Can you elaborate more on that. I'm not sure I know what "the Germanic Stock end is". Are there makers or something specific in Italian Basses you could elaborate on.
German Shop basses, brands etc. is what I was referring to and I mentioned two Italian names Lombardi and Bandini. They both might be dead by now.
On the Fiorini Brian mentioned, those may be German as well. One that I've seen looks 100% German and I know of another that had a hidden sticker in the Bass that said either Germany or made in Germany but had a Fiorini label and was sold as one as well. Not only Juzek bought Basses and relabeled them, it's done all over.
Phil, my preference of Italian vs. German was on the older Bass thing, not vs. new Basses, In that case, you have makers from all over the world to choose from. The main problem for you and everyone else now in USA is the weak dollar. At almost 1.6 to the Euro, we have it worse than when the Canadian was 1.5 to the U$D.
Pros on New:, less repairs hopefully in the beginning.
Cons on New:, we wont live long enough to hear it mature.
Pros on Old:, we can hear what the Bass can do regardless of condition in most cases.
Cons on Old:, Repairs could cost as much or more than the value on some and spend more time on the bench than in your hands.
In the Germanic Shop Bass class (Juzek, Morelli, Hornsteiner, Lang, Rubner, Wilfer etc.. without a label it's hard to tell them apart as some of them are actually the same bass with a different label.) plenty to choose from but don't expect the world from it. If you want the world, you will have to pay for it more often than not!
I prefer the Italian sound for the most part what ever that is. It's just what I played most of my life. Last night I had a concert and a rehearsal the night before. The music did not require an extension (so I found out at the rehearsal) so I brought a 1981 Lombardi Bass that I just brought in from Italy. I like it, its not new sounding but not old sounding but it's good sounding and weighs several pounds less than my main Bass by Martini. It was a fun Bass to play. I also have an old Bohemian Bass that I could have played that's light as well but the Lombardi is much nicer to play and listen to in comparison. It is no Martini by any means but it got the job done and I was able to evaluate the Bass with some hands on concert playing.
If you but a modern Italian bass say 20-50 years old, it might be fairly close in price of a new Bass by one of todays Luthiers. Which is better? You will only find out by playing them. My point is that there are Basses made by good makers that have died recently and are still not to well known as well as living makers in Italy that have made traditional Italian Bass and continue to do so. Do some shopping if time and circumstance allow.
My former Bass teacher Bill Blossom with the NY Phil plays a Bass by Jeff Bollbach with a flatback in the orchestra regularly and this is by choice. His former Ventapane that he had in the early '70s when I was his student is now in the Philly Orch.
So, anything is possible here. Best of luck with your search Phil.
) and since it's finish is overvarnished and far from pristine I do not freak out over minor scratches. It's a real player's bass. I do babysit it like a mother hen on breaks and I have questioned the wisdom of bringing it to certain venues or situations, but I'm never sorry it's there when I'm playing it.
