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05-19-2011, 05:35 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Glasgow, Scotland | | | Help ID this bass - unusual f-holes, over 200 years old (?) Origin?
Hello,
Could anyone help me with some info/opinions on this bass. The seller doesn't seem to have much info, but says it underwent restoration 7 years ago.
Anyone any idea of origin/age? The seller reckons it's Italian and over 200 years old. But, of course, he would hope for that, wouldn't he! He he.
I've never seen those type of f-holes before - any ideas?
Thanks,
Douglas.
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05-19-2011, 05:36 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Glasgow, Scotland | | | more photos |
05-19-2011, 05:38 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Glasgow, Scotland | | | even more photos |
05-19-2011, 05:40 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Glasgow, Scotland | | | still more photos |
05-19-2011, 06:27 AM
| | AES Fine Instruments | | Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Brewster, NY, USA | | | That is absolutely German. The shape, scroll, angle break in the back, and other features are pretty unmistakable. The attached f-holes were something Abraham Prescott and other U.S. Yankee makers did in the early 19th century. My guess is that the top may have been replaced, and made by someone who was enamored with those Prescott-style f-holes. Nothing Italian about it at all. |
05-19-2011, 06:38 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Glasgow, Scotland | | | My hunch was German, if only for the outline. Also, wondered why the front seemed at odds with the ribs/back. A replacement top would make sense. Considering the condition and patchy restoration, I'm guessing it can't be worth more than 6000 USD. |
05-19-2011, 08:26 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Dallas, Texas | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by douglas81 My hunch was German, if only for the outline. Also, wondered why the front seemed at odds with the ribs/back. A replacement top would make sense. Considering the condition and patchy restoration, I'm guessing it can't be worth more than 6000 USD. | The real question is, how does it play?
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Originally Posted by carlos840 Post less, search more! | |
05-19-2011, 09:10 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Minneapolis, MN | | Quote:
Originally Posted by douglas81  My hunch was German, if only for the outline. Also, wondered why the front seemed at odds with the ribs/back. A replacement top would make sense. Considering the condition and patchy restoration, I'm guessing it can't be worth more than 6000 USD. | 6000 might be selling it quite a bit short if all the repairs are quality and the (probably) replaced top is well made. If it is a nice sounding and playing instrument some would probably pay more.
How big is it? What is the string length? |
05-19-2011, 07:44 PM
|  | Supporting Member
Luthier: Bresque Basses, rep: Paulin EUB | | Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Sydney, Australia | | | Interesting case!
Looks like a long string length, judging by the previous bridge position marks high up on the belly. Unless someone was trying to make it look older than it is.
Visible evidence of the recent restoration would be the new back brace. The top and back repairs look well executed, but I wonder why choose such a badly-matching wood for the back and the lower top bout? Looks like the purfling has been replaced across that back repair, but if I was going to that much trouble, i'd try to match the repair a little better than that. Unless I was trying to make it look older than it is.
Could this be the work of a clever Hungarian? |
05-19-2011, 10:24 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Toronto | | | I'm thinking "clever Hungarian" as well. If the top were a replacement, and presumably newer, why such heavy antiquing? Seems to be screaming "I'm old; really, really old!"
Likewise, the repairs seem designed to highlight the new/ "old" contrast.
Paul / Eh_train |
05-19-2011, 10:32 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Toronto | | | Just re-read the OP, and this also makes me pause: "The seller doesn't seem to have much info".
I know the pics aren't great quality, but if you check the one of the back it seems rather pristine for a truly old bass. Except for the one repair, which seems like an unusual angle for a bit of damage... |
05-20-2011, 06:26 AM
| | AES Fine Instruments | | Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Brewster, NY, USA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Matthew Tucker Interesting case!
Could this be the work of a clever Hungarian? | The "clever Hungarians" don't fake Germanic instruments. They have much higher aspirations. |
05-20-2011, 06:56 AM
|  | Musical Anarchist | | Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Sutton, MA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by arnoldschnitzer The "clever Hungarians" don't fake Germanic instruments. They have much higher aspirations. | Maybe these ones are extra clever . . .  |
05-20-2011, 07:11 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Western Canada | | | or clever hungarian apprentices... |
05-20-2011, 08:04 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: central Florida | | | Haha
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I rest my gig bag (can't afford a case)
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05-20-2011, 09:15 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Glasgow, Scotland | | | Thanks for all your interesting thoughts. The buyer is asking for $14000, which seems like too much me. I haven't tried it out yet, but I'll see if I can... it's quite local. |  | Thread Tools | Search this Thread | | | | 
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