Bass violin (British nomenclature, bass violin).

Carleen Hutchins

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Alternative Title

Bass violin of the New Violin Family.

Instrument

Double bass ; Double bass/Double basses/Strings/Musical Instrument

Instrument Family

Strings

Maker

Carleen Hutchins

Place Made

North America ; United States of America ; Montclair

Date Made

1974

Description

This instrument has a soundboard of spruce; back, ribs, scroll and neck of maple; fingerboard, tailpiece, tail-gut protector, endpin holder of ebony; pegs of brass. The soundboard has wide grain and shows evidence of some tree damage. Plugged holes on each of the lower and upper point corners, and unplugged holes at the top and bottom. Dyed pear/poplar/dyed pear purfling. Ribs and two piece back of lightly figured wood. Orange varnish, somewhat patchy. Plugged holes at the top and bottom of the back. The neck and head have been made from two pieces of wood, jointed side-to-side, and then carved as a single piece, the neck having an added piece to get enough thickness. Two plugged holes in the neck, possibly used to locate the fingerboard. Pencil marking on the back inside used to indicate the thickness and contour of the back not erased. Measurements: Neck length 380mm; fingerboard length 763mm, width at nut 39.2mm, at bottom 83.8. Soundboard arch 34mm; Back arch 40mm. Repair History: Diamond-shaped patches along the back join. Repairs to ribs and bass-bar 1976-77 by N. Whitehead and A. Warwick. Inscription: Labelled "CARLEEN HUTCHINS / Sus No. 170 / Montclair, N.J. 1974 / Bass A-D-G-C", the '170' '74' and 'Bass A-D-G-C' being handwritten, the rest printed. "CMH" monogram on label and stamped in the middle of the back inside. "A-D-G-C" inked in the middle of the back. "CATGUT / ACOUSTICAL / SOCIETY, INC developed by" label under the treble sound-hole on the back, the 'developed by' handwritten. Playing accessories: wooden tail-pin with rubber buffer. With hard case and soft case. Diamond-shaped patches along the back join. Repairs to ribs and bass-bar 1976-77 by N. Whitehead and A. Warwick. General literature references: Hutchins 1962; Hutchins 1967; Hutchins 1973; Atwood 1986. Performance characteristics: described in Skeaping 1980. Specific literature references: Darius 1977; Skeaping 1980. Illustration references: New Scientist 75 No 1061, 21 July 1977, p. 175. Specific usage history: brought to Britain for the International Congress on Acoustics, 1974; musical and scientific research programme at the Royal College of Music, London, funded by the Leverhulme Trust 1976-79; University College, Cardiff, 1980-86; Faculty of Music, University of Edinburgh, 1987-. Current ownership: Gift of Peter Fellgett.

Other Information

Specific usage history: brought to Britain for the International Congress on Acoustics, 1974; musical and scientific research programme at the Royal College of Music, London, funded by the Leverhulme Trust, 1976-79; University College, Cardiff, 1980-86; Faculty of Music, University of Edinburgh, 1987- .

Notes

D. Martin, 1993-94.

Measurements

1685.

Provenance

Gift of Peter Fellgett.

Collection

MIMEd

Accession Number

2797

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