dudi8 Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Hi! how much would you pay for a Hybrid upright bass, 60 years old made in hungary , and the fingerboard is not ebony I'm asking because I'm thinking of buying one... Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 (edited) About a grand if it's been well maintained, and is a bit special. Otherwise I probably wouldn't buy it. Edited January 6, 2014 by thisnameistaken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbie Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 (edited) Do you have any photos? It depends on its condition and of course how good a sound it makes. It probably is not a pedigree instrument, so you won't need the big bucks. Still, try to find out lots about it: any cracks on the top? neck joint sturdy? neck straight? bridge healthy? setup? what kind of blemishes? how does it play? any buzzes or rattles? is there life left in the fingerboard? who are you buying it from? what has been its history in the past 60 years? is the top actually carved? are the seams intact? is the plywood on the back and sides intact? all hardware in working order? how old are the strings? are you likely to be able to play it immediately or would it require an expensive trip to the luthier? Depending on these things it can vary from being worth nothing to upwards of a couple of thousand... in my opinion. Good luck with it. Edited January 6, 2014 by Rabbie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubassman Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 +1 on Rabbies advice really lots of variables in the mix that might affect what is a suitable price . You can get some wonderfully sturdy and good sounding instruments from the 1950/1960s and eastern European countries and good luck with it if you decide to go ahead. Some fetch a lot of money such as an East German Rubner hybrid. Are there any labels inside the bass? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudi8 Posted January 7, 2014 Author Share Posted January 7, 2014 (edited) actually its a guy thats selling it online, and the overall condition is good, he thinks its not ebony, but he is not sure, he's not a bass player heres a photo: Edited January 7, 2014 by dudi8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubassman Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 Looks like a nice enough bass. If you can, its always advisable to visit and play the instrument and one thing to check for is whether the bass bar is still intact. You can tell by looking at the top for distortion ( the top invariably sinks under the bridge foot ) . Its an expensive repair and I have walked away from many a ply/ hybrid bass as they are beyond economical repair given the cost of taking the top off, taking the distortion out of the top, carving a new bass bar, often fitting a new bridge, putting the top back on, repairing the varnish, setting the sound post, restringing ..not cheap! Good luck with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudi8 Posted January 7, 2014 Author Share Posted January 7, 2014 i will check it, by the way the price he wants is 500 pounds, is it a fair price, if its in great condition? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubassman Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 [quote name='dudi8' timestamp='1389085986' post='2329617'] i will check it, by the way the price he wants is 500 pounds, is it a fair price, if its in great condition? [/quote] Yes I would say so ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatback Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 [quote name='dudi8' timestamp='1389085986' post='2329617'] i will check it, by the way the price he wants is 500 pounds, is it a fair price, if its in great condition? [/quote] Close to what i paid for my battered Czech hybrid of about the same age. Turned out to have a great sound after a bit of TLC. Keep a couple of hundred aside for the luthier, and you might still have a bargain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudi8 Posted January 7, 2014 Author Share Posted January 7, 2014 did anyone ever encountered a hybrid bass, not new, with a fingerboard thats not ebony? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubassman Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 Hybrid basses are very common especially in mass production manufacturers such as Strunal. There are plenty of basses that have ebonised fingerboards which are hardwood dyed black . Even if you have to replace the fingerboard at some stage it will not break the bank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobmartin Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 I’m just getting ready for sale, a similar 3/4 Ply sides, solid top with a ebony neck Hungarian (with label) bass. It’s nowhere as pretty as the one in the photo, and I was hoping to get around £650 for it. Hmm... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer of the Bass Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 [quote name='dudi8' timestamp='1389099808' post='2329839'] did anyone ever encountered a hybrid bass, not new, with a fingerboard thats not ebony? [/quote] I have a solid wood flat-backed German bass somewhat older than this one, which had a painted pale wood fingerboard when I bought it. I don't know if it might have been original or a cheap repair job at some point in the basses history. The sound improved by a long way when I had a new ebony fingerboard fitted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatgoogle Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 (edited) I've seen a lot of older bass's (1850's-1950's) that the fingerboards have what i presumed had faded. Maybe another wood apart from ebony but defiantly a lot of brown tinge coming through. Also i was sold my bass as a hybrid. Turns out it's a fully carved tone monster. So you never know what you'll end up with. And these Romanian instruments do seem really good from the few others i've come across. Better then one's coming out of the czech republic, china and even some of the cheap german variants. Edited January 7, 2014 by fatgoogle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudi8 Posted January 9, 2014 Author Share Posted January 9, 2014 anyone know an online shop where i can order an ebony fingerboard? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatback Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 [quote name='dudi8' timestamp='1389271199' post='2332117'] anyone know an online shop where i can order an ebony fingerboard? [/quote] Gollihur does a very fast, reliable service. [url="http://www.gollihurmusic.com/product/1245-EBONY_DELUXE_FINGERBOARD_LARGE_FOR_UPRIGHT_BASS_INCLUDES_NUT.html"]http://www.gollihurmusic.com/product/1245-EBONY_DELUXE_FINGERBOARD_LARGE_FOR_UPRIGHT_BASS_INCLUDES_NUT.html[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudi8 Posted January 9, 2014 Author Share Posted January 9, 2014 [quote name='fatback' timestamp='1389281137' post='2332306'] Gollihur does a very fast, reliable service. [url="http://www.gollihurmusic.com/product/1245-EBONY_DELUXE_FINGERBOARD_LARGE_FOR_UPRIGHT_BASS_INCLUDES_NUT.html"]http://www.gollihurm...CLUDES_NUT.html[/url] [/quote] have you ever ordered from them? I'm afraid that the neck will break on the way from the states... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatback Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 [quote name='dudi8' timestamp='1389293951' post='2332553'] have you ever ordered from them? I'm afraid that the neck will break on the way from the states... [/quote] Yeah, I've bought an adjustable bridge and on another occasion a pickup. The service was great, better than some I've dealt with much closer to home. Surprisingly fast delivery, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudi8 Posted January 13, 2014 Author Share Posted January 13, 2014 just bought the bass, and its amazing! Thanks for the advice! another question, is 190 euro's is expensive for an ebony fingerboard? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubassman Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 You get what you pay for Refitting the fingerboard is unlikely to add any value to your instrument - maybe you just need to get the fingerboard planed if there is any buzzing and then refinished ? There are many many excellent instruments that have brown hardwood fingerboards and unless the FB is damaged beyond repair , personally I would leave it in place! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudi8 Posted January 13, 2014 Author Share Posted January 13, 2014 [quote name='ubassman' timestamp='1389606357' post='2335922'] You get what you pay for Refitting the fingerboard is unlikely to add any value to your instrument - maybe you just need to get the fingerboard planed if there is any buzzing and then refinished ? There are many many excellent instruments that have brown hardwood fingerboards and unless the FB is damaged beyond repair , personally I would leave it in place! [/quote] because i saw one in ebay for 100 euros, and i contacted a local luthier Akos Blazs and he sells one for double the price.. yeah? you think i shouldn't replace? i thought ebony gives a lot better sound... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubassman Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 [quote name='dudi8' timestamp='1389606556' post='2335927'] i thought ebony gives a lot better sound... [/quote] I dont think you would notice any difference! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbie Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 [quote name='ubassman' timestamp='1389606721' post='2335930'] I dont think you would notice any difference! [/quote] +1 on this. Ebony is more hard wearing in the long run, but if I were you I'd just get playing and consider a new fingerboard only if and when there is no life left in the one you've got. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 I've heard luthiers advise against fitting ebony boards before just because the cost is more than the benefit on most basses. Save your money to experiment with strings - it will cost you a fortune to find the perfect set. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudi8 Posted January 13, 2014 Author Share Posted January 13, 2014 Thanks everyone for help! you saved me a lot of money! now for string exploration... i think i will go and order the evah pirazzi strings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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