Double Bass Ok, What is it?

[Jason Sypher]

I thought Juzek but it doesn't really look like most I see online...

IMG_0119 by mingusbeat, on Flickr

IMG_0124 by mingusbeat, on Flickr

 

[bribass]

Definitely German. Maybe a Wilfer or similar.

 

[KUNGfuSHERIFF]

That purfling thingy is distinctive. Pretty sure I remember Ken Smith flashing a picture of something similar during one of the Juzek threads on his site but damned if I can find it now.

 

[Rosebud]

I've seen a wilfer like that, maybe not a flatback though.

 

[Jason Sypher]

Yeah, it's so obvious, and then, it's not? Flat back, with a taper. Flamed wood on back and sides. Painted(?) little black strip along the heel of the neck where there is usually a piece of inlaid ebony? Somewhat vertical ff's...more so than most Juzeks I've seen. Really odd neck joint where you can see a dovetail with the "top" cut around it? Obviously heavily revarnished....all that and two inlaid patches in the top... An oddball but I really like the way it sounds...

 

[Jake deVilliers]

Damn that's shiny! More pix Jason, you know the drill - scroll, button, side view.

That said, I don't believe its a Wilfer - as you said, the ffs are too straight up and down...

 

[swingingoodtime]

Dang, I've seen that purfling design before; I think it may have been on a friend's bass & if I recall, it's a Rubner from the 1950-60's. I'm not certain though, so I'll try to check & confirm, but the overall shape of the bass looks pretty close to his, too.

I trawled Google for Rubner images, but no luck. However, I did find the following: this mob have a range of basses they make, including what may appear to be an homage to the old Rubners: http://www.sandarac.co.uk/dbassrubner.html

The purfling design also appears on the following site:
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
28 & 29th and also 37 & 38th pics from the bottom; no references though, so no leads (yes, I know there's another thread on that exact topic!), but someone may recognise the photos & track it down from there...

 

[Carl Johnson]

Could be a Pfretzschner also...

 

[Jason Sypher]

It is some kind of German/Czech shop bass for sure. I was just wondering if anyone could nail it so I can make sense of the asking price etc. It has been heavily revarnished by someone who seems to have been drunk. It's a shame because there is some nice looking wood under all that goop. A couple of real strikes against it are the two or three patches in the top... I've never seen anything like it before. The look to be well done but still? Here are some more pics:

Odd Dovetail showing on front:

IMG_0220 by mingusbeat, on Flickr

Patch under bass leg of bridge, this goes all the way to the bottom bout:

IMG_0218 by mingusbeat, on Flickr

Long thin patch over bassbar:

IMG_0217 by mingusbeat, on Flickr

Back of scroll:

IMG_0125 by mingusbeat, on Flickr

Side Scrollsigns of individual wooden hat pegs that had been replaced)

IMG_0123 by mingusbeat, on Flickr

Asking price is just under 10K which seems pretty high to me. I do like the bass however and it would fit into my scheme of downsizing...

 

[eh_train]

Hi Jason,

Shame about those patches, and I wonder how they became necessary? One other thing; in the second last photo (labelled back of scroll), does the scroll and the neck align properly? Could be just the photo angle, or shadows, or something, but the overall impression is that it's not true. Any signs of repair in that area?

Cheers,

Paul (Eh_train)

 

[Paul Warburton]

Looks like somebody tried to do a French Polish with an industrial exterior paintbrush. Too bad.

 

[ole Jason]

Price does seem a bit high based on the pictures but in the end the sound really determines the price. No label I presume?

 

[Troy Robey]

How's it sound?

 

[Jason Sypher]

I actually like the sound but it's too much to worry about to really consider. Plus the price is silly at 9.5k which would only make sense if it was in perfect condition. The over varnishing would be a topic of discussion everytime I took it out of the bag... The guy that's selling it isn't a bass dealer which can be a good thing sometimes but not in this case. Nice mojo thinking that this bass played with many jazz greats but mojo fades quickly when you bass is in the shop for three months and 3K in repairs...Brooklyn players should check it out...it at Retrofret on Butler St.

 

[Matt Ides]

Yep, sure is shiny for its age.

 

[Jake deVilliers]

I actually like the sound but it's too much to worry about to really consider. Plus the price is silly at 9.5k which would only make sense if it was in perfect condition. The over varnishing would be a topic of discussion everytime I took it out of the bag... The guy that's selling it isn't a bass dealer which can be a good thing sometimes but not in this case. Nice mojo thinking that this bass played with many jazz greats but mojo fades quickly when you bass is in the shop for three months and 3K in repairs...Brooklyn players should check it out...it at Retrofret on Butler St.

Hey Jason, you can de-gloss it in a couple of hours with rubbing compound.

I have no suggestions that would help with the price...

 

[swingingoodtime]

At least, not when compared to my friend's bass; it's not a match.

But I know I've seen that pattern somewhere before; grrr, is frustrating much