UB Professor Special Deluxe Double Bass

A Very Special Flatback...

This bass has been 9 months in the making and was worth every minute of the wait!

Eric from Upton Bass has just finished UB Professor Special Deluxe Opus 74. This is bass number 3 of 3 from the same English Sycamore (Maple) log (back, sides and neck). The varnish is a bit darker than #2 of 3, but still going on the competition quality "modern Italian" varnish that showcases the figure of the wood.

The bass is based off of our work with Gary Karr, so the Solo model was used as a starting point. The rib depth was kept the same as our specs for our fuller bodied Orchestra model basses, the result being an very easy to play bass throughout the entire fingerboard with a very balanced even sound across the strings. Dark on the E, sweet up on the G with evenness, clarity and projection abound. It's everything we were looking for!

The back didn't go as planned...but sometimes fate has a better idea. When we first milled up the log, Eric took 6 slices in succession, enough to make 3 identical looking bass backs. He grabbed the first two, joined them and made a bass. Later on down the road, he grabbed the next two, joined them and made a bass. When it came time to join the last two pieces his heart sunk as he realized the log had a slight twist to it and the last board was not thick enough at the edge to get the back thickness he desired for a two piece back. So began a month long process of hemming and hawing and laying out different options. Since this bass was not for anyone...just making it to make it, the guys eventually decided to be a bit bold. Eric had some 40 year old rosewood, a gift from his brother, that he never knew what to do with. By tapering the piece from the narrowest part of the caps coming off the block to the widest needed at the end block, Eric was able to get the maple pieces pushed out enough to use every usable piece. The look is bold and stunningly beautiful.

Eric said, "I love how the darkness of the rosewood envelopes the dark lines of the purfling, drawing your eye to the white of the purfling as it comes out of the maple. A very cool effect!".

This bass was designed to be a triple threat; Jazz, orchestra or solo performance...this instrument was built to do it all and do it well.

Some photo's of the basses construction can be seen here on FaceBook.



String Length: 41"
Neck Heel: D
Upper Bout Width (widest): 19 3/4"
C Bout Width (narrowest): 14 1/2"
Lower Bout Width (widest): 27 1/2"
Length of Back: 43 3/4"
Rib Taper: 8" to 7 3/8"
English Sycamore Back, Ribs, Sides
Rosewood Accents
European Spruce Top