Tatra Bass by Rosetti - any good?

[RIKODRIKO]

Hi, ive been checking this forum for a while, but this is my first post. Ive been playing a palatino electric upright bass for about 4 months now, and am really enjoying the physical apsect of an upright compared to a BG. Ive been hunting around for a proper DB and have found a 'Tatra bass by rosetti' stradivarius model bass up for sale. The owner says that he thinks its a solid top but cant be sure.

does anyone have any info on this bass model? could i be buying a load of rubbish?

any advice would be welcomed... the price for this bass is approx $1700/£850 new, and its going for cheap... condition looks good too.

thanks for listening....

Mr Driko....

[KSB - Ken Smith]

Beware of Italian Named Basses with Chinese construction. It's bad enough when Germans use an Italian name but China?.. What's wrong with using your own name?.. I never heard of that Bass but it's easy to make up a fancy Italian name to sell a Bass these days..

Good luck, Kentonio Guadanarious DeGeezous.

[KSB - Ken Smith]

Stradivarius model Bass ?? That in itself should tell you something. Strad NEVER made a single Bass in his life. If it is Shaped and Carved exactly like an oversized (Bass) Strad Cello, then you can say Strad model. Otherwise it is just a marketing ploy. Check with some of the better Bass shops in the UK like Contrabass Shoppe and Gallery Strings. They know their Basses.........Spend a little more if you can and get a Bass worth it's price AFTER you walk out of the Store... Re-sale value is also another important subject when buying a Bass.

Good luck, Kentonio Guadanarious DeGeezous

[RIKODRIKO]

Hi

thanks for the replies...

as far as i can gather, its a 'strad' shape - is this correct? I also believe that 'Tatra' refers to a Czech made bass ... please correct me if i am wrong...

I also checked the contrabasse shop and they are really outside of my budget. I have a bit of money that i could spend (maybe about £1200-£1300 max), but im also looking out for a bargain too... as you do!

[Silversorcerer]

oliebrice
Registered User

Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Manchester, UK
Tatra/Rosetti/Cremona
I'm looking for a bass and have been offered a bass with a label reading Tatra by Rosetti, made in the Cremona factory, Luby, Czeckoslovakia.
Does anyone know about these basses? Are the Czech Cremona the same company that everyone attacks all the time on this website?
Also, does anyone know anyone selling a decent bass for under £1000 in North West England?

Unfortunately no-one replied to that thread back then. I have a Lidyl made in Luby;- Strunals are also made there. Mine is a fully laminated model 50/1 with no frills at all. It is sturdy, but just functional. Lidyl is no longer made and Tatra may not be either. No matter. Find out for sure if the top is ply or carved. If it has no relief at the edge and painted pinstripes as "purfling" then it is surely ply. Also you can see the plys at the f-holes and a mirror on the inside will show a different grain from the outside. The only Tatra I could find for sale googling was a 40 year old cello. Why don't you search the forum for oliebrice and see if you can e-mail or PM and find out what happened to the one back in 2003? It might be the same bass.

[RIKODRIKO]

I saw that thread and the non replies.

Well its too late now anyway... i bought it last night and am picking it up tonight. i got it at a steal anyways so if its a piece of rubbish, then its not a complete loss. Im new to the whole thing and wouldnt really know the difference in sound between a good bass and a bad one... its a start, my teacher reckons that it will need setting up correctly, but thats of little consequence... i am now an official DB owner!!!

cheers for the replies, ill update this in a few days to let whoever is interested know how its going.

Richard (proudly sponsored by an online auction website that does not need to be mentioned here)

[Bruce Lindfield]

Another person from Brighton!

I'd be interested to hear how you get on and especially what your teacher thinks of it!?

Who is your teacher, by the way?

I've been searching unsuccessfully for the last 2 or 3 years - I think I would have been very suspicious of this bass from what I've read around here and you may have a bargain - but I've found basses under £1,000 to be a bit "lacking" to my ears...?

I'm still waiting for the right one - although I tried a fairly nice German-made bass in London recently..

[Cairobill]

I tried that one too (I think) yesterday. It's the German 4/4 downstairs at footes? Very nice indeed. They had a Zeller for 1K, a Stentor Arcadia at 1.6K and the German (M. Glaß) for 3.6K. The Zeller (Rumanian) is a complete dog, the Arcadia (Chinese) is pleasant but looks like it put on too much instant tan...The Glaß is great but a bit too expensive for a db newbie like me...plusit was on the large/long side being 4/4

Not that good a choice...it's a pain buying dbs in the UK...

My search will continue though!

Cairo

[RIKODRIKO]

Well, i got it and basically gave it to my teacher (John Banks), he said it was OK, fully laminated, but the strings were fooked and and soundpost needed adjusting as well as the bridge. Its been 2 weeks and hes made some changes as well as given it a full on clean, there was a bass under all that dirt and muck! Now it sounds much more alive, and once i get my thomastik spriocores next week, hopefully it will full on rock. Now, how exactly do you play the damn thing? my next challenge!

[a. meyer]

It's easy! You just move your left hand up and down the neck while plucking or bowing with your right. Simple!

[RIKODRIKO]

NO WAY! finally someone who talks some sense! I heard about this concept of 'technique' and 'practise' and 'intona....'... whatever... but its more simple than that. Thanks!!! hehehe...