NBD

[Malvis]

Ok, to be honest it's more of a nearly-new-belated-bass-day, as a few of you have already seen this bass at last month's bass bash.  It's a 1965 Szegedi hybrid from Hungary, and I'm rather enamoured with it.

I picked it up on approval from Ben at the Double Bass Room last month, and brought it along to the bash, hoping to hear what better players than me would make of it. Bassace and NickA kindly took a look, and it sang when they played.  This was despite gammy old strings, a buzzing fingerboard and a turnip-shaped lump of timber where I'd expected to find an endpin.  Following some excellent advice, I made Ben an offer slightly north of the asking price (which was a grand) provided he'd get his luthier Jerome Davies to sort out the endpin and fingerboard, and put some playable strings on it.  He agreed, and I went to pick it up last week.  I was delighted to find when I got home that what had been sold as a ply bass in fact had a carved top.  Yesterday I put on a set of Evahs, replacing the well-worn Helicores it came with, and the bass is sounding and playing very sweetly indeed.  I got it as a pub and festival bass, and it'll get its first run-out at the Common People fest in Oxford at the weekend. I can't wait.  

So thanks again to the basschatters who made such encouraging noises at the bash... 

[TheRev]

Ooh, that's pretty - looks in very good nick.

How big is the brown bass in the last pic? It looks massive next to the sunburst one.

[Malvis]

Thanks.  It's in lovely condition, no sign of any repairs at all.  Fingers crossed I can keep it that way...

And you're right, the brown bass is a beast, 4/4 with a 44" scale length, so it's not exactly portable.  Mainly it's the camera angle though I think.

[Dad3353]

If it plays half as good as it looks, you've a winner. Beautiful. 

[stingrayPete1977]

It was a lovely bass at the bash so it must be epic now, great price too! 

[bassace]

It was a great bass before the work, it must be spectacular now. So it’s a hybrid (carved top on a ply back and sides). I thought it was rather too good for a ply.

Enjoy your bass, Bro.

[Happy Jack]

Good work!

[Staggering on]

I saw it at the bash and am glad you were able to make a deal on a lovely bass, but that was an odd looking endpin, the new one looks nicer and is adjustable...great!

[TPJ]

Looks great. Love the upper bouts. Great shape.

[philparker]

Hey, congratulations, it looks good and now that it's well set up that's a pretty good price for approx £1k and much more suitable for festivals than your 4/4!

[geoffbassist]

Really nice instrument with a lot of mojo! Congrats.