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10-25-2005, 04:42 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Atlanta, GA USA | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by KSB - Ken Smith I got mine this last February 2005. I agree they are good enough makers to sell on their own merits if they just stop making these fakes which fools no one except a few and even then the prices are lower than modern German Basses and often in the mid-upper Chinese range. With restoration they are 15-20k Basses as far as the newer stuff goes.
The Hungarians made great Instruments in the 18th and 19th century following the Italians like the Viennese did. The Basses were usually Gamba shaped from Vienna but Hungry did make some Basses in the Violin/Italian outline as well. Perhaps the 20th century cold war has suppressed their self confidence or they need to fake the age to get the price in the competitive world we now live in...?? | Two of the best sounding basses on the local jazz circuit here (Atlanta) are Hungarian instruments. According to the players, both were known to be such when purchased. One looks to be 50 or so years old, has violin corners, has some actual damage (broken handle) recently repaired, and the other one is obviously new with a very nice oil finish and is gamba shaped but like a very very early gamba with the C bouts coming in very sharp and sickle like. Like I said, both basses sound excellent and neither owner had any complaints about them. I think the first was around 7K, purchased in NYC, and the gamba one I don't know, but these have earned my respect for Hungarian makers.
Still, after hearing all of what you went through to get that 5-er up and running, I'm glad I just bought one of the Bulgarian Georgiev 5-string basses from Gollihur. The materials aren't fancy, but this thing is built extremely well. No separations anywhere by my inspections with a mirror. Who knows if the tops been off or not. I thought that it was pretty common in fine tuning a new instrument to remove the top a couple of times to tweak the graduation. Nearly bone-white wood on the interior with very neatly fitted liners and cleats only where the 4 piece back is joined. Just looks like the Bulgarian maker was honestly making a new carved bass with a high level of skill demonstrated. No construction flaws deliberate or accidental. It's reassuring that you can still find that at a reasonable price. If you remember I ordered that in Feb 2005 and recieved it along with shop authentication papers about 6 weeks later. It's opened up wonderfully and I finally have the bridge and FB tweaked and it really sounds fine. Imagine if this guy "antiqued" them what he could pillage.
Glad to see that yours has successfully come through the transition, Ken. Arnold has created some treasures for you. In this case it is like an A.S. bass with just the wood being Hungarian. It really is beautiful.
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10-25-2005, 06:14 PM
| | Banned
Owner: Ken Smith Basses, Ltd. | | Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Perkasie, PA USA | | | German?
Quote: |
Originally Posted by LouisF | That Bass has a 100% eastern European look whether it be Hungary, Vienna or Prague. You have to open them up to really tell the age.
Silver, thx for the vote. I liked the tone when it was falling apart believe it or not. I could just imagine if I just did a set-up and glued the seams what might have happened if I played it for awhile without having it restored right away. One never knows.. Glad to hear Bob's Bass is working out for you. The only one I ever played was Don Zs and it was not my cup of tea. I am sure yours is a later and better made Bass from what you are telling us. It is hard to get a great Bass for a low price. My Morelli is half Schnitzer as well as my 5er having his touch but the Morelli had about 90 years to age.
Last edited by KSB - Ken Smith : 10-25-2005 at 06:16 PM.
Reason: typos
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10-25-2005, 06:29 PM
| | Banned
Owner: Ken Smith Basses, Ltd. | | Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Perkasie, PA USA | |  Same bass?
Quote: |
Originally Posted by LouisF | This looks just like Adrian’s new Bass; http://www.talkbass.com/forum/attach...chmentid=24684
The C bout curve, lower and upper bout shape and the upper arch curve that steeply flattens towards the edge is the same. Same Hungarian maker to my eye now that I compare them. FF holes almost 100% the same except more fluting in the lower tabs in the older looking Bass. |
10-25-2005, 07:26 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Atlanta, GA USA | | | Those two definitely look like brethren. The lower bout on that new Hungarian Gamba I mentioned was very rounded, almost circular like the lower bouts on these "twins". It was a largish 3/4 bass and the hooked C bouts set it apart from the shape of these, but it had much of that same proportioning of the bouts and similar shoulders also. I think that old gamba shape is so gorgeous.
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10-25-2005, 08:47 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Ontario, Canada | | I wonder why they look the same  |
10-25-2005, 09:51 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Atlanta, GA USA | | | Joker in every deck
Quote: |
Originally Posted by Adrian Juras I wonder why they look the same | I bet you do, don't you! 
Funny how they are both in the same geography too. Gotta wonder what's the chance of that?
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10-25-2005, 10:57 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Los Angeles, CA | | | Well, Adrian I think you're a lucky soandso! I did have my eye on it. Just couldn't get up north until after the New Year. Congrats.
Louis |
10-26-2005, 04:12 AM
| | Banned
Owner: Ken Smith Basses, Ltd. | | Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Perkasie, PA USA | | why?
Quote: |
Originally Posted by Adrian Juras I wonder why they look the same | It seems like Canada is the 'new Hungary' as so many of these Basses end up there for sale. It must be easier for customs or maybe the families living there are connected to these Antiquing shops.. Hungarian Bass mafia? Who knows......?? |
10-26-2005, 07:01 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Ontario, Canada | | | Ken, I wish I knew.....I have no idea where all of these Hungarian basses are coming from or where they are being imported. From what I understand a good deal of them are being sold out of Toronto. Most of them are good instruments though. |
10-26-2005, 07:22 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Ontario, Canada | | | One other thing...I don't believe that my bass is the same one in that picture. Certainly the same model, but I doubt the exact same bass. There are different markings on it, and you can definitely see a difference in the F holes. I don't know any more about it other than that it sounds good! |
10-26-2005, 07:55 AM
| | Banned
Owner: Ken Smith Basses, Ltd. | | Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Perkasie, PA USA | | Different Bass..
Quote: |
Originally Posted by Adrian Juras One other thing...I don't believe that my bass is the same one in that picture. Certainly the same model, but I doubt the exact same bass. There are different markings on it, and you can definitely see a difference in the F holes. I don't know any more about it other than that it sounds good! | Yes, yours IS a different Bass BUT the same model and maker. That is what I meant by SAME. Not exactly the same but same maker. The FF hole tabs are different on each Bass as is the Varnish and Antiquing. That is fairly evident. These Hungarians seem to make these without a mold sometimes so they look older because of the twisting and inconsistencies within each Bass. |
10-26-2005, 08:36 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Oshawa, Ontario, Canada | | | They look like the inspiration for the Czech Ease.
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11-09-2005, 03:36 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Ontario, Canada | | | Well I have had quite a bit of work done to the bass and it is playing/sounding excellent. It turns out that the top of this bass is from a much older instrument. The back and sides are newer. I am quite pleased with it so far. It has opened up considerably since I had purchased it. |
11-09-2005, 09:13 PM
| | Banned
Owner: Ken Smith Basses, Ltd. | | Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Perkasie, PA USA | | | Top is older?
Quote: |
Originally Posted by Adrian Juras Well I have had quite a bit of work done to the bass and it is playing/sounding excellent. It turns out that the top of this bass is from a much older instrument. The back and sides are newer. I am quite pleased with it so far. It has opened up considerably since I had purchased it. | Adrian, what makes you think the top is older? The Top being a spruce/fir/pine or whatever, is softer, seems to age quicker and is easier to antique. The Top of my Hungarian looks older as well. Remember, these guys in Hungary are some of the best Antiquers in the world. Remove the top, scrape away the colored stain they use to make it look oxidized and you will see fresh white wood. |
11-10-2005, 08:00 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Ontario, Canada | | | It is older Ken. The bassbar was replaced at one time and you can see inside where an old bar crack has been closed and cleated. The wood is old. The picture on the Reidstra site is also the same bass that I have as it turns out. |
11-15-2005, 06:54 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Denver, Co. | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by LouisF | Does this bass have those Vienese, for lack of a better word: humps on the back players-side?
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11-15-2005, 07:22 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Ontario, Canada | | | Do you mean on the Scroll Paul? I can take a few more pictures. I am very happy with the instrument so far. It has really opened up and has a nice mature tone. |
11-15-2005, 07:57 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Denver, Co. | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Paul Warburton Does this bass have those Vienese, for lack of a better word: humps on the back players-side? | It's a wooden support that's glued on the back/rib down low so the player can support the bass with his/knee.
I swear it's true, Adrian.
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