JIM'S
MAGGINI DOUBLE BASS

Gagnon/Maggini Upright (Double) Bass

This is Jim's main acoustic upright bass. He refers to the bass as 'Grammah', and on the Brothers Creeggan site, he informs that he got it when he was 17. He also says it's '7/8's and 3/5's with reclining bucket seats'. Now, the seats line is a joke (I hope). As for the numbers, 7/8ths is a bass size - one of the larger sizes. I'm not sure what the 3/5's refers to. The bass usually has a pouch for his bow attached to the bridge. The bass has a Fishman BP-100 upright bass pickup installed on the bridge, with a B-II outboard pre-amp. The bass was designed by Montrealler Jacques Gagnon based on a design (supposedly c.1625) by Giovanni Paolo Maggini, and built by master woodworkers in the Philippines. (this one supposedly dates to 1600 and is probably similar). Jim's bass dates to 1988. Back in older days (c. MYSD) he outfitted it with a Wilson WW bridge pickup with a Fishman B pre-amp (probably before the B-II was created). Jim wasn't happy with the response that the pickup gave him when bowing. The new Fishman pickup is probably an improvement in that respect. This is one of the reasons he pickuped up a Zeta Bass around that time.