Posted by Klaus on September 07, 2001 at 21:32:26:
In Reply to: Re: Detachable Bell CCs posted by Steve W on September 07, 2001 at 21:04:31:
As you most likely refer to, that question was up in a thread during this summer.
I do not remember the, very unlikely, site, where I saw the Kanstuls illustrated. Maybe some net outlet on Yahoo.
It appeared very obvious, that Kanstul based their upright basses on the mainframes, please read bell, bottom bow, and the other large branches, from their on-the-shoulder models, in which they have invested R&D plus tooling.
Whereas it is desirable for an upright bass to be bottom heavy, these very qualities would constitute back heaviness in on-the-shoulder models. By reverse thinking a well balanced on-the-shoulder model is doomed to be top heavy, when it is held upright.
My evaluation of the Kanstul illustrations is, that they either will have to place the valve cluster very close to the bottom bow (which would require players in the shape of orangutangs, for which only a few like myself would qualify), or they would have to set up a new design and retooling to bring some large inner branches much closer to the main bottom bow (an option that is very prone to be ditched for financial reasons).
Klaus