ljbass

If the bridge is not madly high, I´ll check the nut slots and fingerboard first. My opinion is, that strings as low as possible on the nut + properly planned fingerboard allow having them little higher on the bridge without losing easy feeling on the neck. Fingerboard planning could be a huge deal unfortunately

Worth a look https://soundelirium.wordpress.com/products-db-series/ Jan’s cabs are really well thought...

The 2nd one should be much cheaper, it is ply with maple fingerboard. I had ply Cremona from 1960 and it was built like a tank, unbreakable instrument, little on a heavy side. You will surely have less to take care than with all carved bass.

The bass definitely is Czech Cremona (Strunal) carved model. From 70´s - more sturdy than refined instruments, but with nice sound, and mainly last forever. Used ones are hard to find even here in Czech Republic and 950eur seems ok (for repaired one). But the price depends on the quality of repairs. I see 2 cracks + some neck heel repair (top of the last picture). The crack under the G side of the bridge - also called the soundpost crack - is probably the worst issue, if not repaired right, because the top is in tension from the soundpost right there. But I´ve repaired similar (much shorter) crack on my DB by myself and it never bothered me later. Btw. any repairs look not nice on instruments with gloss laquered PU finish Stentors seem bit overpriced for what they are and with somehow weird ergonomy to me. I´d also rather take old Strunal instead of cheap chinese bass, but to see and play the bass before buying is a must, if you have no spare cash or luthier as a best friend What about some european (made in Strunal) half carved 1000eur bass from Thomann? There should be no issues except it is shiny new...

“A towel is just about the most massively useful thing any interstellar Hitchhiker can carry...”

Any experience with Markbass AC 101 H? http://www.markbass.it/product-detail/ac-101-h/ 2ch, phantom, phase, notch... looks good to me

If you don´t mind mention it in Barefaced thread, try to check the 10.5 on [url="http://www.soundelirium.com"]www.soundelirium.com[/url] - Jan is a custom bass cabinet maker, well known member of Czech bass guitar forum (some of his work is here [url="http://baskytara.com/topic7873-soundelirium-thread-a-samodomo-contents.html"]http://baskytara.com...o-contents.html[/url] ). He is starting some serious bussiness now, offering his suprisingly light and perfectly constructed cabinets with custom sound characteristics...

small picture of DB head from my avatar

It just reminded me my DB but I don´t know how to confirm, Try to look here http://www.uptonbass.com/SOLD-1960s-Czech-Ply-Upright-Bass-double-bass/ or at some other pictures. I think things like the head, tuning machines, finish, colour or body shape are obvious. I´ve bought mine with ebony fingerboard, which is not original, and it took some work - resetting the neck, fixing the the top and back here and there, new bridge - but the playability is great now. I´ve had Presto Balance steel strings first, but changed them to Innovation Rockabillys actually and I like the sound and the feel much more.

The bass looks like my Czech Cremona from 1960 (pre Strunal). They were cheap instruments, but although the thin laquer wears off easily, It's built like a tank. The plywood used for the top is pretty thick and therefore probably not so resonant as more recent DBs, but the sound is even as you say. And the mojo of course

Serious case of chordatensiophobia

The bass lost tone, volume and the string is too loose on right hand with A tuned down to E. I can imagine detuning solo strings (although most of low tension strings will work too), but 5 semitones is too much. I will not go this way.

Check the string height on the nut too! It should be just slightly more than the credit card thickness. It affects playability a lot.

I think 7 to 10 mm at the end of the fingerboard for G to E is standard. I have about 4 to 7 for the lowest position of adjustable bridge. But it depends on how well dressed is your fingerboard. You have to copy the fingerboard radius first, than increase the diameter equally and change the curve as lower strings are rising. Don't forget there will be slots for the strings, but they should not be deeper than 1/2 of the string diameter. Reather to make the bridge higher at first... Useful info about the neck finish http://www.stringemporium.com/refinish-upright-bass-neck.htm btw there is also a nice picture of the typical shape of transition between oiled and laquered finish on the neck heel...

the idea of "trial bridge" is worth a try