Anybody have any thoughts on this bass? Lot # 1184
Fine Musical Instruments | Skinner, Inc.
Charlie in San Diego
Fine Musical Instruments | Skinner, Inc.
Charlie in San Diego
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Double Bass Bass up for auction at Skinners
- Thread starter accokeek88
- Start date
It looks like they have a lot of violins/cellos etc in the mid-to-low price range in this auction. They may have bought a dealer/repair shop that went out of business (see the pernambucco bow blanks etc). They have Mr Sachner's Pfretzschzner and Dolling bows up for sale, too. His bass and bows were obviously of professional quality and the instrument is probably under-valued because of its condition. If you get it for $3-5K, expect to put that much into it in repairs... but the bass could very well be worth it.
I would presume that a professional would take his bass to a professional luthier for repairs, so maybe the crack(s) near the bass bar, and whatever is going on with the endblock, aren't cause for concern. It'd be nice to see the inside though. There must be a lot of cleats in there.
Thank you.
I haven't got a bass yet ( jazz guitar ) and am really attracted to this bass
What with shipping and the inability to see the bass in person ( 3000 miles )
probably means it isn't meant to be
I haven't got a bass yet ( jazz guitar ) and am really attracted to this bass
What with shipping and the inability to see the bass in person ( 3000 miles )
probably means it isn't meant to be
That bass is beat to hell. It definitely needs some help from a luthier.
A lot of great sounding pro basses look every bit as messed as this one. A guy may get this bass cheap and play it for years with minimal repair. Or pull a Ken Smith and spend a King’s ransom fixing everything.
Shachner may of been one of the NBC bassists yelled at by Toscanini. Who knows maybe this bass was also yelled at by the great maestro. That’s the problem with auctions, you can’t ask the owner important questions. Like, did you play this bass in the NBC orchestra?, is it on the recordings, did it stand beside Zimmerman, was this a main bass or your third one out the door? etc.
Shachner may of been one of the NBC bassists yelled at by Toscanini. Who knows maybe this bass was also yelled at by the great maestro. That’s the problem with auctions, you can’t ask the owner important questions. Like, did you play this bass in the NBC orchestra?, is it on the recordings, did it stand beside Zimmerman, was this a main bass or your third one out the door? etc.
That Kurt Dölling bow could also be a huge steal. Those bows play phenomenally and I got mine for triple the max price listed there. Granted it is hard to tell the condition of the bow from one picture (not to mention the playability), but if I were in the US and needed another bow I would definitely place a bid on that. Needless to say, I have no affiliation with the seller
Silver-mounted Contrabass Bow | Skinner, Inc.
Silver-mounted Contrabass Bow | Skinner, Inc.
Well, if you could get it for the current bid of $1500, it COULD be worth a gamble - even w/ shipping. It COULD be a very nice bass and it likely has the possibility of being a VERY nice bass - depending on what work is needed. But if the bid gets much higher, I'd suggest you be able to find any number of well-used carved basses near you that you could test drive, rather than buying sight unseen.
Maybe part of the reason it attracts you is because it is unlikely you will actually get it. One can always daydream about an unrequited crush, without acknowledging the true cost ($, effort and time) required to make it happen!
That’s a nasty bass bar crack. Not something a new player should get involved with.
Too bad. it’s a very handsome instrument.
Too bad. it’s a very handsome instrument.
It is not just the bassbar crack. That bass is a show model to demonstrate every possible repair that you might need. 'More like buying an old vw van with 400,000 miles on it that happens to be working while the owner is standing next to it crossing their fingers.....
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Thank you for all these valuable insights. As to my attraction to this bass, I really think the lines, shape and overall volume of it are very attractive. Today I found out they don't take credit cards so this will be a deal breaker for me; maybe not so unfortunately..
I also just today found out about a Juzek a friend of mine has in West Virginia, so now I'm onto researching those basses and the most cost effective ( cheap ) way of getting it to San Diego.
I also just today found out about a Juzek a friend of mine has in West Virginia, so now I'm onto researching those basses and the most cost effective ( cheap ) way of getting it to San Diego.
I had a $400 bid on the 3 German bows, and they went for $1600. The prices rocketed in the last hour or so -- as the pros came in with deep pockets.
I'm going to miss staring at that bass. Still, compare prices of basses to violins and it's a joke.
9 K really isn't going to get you much of a violin. Orchestra players would laugh at these numbers.
I guess the cost of the work that may go into that bass will quite possibly eclipse the sale price.
At least, that's what I keep telling myself as I'm now going after a far less expensive bass and hope to be happy with it.Farewell to the old bass with a long story to go with it.
9 K really isn't going to get you much of a violin. Orchestra players would laugh at these numbers.
I guess the cost of the work that may go into that bass will quite possibly eclipse the sale price.
At least, that's what I keep telling myself as I'm now going after a far less expensive bass and hope to be happy with it.Farewell to the old bass with a long story to go with it.
