Schroetter Bass- Junk?

Vince_P9 · #1 03-31-2010, 07:09 PM

Snagged this flatback bass from the junk pile at my old high school. The inside reads exactly: Andrew Schroetter GEIGENBAUMEISTER in Mittenwald/Bayern Model No. 120 (3/4) 5577 Jahr 1989

The top has a split that runs nearly half the length of the body (from the bottom, just to the side of the saddle, to about where the G side bridge foot would go). There is also about a 12 inch split running along one of the bottom sides, which originates just to the side of the endpin. In addition, both middle sides are beginning to seperate from the back. Also, the neck is quite visibly loose from the body. I would bet that a good yank would be enough to take the neck clean off for good. I can't provide decent pics at the moment with my stone age digital camera, but will try to post some anyway or borrow a good camera from a friend in the near future.

Can anyone give me some info on this bass?

Thanks.

Paul Warburton · #2 03-31-2010, 07:27 PM

I can give you some feed back on them. I've had three that I've sold after some fairly serious issues that are very similar to what you describe. Not very hearty even after some serious repairs I had done to them by my luthier. After all was said and done.....kind of anemic sounding both pizz and under the bow. One was sold to a classical soloist who used solo tuning as a practice bass. It sounded OK to me. Anton was the first name on the basses I'm referring to but, as you may know, shop basses of this ilk were famous for messing around with names.
Hope this helps.

Vince_P9 · #3 04-01-2010, 10:31 AM

My dilemma is such that I really have no desire to hang on to the bass, and dont have the money to repair the instrument, as I imagine it would cost a pretty penny. Is there anyway this bass would sell as is as a DIY project or something or do I really just have a worthless piece of trash?

LeslieD · #4 04-01-2010, 11:18 AM

Is this an all-plywood bass?

I have a plywood Anton Schroetter bass that is in very good condition. It's from the late 50s or early 60s. I got it mostly for playing outside or at gigs/jams where I didn't want to take my nicer basses.

I agree that it's anemic (though mine is a little better w/ pizz than for bowing). Mine has no cracks or issues, but it looks way better than it sounds. I put several hundred into it (new endpin, bridge and strings), but now I'm wondering if I just flushed that money down the toilet. If it had had any cracks or other problems I wouldn't have bothered with it. In good condition these kinds of basses are okay for back up basses, but they were really only ever school-grade basses.

It never hurts to try to sell it, but mostly it sounds like it should go back to the junk pile.

robobass · #5 04-01-2010, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vince_P9

My dilemma is such that I really have no desire to hang on to the bass, and dont have the money to repair the instrument, as I imagine it would cost a pretty penny. Is there anyway this bass would sell as is as a DIY project or something or do I really just have a worthless piece of trash?

Well don't just throw it away! It may not really be worth repairing, but it would be valuable to a bass repair hobbiest or aspiring luthiery student. Put it in the classifieds here. Giving it away sounds much nicer than throwing it away, but you could probably even get a few bucks.

uprightben · #6 04-02-2010, 05:20 AM

Vince, I am an apprentice luthier and would be interested in restoring your bass for a learning experience IF it is a solid wood bass. Shoot me a private message if you are interested.

Vince_P9 · #7 04-02-2010, 09:47 AM

By solid wood, Im assuming you mean fully carved? I'm not sure what it is to be honest. The top is definately spruce, but I don't know how to tell if it is carved or not. The back and sides have a heavy finish on them, so its difficult to tell, but to me they dont look like maple. The only other wood I've ever heard of being used for backs and sides is poplar, which I've never seen in person, so I cant really identify it.

drurb · #8 04-02-2010, 09:51 AM

Yes, pix would really be very helpful but I understand that you're working on it.

Paul Warburton · #9 04-02-2010, 09:59 AM

Look at the edges where the bass has beed laid down. The edges of the top and back plates should be worn a bit there and you should be abbe to see laminates pretty clearly.
IMO, post it for sale @ the TBDB classiffieds, stating clearly what the issues are. Or hook up with uprightben and try to save the bass. Whether it's carved or laminate, it might end up being something of value to someone.

Vince_P9 · #10 04-02-2010, 01:19 PM

Judging by what is exposed by the wear on its sides, the bass looks to me me like carved top. The back is hard to tell. I will be posting a classified here along with pics soon. Thanks.

fdeck · #11 04-02-2010, 07:16 PM

Of course the pics will tell, but in my view, the cracks are a fairly certain indicator of a carved top.

robobass · #12 04-03-2010, 03:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fdeck

Of course the pics will tell, but in my view, the cracks are a fairly certain indicator of a carved top.

Yeah. Pretty hard to imagine plywood cracking like that, but it could be one of those "pressed" tops.

JBHittle · #13 04-07-2010, 07:44 AM

Back 10 years ago I had an Anton Schroetter shop bass that was very robust and had a powerful sound. It had a lovely scroll, nice French sloping shoulders, ebony trim, including inlaid ebony strips where the ribs joined the neck. It was a pretty reddish-gold in color. I never had any issues with it, except a warped bridge that flipped out after I had set it in a corner unattended for a long time.

At the same time I owned this bass, my friend Willy Poole, who did a lot of BG work and recordings in the DC area, also had virtually the same model bass as mine, although his was cosmetically challenged, whilst mine had only a few dings. Both of our two identical basses were rather loud and good-sounding basses. Both were laminated instruments and we used them only for bluegrass work. I decided to try to find a King Moretone for playing outdoors at those mud festivals, and when I found a nice one, I sold the Schroetter to a young student who, as far as I know, still owns it.

It was a very good laminated bass. If you have a carved Schroetter, I woud not sweat the cracks-- they go with the territory-- unless there is a crack running over the bass bar, which would require re-setting the bass bar to repair, meaning a top removal.

jazzgeek79 · #14 04-07-2010, 08:03 AM

My college owns a Schroetter. It just came back from the shop to have a long crack in the middle of the top bellow the bridge repaired. This bass has a spruce top with a fairly nice grain to it. I think the back and sides are ply however. I have only been playing upright about a year (electric for about 12) but I have to say this is the one of the nicest and most playable instruments I have played yet. I have played on a former teachers $20,000 carved, and a $5,000 carved instrument. Honestly at this point I am trying to figure out how to get the school to sell me this instrument because I'm not sure where else I could get a lower end bass with this much character and playability.