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Double Bass Help ID'ing an old German Bass

beobass

beobass

Nov 26, 2005
264
58
CT
#1
Hello Everyone,

I am looking at trading for a German bass. It is a 5/8ths size, laminated, and dates to pre-WWII. The label reads:

Produkiivgenossenschaft e.G.m.b.H.
Der ehemallgen
Schonbacher Musikinstrumentenarzeuger
Made in Western Germany

From what I can see... the label basically says it is from the that the Produk-Genossenschaft, formally of Schonbacker Musical Instrument Makers, made in Western Germany.

Does anyone know anything about bass from this period and area??
 
#6
beobass said:
Hello Everyone,

I am looking at trading for a German bass. It is a 5/8ths size, laminated, and dates to pre-WWII.
Click to expand...
It is probably a half-sized bass. The nomenclature "5/8" is a recent thing. All those Juzeks folks call "5/8" were bought primarily by school systems as half-sized. I suspect the same is true of your intended purchase. Please post measurements.
 
#7
gumtownbassman said:
i know absolutely nothing about anything, but can tell you if it says "made in West Germany" then it must have been made after 1945.
Click to expand...

Yes . . . but he says the label says Western Germany, not West Germany. According to Wikipedia--which I do not hold out as the paragon of authorities--the term "Western Germany" refers to a loosely-circumscribed area that includes North Rhine-Westphalia and Hesse, and sometimes even The Saarland and Rhineland-Palatinate to the south.

If the term "Western Germany" was used in the 1930s, maybe this bass does predate WWII. (I dunno.)

Also, according to a certain online translator: "schonbacher" means "already streams" while "schoenbach" means "beautiful stream." (Again, I dunno. I don't read German.)

But a question: Why does it say "Made in Western Germany" in English?
 
#9
Ozmoid said:
It's intended market either was/or included an English-speaking consumer base.
Click to expand...

After a little research, the note of the difference between "West" and "Western" Germany is key... also the fact that the label DOES have English and German. We believe the bass was made by the luthiers of Schonmach in Western Germany before the division of West and East Germany was made. Schonmach was destroyed in the war, so the bass was constructed by the "Produkiivgenossenschaft" company of "e.G.m.b.H." who were formally the instrument makers of Schoenmacher. This likely dates the bass around 1946-47. The note about "Juzek" is also interesting as Juzek originated from this area before migrating to the US before the war. The measurements on the bass make it 5/8's to us today, but it was likely constructed for American schools in its contemporary period as a half size bass (considering Europe and Britain were pretty beat up). Either way the bass fits me perfectly (being 5' 5" with smaller hands) and man does it sing!! I used it for a production of "The Secret Garden" and had many many compliments!

Thanks for the info gents. We will be putting together a more in depth analysis for insurance in the near future. I will post the information up here for others to use as well!
 
#10
Interesting link here:

Invalid Link Removed

"Produktivgenossenschaft" means something like "production cooperative" and "e.G.m.b.H." is analogous to our "incorporated."

It is quite possible that there was one business with the same name, e.g., the luthiers could have gotten together and formed their own cooperative.
 
#11
First of all, sorry for gravedigging a bit.

I'd like to find out if any of you can tell me something about this bass I've inherited.
I don't know anything about uprights, and there aren't any labels on it. All I know is that it hasn't been played for 25 years, since my grandfather died, and I'm not sure how long he's had it before then.
Purchased in Denmark :)

29erlf5.jpg
 

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