Double Bass Gilga basses, how do I know what I have

[swingeasy]

Hi, I recently purchased a Gilga 3/4 size bass from a friend. I really have no idea what I have. The lable inside the bass is in a foreign language. This is what it says:
Strument1 musicali eseguiti
nelle officine GLIGA Fecit Anno 2001 9/2.05

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, swingeasy

 

[JakobT]

You’d probably get better (not to mention more) answers on the DB side.

 

[Bryan R. Tyler]

I’ve moved it to DB for you

 

[swingeasy]

I’ve moved it to DB for you

Thank you, I appreciate that.

 

[LouisF]

They are made in Romania; and the label roughly translates:
Musical instrument1 manufactured
in the GLIGA workshops Fecit (made in the) Year 2001 9 / 2.05 (this is probably a production number)

Here's the story of the shop: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Info here: Whats the consensus on Gliga these days?

It looks like one of their advanced student models. Can you tell if it's laminate or a hybrid? I don't think it's fully carved

 

[swingeasy]

It is not fully carved but I dont know if it is laminate or a hybrid. What exactly is a hybrid. Sorry, I have never really played much or know a lot about double basses but I have played an accoustic bass for a long time. Just now getting into double bases.

 

[Wasnex]

It is not fully carved but I dont know if it is laminate or a hybrid. What exactly is a hybrid. Sorry, I have never really played much or know a lot about double basses but I have played an accoustic bass for a long time. Just now getting into double bases.

Hybrid is carved top and laminated sides and back.

 

[Sam Sherry]

Hybrid generally means solid top with plywood back and sides.

Look carefully at edges of your top and at the edges of the f-holes. If you see three little horizontal stripes, it's laminated. If not, the top is solid. Same applies to the back.

Play it long and have fun!

 

[fdeck]

Welcome to the addiction.

 

[elberon]

Wow funny, I was looking at that same bass on the WS NC craigslist and also looked up some info on it. I know for one thing it’s “solid wood” and probably really heavy and for another those eagles on it are definitely not original unless the maker puts them on his basses in Romania. That would be a little strange I think. Looked like a good buy as stated in the ad since they apparently retail for around 5K new.

 

[swingeasy]

Hybrid is carved top and laminated sides and back.

OK, thank you.

 

[swingeasy]

Welcome to the addiction.

Thanks, I think I will enjoy it.

 

[swingeasy]

Wow funny, I was looking at that same bass on the WS NC craigslist and also looked up some info on it. I know for one thing it’s “solid wood” and probably really heavy and for another those eagles on it are definitely not original unless the maker puts them on his basses in Romania. That would be a little strange I think. Looked like a good buy as stated in the ad since they apparently retail for around 5K new.

Yes, a friend of mine had it for sale. Yea, I don't like the eagles but I don't know how to get them off without hurting the finish. Well, I paid some less than the ad stated so maybe I got a good buy, we will see. It came with a nice padded bag so that was a plus too.

 

[swingeasy]

Hybrid generally means solid top with plywood back and sides.

Look carefully at edges of your top and at the edges of the f-holes. If you see three little horizontal stripes, it's laminated. If not, the top is solid. Same applies to the back.

Play it long and have fun!

I don't see any stripes on either the top or back, the bass is pretty heavy too.

 

[Luigir]

They are made in Romania; and the label roughly translates:
Musical instrument1 manufactured
in the GLIGA workshops Fecit (made in the) Year 2001 9 / 2.05 (this is probably a production number)

Here's the story of the shop: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Info here: Whats the consensus on Gliga these days?

It looks like one of their advanced student models. Can you tell if it's laminate or a hybrid? I don't think it's fully carved

I thought they were made in italy since the label is written in Italian (plus latin just for fun).

 

[Wasnex]

I thought they were made in italy since the label is written in Italian (plus latin just for fun).

Romania AFAIK.

GLIGA Handmade In Romania

 

[Flamingo21]

That poses a bit of a riddle. Romanian and Italian belong to the same family of languages, but I'm pretty sure I can tell them apart. That's Italian for sure.

A wild guess: a romanian builder who uses Italian as a tip of the hat to the famous italian luthiers of yore?

By the way, the first word is "Strumenti" not "Strument1"

Strumenti Musicali means musical instruments. Plural. So a generic label, as opposed to one belonging to a specific instrument.

 

[Luigir]

That poses a bit of a riddle. Romanian and Italian belong to the same family of languages, but I'm pretty sure I can tell them apart. That's Italian for sure.

A wild guess: a romanian builder who uses Italian as a tip of the hat to the famous italian luthiers of yore?

By the way, the first word is "Strumenti" not "Strument1"
View attachment 4038091
Strumenti Musicali means musical instruments.

I thought the same. I'm italian and that's definitely written in Italian plus latin. I guess it's just a way for giving more value to something. The same is done when you name a dish in French, it becomes tastier just for the sake of the name!

 

[Flamingo21]

The same is done when you name a dish in French, it becomes tastier just for the sake of the name!

Haha! Yes, that's probably what's going on here.

 

[elberon]

Weird that when I follow the link to the Gliga home web site there are no descriptions of models or pricing of their basses available there. Only real info is at www.violinslover.com