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Double Bass Should I get this old Czech DB restored? Help Identify

L

Leanna

Guest
May 2, 2017
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2
#1
Hi, I'm new here but I'm making this thread as I've been looking for a double bass and came across this. I've played for a year now (borrowing my teachers) and decided I wanted a DB of my own (sorry if I get any terminology wrong). I saw this old double bass with no fittings and the fingerboard looks to be a cheap wood so it's probably laminate. I was wondering if you guys could look at this and ID it for me and helping me decide if it's worth a total overhaul? I would only pay £50 for it and I have about £1000 ($1300) to spend on it if I took it to a luthier. Should I go with this or try find something else? The only thing I know is that it has a label that says "Made in Czechoslovakia (NOT IN BLUE AND SILVER)" and comes with a new bridge and tailpiece as well. Here are some pics.

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Thanks
 
#3
I see two things in the photos that would steer me away from this bass. There's what looks like a screw head in a spot that makes me think there's a screw going through the neck joint. It could also be a dowel-hard to tell. Either way, something to be concerned about. The scroll looks pretty beat up as well. You really need to have it looked at by a bass luthier.
 
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#7
Looks like an old laminate war-horse. Sure, it's got some defects, but there's a wealth of education to be had in trying to make it playable. A decent bridge alone will cost you 50 pounds. Find an endpin and a used set of strings, string it up with the original bridge, see what you've got. I'd do it in a heartbeat, and my music room is already over-full.
 
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#8
I say jump on it. For a first bass, it will help you learn about the intricacies of it, learn what could (or is) wrong with an old bass, and perhaps how to fix them yourself. Check that there are no significant delaminations, that the bass bar isnt rattling, that the soundpost is in place, and that once you string it up, that the neck and all the potential cracks arent getting bigger with the newly added pressure. Have fun!
 
#9
I whole-heartedly support your decision. Take your £1,050 and buy a new laminate bass you know is healthy and properly setup (and, in many cases, covered by warranty for the first year, such as Shen's factory warranty). If you opt for the unknown, you may find yourself winding down a deep (and expensive) rabbit hole. No telling how the repaired scroll and neck joint will behave once you put them under tension. No telling how firmly the bass bar is attached, etc...
 
#10
Thanks everyone. As much as I am compelled by the charm of making something my own, I feel to keep good technique and keep learning the DB well it's best if I have an instrument that I know is reliable. Appreciate the help everyone!
 
#13
The label and sunburst varnishing make me think 1950s or 60s. Probably ply back and front. Look for the layers of ply around the edges where the varnish has chipped off or worn away. To be sure that you are not throwing away a bargain show it to a luthier. A fingerboard of brown wood painted black is a sign of a cheap bass made to a price IMO.
 
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#14
I believe this is a plywood bass of the 70s.
The double bass in this state can cost around €150-300, so this is a good offer. The pegs, bridge and tailpiece cost more than £50 (as far as I know.).

But it is impossible to predict the result. It can be used as an art-object or as a decoration in a cafe or an expo, but it's hard to say how it will sound. Maybe it will be a good blues bass in the old style, or maybe its top will crack and the repair will be too expensive. It is impossible to tell from the photos about the state of this bass. Only the master (luthier) can appreciate it. Low price confirms doubts.

A good bass of this class costs about €800-1600 depending on the state (as far as I can tell.). But it will be a sound bass, which can be immediately appreciated.

I'm sure that if you want to become a musician, not a luthier/master, you need a musical instrument, not spare parts. It is better to put the existing money into a working double bass, for example, an old plywood Czech bass.

imho
 
#15
Would it be worth it in the end if I got the fingerboard replaced? Or should I just keep the money I have for something more reliable? I know I'd have to take it to a luthier but the problem is, it's being kept at the owner's house and don't know how I would get it to a shop. Should I take the chance, buy it and then take it to a luthier?
 
#16
In the end only you can decide. Do you want to take a chance, and risk at least 50 pounds. So it is a bit about your mindset. Also, are you a bit of a tinkerer, who could find it interesting set up the bass with strings, etc, or would you (have to) leave all that up to others? Then it would probably be more expensive. I would probably do it, if my gut feeling was that the repairs mentioned would hold out. But I am a bit of a nerd/tinkerer...
 
#18
Okay thanks everyone for the info on the bass and advice. My final decision is to just leave it and keep my money. Maybe I'll come across something similar in the future, when I already have a bass of my own and have more years of experience? But right now I'm going to go with something more reliable as someone with many more years to come. Thanks everyone!
 
#19
Still, £50? I pay that for one string! Is there a proper bass luthier in your area? If so I would visit him with the photos and get an opinion. Maybe the seller could be persuaded to let the bass travel to the shop, considering he would gain the good karma of helping an aspiring arts student? It would cost nothing to ask.
 
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#20
Leanna said:
Okay thanks everyone for the info on the bass and advice. My final decision is to just leave it and keep my money. Maybe I'll come across something similar in the future, when I already have a bass of my own and have more years of experience? But right now I'm going to go with something more reliable as someone with many more years to come. Thanks everyone!
Click to expand...
Your £1000 will buy you a half-decent new bass, and if you spend another £50 or so on a good thorough set-up you'll have a nice playable bass. Where in the UK are you? If you're in the south east I'm happy to help....
Best of luck
Neil
 

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