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Bargain or novice-trap?
£500


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http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Very-Old-3-4-size-Double-Bass-Upright-Bass-and-case/350930557238?_trksid=p3984.m2206&_trkparms=aid%3D222002%26algo%3DSIC.FIT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D129%26meid%3D2959844985221862963%26pid%3D100052%26prg%3D1108%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D4%26sd%3D321247133119%26

Nothing to do with me, and too far from London, but I'm curious...

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It's hard to tell how much work it needs without seeing it in the flesh. Whether it turns out to be a bargain really depends whether the cracks are bad enough to need a top-off repair.
It's an old Germanic bass, which has had a fairly terrible varnish job at some point in it's life. The fingerboard looks on the thin side, and I'd probably want to replace that. I sold a similar bass, but in worse cosmetic shape and with known (and honestly described) issues and amateur repairs for more than £500 on eBay about five years ago but in good shape it would go for a lot more.

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Bridge looks pretty knackered too. Not so easy to see but it looks like the top has deformed and sunk between the f holes which suggests that the sound post has dropped whilst the bridge left in place loading the top. Most likely cause for that long crack in the top under the tail piece. Top needs to come off Im afraid = expensive repair.

Is it a hybrid I am wondering with ply back and sides and a wooden top - hard to tell with that aweful B+Q varnishing ? :blink:

The finish puts me off for two reasons:-

1/. it looks bloody awful :blush:
2/. why would anyone do that to a double bass?

Buyer beware!

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I heard about this bass a few months ago but forgot all about it. If I'd known it was on eBay sooner I could've popped over to check it out but it's too late now.

It's had a bad refinish, looks like it was done with a bog brush, but if it sounds ok could be a good bass for £500

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[quote name='ambient' timestamp='1385421269' post='2288194']
I'd love a real double bass, it's kinda sad looking at that bass.
[/quote]

+1 ....if it were a car it would look something like this prior to the repainting by hand with Dulux Brilliant White Gloss paint ! :D

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I was viewing on my ipad, it didn't look too bad at first glance.

Zooming in on the bottom shots (oo err!) it looks like a ply back.

On second thoughts I'd give it a miss, although old it's been ruined and will never be worth much even if one spent a few hundred repairing it.

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  • 4 weeks later...

'Relic' - ed DB - done with an angle grinder? [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ANTIQUE-PRIMITIVE-UPRIGHT-MAPLE-BASS-FIDDLE-AGED-RED-GREAT-COUNTRY-MUSIC-PIECE/111099575614?_trksid=p2045573.m2042&_trkparms=aid%3D111000%26algo%3DREC.CURRENT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D27%26meid%3D3527486995056542186%26pid%3D100033%26prg%3D1011%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D4%26sd%3D111099575614%26"]http://www.ebay.co.u...111099575614%26[/url]

The F holes are something else not to mention Gaffer tape, filler and wooden strips ! More photo [url="http://www.auctiva.com/hostedimages/showimage.aspx?gid=1731512&ppid=1122&image=679347027&images=679347008,679347001,679347027,679347028,679347031,679347036,679347041,679347061,679347077,679347081,679347086,679347095,679347100,679347108,679347112,679347123,679347130,679347136,679347149,679347152,679347157,679347162,679347165,679347175&formats=0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0&format=0"]here[/url] - the bridge is something else!...so's the end pin...and the tailpiece ...and the machines ...and ...and !

Edited by ubassman
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  • 4 weeks later...

Not seen anything quite like this with plush velvet lining inside the bass! I imagine its a very different instrument when amplified to when its not.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Upright-Travel-Bass-Project-Custom-Double-Parts-made-by-Bassix-UK-/171218468217?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Sting_Instruments&hash=item27dd6a7d79


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  • 1 month later...

Worth £800 brand new so a real snip at just £250! Just need to find luthier who can repair the broken neck, mend the cross grain spilt top, patch the hole in the back where the sound post has punched through, refit the bridge, set the sound post, make good the varnish and set up all for under £550 - I think this is a *R.U.B.B.E.R. !

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Primavera-P50-Laminate-Double-Bass-3-4-Rockabilly-Damaged-RRP-799-21-/271411616002?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Sting_Instruments&hash=item3f31649902



* RUBBER - Really Unplayable Bass Beyond Economical Repair .

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[quote name='ubassman' timestamp='1393622748' post='2382824']
Worth £800 brand new so a real snip at just £250! Just need to find luthier who can repair the broken neck, mend the cross grain spilt top, patch the hole in the back where the sound post has punched through, refit the bridge, set the sound post, make good the varnish and set up all for under £550 - I think this is a *R.U.B.B.E.R. !

[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Primavera-P50-Laminate-Double-Bass-3-4-Rockabilly-Damaged-RRP-799-21-/271411616002?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Sting_Instruments&hash=item3f31649902"]http://www.ebay.co.u...=item3f31649902[/url]



* RUBBER - Really Unplayable Bass Beyond Economical Repair .
[/quote]

Some would call it Mojo

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[quote name='ubassman' timestamp='1389820047' post='2338367']
Not seen anything quite like this with plush velvet lining inside the bass! I imagine its a very different instrument when amplified to when its not.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Upright-Travel-Bass-Project-Custom-Double-Parts-made-by-Bassix-UK-/171218468217?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Sting_Instruments&hash=item27dd6a7d79




[/quote]

Haha, that was made for me by Alan. It came with a mag pup that was fitted to end of the neck. Everything fitted inside the half body case. Looked very interesting on stage.

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That Primavera is not a bad starter bass but not worth sending to a Luthier. However if you wanted a "do-er-up" bass and you were going to learn how to DIY then it may be worth phoning Gear4music and asking for a deal.
BTW Gear4music seem to have a busted bass on flea bay every other week. Makes you think what happens to them on the journey from China?

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[quote name='ubassman' timestamp='1393622748' post='2382824']
Worth £800 brand new so a real snip at just £250! Just need to find luthier who can repair the broken neck, mend the cross grain spilt top, patch the hole in the back where the sound post has punched through, refit the bridge, set the sound post, make good the varnish and set up all for under £550 - I think this is a *R.U.B.B.E.R. !

[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Primavera-P50-Laminate-Double-Bass-3-4-Rockabilly-Damaged-RRP-799-21-/271411616002?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Sting_Instruments&hash=item3f31649902"]http://www.ebay.co.u...=item3f31649902[/url]

* RUBBER - Really Unplayable Bass Beyond Economical Repair .
[/quote]

Wow, that's priced way too high! I had one of these basses and it had clearly been assembled using foaming polyurethane glue (the stuff builders use), so good luck to anyone attempting any conventional repairs. Somebody might just be able to salvage the neck, fingerboard and bridge for an EUB project, but not for £250...

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[quote name='oldslapper' timestamp='1393629884' post='2382915']
Haha, that was made for me by Alan. It came with a mag pup that was fitted to end of the neck. Everything fitted inside the half body case. Looked very interesting on stage.
[/quote]

...why does the thought of a secret bottle of whisky stashed away spring to mind? !!

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  • 3 weeks later...

There is a really unpleasant trend that seems to be flourishing in Hungary to make fake antique basses to make them look like 'Treasure Trove' and sell to the European market. I would be really wary about buying anything on e-bay without first seeing in and verifying that its the genuine article. Have a look at this [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Doublebass-for-sale-/251480143180?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Sting_Instruments&hash=item3a8d62754c"]http://www.ebay.co.u...=item3a8d62754c[/url]


Modern fake or the real thing?



....answer - modern new instrument ! The guy is at least honest that in his description but looking from the photos its easy to think its an antique. There are plenty of sellers who are not so truthful:-

[color=#800080][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif][b][i]Doublebass for sale[/i][/b]

[size=3][b][i]The Bass is Handmade Bass and is a modern Instrument made[/i][/b]
[b][i]looking old style. The Sound is really good also for Jazz. The mensur [/i][/b]
[b][i]is 105cm and the bodylenght is 113cm. The Bass is all wood.[/i][/b]
[b][i]The bass would be a good choice for musicians with a lower budget. [/i][/b]
[b][i]The transfer in Europe would cost 300pound. For further questions[/i][/b]
[b][i]please feel free to ask. [/i][/b][/size][/font][/color]

Heres the Hungarian version of Ebay - always good to cross check and see any Hungarian 'antique' instrument its [url="http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2053587.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.Xdouble+bass&_nkw=double+bass&_sacat=0&_from=R40"]offered here[/url] - one would think a legit seller would be equally happy selling to the domestic marketplace rather than just pitch to the UK ebay market.

Edited by ubassman
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