The Upton Report
Volume 157
June 12th, 2015
In This Issue
Oh Snap!
New England Tradition
UB Archives

Upton Bass Barn
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$500 OFF!


Don't let the words "Standard" or "Laminate" fool you, these basses are UB's best value.

Whether an entry-level model or a custom commission, ALL Upton Basses are built to the same standards and by the same team of award-winning luthiers.
Available for Preorder!
Evah Pirazzi Slap Set

The Evah Pirazzi Slap Set by Pirastro is made especially for Rockabilly and Slap players.

This set combines a plain gut D&G with a synthetic core chrome steel wound A&E.



What's in a name? Whether you call them "Busetto corners," "lower rounded corners," or even "love handles"--the name doesn't change what they are. Or how they're made, for that matter. Ask any experienced luthier out there, and they'll tell you that creating the undulating bends and turns of the Busetto is one of the most challenging tasks they can encounter.

The sizzle of moisture on the hot bending iron that morphs into the flowing s-curve of the wood: the process can be exhilarating. But deciding exactly where to place that near-circular bend, when to choose structure over aesthetics, or vice versa...these variables affect the overall tone, playability, and stability of your bass. At Upton Bass, we are experienced in these decisions and leave nothing up to chance. 

 

Give Gary or myself a call and let's talk about building a custom bass for you. We love what we do, and we'd love to do it for you!

 

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Eric
Upton Bass String Instrument Co.
Bending Exterior Linings - Video
YouTube.com
Bending linings for a Concord model double bass by Upton Bass The "Busetto" corner is one of the trickiest shapes for a bass builder to master, and it all comes down to the wood, heat, water, and very skilled hands. Watch while head luthier Eric Roy shows what goes into the rib trim detail on the Concord Model double bass. 

 

Heat bending is a procedure that luthiers use quite often, especially when forming ribs. The combination of heat and moisture helps to restructure the wood, to reorganize the fibers into the hairpin bends that flow into the concave c-bouts that define the Busetto corner. But when it comes to executing those bends, it's not as simple as it sounds. Only the most experienced luthiers can examine a piece of wood to use its assets to their advantage. Click the photo link above to view the process!

 

See more BassTube at YouTube.com... 
The Concord Model
UptonBass.com
Concord model double bass by Upton Bass The name Abraham Prescott is to double bassists what Stradivari is to violinists. Prescott double basses have been owned and performed on by some of the most celebrated orchestras and bassists in the U.S., including the likes of Scott LaFaro and Arvel Shaw. Highly sought after and prized for their both beauty and tone, Prescott instruments are coveted not just for their name but for the quality of their construction.

The Concord Model is UB's take on an Abraham Prescott design with added modern ergonomics. The goal was to create a classic hand-crafted New England style instrument using the finest wood choices from our select stores of old dry spruce and big leaf maple. The result was our first all New England double bass: the UB Concord. It is Old Yankee in both style and build, and made completely in our Mystic, Connecticut workshop: a traditional post and beam barn, raised by our own employees.

The Concord is the first truly authentic New England double bass we've made. Beautiful sloping shoulders, Busetto corners, Prescott ff-holes, flat maple back and sides with deep outside lined ribs, a deluxe spruce top...all combined with a finely detailed scroll, button, and hand-cut tuners that pay homage to Prescott while keeping with our own highly-revered and uniquely New England tradition of instrument building.

More at UptonBass.com...
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