Cremona question

kmanley_29649 · #1 04-01-2010, 07:27 AM

Before you all jump down my throat, I know modern Cremonas are crap. I've been playing DB for a couple years, so I'm not a "newbie." However, I found on Chraigslist what the seller claims to be a Cremona from the 70's for $900. Was there a Cremona brand that actually made some decent basses that got shipped over to China to make cheaper (both monetarilly and structurally) basses? Or is this bass being falsely advertised? I'm really curious about this bass, as I don't think I've heard anyone mention older Cremonas.

drurb · #2 04-01-2010, 08:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kmanley_29649

Before you all jump down my throat, I know modern Cremonas are crap. I've been playing DB for a couple years, so I'm not a "newbie." However, I found on Chraigslist what the seller claims to be a Cremona from the 70's for $900. Was there a Cremona brand that actually made some decent basses that got shipped over to China to make cheaper (both monetarilly and structurally) basses? Or is this bass being falsely advertised? I'm really curious about this bass, as I don't think I've heard anyone mention older Cremonas.

Have no fear-- no throat jumping when reasonable (as in non-trolling) questions are asked and reasonable comments are made. A number of makers might have named some of their models "Cremona" or referenced Cremona on their labels to invoke the instrument-making history of that location. So the bass may have been made by some, as yet, unidentified maker. Can you provide the listing? Are there pictures?

kmanley_29649 · #3 04-01-2010, 08:15 AM

http://greenville.craigslist.org/msg/1662925768.html
There were pictures when it was first posted, but I guess he didn't feel like adding them when it was reposted.

The same guy was selling a King Mortone for $1000, and said he'd send some pictures to me, but I never heard back from him, so someone must have swiped it out from under me.

Steve Swan · #4 04-01-2010, 08:20 AM

I worked for the owner of Saga Musical Instruments (distributor of Cremona schtuff) in two capacitites over the years, managing his retail store in San Francisco 1982-84 and then as an inside sales guy for Saga 1986-88. There weren't any Cremona brand basses being sold in the 1970s. There were a few batches of Romanian made solid, hybrid, and plywood basses sold in the early to mid-1980s. These can be pretty good. I've never thought that any of the chinese made Cremonas were worth the cardboard shipping cartons that they arrive in.

There are some amazing doublebasses coming out of china these days, but none with a Cremona label so far. It kills me because the warehouse is 3 miles from my shop. If they were any good, I'd be there once a week picking out replacement stock. I have challenged Saga to bring me samples of new models or "improved" versions of old models that would be up to my quality standards. They haven't attempted to show up at my back door with one yet.

drurb · #5 04-01-2010, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kmanley_29649

http://greenville.craigslist.org/msg/1662925768.html
There were pictures when it was first posted, but I guess he didn't feel like adding them when it was reposted.

The same guy was selling a King Mortone for $1000, and said he'd send some pictures to me, but I never heard back from him, so someone must have swiped it out from under me.

The fact that he listed it as a "bluegrass machine," posted with no pictures, and never responded to you does not bode well. I simply don't know if the current Cremonas have a lineage that goes back to the '70s. I'm hoping someone else will chime in with that answer.

Edit-- Ah, I see Steve swooped in with the answer.