What do you guys think this is?

Mr.Phil · #1 10-22-2007, 10:59 PM

anything valuable? The bolt in the neck looks scary. http://http://cgi.ebay.com/Very-Old-3-String-Flatback-Upright-Bass-Lowered-Reserve_W0QQitemZ290173350945QQihZ019QQcategoryZ16 222QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Silversorcerer · #2 10-23-2007, 02:46 AM

Art! It'd look great hanging on a wall somewhere.

Dave Muscato · #3 10-23-2007, 02:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silversorcerer

Art! It'd look great hanging on a wall somewhere.

I'm no expert, but +1

Kevin Hsieh · #4 10-23-2007, 03:11 AM

restorable?

**Matthew Tucker** · #5 10-23-2007, 03:19 AM

I think the whole thing looks rather scary. Its a project all right. And a big one!

iplay4-5 · #6 10-23-2007, 03:25 AM

if you yourself were a luither then i'd say go for it it'd be one huge project w/ alot of reward but if not then you'd end up spending way to much $$ and time although i +1 on the kool art piece price of that upright

Kevin Hsieh · #7 10-23-2007, 03:38 AM

i dare say i was considering buying to give it to some luthier to mess with it. then i realized that i'm still paying for college :silly: hypothetically... how would someone go about restoring this monster. i know we'd have to change the neck and seal the cracks.

if a tber gets this... we need updates!

dakpluto · #8 10-23-2007, 07:11 AM

If you got the money to restore, it really looks like something that could result in a very unique instrument. But I would say only do it if you know you have the money to put into it with the knowledge you could still end up with something with very little return. (Or you could end up very lucky and end up with something very valuable and sounds great.)

Either way, you will end up with an instrument with a interesting story, even if it does end up as a wall hanging

Silversorcerer · #9 10-23-2007, 10:12 AM

I've taken in some wrecked guitars recently and brought them up to playability with a true luthier's guidance. It was a lot of work and if I had to get paid for my time, I completely exceeded the value of the end result in most cases. Still, I learned enough on the salvage value guitars to get paid for restoring a nice little Tacoma that was well worth fixing. If I could get this thing for the cost of shipping, I could learn a lot bringing it back to life, but that kind of learning would be the most valuable thing this instrument has to offer beyond the art object aspect. The top does look like it was pretty good spruce, so there's some potential in it, but even the cost of shipping without it picking up more damage could be considerable. But like Kevin, I'm tempted by such an instrument.

Pilgrim · #10 10-23-2007, 12:34 PM

I'd say that by the time you pay a luthier to get it in decent shape, you could buy a new one for less.

Silversorcerer · #11 10-23-2007, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pilgrim

I'd say that by the time you pay a luthier to get it in decent shape, you could buy a new one for less.

A NEW HOUSE?

Pilgrim · #12 10-23-2007, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silversorcerer

A NEW HOUSE?

Mit der zwei-auto garage, jah?

KSB - Ken Smith · #13 10-23-2007, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr.Phil

anything valuable? The bolt in the neck looks scary. http://http://cgi.ebay.com/Very-Old-3-String-Flatback-Upright-Bass-Lowered-Reserve_W0QQitemZ290173350945QQihZ019QQcategoryZ16 222QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

This seems to be a 19th century commercial Germanic school made Bass made possibly for export. In the business of Basses we would consider this to have a negative value. This means basically that if restored expertly, the expense would exceed its value on its best day. Possibly by 2x or 3x even.

Silversorcerer · #14 10-26-2007, 01:16 AM

I checked the bids on it. As of this post $1175 and still the reserve not met.

Kevin Hsieh · #15 10-26-2007, 01:44 AM

that's really bizarre. i personally would not pay that much for the chance to restore... i wonder who's going to go home with it.

Silversorcerer · #16 10-26-2007, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin Hsieh

that's really bizarre. i personally would not pay that much for the chance to restore... i wonder who's going to go home with it.

Will it turn up as Ken's next "mystery bass"? Ha, Ha, I doubt it.

I guess there's a nice outline for a pattern at least and everything is there. The shape is one of those captivating gambas that looks good no matter how torn up it gets. I thought about putting in a bid up to about $50, but some one wants to learn restoration a lot more than I do.

Mr.Phil · #17 10-26-2007, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin Hsieh

that's really bizarre. i personally would not pay that much for the chance to restore... i wonder who's going to go home with it.

Maybe they know something we don't, maybe not. Either way, it must be nice to have that much disposable income.

adbass · #18 10-26-2007, 01:40 PM

everything about this bass -- the varnish strip, the repairs, the price -- is ****.

Jordi Carrasco · #19 10-26-2007, 04:34 PM

Isnt this possably a basse de viole? If it is we are talking about at least 1700 or maybe 1600, this bass could be worth a lot after reparation.

ctregan · #20 10-26-2007, 05:40 PM

One good thing about the bass; it does not have a lot of ill repairs that will have to be redone. Other than the stripped finnish, its looks original and untouched. I like the end pin.