History
The first "King Mortone" double bass appeared in 1934 when H. N. White decided to make a string bass instrument with the same care and attention as was put into making a brass bass instrument. The string bass's fronts were made from the finest straight grain spruce with very close grain quality, while the rest of the instrument was made of curly maple. Each bass was equipped with an improved geared key mechanism, ensuring rigidity and sensitive tuning. The H. N. White Company claimed that each "King string bass has a greater volume of tone, and carries the vibrations over a longer period of time, than any other string bass...." During the Second World war production had stopped but by this point approximately 1200 basses had been made. In 1946 production resumed and continued steadily until 1965 when the string department of H. N. White was sold to Kay Double Basses. By this point approximately 5000 basses had been made. When Kay had control of King Mortone Basses they stopped production and used the factories to make Kay Double Basses.
"King Mortone" basses are often considered the some of the finest double basses for jazz ever to have been made especially for the slap bass style.
Read more about this topic: King Mortone
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