Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
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 Mid 1800s Tyrolean flat-back?
- Thread starter lowfreqgeek
- Start date
I'd bet money the sunken area is in the lower E side area next to the tailpiece where the end of the bass bar would be. This can be a problem with these basses, as many have a bass bar that is carved out of the top rather than being a separate piece of wood. It's not something to get freaked out about, just something to keep an eye on. That said, $7000ish seems like a good deal (to me) if your luthier vouches for the health of the bass.
I'm going to take a moral from this storyline that fits me: Don't look at any expensive (or old basses). (My wife would love that but wouldn't believe it for a minute.)
Fortunately I am happy with my Shen 7/8 Gemunder and have a playwood backup for the 'beerhall gigs'.
Fortunately I am happy with my Shen 7/8 Gemunder and have a playwood backup for the 'beerhall gigs'.
Well, it didn't take long for me to eat those words. I was over at my luthiers picking up my new 1/2 size which he was putting a new soundpost in. He had an old Juzek 1/2 size - which I now have home on trial. See my NBD thread.
Ha! That's pretty funny!
In my case, I saw Mike a few weeks ago and played his personal bass at a jam session and commented that I was interested in maybe looking for an older bass. So when he was done working over the Tyrolean, he called me first.
Guess I should give an update. I decided to go for the Tyrolean, but between the bass coming to New Mexico from a more humid environment and our dry season kicking in almost over night (literally), a handful of substantial cracks formed on the back and top. Initially, Mike suggested that we release the ribs to let it dry out tension-free. However, once the ribs were released, he decided to pull the top completely and take care of everything with the bass fully opened up, including replacing some of the suspect work that had been done previously. The timing is excellent as this is the driest part of our year in New Mexico and the bass should be very stable long term once it's back together.
The good news is that the bass really is in great shape, aside from a few cracks. The bass bar is solid and stable, and relatively substantial. It sounded so good as it was that we're not messing with it.
The only other potential work we could do is to reset the projection and/or graft the pegbox onto a new neck, since the original neck had been broken and repaired at some point. I can't really afford to do that at the moment, and it isn't necessary as the neck is completely stable and well-repaired. Since the block has been done, it will be a relatively "easy" job down the road.
I didn't get a picture of the top, but here's a few pics of the block and the inside of the bass, showing much of the previous work and the new work that's being done.
The good news is that the bass really is in great shape, aside from a few cracks. The bass bar is solid and stable, and relatively substantial. It sounded so good as it was that we're not messing with it.
The only other potential work we could do is to reset the projection and/or graft the pegbox onto a new neck, since the original neck had been broken and repaired at some point. I can't really afford to do that at the moment, and it isn't necessary as the neck is completely stable and well-repaired. Since the block has been done, it will be a relatively "easy" job down the road.
I didn't get a picture of the top, but here's a few pics of the block and the inside of the bass, showing much of the previous work and the new work that's being done.
Fortunately, there were no screws anywhere. There were some tiny finishing nails in the edge of the top, through the purfling. Those have all been pulled.
I meant to take a real camera for some good pics, but forgot to grab it. There's plenty of room between the edges of the braces and the inside of the ribs. They aren't really touching.
Glad you took the plunge! I've got one of these, and after a complete overhaul by Chuck Traeger when I first got it it has been my constant companion and soulmate for 36 years. The tone is as you describe: warm and full, clear all the way up the neck, with nice depth in the low register. Get the best padded case you can find, a stand to keep it upright during breaks on gigs, and watch the humidity during dry times and you'll be fine. Perhaps we need to start a mid-1800's Tyrolean flat-back club!
Same story with me. Bought the Olde Tyrolean, took it to Traeger, played it 35 years. The new owner has done a complete restoration on it, and I hope it will survive a good long time. In the meantime, AES#34 is making me very happy.
Final update:
I picked up the bass today, and it sounds phenomenal. The work done was essentially the top completely removed, the back opened up around the bouts, all the cracks (top, back, ribs) repaired, brand new bridge, new fingerboard (done before I decided to purchase the bass), new endpin (nothing fancy, but functional), new tail gut properly adjusted to the right length.
I'll play it for a week or two before we do anything else, but the board may need a final tweak, and the bridge is cut just a hair high (purposely - I've only ever had adjusters in my bridges, so this is a first for me). The action is high, but it's actually very comfortable for me right now. The tail piece was moved back a little and that seemed to make the strings feel looser at pitch.
Anyway, here are some pics I took this afternoon.
Link Removed
Link Removed
Link Removed
Link Removed
I picked up the bass today, and it sounds phenomenal. The work done was essentially the top completely removed, the back opened up around the bouts, all the cracks (top, back, ribs) repaired, brand new bridge, new fingerboard (done before I decided to purchase the bass), new endpin (nothing fancy, but functional), new tail gut properly adjusted to the right length.
I'll play it for a week or two before we do anything else, but the board may need a final tweak, and the bridge is cut just a hair high (purposely - I've only ever had adjusters in my bridges, so this is a first for me). The action is high, but it's actually very comfortable for me right now. The tail piece was moved back a little and that seemed to make the strings feel looser at pitch.
Anyway, here are some pics I took this afternoon.
Link Removed
Link Removed
Link Removed
Link Removed
Looks so much like mine it's a little unnerving-it even has cracks in some of the same places on the top. Mine was pretty great with gut strings, BTW…….
That looks VERY similar to mine too! I'm in the UK, had mine for a year now and have NO intention of ever parting with her! I'll post some photos later. These old "trade basses" are either complete dogs or great to play and fabulous value for money. I wish you joy of yours...
Neil Pye
Thank you, Neil! I just got home from my grandfather's funeral today where my brother and I played a few songs together - him on a 6' grand piano and me on my bass (arco and pizz). Our dad also joined for a song on his relatively loud jumbo acoustic. The bass had NO trouble keeping up acoustically with the other instruments, and it sounded fantastic with both.
My old bass would have been buried by the piano in a room that size, and it didn't sound nearly as rich as this one. I also LOVED how much easier it was to hear pitch and play in tune. I'm still getting to know this bass, but it projects and sounds like the basses I've only dreamed of owning up till now. I am very happy, indeed!
Latest posts
-
-
Uber Eats class action lawsuit alleges their priority delivery is a scam- Latest: Gopherbassist
-
-
