Hungarian Upright Info

[david3821]

Hi All,

Let me start off by saying I am mainly an electric player and this is my first post on the double bass side of talkbass . I own what I think is a vintage Hungarian carved bass. I bought it off a widow a few years back after her husband died. I was wondering if anyone could give me any information on the make/model/price range. I am kinda thinking about selling it to help finance a business that I am starting. I've played plenty of Kay's, a few crappy lower end basses, and some more expensive carved basses. This bass has a great big clear tone and sounds as good or better than the best uprights I've played before.

I believe both the front and back are carved. The fingerboard is ebonized. So most likely a maple with a coating/coloring? The inside label says "Made In Hungary" and either says 53125 or 53/25.

Any information as to make/model/era/general price range these might sell for would be greatly appreciated!

[TDAN]

Not a lot of info about Hungarian basses out there. I have a Hungarian ply bass from +/- 1970. It has a similar shape to your bass and the tuners, label, and the bracing under the label look pretty similar as well. Mine has an ebonized fingerboard but it is hard maple or some other wood, very different feel than the CCB fingerboards I have seen.

I don't know much about market value but if your bass is similar to mine it is a well built (but a little on the heavy side) plywood bass with a solid thump and nice overall sound. A lot depends on professional set up. A playable instrument with a dressed fingerboard, functional endpin, correct string spacing, etc, is worth more.

I would ask an expert to take a look at it in person and give you some real answers but my uneducated vote would be to keep it and play it if you like the sound. Prolly not going to make a mint selling it.

[robobass]

Originally Posted by TDAN

.. keep it and play it if you like the sound. Prolly not going to make a mint selling it.

+1.

[david3821]

Not really looking to make a fortune...I was thinking it was probably worth in the $1500-2500 range...

[TroyK]

I could be wrong, but it looks to me like the back might be plywood. So it may be a hybrid bass, which there's nothing wrong with, but it could be relevant on your overall question.

Anna Doak in Seattle is the most knowledgeable person I know on Hungarian basses, you might try to contact her through basschurch.com

[RBrownBass]

Originally Posted by TroyK

I could be wrong, but it looks to me like the back might be plywood.

Agreed. I was looking for a bit of a "lip" around the edge of the back and didn't see one. Not always indicative of a ply back, but it looks ply to me from the images.

[Jake deVilliers]

That's a ply or perhaps a hybrid bass from the mid to late sixties. Look at the edge of the top and check for laminations. There was one for sale in Seattle a little while ago - IIRC they were asking $1800.

The painted on flame on the back and the 'top shading' are a little hokey but just right for the period. I have a client with one and its an okay festival bass. It is a sturdily built bass with decent proportions.

[playbass0410]

I bet this is a hybrid bass - recently tested a hungarian that looked exactly like this one. The luthier asked €1200 but the fingerbord was worn. He offered to replace the fingerbord: €1600 with a brand new 1A ebony fingerboard.

(Germany).

[martin durkin]

Hi, I just bought the exact same bass, put a set of helicore's on it, and I love it. I got it for £575.00 so I'm feeling quite pleased with myself at the moment. Pizz and bows really nicely!

[martin durkin]

I forgot to mention; look at the shape of this bass. It's built like a standard square box hifi speaker. Square boxes chuck out a big sound! Also it's very reminiscent of Hungarian traditional folk instruments- which also need to chuck out a bit of volume. The great thing about this bass is it has volume, it plays well, and has a bit of character to boot. It also sounds great I'm just a bit concerned about finding a case to fit. I'm asking people if they have a sewing machine, because I think a bespoke case is in order!!!

[drurb]

Originally Posted by martin durkin

I forgot to mention; look at the shape of this bass. It's built like a standard square box hifi speaker. Square boxes chuck out a big sound!

...which has virtually nothing to do with what's expected from a double bass. A DB is not a box that loads a driver. Also, note that the vast majority of high-quality hi-fi speaker systems are not square boxes. Apples and oranges here from the standpoint of physical acoustics.

[martin durkin]

I take back my flippant remark about basses and hifi speakers, but I'm sure the big lower bouts and quite flat bottom must contribute to some increase in volume, but as I'm just guessing I'll hold my hand up and admit I haven't a clue. All I do know is my bass sounds great and I'm really pleased with it. And it is pretty much identical. I was however wondering about its age, and was hoping for it to be over 30, rather than under.

[drurb]

Originally Posted by martin durkin

I take back my flippant remark about basses and hifi speakers, but I'm sure the big lower bouts and quite flat bottom must contribute to some increase in volume...

Yes, they increase the volume, as in the volume of the cavity. I agree that that increase in volume likely contributes to a big sound. In fact, my own bass has those characteristics.