Hieronymus Amati II, Cremona ca 1680

This is unquestionably one of the World’s finest basses both from the point of view of beauty and sound. It is of robust size though it is quite playable.

It has a beautiful and focused quality sound from the bottom to the top and responds like a dream. Dendrochronology shows that the youngest grain of wood in the 5 planks that make up the front dates from 1674 so although the label is from Nicolo Amati , the instrument has to be from the time (1670-1684) when Hieronimus II made the instruments using his father’s labels.

It’s a rare treat to have such a top bass around.