Double Bass Poly finish on W German factory basses

[Jeff Farley]

The carving on the top at the f hole looks nice too.

Can you post some non-closeup photos so we can see the whole bass?
Front back side etc.

The carving of the bass is very nice throughout but I wasn't expecting to see what appears to be an econo grade finish put on a nicely carved bass.

 

[Fretless55]

You’ll be happy with the results of OOOO steel wool, a light touch and much patience.
I’ve done it on a lesser Strunal.

There are bad finishes on good basses.

 

[Jeff Farley]

I had a community orchestra rehearsal tonight . Two of the old players had 19870s/80s German "shop" bass (Gotz/Pfretschner/Wilfer/Roth-type). The varnish is fairly thick and "amberish". You sure there's no label?

Am I correct in assuming the basses in your orchestra are good quality fully carved basses? This finish is certainly amberish but I'm not sure if it's actually varnish or some type of polyurethane.

 

[LouisF]

Carved (one might be a hybrid). I wonder, since these shop basses were imported by multiple dealers like Metropolitan music, if the quality of the varnish wasn't determined by the price point they would be sold at in the US?

 

[Don Hergert]

I have a number of instruments with lacquer, varnish and poly finishes, and have even applied lacquer and varnish finishes on new ("white") instruments in the past, but have never applied a poly finish... Lacquer and varnish are traditional of course, they have a nice feel against your skin and they are easier finishes to touch up, but they require multiple layers and polishing to achieve a consistent original glossy finish, they do evaporate and grow thin over the decades and they can have problems with constant wear, checking and cracking. Poly finishes don't require layers or polishing, they don't check and crack unless the wood underneath the finish is changing, they are projected to last nearly forever with normal playing wear, but they are hard to touch up (except perhaps spot touch-ups with layered cyanoacrylate) and they tend to get a sticky feel against the skin unless their gloss is muted by light sanding. Also worth consideration is that poly finishes are usually harder and often thicker than lacquer or varnish, which may be a tone or volume problem, or may be a problem when structural instrument repairs are called for.

With the same level of use, my 45 year old poly-finished instruments still shine like brand new, while my 45 year old lacquer and varnish instruments are starting to look thin and worn particularly in those areas that are constantly touched by hands and arms during normal playing. I think that a poly finish is what we are seeing with the OP's instrument. I have some 100-year old playing-quality instruments that I really wish were originally poly-finished; they are really in need of re-finishing, but changing those old original finishes is a hard decision to make. For a brand new instrument I'd probably wish for a lacquer or varnish finish but in 45 years I would probably wish it was poly.

When the finish materials are purchased in bulk as any factory would normally do, the only serious expense differences between any of these finishes is the labor of polishing and the cost of the equipment needed to do a quality finish with them. A poly finish of itself is not "cheap" except that it doesn't require layers or polishing, while lacquer and varnish finishes are more traditional and they do require multiple layers and extra polishing labor so as a result they can call for higher prices.

 

[Jeff Farley]

If it's anything like the 2 basses in the community orchestra you will be fine. Both players do jazz puzzles etc as well as orchestra arco.

It's a nice sounding bass but my concern is about the feel and the look as well. I would think that a bass with that type of finish should be less desirable and theefore less expensive than an instrument with a more traditional varnish.

 

[jmpiwonka]

It's a nice sounding bass but my concern is about the feel and the look as well. I would think that a bass with that type of finish should be less desirable and theefore less expensive than an instrument with a more traditional varnish.

If it’s a good bass I wouldn’t worry too much about it.
If the finish is on the neck that can be sanded down or completely sanded off.

 

[Jeff Farley]

Jazz pizz. Not puzzles!

I'd be interested in knowing how the wear patterns on those basses are compared to instruments with a lighter varnish finish, which will definitely have signs of wear and age. Have you noticed if the finishes have a tendency to dent without having the damage go right through the finish?

 

[AGCurry]

It's a nice sounding bass but my concern is about the feel and the look as well. I would think that a bass with that type of finish should be less desirable and theefore less expensive than an instrument with a more traditional varnish.

My orchestra rehearses in a high-school orchestra room with eight (!) basses in a rack. Yes, my eyes are drawn to the ones with nice finishes, but it's more about the wood. However, if I were to pull them all off the rack and try them, I would choose the one with the most-pleasant sound and feel. Kind of like choosing a spouse versus choosing a date to the party.