worse, and if it's not too late, save the bass. I don't know what it's worth, but it has great sentimental value.

If anyone can give me any advice, and recommend somebody local that would be able to look at it or even bring it back up to how it should be, I would be most grateful.

I'm based near Portsmouth.

[TheRev]

There's a dearth of reputable double bass luthiers in the Dorset/Hampshire/West Sussex area, so you're probably going to have to travel a bit to have the damage assessed.

T&G Martin in Banbury, north Oxfordshire are an obvious choice, as are Thwaites in Watford. If it's a good quality instrument then it's really worth your time in taking it to a respected luthier for repair.

[Clarky]

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/204959-db-luthiers-thread/"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/204959-db-luthiers-thread/[/url] May help?

[fatgoogle]

It could be just a crack in the finish in which case theres no need to worry. Happens to huge number of bass's.

Best way to keep it going is to constantly play it.

[daflewis]

Yeh, I certainly wouldn't worry too much about a hairline crack or split - it should be sorted, of course; but unless it's directly behind the sound post it's really no big deal, and even if it is, it's always sortable...

I can't remember whose signature it is but I've always loved the quote, "Double Bass - an airfix kit waiting to happen!" sooo true!

I would add that, with all due respect to TheRev, personally I'll never go back to T&G Martin after the way they ripped me off.

[SubsonicSimpleton]

Does the bass need to be humidified?

Wood shrinks as it loses moisture content, and if it is being kept in a modern centrally heated house it may dry out enough to create shrinkage cracks.

[Marc S]

Perhaps you could post a few photos on here,
to see what peoples opinions are?

A friend of mine has an old German DB
It has several cracks, I think
She treats these with beeswax
It may depend on the structure of the bass - but is this a possible solution?

Hope you sort it
Best

Marc

[TheRev]

[quote name='daflewis' timestamp='1411605485' post='2561181']

I would add that, with all due respect to TheRev, personally I'll never go back to T&G Martin after the way they ripped me off.
[/quote]

No worries - I've never used them but the name is usually associated with good reports....