Arizona Bass Players Featured Instruments

This wonderful old bass, built by L.A.Mathews in 1921 (stamped #533) was recently donated to Arizona Bass Players, Inc. by Dr. Neil Mendelson of Tucson, Arizona. It is available as a loaner-bass for visiting musicians and students. It was provided to students at the 2008 ABP Festival, and was recently appraised by Don Robertson.

The bass has numerous repaired cracks and scratches, a restored neck and scroll, and the old English tuners were sawed off to put it in a trunk (likely...or perhaps a player was always being hit in the head, so removed them). The spruce top is a a bit darker in color than the maple sides and back. The wide shoulders on the bass are typical of early 20th century English designed basses.

It is a lovely sounding bass with an adjustable bridge, Laborie, bent, and straight end-pins, Helicore orchestral strings, and a ratty old canvas bag cover.
It is ready to play!