___________________________________________________ | | |CONTRABASS-L | | An email list for discussion of bass and | | contrabass instruments of all kinds. | | Contact gdgreen@crl.com for subscription. | | See www.contrabass.com/c-arch1.html for | | back issues. | |___________________________________________________|10 February 1997
EDITOR'S NOTE: Let's welcome another new subscriber, A\"aron". Care to say a few words?
In preparation for the upcoming list automation, I'm removing a couple of addresses that consistently bounce (e.g., error messages like "user unknown"). If I've unsubscribed you by accident, my apoligies and please let me know!
Grant
Author: Andrea Bruederlin
Date: 2/8/97 4:09 PM
Subject: Re: Sarrusophones
Hello again,
Would you please be so kind and publish following e-mail exchange we had with Steven, one of your contrabass list subscribers concerning those sarrusophones. We get so many inquiries that we can't keep up replying to all of them.
Unfortunately, Nick made some very bad experiences a few years ago when we talked about that instrument trade for the first time, with people calling him in the middle of the night, even showing up at his door whenever they felt like. After he heard what flood of responses and proposals our e-mail to you triggered he asked us not to publish his name.
We are very sorry to have caused such a lot of rumors, we didn't want to make anybody mad or disappointed. Still, we keep our promise and will forward every serious offer. We don't mind if we can't do the trade with the guitars, we love them, too. It wasn't the reason why we sent that e-mail to you in the first place. We just wanted to do him and somebody else a favour.
>>Andrea wrote:We actually didn't want to make a big deal out of it, either. We didn't think that Grant would publish that e-mail we sent to him personally in his contrabass list, nor that there are so many people interested. It was just a shy inquiry whether he is still looking for sarrusophones because we knew of those three in Europe. So in order not to have to write to everybody explaining everything, we are going to send Grant a copy of our last few e-mails for his contrabass list. For the time being we sell what's on our Internet list which will be updated from time to time.
>>In Europe we were collecting stringed instruments (a hobby), mainly
>>romantique guitars (Roger plays guitar, classic and jazz), mandolins,
>>zithers, violin family etc. and some antique woodwind instruments
>>(flutes, clarinets...), and that's also where our experience lies.
>>Because musicians like to trade our assortment of instruments became
>>quite extensive.The sarrusophones we were talking about are actually not ours. They
belong to a musician in overseas who is interested in buying some
antique guitars from us but doesn't want to spend any money. So he
offered a trade with three sarrusophones (one soprano, one alto, one
contrabass). The problem is we do not collect these kind of wind
instruments and that's why don't want to keep them. But because he paid
such high prices for them, we could never make the deal. But then, when
we saw how many people are out there looking for these instruments and
actually want to play them, we thought maybe if he gets an acceptable
(for him) offer from another collector/player we would be able to make
that deal, and make somebody else happy. The fact is, he is only willing
to sell if he can do the trade. He is not doing it for the money, the
only thing he wants are those guitars.
Now, we don't have a clue how much sarrusophones are worth over here, or
what they sell for, we didn't even know that there is a demand for these
kind of instruments until we saw Grant's mailing-list. We thought this
is just another European thing. So now, if somebody wants to make an
offer, we can try and talk to him again.>>Steven wrote:
>Hi,
>Thanks for replying; yes, I would appreciate if you could get more
>information on the sarrusophones. I'd also be interested in learning
>when you unpack the ophicleides and the contrabasse a anche.
>Incidentally, how much are the guitars he wants? Perhaps I (or someone
>else) could purchase them and trade him for the sarrusophones.
>Where in Europe is he located? (Maybe a trip's in order!)
>>Andrea wrote:
>We talked to Nick about your proposal on the sarrusophones. His answer
>was very clear: "Forget it! I'm sick and tired of arguing with people
>about those instruments because they think I should give them away for a
>song, at least that's what it sounds like to me. I haven't even offered
>them to anybody exept to you. If people are seriously interested in
>certain instruments they should appreciate their value and pay the
>price. Nobody argues with a car dealer about the price of a car.
>Millions of Dollars are paid for a Stradivari, even ten thousands and
>more for a new instrument, but when it comes to sarrusophones or other
>instruments that are over a hundred years old, still can be played,
>pieces of art and not many around, they think they should get them for
>nothing. And for sure, I'm not interested in you selling those guitars
>to other people. In the end I won't even get them, besides it's too
>complicated. I'm only making the deal when it's easy, what it should be
>if somebody is really serious about it. So, if anybody wants to make an
>offer to you it's fine with me but no discussions on my part."
Now, just to give you some ideas: the alto and the contrabass are lacquered and made by Gautrot, the soprano is silver plated and made by Gras. The guitars at that time were around + 30'000. Nick is going to fax us some more information as soon he's back from his trip. >>
We keep our eyes open for instruments of your wishlist and keep in touch.
Thanks a lot.
Regards,
Andrea
OK, sounds like some of us may have gone overboard. If someone wants to make an offer on the horns, that's fine, but let's all be patient enough to wait for replies. For general information on the horns, I'll post anything I receive to the list. It sounds to me like we need to just wait until there's more information available on the horns.
FWIW, my contra is a Gautrot, and it appears to be a pretty well-made horn. I'm not familiar with the other maker.
BTW, they do have a nice image of an ophecleide on their web page (look under the "antique brass" listing, toward the bottom).
Grant
Author: Nils
Date: 2/7/97 7:52 PM
Subject: misc.
Hello Grant--is this the right address to post to? I have one question for you--what exactly is the instrument at the bottom right of your web page on "known" instruments? It's beautiful. Also, this may not be low enough to discuss, but I have a tenor sax that is bewildering my sax pal Scott...it's by Cribert-Brevette, Scott says its structure, esp. its triangular braces, look like a copy of an Adolphe Sax, and Scott was completely freaked by an extra key--a low trill key for the right thumb...does anyone know anything about this? Finally, how low are the lowest/largest rackets, crumhorns, sordunes, kortholts/cortals, cornamuses, shawms, and rauschpfeifes? Thanks to everyone for their boundless knowledge...
Nils
PS--I saw a rock band last night called Those Bastard
Souls, who, in addition to their guitar-bass-drums lineup had a violinist
and--a bass sax player! I've been trying to convince my rock musician friends
to let me onstage with the biggest wind beast I can get my hands on, and
this band was a persuasive argument...
Author: Grant Green
Date: 2/7/97 8:07 PM
Subject: Re: misc.
At 07:35 PM 2/7/97 -0800, you wrote:
>Hello Grant--is this the right address to post to? I have one questionYep, this is still the list address. Sometime soon (hopefully this month), the list address will change to something like "contrabass@contrabass.com", and will work automatically.
>for you--what exactly is the instrument at the bottom right of your web
>page on "known" instruments? It's beautiful. Also, this may not be low
That
would be the contrabass oboe. Francis found a picture of it, and was kind
enough to email it to me. If I remember correctly, it was built by Orsi,
and is probably one-of-a-kind.
>enough to discuss, but I have a tenor sax that is bewildering my sax palYou've got me stumped. Any of you sax experts care to jump in?
>Scott...it's by Cribert-Brevette, Scott says its structure, esp. its
>triangular braces, look like a copy of an Adolphe Sax, and Scott was
>completely freaked by an extra key--a low trill key for the right
>thumb...does anyone know anything about this? Finally, how low are the
>lowest/largest rackets, crumhorns, sordunes, kortholts/cortals,Let's see: the lowest that I know of are:
>cornamuses, shawms, and rauschpfeifes? Thanks to everyone for their
>boundless knowledge..
>NilsSounds good to me ;-) Let me know if they need a sarrusophone player!
>PS--I saw a rock band last night called Those Bastard Souls, who, in
>addition to their guitar-bass-drums lineup had a violinist and--a bass
>sax player! I've been trying to convince my rock musician friends to
>let me onstage with the biggest wind beast I can get my hands on, and
>this band was a persuasive argument...
Grant
Author: "A\"aron"
Date: 2/7/97 3:55 PM
Subject: SUBSCRIBE CONTRABASS-L
Author: "Grant D. Green"
Date: 2/7/97 3:57 PM
Subject: Re: SUBSCRIBE CONTRABASS-L
At 04:43 PM 2/7/97 -0600, you wrote:
>
Welcome aboard!
I'll add your address to the list. Please feel free to post an introduction (we like to include names), e.g., instrument(s), interests, background. Not required, but appreciated.
Grant
BTW, the Nuclear Whales are back! For anyone in the SF Bay Area, they're playing this week (2/15) at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts. Call 415-903-6000 for ticket reservations.
I'll be there!
End Contrabass-L No. 83