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Double Bass Emile Baran Bass

edmidlifecrisis

edmidlifecrisis

Registered mediocre bass player
Aug 31, 2006
1,838
3,646
Palm Beach County, Florida
www.sandhillimages.com
#1
Hey folks. My second try at buying a DB. I have an opportunity to purchase an Emile Baran labeled bass and can't seem to find any info on these. I know he is a luthier and my forum search only turned up his name in reference to luthier/repair services and sales, not basses with his name on them.

The label inside says

Emile Baran Connoisseur Selected Stringed Instrument
Lincoln Model 100 3/4
#72-009 1-24-72.

It is definitely well used but not thrashed. Sound post seems tight. Fingerboard used but no major defects I can see. I am a bass guitar player looking for an upright. It plays and sounds great to me and comes with a bow made by Glasser, it looks like graphite or fiberglass. I actually got some nice sounds out of it with the bow having never done it before (I did play violin once long ago and far away....)

Did he make these basses or just put his label on them? I can't tell even whether it's carved or ply since I don't know how to tell. Here is a link to some photos I just took.

http://s175.photobucket.com/albums/w156/elsdvm2/for sale/Henry/

Any advice would be appreciated. I told the lady I'd get back to her tomorrow (Wed). I've played an old Kay occasionally (bluegrass, my total experience with DB) and this I think is easier to play, lower strings.

Thanks everyone!
 
#3
Emile Baran is a music shop owner, if he's still there, outside of Atlanta. Met him some years ago on a visit with my daughter and he was dealing with Wilfers at that time. He also sold wind instruments and I found an old F tuba that bought from him and made a nice turnaround on it.

Ike
 
#4
Thanks for the info. I spoke to a long time employee at Baran's and he said that Lincoln was the luthier who worked on the raw basses when they came in from Europe. They needed fingerboards bridges and other handwork when they arrived, which was all done at the Baran shop. He said the fellow Lincoln is deceased but the basses he made up were really good, though this one is indeed ply. He recommended that if it was a good repair and it was in good condition it was a worthwhile bass, better than most ply basses of that time and worth having.

The lady wants 1200 for it, he thought that was reasonable, I am still not so sure.
 
#5
I just checked this exact bass out today (found this thread with Google after I came home and typed in "Emille Baran bass"). The one thing that freaked me out about it is the top. It's practically concave near the bottom, and the bass bar side has sunk a considerable amount. Supposedly been like that for 10+ years, but it's still scary to look down and see the arch go the opposite way.
 
#7
What Cyoder is describing would probably mean that the bass bar has separated from the top plate, causing the top plate to collapse. If that is the case, I wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot pole. I checked the pictures that you posted, and I didn't see any sign of a collapsing top. I couldn't find a listing for it using Cyoders search, so I am not 100% sure that the two of you are looking at the same bass.
 
#8
jtl
I think it was the same bass, I didn't notice the top either but I do not have an experienced eye about these things.

This was listed on the West Palm Beach Craigslist a few days ago. I know that someone else looked at it at the same time as cyoder as the owner told me about the new person, and the timing is correct. Cyoder- in Palm Beach, right?

Also the ten year thing is correct that's how long she has owned it.

Sounds like a pass. Thanks for the advice.
Ed
 
#11
At least she had the decency to lower the price to sucker people into buying it. I tried buying a bass located South West of Miami last November, the lady there wanted $4,000 for it and the thing had insane cracks over it that were probably there when it was first made in the factory in Czechoslovakia at the beginning of the century. I remember asking her about a crack that was going across the top and she said to me "What crack?" And not to mention all the other cracks in the sides. Showed it to my luthier and he said the cracks were impossible to close (it was obvious many luthiers beforehand tried), but the block was also compromised enough that you could rip the neck right off with your bare hands if you wanted to.
 
#12
It's funny. When I wrote to her about my concerns about it's structural integrity, she got real defensive and said there was nothing wrong with it and that she decided that she didn't need to sell it, it could stay where it was looking cool leaned against the wall. Guess so.

There is another one on the CL too.

But there's no info on it, for 2 grand you'd think he'd put SOMETHING down about it.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
 
#13
Yeah, she was a weird lady. When I told her my name was Craig, she wouldn't stop laughing about it because god forbid people named Craig use craigslist.com. It's not even ironic, just coincidental.

For the bass in Miami, get some info, I emailed them about it. I most likely will not purchase it, though. If you do go look at it, I suggest making a stop down in Boca first to see my bass. It's got a nice set-up, and I can tell you what to look for and whatnot. However, mine is not for sale, yet (give me another 6 or 7 months).
 

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