CHARACTERISTICS OF THE INSTRUMENTS M.stro Luigi Ottaviani creates d/basses with 4 o 5 strings (or chords), and with flat or bowed bottom. Each part of the whole work is entirely handcrafted. The valuable woods employed, are of very high quality and sonority. The harmonic surfaces (or upper sound box) are made with red fire-wood from Val di Fiemme, the handle with maple wood and bottom and side with flaming maple or marbled poplar. They are entirely varnished with about 50 coats of brush-painting. The unique of his own work is mainly represented by the curl with a tight neck, the spiral (volute) deeply carved and the rear of the ankle support (cavigliere) drop – shaped; the relief of the “F” are very marked and in the “B” model the shape is drawned from the diapason (or vibrating chord) depending on the model, is between 103 and 106.

For What concerns the flat bottom double-bass M.stro Luigi Ottaviani ha conceived an exclusive model, which particular construction has given acoustic results very close to the bowed ones. Infact he builds them following rules as: 22 cm wide the sides (max. to the metal point), the bottom (cornered in the upper side)

hasn’t the same thickness on the whole surface (as usually is in the flat one) but goes instead from a lighter thickness all around the bottom to become thicker where the soul is based exactly as it normally is for the bowed bottomed D-B, as it for the transverses wich are all four subtle at the external to become thicher at the center. The D-basses built by M.stro Ottaviani have finally a dark and powerful voice (due to the low harmonics that stay longer in the sound box), their emission is easy and they sound good either in orchestra either for soloist.

As far as concerns the restoring of the instruments he adopts a rather philological method expecially for ancient ones to whom he keeps all peculiarity and makes them comfortable to play with modern technique despite the fact they were originally made to be three strings and making changes that are never irreversible. Maestro Ottaviani is considered one of the Europe most expert in ancient and modern double-basses.