Brazilian bass

[joereda]

This is a laminate bass and I certainly don't need this info. I am curious about this bass however, since no one I know of has one. The label reads (underscored where it's torn);
____ DE INTRUMENTOS MUSICAIS E ARTISTICOS
Daniel Benvenuti & Jemaos
RUA VOLUNTARIOS DA PATRIA 1902
Sao Paulo
Indu_____ Brasileira

I did a little internet searching and got worn out. Anyone?

Thanks,

Joe

[mje]

I'm wondering if perhaps that isn't an importer's label, and what you have is an early German laminate bass.

[joereda]

Originally Posted by mje

I'm wondering if perhaps that isn't an importer's label, and what you have is an early German laminate bass.

Maybe. Check out the tuners.

[joereda]

Originally Posted by KSB - Ken Smith

If made in Europe and not in Brazil my guess would be eastern Europe like Hungary or Czech but 1902 could be the guy bought the parts from eastern europe to make the bass. Plywood I didn't think went back that far in Basses.

I don't know that 1902 is the year it was built. There was a place on the label for the Data(date) to be filled in but it was left blank. I would have posted a pic of the label, but I haven't been able to get a good one. Any tips.

Joe

[Steve Swan]

Those tuners have a wacky Italian vibe to them, reminding me of some of the crazy now-collectible 1960s Italian Wandre electric guitars with their incredibly strange tuners and other parts. Is the scroll mahogany? That might also suggest a guitar connection, though I've heard of some Central American and Mexican basses that were made with mahogany. Very interesting and fun to guess about. Thanks for the photos!

Steve Swan

[Grimlock]

Originally Posted by joereda

____ DE INTRUMENTOS MUSICAIS E ARTISTICOS
Daniel Benvenuti & Jemaos
RUA VOLUNTARIOS DA PATRIA 1902
Sao Paulo
Indu_____ Brasileira

I'm guessing the first missing word would be "FABRICA" and the complete second word would be "INDUSTRIA". I'm thinking that it might actually say, "Daniel Benvenuti & Irmaos", which would translate to:

"ARTISTIC AND MUSICAL INTRUMENT FACTORY
Daniel Benvenuti & Brothers
1902 PATRIOT VOLUNTEERS STREET
Sao Paulo
Brazillian Industry"

I went to Google Brazil, and I couldn't find anything at all regarding this company. I did manage to find an ad on a Brazillian type of eBay that was selling a "Benvenuti Contra-Baixo".

http://www.balcao.com/detalle.aspx?i...1340901&Tipo=4

I think Benvenuti went out of business...

Benvenuti is an Italian name, so if the tuners have an "Italian vibe", then it's possible that an Italian luthier emigrated to Brazil. many Itallians moved to Brazil, especially after WWII.

[Grimlock]

...so, 1902 would be part of the street address.

If you can't take a pic of the serial number, maybe you can just write down what it say, and I can try to make some sense of it.

[joereda]

Thanks for the info. I haven't found a serial #. I believe the date on the label was in pencil and has disappeared. It's possible it says Irmaos rather than Jemaos. Its a cursive font. There is a line over the "a".

Thanks again,

Joe

Originally Posted by Grimlock

...so, 1902 would be part of the street address.

If you can't take a pic of the serial number, maybe you can just write down what it say, and I can try to make some sense of it.

[bribass]

Originally Posted by joereda

Thanks for the info. I haven't found a serial #. I believe the date on the label was in pencil and has disappeared. It's possible it says Irmaos rather than Jemaos. Its a cursive font. There is a line over the "a".

Thanks again,

Joe

Try asking Paulo Gomes. http://www.paulogomes.com.br/
He is a master luthier in San Paolo, Brazil and is a great guy. He has supplied basses to myself and many noted bassists when they perform there and is an expert on all things Brazilian bass related. His english however, is so-so. Your bass looks a little like a Brazilian instr. that I played, Sizau Machado owns it in San Paolo. It had a mahagony neck and scroll.
good luck, BG

[joereda]

Thanks for the info!