What manner of beast is this?

[Craig4003]

I'm lost. The two pics of the back look like two different instruments.

It looks to me like the red part is removable; possibly a soft pad? Note that in the photo of the red back, there are two screws that correspond to two screw holes in the other picture of the back.

As for the instrument... I have no idea what it is. It doesn't appeal to me, so I wouldn't buy it, but YMMV.

I find it odd that there is an upper access plate on the back. What's that for?

 

[FerK]

Ach...not my cup of tea. I would only offer my condolences.

 

[B-Mac]

I found this instrument in the local want ads, with a "best offer" price tag. Needless to say, I fell in love. But before I start making serious inquiries, I'd like to know a little more about the instrument than "I don't know. It's old. I inherited it from my grampa."

I've spent about a week looking. All I've been able to determine is that it's not an Epiphone, Eko, or Warwick. It might be from the 60s. It may be a one-of custom hand-built job. It may or may not be DDR/Soviet Bloc.

Does anyone here recognise it? What would you offer?

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It would be great to see the back of the headstock.

Could it be a vintage EKO bass made in Italy?

 

[J Gold]

I'd buy it for the headstock alone. Or send those pics to Chris Stambaugh and he'll build you a playable one.

 

[bholder]

There's a pad that screws on the back.

This supports German or eastern Europe origin, was a common feature for a while.

 

[bholder]

Could it be a vintage EKO bass made in Italy?

First thing I thought, too.

 

[bassman10096]

How does it sound?? How does it play?? What it is won't matter if you don't use it.

 

[Cliff Colton]

This was the bass owned by Kaiser Willhelm ll.
It was given to him by Bernhard Von Bulow in 1900.

Von Bülow got the bass from another TB member in 1898 and tried to flip it in a trade for France but Reverb cancelled the deal when the French people complained the bass wasn't as described.

 

[Volker Kirstein]

How does it sound?? How does it play?? What it is won't matter if you don't use it.

That's the catch. I'm not in a position to travel across the country to try it out.

I'm trying to get a picture of the back of the headstock, and a scale length. You can be sure I'll keep you posted.

Edit: I would most definitely play it in public. As long as it goes BOOM BOOM BOOM, I'm good to go.

 

[Engle]

How do you tune it? With an Allen key?

 

[bholder]

How do you tune it? With an Allen key?

Banjo style tuners I'm guessing - the tuner knobs go straight out the back of the headstock.

 

[Skillet]

I would immediately serve a low ball, with a medium ball at the ready, knowing I might be buying a beautiful wall hanger with limited utility.

 

[CBRXJ]

I want to see the tuners.

 

[LBS-bass]

That is a unique bit of craftsmanship. I hope you buy it just so we can all get a report on what you learn about it!

 

[klyph]

Knobs/electronics suggest 80's or later. It also looks like it tunes from the bridge, like a headless. Those " tuners" are just posts with Allen set screws- the string ends go through but aren't wrapped around. There is what looks like tuning knobs protruding from under the tailpiece thingy. I don't think you will get much good info on this without seeing it in person. You should really pass if you can't...

Edit: get plenty of pictures of the bridge/tailpiece, and that end of the bass.

 

[LBS-bass]

Knobs/electronics suggest 80's or later. It also looks like it tunes from the bridge, like a headless. Those " tuners" are just posts with Allen set screws- the string ends go through but aren't wrapped around. There is what looks like tuning knobs protruding from under the tailpiece thingy. I don't think you will get much good info on this without seeing it in person. You should really pass if you can't...

Edit: get plenty of pictures of the bridge/tailpiece, and that end of the bass.

Looks that way to me, too. You can barely see what look like tuners in one of the pictures that shows the bridge.

 

[BassFishingInAmerica]

There's a pad that screws on the back.

Thanks for that info. I was just about to ask what those two screws were for.

 

[Slinger]

I still think it looks more violin-sized than bass-sized.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

Buy first.Ask questions later!
Or I will!

Agreed!

 

[groooooove]

looks one-off to me.

obviously this looks similar to Japanese 1960's basses, in its vibe. i see nothing that actually looks Japanese 1960 to me, though. i'd say a small shop/1 off is most likely. European doesn't seen unlikely, but anything would be hard to confirm.

so,

looks Japanese but is not. i have no idea what the price should be....