1939 King Mortone Bass

[mediumsmitty]

Anyone know much about these? I just got it and its beat up but sounds awesome! I would like to eventually get it restored.It plays great but the neck has a few spots in it and the body has some minor repairs.Anyone know if these basses are really worth investing much in?

[MollyKay]

The short answer is yes!

These basses are worth preserving and they are desired by both players and collectors…especially the Rockabilly crowd. The King Bass has a reputation of being a good solid bass and most have aged pretty well (if they were cared for properly). If you are going to keep it and play it, spend some money to make it playable and enjoy it. If you are going to flip it, sell it as is and let the next person decide if it needs “restored” or just a good set up. As far as value, it is worth just what you paid for it.

You can read more about the history of the King Mortone bass and the American Standard bass which came from the same stable here.

http://planetkip.com/history.html

Good luck!

[reedj]

Nice find! King basses are absolutely collectible and worth restoring. Now, how much money you may want to invest will be dependent upon what the bass actually needs to get into shape and how much you paid for it in its current condition. What is the serial number on this one? To me, based on the finish and tailpiece decal it looks newer than a '39, but that doesn't mean much. Regardless of when it was produced it has value. H.N. White basses like Kings and American Standards have a dedicated following (including myself, I have owned a King and three American Standards), because of their rarity and I believe quality. They did have neck joint issues but I feel they are of much better quality than a Kay or any other American plywood, especially early on. I don't sound biased, do I?

[mediumsmitty]

typed wrong

[PaulKing]

1956 sounds right ... amazing condition and wrong details for 1939.
But yes, get it set up and playable, and leave the finish alone.
If the necks still intact, and the tuning keys still there, and you've got the original tailpiece... that's in GOOD condition.
Beat up a bit = played. Mojo. It's not an orchhetra bass, it's a workhorse.
Should be a damn fine bass that'll draw plenty jealous looks from people like me...

You scored a big winner.

[mediumsmitty]

It is playable and sounds great very resonate needs a good set of strings and a better set up strings a bit high for me.All the tuning pegs work neck is a little worn but has never been off the body no issues xcept beat up and it seperated a little in the sides and has been screwed but you can hardly notice it.I actually drove up to Cleveland and bought it in its hometown!

[truckplayer]

Molly Kay..What makes the King a favorite among the Rockabilly players? Do they also favor American Standards?

thanks

[superman]

That is really very good shape for a King,, most of them tend too loose the finnish,,Kings are very good plywood basses,I kick myself for selling one a few yrs ago,, it recorded like a champ,,nice find,Kent

[MollyKay]

Originally Posted by truckplayer

Molly Kay..What makes the King a favorite among the Rockabilly players? Do they also favor American Standards?

thanks

Can’t answer why King Basses get such a following in Rockabilly but I can say I found this YouTube clip over at Rockabilly bass and loved it. This is Willie Dixon playing a King Mortone…sweet!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcqqyL-Y6Go

Slap that thang!

[bass_snake]

Looks great for it' s age. Lucky you!

Fred

[Jake deVilliers]

Originally Posted by truckplayer

Molly Kay..What makes the King a favorite among the Rockabilly players? Do they also favor American Standards?

thanks

Rockabilly players are mostly playing modern King basses heavily constructed to withstand having the guitar player etc stand on them and fitted with special pickups etc.

Their website is gone though their MySpace page is still up at http://www.myspace.com/kingdoublebass

Read about their demise here: Is King Double Bass Gone?

[rusag2]

If I could vote, I'd say please don't "restore" unless absolutely necessary.

Of course, repair, good set up, care for etc. But "restore" hmmm....seems to me that so much of the MoJo of these old bases is in the patina, the tiny imperfections, the bumps and bruises and battle scars.....

Keep 'er in good shape, well set up and well cared for. Stay on top of the little stuff before it becomes big stuff.

And when I see you at a jam somewhere, I'll think "That is one COOL freakin bass!"

Just my $0.02, but after inflation...well, maybe a halfpence?

[Gearhead43]

Originally Posted by Jake deVilliers

Rockabilly players are mostly playing modern King basses heavily constructed to withstand having the guitar player etc stand on them and fitted with special pickups etc.

Their website is gone though their MySpace page is still up at http://www.myspace.com/kingdoublebass

Read about their demise here: Is King Double Bass Gone?

Jake, the HN White King Moretones are prized by Roots music (Country, Rockabilly, Western Swing, Bluegrass etc) players also.

The HN White American Standards are also highly prized.

I think you get more "rockabilly cool points" for playing a Moretone than a King Doublebass. (wait 40 years, then who knows. )

A friend of mine has a Moretone I got to play, and was one of the best sounding and loudest plywood basses I have ever heard.

The downside is the 43 1/2" scale length, which was a bit much for me with my small girly hands.

[kmanley_29649]

So freaking jealous! I love Mortones!

[M Ramsey]

Originally Posted by Jake deVilliers

Rockabilly players are mostly playing modern King basses heavily constructed to withstand having the guitar player etc stand on them and fitted with special pickups etc.

Their website is gone though their MySpace page is still up at http://www.myspace.com/kingdoublebass

Read about their demise here: Is King Double Bass Gone?

Jake mentions the "modern" King basses that ARE definately marketed towards the heavy handed rockabilly players (no dissing of rockabilly, I love it, but it is physical). I became aware of these basses a few years ago, through posts I read here on Talkbass.

Now, to my point. My son, Aaron, bought a mid-50's King Moretone near Columbus, OH, during the summer of 2007 or 2008. A killer sounding bass, but....

....it had been primered and painted black with some fairly wide, white painted-on purfling. So, evidently, some rockabilly player had modified the appearance to his/her preferences. It's in the process of being stripped and refinished, back to a nearer representation of it's original state.

So, maybe there IS some preference of a KING bass within the rockabilly community. I tell you, if the first rockabilly bass cat had a King bass that sounded as good as this one, AFTER is had been painted, we may have a piece of evidence as to why the modern "King" basses attached that same name to their newer products. This one sounds bigger and deeper than it's 2 first cousins, the bigger bodied American Standards, that I own.

[MollyKay]

Originally Posted by M Ramsey

Aaron, bought a mid-50's King Moretone near Columbus, OH, during the summer of 2007 or 2008. A killer sounding bass, but...This one sounds bigger and deeper than it's 2 first cousins, the bigger bodied American Standards, that I own.

Agreed…My 1935 King Bass has a big, deep, bottom end tone. I love to play this bass as I can feel it in my bones when I play it. And I LOVE the dark original color of the bass…however…my King Bass has a thick neck. Much thicker then any of my AS basses. So while I love my King it takes some adjusting in my playing to move around the neck.

I get more inquires about my King Bass from Rockabilly and Jazz players then any other bass I own. That was the root of my earlier comment about Rockabilly players like King Basses. And yes modern day King and vintage King are apples and oranges…there is no comparison other then the name.