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A 3-string Contrabass by an anonymous Italian maker. |
Notable is that this instrument was created in the 1600s as a 4-string instrument, and then we "updated" to a 3-string instrument sometime in its life, which remains to this day. It has 4 peg holes, but only 3 brass machine heads. Many basses were converted from 4-strings tuned in 4ths (EADG) to 3 strings tuned in 3rds (frequently ACE) because 18th century technique decayed as composers took the bass from its role as the leader of the "Basso Continuo" (equal in importance to the harpsichord) and reduced it to the most underwritten member of the string family, a role which it clawed its way out of (barely) only in the 20th century. It was truly a dark time for bass playing.
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