Contrabass Digest

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2000-02-22

 
From: NINEWINDS@aol.com
Date: Tue, 22 Feb 2000 15:22:17 EST
Subject: attn Grant
Reply-To: contrabass@contrabass.com

Awhile back you mentioned that you had a gig bag made from Alteri for your
Leblanc Contra Alto. Could you give me some particulars about this. I need to
travel with a contra and I don't want to take my Selmer and have it bounced
around. The Leblanc is more compact and I'm thinking I would take it, it also
has a low c. I just think I can get it on the plane more easily than the
Selmer. Travel with big instruments is becoming a nightmare

Thanks for you help with this,
Vinny Golia
---------------------------------------------------------

Date: Tue, 22 Feb 2000 13:22:53 -0700
From: Grant Green <gdgreen@contrabass.com>
Subject: Re: The Flying Contras!
Reply-To: contrabass@contrabass.com

>Awhile back you mentioned that you had a gig bag made from Alteri for your
>Leblanc Contra Alto. Could you give me some particulars about this. I need to
>travel with a contra and I don't want to take my Selmer and have it bounced
>around. The Leblanc is more compact and I'm thinking I would take it, it also
>has a low c. I just think I can get it on the plane more easily than the
>Selmer. Travel with big instruments is becoming a nightmare

Altieri makes both gig bags and case covers, and can make just about
anything you want custom.  If you're taking a contra flying with you,
I'd use the regular hard case with a case cover, which will provide
some extra padding, insure the case stays closed, and provide straps
that make it easier to carry.  You can order a case cover just by
giving them the case dimensions, the handle position (so they know
the center of gravity for the case), and which options you want (I
have shoulder strap + backpack straps + outside music pocket on all
mine).  The case covers are least involved, and quickest to produce.

True gig bags are great for carrying a bunch of horns around when you
don't need the degree of protection a full case provides.  For gig
bags, Altieri asks you to send a trace of the horn (front and back),
indicating the location of major keys and their extension from the
body of the horn, along with the center of gravity/balance point.  I
typically get a roll of brown shipping paper and a wide-tip felt
marker for the tracing.  If I were going to fly with a contra in a
gig bag, I think I would wrap it (gig bag with horn inside) in about
20' of bubble wrap, tape it with strapping tape, and have it
hand-checked (if I couldn't get it into the cabin).

Altieri has a website at http://www.altieribags.com, or can be
reached at 303-291-0658 (telephone), 303-744-1434 (fax) or
altieri@ix.netcom.com.  They should be making my ophicleide bag right
now...

I think string bass must be the worst to travel with: huge size, and
relatively fragile.

Let me know if I overlooked anything ;-)

Grant

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Grant Green            gdgreen@contrabass.com
                     http://www.contrabass.com
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
***End of Contrabass Digest***


 
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