Anthony Houska - Director of The Contrabass Shoppe Ltd

Double Basses all in a row

The Shoppe Workshop with newly completed glass-fibre roof.
Insulation and skylights fitted too!

Scroll of J Haide bass being restrung

Regraduation work in progress © Phoe 2008

Shoppe Workshop

Leon Bosch (with one of our Italian basses) - having given Shoppe director Tony Houska a copy of his newly released CD - "The Russian Double Bass".
Holding Bosch's first two CD's are young talent Ruan Baartman (far right) from South Africa and visiting restorer Jeroen Bruynooghe (far left) from France.

Director Tony Houska with freelance bow consultant Stephen Thomson

Not the Swiss Alps! In early Feb ’09 the UK experience the heaviest snow falls for 18 years. Despite transport being paralyzed Marc Ramirez – principle bass of the Orchestra Gulbenkian Lisboa – showed incredible determination in getting to the Shoppe for his appointment.

Bass guitar player Ian King had his new acoustic bass customised with mother-of-pearl dots. Ian is a band member for various West End shows and has performed with Rick Astley, Sister Sledge, Gloria Gaynor and James Taylor Quartet. Ian is seen here using The Realist Transducer and Schertler Unico Amplifier.

John Parker from Nizlopi (Famed for their No.1 hit single 'JCB') with his new Carbon Fibre Flight case in black

Tony Houska congratulates Marcin Maciejewski on purchasing a J. Haide L'Ancienne bass. Marcin plays with the 'Polska Orkiestra Sinfonia Iuventus', in Poland.

Double Trolley's delivery arriving at The Shoppe

May 09 - Basses loaded and ready to go to the Junior Guildhall Double Bass Day at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, London. The Contrabass Shoppe sponsored the event and the day was enjoyed by the many that participated and attended.

Feb 10 - Fully wrapped to protect from cold & bumps - our superb Neuner & Hornsteiner 5 string bass is all ready to be crated and then flown to its new home in Japan. In height it measures 217cm, in width 87cm!