• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Double Bass 'Finding' great old basses etc

L

LyonsBass

Mar 31, 2007
46
2
34
Melbourne, Australia
#1
Hey guys

Just want to get your opinions and experiences on getting a great bass for cheap and maybe even free.
For example : One former teacher found a 250 year old french bass under his neighbours house in Ukraine.
Someone I met in orchestra bought a bass from someone in a folk act for $3,000. The bass is worth around $30,000.

They may be few and far between but it's always cool to dream.
Does anybody else have any great stories about their basses and good finds?
 
#2
I've never had this kind of luck, but I have to confess I never drive past a yard sale or walk past a junk shop without craning my neck to look for a neck sticking out of the clutter.

This does bring up some ethical issues that may have been addressed here at some point. Say you meet an elderly widow who has a bass her husband played in a dance band back in the day. She's wondering if you'd be interested in buying it, but has "no idea" what price she should ask, just that her late husband paid $750 for it in 1946. You look at it and immediately know that it is a valuable instrument worth tens of thousands of dollars.

Do you come clean with her and encourage her to get a professional appraisal so that she can live the remainder of her days without financial burden? Or do you give her $2000 on the spot and run for it?
 
#4
Mike Goodbar said:
This does bring up some ethical issues that may have been addressed here at some point. Say you meet an elderly widow who has a bass her husband played in a dance band back in the day...Do you come clean with her and encourage her to get a professional appraisal so that she can live the remainder of her days without financial burden?
Click to expand...

Yes, and you also go out of your way to provide a referral to a qualified luthier. I've done so several times.

The karma accrued therein may have something to do with the fact that I now own three ancient carved basses, and I'm not well off. All were bought for their asking price, which was almost nothing, or nothing at all in one case. All the retired owner wanted for his bass was my word it would be repaired and played again. I kept my promise.
 
#5
I have 3 DBs - only 1 of which did I pay near market value

I have a 193? Hermann Stolzel fully carved orchestral bass - paid $950 valued up to $17k

And a, 1932 Voit & Geiger Pancake fully carved that is awesome playing & sounding both arco & pizz - found it in an un air conditioned Florida garage covered in yrs of dust - paid $800 restored it myself - valued about $8k now

Interwebs changed things a lot but mostly you find good deals with people who inherited a bass from a relative & really don't know much about them and/or how to market it - they're happy to move them usually - these days though most of the gems have been IDed - so don't be afraid to look for diamonds in the rough & invest a little to bring a bass back to life

You can still find deals
 
#7
just to be clear there are many cases where:

the old bass is in disrepair and the uneducated owner is NOT going to do a restoration
I bought an excellent orchestral bass from a bass player who knew exactly what he had but having tried to sell for many months was glad to have the selling price

how many basses do you think sell nationally in any given day? Especially if you have a 'fine' bass you can spend years trying to get the 'appraised' value. If you have such a bass and are desperate for cash, you are at the mercy of dealers who will pay <.60 on the dollar

it's both a high cost for entry and a high cost to divest

I will say this though - more old players should consider donations to music schools or promising young players if they can financially when they retire
 
#9
KUNGfuSHERIFF said:
Yes, and you also go out of your way to provide a referral to a qualified luthier. I've done so several times.

The karma accrued therein may have something to do with the fact that I now own three ancient carved basses, and I'm not well off. All were bought for their asking price, which was almost nothing, or nothing at all in one case. All the retired owner wanted for his bass was my word it would be repaired and played again. I kept my promise.
Click to expand...
Not gonna lie, that's pretty freaking awesome!
 
#17
Funk_Pirate said:
Is the thread postings only limited to basses that are old? Or just insanely great deals?
Click to expand...
Any insanely good deal but it's rare to get a 'good' deal on newer basses since the luthier or supplier will try and make a fair profit.

I'll always be a sucker for antique stores and garage sales although I normally spend about less than 15 seconds in each. I'm also in contact with vintage instrument collectors and re-sellers who "never buy instruments off the street". They always have a constant supply of instruments but never double basses.
 
#18
Well in that case, I just got an upright because one of the schools I work at was going to throw it away because a kid snapped the neck. I took it home and fixed it up, best 10$ I ever spent. Later went and got it appraised just for s***s and giggles, it's still worth about 2700$. Needless to say I'm happy to have a bass regardless. Lol
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back