Double Bass Guessing the Age

Hey I’m Samuel, new here to this forum, I study the upright bass at the university in WEIMAR, Germany. I recently acquired a Bass and I fell in love with the sound and the looks of her but always wondered who she really is. We just know she’s Hungarian that’s why the luthier gave her to me relatively cheap (for a double bass, I still payed 6.000€ ) Maybe some of you know something about guessing the age of a double bass and can tell me if she is just made to look old (that’s what I think tbh) or if she might have had a few years. IMG_0307.jpeg
 

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I wonder if she’s older than me
That would depend on how old you are. :)

I'm not a luthier, but @Greg Clinkingbeard is, and I'd tend to believe his assessment. Whatever the age, it looks like a nice used flat back DB.

For fun though, I always look at tuners, not so much because they define the age of the instrument -- they don't -- but because their technology and condition does help define how old the tuners are, and because how they fit makes an interesting statement about the instrument...

The tuners on this instrument do not appear to be the original tuners. They don't match the pressure impression over at least one of the finishes in that area, from at least one generation of previous tuners. That would to me imply that this instrument has been around long enough to have had or needed some work at least in that area.

And that area where the tuners don't fit reveals what appears to be a thick over-coat of finish, more implication that there has been some work at least in that area.

Also, the tuners are of an antique "hat peg" nature, and since they aren't the original tuners, someone put them on this DB, probably either because they had them laying around, or because they preferred them. While not absolutely certain, that would imply to me that someone wanted an antique touch to this instrument.

None of these things identify value, but they do identify characteristics that may add up to a conclusion about age.
 
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Don, you are very kind. There, and have been many people on this forum with much more experience than me. What I see is a nice bass with very few, if any, actual repairs but some artificial aging of the varnish. That, and the machines are meant to look old but the machines should have some pitting and corrosion. Those hat pegs look like they just left the buffing wheel. The scroll and pegbox would have some gouges and wear that just isn’t there. The scratches on the flatback break could have been made with a screwdriver. That’s a common wear area and will often be a different color from ground in dirt or worn off varnish.
Get a mirror in there and see if it has any repairs. The wood should be oxidized fairly dark, and stained in places rather than a uniform color. Old basses usually have dust bunnies rolling around in there and the lower ribs and block are covered in a layer of dust, lint and hide glue runs from seam repairs.
 
I don't want to seem insensitive (though I may be) but if this bass sounds good (or could be made to sound good) I'm afraid everything else seems irrelevent to met. If you are in the business of trading/selling basses etc ( not a dishonorable thing) find out all about this. If you are playing it, make it live up to the best it can be and enjoy it. or... move on.

Skeptic, trying not to be cynic,

Notabene
 
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I don't want to seem insensitive (though I may be) but if this bass sounds good (or could be made to sound good) I'm afraid everything else seems irrelevent to met. If you are in the business of trading/selling basses etc ( not a dishonorable thing) find out all about this. If you are playing it, make it live up to the best it can be and enjoy it. or... move on.

Skeptic, trying not to be cynic,

Notabene
Thanks ! I understand what you want to say and I will definitely not sell it or trade it. I’m just interested in what I’m playing! And like you said I do not care to much about it, it’s just a nice detail to get into and get to know your bass a little better !
 
... it’s just a nice detail to get into and get to know your bass a little better !
Nothing at all wrong with that. And welcome to the forums.

I'm surprised the seller - a luthier - could not have told you more about the bass. Seeing as he had it in his hands, whereas we only have photos. Especially as a 6k euro bass is not exactly cheap.

No label or other marks inside? That "mottled" finish on the front/back is something I do not see often. Looks like an attractive bass. Good on finding one you like! Play the heck out of it and it WILL BE old when you are done with it! :D
 
Although I don’t remember any direct experience with basses like this, I have read that they can be good basses which could probably stand on their own without trying to be something that they aren’t. Some have fake labels and are sold as old Italian instruments at higher prices. That is something we should all agree on as being beyond the pale. Many makers all over the world are good at mimicking wear and making instruments look old. No problem there.
 
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