The gubbins on Al McKibbon's headstock

[fergs40]

Hallo, upright people. I have never even picked up a double bass, much less played one, so please forgive that this question is coming from a place of complete ignorance...

 

I've been listening to Miles Davis' Birth of the Cool this morning, which features Al McKibbon on several of the tracks. As I do, I've also been idly flicking through the wikipedia bios of the musicians on the record, and came across this picture of Al on his (though very little additional info, even though he lived to 86).

 

Anyway, to the point of this post - what is all that ironmongery on his headstock? And would anyone have a clearer picture of something similar? Just curious!

 

Thanks in anticipation.

[itu]

https://doublebasshq.com/gear_posts/what-are-double-bass-extensions-and-how-do-they-work/ 

[bass_dinger]

Is it my faulty memory, or was there an electric bass guitar with a similar extension?

[velvetkevorkian]

22 minutes ago, bass_dinger said:

Is it my faulty memory, or was there an electric bass guitar with a similar extension?

Kubicki Factor is a famous one.

 

[Rosie C]

46 minutes ago, velvetkevorkian said:

Kubicki Factor is a famous one.

 

 

That is a thing of beauty!

 

[itu]

Ex-Factor. 

 

Factor has tuners in the headstock and no extension. 

[MacDaddy]

19 hours ago, bass_dinger said:

Is it my faulty memory, or was there an electric bass guitar with a similar extension?

 

13 hours ago, itu said:

Ex-Factor. 

 

Factor has tuners in the headstock and no extension. 

 

 

Shuker 3 😁

 

 

[Beer of the Bass]

Not many jazz players use an extension - Ron Carter is a rare exception. I've not spent time with one myself, but some players feel they change the pizzicato feel and response on the E string in ways they don't like. They're very widely used by orchestral players where pizzicato is a lower priority, and even required by some orchestras.

I'm guessing that pic of McKibbon is some years later than Birth Of The Cool, since he appears to have a pickup wire coming from his bridge too. 

[Burns-bass]

3 minutes ago, Beer of the Bass said:

Not many jazz players use an extension - Ron Carter is a rare exception. I've not spent time with one myself, but some players feel they change the pizzicato feel and response on the E string in ways they don't like. They're very widely used by orchestral players where pizzicato is a lower priority, and even required by some orchestras.

I'm guessing that pic of McKibbon is some years later than Birth Of The Cool, since he appears to have a pickup wire coming from his bridge too. 

May be a borrowed bass.

[fergs40]

6 hours ago, Beer of the Bass said:

I'm guessing that pic of McKibbon is some years later than Birth Of The Cool, since he appears to have a pickup wire coming from his bridge too. 

The wikipedia caption says 1971.

[Bloopdad1]

It's a standard "machine" extension or sometimes called an "English" or "forester" extension. 

Basically it looks like someone has strapped a flute to the side of the scroll!! (brass players often take the piss and reckon we've kicked a piccolo!) 

Pretty common in most orchestras from the early '60's to the early 2000's, but now the new "gated" extension are more popular (as are 5 string basses). 

 

There's still many about (I might still have one in a drawer somewhere). 

They can be an absolute bugger to maintain and easily knocked out of tune or damaged.

They also tend to clatter and buzz a bit if they're not properly set up (Malcolm Healy or Martin Bailey are probably the best with these beasts) plus they add a bit of weight to the bass. 

But they served us well and some older pros still prefer a mechanical extension over a gated or fingered one (they're easier to use when you've got used to where the keys for your fingers are). 

 

*they can be deadly.... Ripping off half your finger in the fast bit of Beethoven 6....(ask me how I know!!!) 

 

I never understood why the bass guitar world hasn't cottoned onto  extensions..? (apart from the odd one or two), they're very handy and have been around and popular for over 60yrs.

(I suppose they'd have to have special strings made for them). 

 

Pic of an extension from Google attached ('cos I can't be arsed to dig out my old one). 

 

Note - much more interestingly in that picture of the jazz player is that his bass is equipped with "in-line planetary geared tuners" - very rare indeed. I belive they were trialled in the '60's... I think I've only ever seen one bass with them on. They did away with the standard geared "Baker" tuners and like a cello / violin used "geared pegs" mounted in the same linear axle. Very clever stuff that didn't catch on. 

This is the first picture I've seen of them. (much more interesting than an extension IMO) 

 

Edited 21 hours ago by Bloopdad1
Just noticed the very rare planetary geared tuning pegs.

[NickA]

I refuse to have such monstrosities bolted to my bass!  Often have to de-tune for orchstra, but my 4/4 bass will go to C before the strings start to slap.   Of course it does mess with fingering and the question of do I go C/D A D G or C G D G and pretend the bottom two strings are a cello!

 

19 hours ago, Bloopdad1 said:

never understood why the bass guitar world hasn't cottoned onto  extensions..?

 

I never understood why the double bass world hasn't cottoned onto detuners.  Quite often a piece comes up that briefly needs a low D or C and it would be good to detune for just part of a symphony etc ... its frowned upon somewhat to re-tune the bass between pieces, let alone between movements or during a long rest!  Extensions and fifth strings are obviously a good way to achieve this,  but a detuner would be neater.