Czech Pawn Shop Prize

basskrazee · #1 11-12-2007, 01:46 PM

Hey everybody! I'm new to the forum, I found it last night while researching information about this Czech bass I just purchased from a local pawn shop. I have 2 other basses, this is my first carved bass and I don't know much about it. I'd like to find out more information about the maker, approximately how old it may be, and how much it may be worth. Attached are some pictures of the label inside, the neat tuning gears, the back (it's a little beat up), and the front. I'm really excited to have it and can't wait to learn more about it!!

Thanks in advance for your time.
- Erin

gkbass13 · #2 11-12-2007, 01:48 PM

ooooh, im always jealous of nice pawnshop finds....mind telling what you paid for it?

basskrazee · #3 11-12-2007, 01:49 PM

Here's more pics. Forgot to mention it's a flatback.

basskrazee · #4 11-12-2007, 01:52 PM

I paid $1800, I feel extremely lucky.

jimmyduded · #5 11-12-2007, 02:10 PM

its a great bass man, hows it sound?

basskrazee · #6 11-12-2007, 02:16 PM

It sounds so great, whoever had it before had it set up really nice. It has definitely been played, it's nice and loud, responds quickly and easily, and has a warm dark tone. Darker tone than my King bass I use for bluegrass.

KSB - Ken Smith · #7 11-12-2007, 02:35 PM

This Bass was made after 1918 (WWI) because of the of the Country name 'Czechoslovakia'. Most likely made before WWII but can't be sure. The tuners look French and are probably not original to that Bass.

Nice looking Bass, enjoy..

Greg Clinkingbeard · #8 11-12-2007, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by basskrazee

It sounds so great, whoever had it before had it set up really nice. It has definitely been played, it's nice and loud, responds quickly and easily, and has a warm dark tone. Darker tone than my King bass I use for bluegrass.

I considered buying a bass that looked similar to yours, although it wasn't as old as yours looks to be. It also sounded dark, but the tone carried well. The price on it was $4k so I think you did quite well.

Silversorcerer · #9 11-12-2007, 04:45 PM

Doesn't the label say anno 1921??

I know it also says Antonius Stradivarius, etc., but the 1921 part is probably true and confirms Ken's analysis.

kurt muroki · #10 11-12-2007, 05:00 PM

very good price! definitely a find.

drurb · #11 11-12-2007, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silversorcerer

Doesn't the label say anno 1921??

I know it also says Antonius Stradivarius, etc., but the 1921 part is probably true and confirms Ken's analysis.

It looks to me like 1721 on the label. Of course, it's not that old.

Silversorcerer · #12 11-12-2007, 11:35 PM

I guess it is from that period late in Antonio's life when he briefly lived in modern day Czechoslovakia and made basses?

It's a good looking bass whenever it was made.

drurb · #13 11-13-2007, 06:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silversorcerer

I guess it is from that period late in Antonio's life when he briefly lived in modern day Czechoslovakia and made basses?...

Why is there no time-travel forum here?

Ken McKay · #14 11-13-2007, 07:35 AM

Some factories, for example Roth in Germany, coded quality with the strad year.

KSB - Ken Smith · #15 11-13-2007, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken McKay

Some factories, for example Roth in Germany, coded quality with the strad year.

Why bother? Strad never made any Basses. Why use a name that has nothing to do with the instrument? I think it cheapens the image of the Bass. If it is truly an Italian copy (and rarely any German/Czech shop Basses ever are) then put on the label what it is copied from. My Bisiach labeled Bass says 'Modello Vincenzo Corain'. that is an honest attempt from my point of view. The only problem with that is that only the Scroll is from Corain while the Bass itself is a Rossi copy. The other problem is that most doubt the Bisiach of being Italian at all despite the Italian Scroll and that the Bass was shipped here from a famous shop in Italy.

I would prefer to see no model listed on a label unless it's an actual copy or attempt to copy rather than just throwing out a famous name.

basskrazee · #16 11-13-2007, 09:11 AM

Wow, I didn't know a label could tell so much (or NOT tell so much) about a bass' origin. I definitely knew it wasn't from 1721, and that Stradivarius never made basses. Why can't the maker just say what it is and when he made it? I agree Ken, that I'd rather see the real info, even if it is a copy, rather than some famous name.
Thanks for all the input, this is a great source of knowledge!

KSB - Ken Smith · #17 11-13-2007, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by basskrazee

Wow, I didn't know a label could tell so much (or NOT tell so much) about a bass' origin. I definitely knew it wasn't from 1721, and that Stradivarius never made basses. Why can't the maker just say what it is and when he made it? I agree Ken, that I'd rather see the real info, even if it is a copy, rather than some famous name.
Thanks for all the input, this is a great source of knowledge!

My point exactly on the 'why'. We see so many nice Basses from all over the world leaving us to guess what it is, who made it and when it was made. I know for a fact that many instruments went unlabeled to avoid paying taxes and many were falsely labeled to fetch a higher price. The Basses from Eastern Europe, Bohemia, Hungary and Romania are often very well made basses. These can be recently made or 20-50-100 years or even more. If the names were in there, they would develop a sense of value on the market and give praise to the better Basses or better makers. many dealers however remove labels from either lesser basses to sell them as something better or remove good labels to put into a lesser instrument to sell it for more.

The Violin business is not much better than the Bass business. The main difference there is the sizes are close to standard whereas with Bass, they can be anything from just above the size of a cello to something only a giant might play.

Interesting game we have here. Enter the 'dark side' and you may never return....

MT Spaces · #18 11-13-2007, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by basskrazee

I paid $1800, I feel extremely lucky.

Awesome Score Erin

! Gotta love those pawn shops. My first bass was a $700 "pawn-shop special" .... a '64 Kay S-1. Needed some TLC but after my luthier worked her magic on it, it sounds great.

P.S. When are you and The Billys gonna make it up to Montana again? Hearing you play with Hit & Run Bluegrass and Uncle Earl back in the "good ole days" was an inspiration to me as a beginning upright bass player. Have fun with the new Czech

.

P.S.S. I referenced your post here over at BlueGrass Bass Place ... you may want to check it out:
http://www.bluegrassbassplace.com/ . There are a lot of good bluegrass bass folks over there. Drop in sometime and show pictures of your basses.

bassplayer57 · #19 11-16-2007, 05:37 PM

OMG.... My Bass has the exact same label in it.... Here are some pics. Mine is a roundback too, though. Oh, and I payed $1500 for mine.

John_Madere · #20 01-13-2011, 09:27 PM

I'll use my first post to resurrect this thread. I just bought a Czech bass with the same label the OP found. I bought it with the intention of using it strictly for jazz. When I brought it home, I realized that it sounded better than my classical bass that cost a whole lot more. I was kind of skeptical of buying the bass with the clearly incorrect label. This thread helped push me over the edge and I'm glad I did. Anybody want to buy my other bass?