hoping someone may have info about my bass and possibly it's maker if possible. Apparently made in the 1800's. Bought in Europe
Thanks
Thanks
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Double Bass Can anyone help identifying my bass? No maker sticker on inside.
- Thread starter James Frang
- Start date
It's definitely not a Fender.
Can you shoot more photos in lots of natural light? The fora will need to see good shots of the ff-holes, neck heel in profile, back button, scroll button and the scroll and pegbox in profile in order to hazard a decent guess.
Think mugshots. Nothing arty, just clear workmanlike photographs.
Can you shoot more photos in lots of natural light? The fora will need to see good shots of the ff-holes, neck heel in profile, back button, scroll button and the scroll and pegbox in profile in order to hazard a decent guess.
Think mugshots. Nothing arty, just clear workmanlike photographs.
Jake deVilliers
Commercial User
- May 24, 2006
- 6,349
- 599
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- Owner of The Bass Spa, String Repairman at Long & McQuade Vancouver
Upper bout 27 1/4
Lower bout 21 1/4
Ribs 14 1/2
All around depth 8 1/4
It's a 7/8 size bass
I'd call it Germanic, maybe Czech. It's had lots of work, good and bad, judging by the new back brace(s) and overlaid button graft. Maybe more recent than 19th Century considering the machines have bronze grips brazed to iron shafts, and I don't see any scars that show me they're replacements.
Identifying a specific maker or shop is above my pay grade.
Identifying a specific maker or shop is above my pay grade.
Thanks for your evaluation expertise. Someone very reputable in Italy had a quick look at it and even though he told me that he would have to take it in to his shop to have a closer look, he kind of hinted that it could be a Tyrolean bass around mid 1800's. if only I had brought it to his shop, today I would have the whole history of the instrument. He is also an expert on all the Cremona built instruments I forgot to mention that a friend of mine in Italy who plays and builds and restores basses put a few new braces inside and fixed up some old cracks, so that might explain you noticing the newer braces?
P.S.
I took a closer look at the machines and to me it looks like they may not be the original ones since I seem to see scars of possibly some other machines having been on this bass before these.
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Oh, please, don't inadvertently insult the experts by politely implying that I know what I'm looking at.
There's a lot of funny business in the business of violin family instruments, so it can be tough to know who to believe. I don't think your bass has anything in common with what is referred to as a "Tyrolean" bass. It's too carefully made. That doesn't mean it wasn't made in that province. Confused yet?
And I can't see much in the tuning machine photo you posted. Digital photography is great in many ways, but I miss the manual focus on my old Pentax every time the automatic features on the digicam try to focus on the wrong damn thing.
There's a lot of funny business in the business of violin family instruments, so it can be tough to know who to believe. I don't think your bass has anything in common with what is referred to as a "Tyrolean" bass. It's too carefully made. That doesn't mean it wasn't made in that province. Confused yet?
And I can't see much in the tuning machine photo you posted. Digital photography is great in many ways, but I miss the manual focus on my old Pentax every time the automatic features on the digicam try to focus on the wrong damn thing.
This looks to me like wood has been replaced. Not a scroll graft exactly; more like removing damaged wood to replace with stable wood.
Yes your words of wisdom are very confusing. First you say it's a Czech bass and now it's worth a fortune. Thanks
Haaaaaaaaaa !!!
Okay, I take back what I said earlier. I just noticed that the photo is of the E string side. I think the extra tuner would normally be added on the G string side in a 3 string to four string conversion. Never mind
Or it might get a different neck in such conversion. The new button seems odd though: how does that grain run? Can't quite see. Do I see dowels going sideways into the heel? Anyway, if it got another neck, the width does not appear to have changed.
I realise it had new bracing, and while it appears a nice instrument, from this information I can neither corroborate nor negate the quoted age. Your reputable Italian connection saw the thing up close, so his judgement should be most reliable anyway. To me, with this info, it may give a somewhat younger impression though.
I realise it had new bracing, and while it appears a nice instrument, from this information I can neither corroborate nor negate the quoted age. Your reputable Italian connection saw the thing up close, so his judgement should be most reliable anyway. To me, with this info, it may give a somewhat younger impression though.