Double Bass Help Identify This Bass I have Please.

[asdasdasdasdasdasdasdasd]

http://i.imgur.com/mBngfWW.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/6JSy2yH.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/N8MZMel.jpg

 

[eh_train]

Hi,

One or two overall pics of the front and back would be helpful. But the one pic of the front suggests an inexpensive ply bass. Ply because there's no evidence of a "lip" around the edges where carving was done, and inexpensive because many ply basses have a top layer of quarter sawn wood (to give the illusion of being higher end). It's a shame it was stripped.

Judging from the tuners - and this isn't the best way to go, because they're easily changed - the bass is older. Sometimes people fake labels as well, but they usually put in something fancy.

All in all, it's a ply bass made in the former Czechoslovakia. I did notice the initials printed on the label, but don't know what manufacturer they refer to. Perhaps another TBer can help...

Cheers,

Paul

 

[bassmastan]

Looks to me like an older Czech ply, I would say from an educated guess ca. 40's or 50's. This bass is in dire need of a restoration, which might end up being more than the bass is worth. (Refinish, bridge, new FB, plus any internal problems)

If you could get it in great shape, post restoration I would say 3 to 4k would be about right from what I am seeing online

 

[TroyK]

Karl Hoefner

 

[KUNGfuSHERIFF]

Bingo. An oil finish could be done relatively easy but the big problem is the cheesy maple fingerboard; having a new ebony fingerboard and a new bridge put on is a $1200 job here in NY.

I would disagree about the value being up to $4k...maybe if you sank $4k into having it professionally restored and there are no problems that aren't evident in the photos.

 

[bassmastan]

I would disagree about the value being up to $4k...maybe if you sank $4k into having it professionally restored and there are no problems that aren't evident in the photos.

Like I said, fully restored it would be around there... I feel bad for it, it looks so abused :-(

 

[asdasdasdasdasdasdasdasd]

thank you for the photos, your bass is a Hofner 50/2 model from 1937. It has a laminated top from maple with single machine heads and ebonized fingerboard. -from hofner

 

[asdasdasdasdasdasdasdasd]

Bingo. An oil finish could be done relatively easy but the big problem is the cheesy maple fingerboard;

Its ebony, its just worn down to poopie.