What is a Bassettino?

Elegant Bassettino

A new bass instrument bridging cello and double bass.

A New Bass with Many Names

Chamber Bass

Bass Violin

Piccolo Bass

or we call it:

Bassettino

Unique Bassettino

Artisan crafted to create beautiful soundscapes and performances.

Handcrafted

Each instrument is custom designed and handcrafted as a master level instrument. All tailored for musicians' individual needs and preferences.

Discover our innovative Bassettino, a versatile instrument bridging the gap between cello and double bass.

New Innovations

Discover our latest projects in instrument design, including custom endpin and knee rest.

Custom made and fitted hardwood knee rest is part of each instrument’s standard set up. It is similar to the violin shoulder rest. This knee rest prevents the knee from muting the instrument’s back plate for free vibration. This also aids the playing angle. The knee rest is made of hardwood without metal or plastics. Since it is custom fitted to each instrument and held by friction only so the attachment element is made of spruce or similar softwood to interface with the maple back plate

Each Bassettino is fitted both with angled hardwood endpin and with straight or adjustable endpin. This greatly reduces the instrument weight at the playing position. The length of the angled endpin will be custom made to each player’s needs.

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Inspired by the New Violin Family of instruments, Bassettino is a small bass in the size and the range between cello and double bass.

The original concept for Bassettino was initiated by Robert J. Spear of Singing Woods Violin in Ithaca, New York who collaborated with Carleen Hutchins, a pioneer of the New Violin Family of instruments, also known as the Violin Octet, which consists of eight scaled violins. Bassettino is designed as a member of the violin family of instruments with the form and shape of a violin, however with new ideas and innovations. We call it “Bassettino”, a small Bassetto. See the figure below for a general size comparison.

What is a Bassettino?

Bass Violin

Bassettino is a companion instrument to the Small Bass Violin of the Hutchins Violin Octet. However, it is slightly smaller in proportion and tuned in 5th in order to play the harmonic role in tune with the rest of the string ensemble. Bassettino was jointly developed by Singing Woods Violin and L. A. StringWorks based on the knowledge and research compiled by Carleen Hutchins and Robert Spear.