Selling a DB that's in Wales while I'm in Japan!

[GriffJamerson]

So, my double bass is in storage in my parents house in South-West Wales and they've decided they need that space for something else (understandly!). I need to find a way of selling it! Aaaaand I don't know where to start.

 

A bit of history about the bass:

It was sold to me buy a mate who got it from a mate, who got it from a mate, so very little was known about it and nobody had gotten it checked out. Turns out, it's OOOOLD. So i had it repaired by someone in Brighton about 10 years ago. I cant remember the guys name, but he's known for being Herbie Flower's guy. He's awesome! We didn't use emails for communication so I can't find our correspondence he valued it for me and its older and more expensive than I'd have imagined! I talked about the shape of the body and the colouring/aging of the vanish and stuff I'd never have thought of! I dont have any pictures, but will ask my parents to take some and ill post them later. Its certainly got some mojo but it's playable and sounds great! I was using it for blues and rockabilly stuff so I loaded it with plastic strings in a hope to emulate gut.

 

A bit about the area: there is NOTHING. Which is why I moved to Brighton to go where the music was.

 

My problem: I've been out of the loop for almost 8 years now as I've been in Japan, and I don't use social media so I've lost all my contacts. Also, there are no violin stores/repairers or anything of the sort in the area. Also, I'm not really a double bass guy, I have one, I enjoy it, but I'm an electric bass guy. So my knowledge of double bass, the market etc. is zero.

 

Does anyone have any advice? Like, where to start or anything. I've told my parents that this is gonna take a while, it's more like a journey than a sale. 

 

 

 

Edited Sunday at 22:36 by GriffJamerson

[Burns-bass]

You’ll be able to get a basic idea of construction, type and age by posting some pictures but it all comes down to condition, so you’ll probably going to need to have it checked by an expert.

 

You’ve got some very accommodating and understanding parents!

[GriffJamerson]

2 hours ago, Burns-bass said:

You’ll be able to get a basic idea of construction, type and age by posting some pictures but it all comes down to condition, so you’ll probably going to need to have it checked by an expert.

 

You’ve got some very accommodating and understanding parents!

Tell me about it! The last thing remaining of me in the house is the massive double bass taking up all the cupboard space! Hahaha! I actually know it's German and how old it is. I'm wondering if I should have it revalued again. I guess to do that, my parents would have to cart it off to someone to have a look. Anybody know anyone in South West Wales 😆 

 

My parents are going to deserve a cut from what I get for it!

Edited Monday at 08:23 by GriffJamerson

[paul j h]

I am not sure if it’s still there, but there used to be a place opposite where Cranes was in Cardiff city centre, although it may have been violins but you never know, they may value/repair DBs. 

[Owen]

I would suggest working out who the luthier was (there cannot be THAT many in Brighton) and asking him what it might be worth now. An insurance valuation is very different from a sale valuation.

[GriffJamerson]

On 18/11/2024 at 20:10, paul j h said:

I am not sure if it’s still there, but there used to be a place opposite where Cranes was in Cardiff city centre, although it may have been violins but you never know, they may value/repair DBs. 

Thank you, I'll have a lil Google and see if it's still there.

[GriffJamerson]

15 hours ago, Owen said:

I would suggest working out who the luthier was (there cannot be THAT many in Brighton) and asking him what it might be worth now. An insurance valuation is very different from a sale valuation.

Yeah, he gave me 2 prices, one it would sell for and one i should insure it for. Unfortunately, lugging it 6 hours in the car each way isn't feasible for my parents. Being over 10 years ago, I've changed my phone and we only communicated through phone calls. I dont even remember his name, but after googling, I think I've come across him. He's proper old school, no web site, no email, no pictures. He was showing me some of the violins he was preparing and talking about them, he really knows his stuff and is clearly trusted by that clientèle. Then again, even if I did find him, I couldn't get my DB back to him to have a look.

[Beedster]

Put some photos in this thread and within a few days you’ll have a decent idea of value and likely sale price 

[Burns-bass]

1 hour ago, Beedster said:

Put some photos in this thread and within a few days you’ll have a decent idea of value and likely sale price 

 

True. Some experts here. 

 

You face a couple of choices here. You can try and achieve the highest price, which would require having detailed information on dimensions, strings, string height, structural condition, breaks, splits, damage and more.  Or you could price it at a level where someone is happy to take a punt on it. The location of the bass is, unfortunately, against you. 

 

If it's been unplayed for 8 years and stored somewhere I'd say it'll need a complete overhaul in any case, which is never cheap and (in some cases) can be so costly it's terminal for the bass.

 

Don't want to be negative and I'd help if I could but I have no idea of the used market, values and so on.

 

Where are they in South Wales?

[Owen]

7 hours ago, GriffJamerson said:

Yeah, he gave me 2 prices, one it would sell for and one i should insure it for. Unfortunately, lugging it 6 hours in the car each way isn't feasible for my parents. Being over 10 years ago, I've changed my phone and we only communicated through phone calls. I dont even remember his name, but after googling, I think I've come across him. He's proper old school, no web site, no email, no pictures. He was showing me some of the violins he was preparing and talking about them, he really knows his stuff and is clearly trusted by that clientèle. Then again, even if I did find him, I couldn't get my DB back to him to have a look.

If he remembered the bass he could give you a broad valuation given today's market.

[Beedster]

1 hour ago, Owen said:

If he remembered the bass he could give you a broad valuation given today's market.

As far as I’m concerned, without photos this is a non-thread 🤔

[alyctes]

Phil Ward @philw is a double-bass guy living in Brighton and a thoroughly nice chap.  He will know who's active there.

[GriffJamerson]

13 hours ago, Beedster said:

Put some photos in this thread and within a few days you’ll have a decent idea of value and likely sale price 

Yeah I'm gonna see if my parents can work as a team and try to take some pictures of it, or get someone to help them. They know it'll have to be done, it's just they are old. I was hoping they'd be able to wait until I go back to visit. 

[GriffJamerson]

11 hours ago, Burns-bass said:

 

True. Some experts here. 

 

You face a couple of choices here. You can try and achieve the highest price, which would require having detailed information on dimensions, strings, string height, structural condition, breaks, splits, damage and more.  Or you could price it at a level where someone is happy to take a punt on it. The location of the bass is, unfortunately, against you. 

 

If it's been unplayed for 8 years and stored somewhere I'd say it'll need a complete overhaul in any case, which is never cheap and (in some cases) can be so costly it's terminal for the bass.

 

Don't want to be negative and I'd help if I could but I have no idea of the used market, values and so on.

 

Where are they in South Wales?

Yeah, the location is definitely the 2ns biggest hurdle after me being on the other side of the world. Its near Swansea. 

 

When I went back last year I had a play around and it was great! It was built in Germany in the around the 1890s apparently. I had to have the front panel restuck and the sound post put back (it was rolling around inside when I got it). But it'll still need some work! 

 

As for condition, it certainly looks its age! It looks cool as hell, but I couldn't picture it on a classical stage. 

[GriffJamerson]

1 hour ago, alyctes said:

Phil Ward @philw is a double-bass guy living in Brighton and a thoroughly nice chap.  He will know who'

Thank you, I'll ask him for some advice!

[NickA]

https://cardiffviolins.co.uk/

 

Don't do basses tho. I reckon the shop's too small!  They might do an insurance valuation, then x by 0.75 to get what it might sell for.

 

Might have to go to a dealer ( eg Thwaites ) for sale on commission.  Private sales are sloooow.

 

Or ... Possibly.... my dad got a valuation for his cello by sending photos to Bromptons ( the auction house).  We thought it was massively ott, but then showing the cello to dealers after he died, Bromptons were very close.  But with cellos an expert will be able to say " oh that's an early Kennedy / Colin Mezin / Forster etc" from pictures. Basses are more obscure I think, unless you're holding something very valuable and identifiable.

 

NB: my bass is also 1890s German. Viol shape and 4/4. Valued £10k because the valuer said "you don't get anything decent for under £10k now" and I like mine more than the £10k basses in his shop.  But it wouldn't sell for that in a private sale.

Edited 8 hours ago by NickA

[Bloopdad1]

Hiya

I'm in S Wales. Plenty of decent luthiers around here plus one of the very best in the UK - Martin Jones, he's based in Caerphilly (does all our instruments in the BBC Orchestras and WNO)

He could easily give you an accurate appraisal.

Or send me some pics, I'll give you a decent stab at a value. Remember, the bridge, fingerboard, strings, tailpiece, endpin and even neck are not that important in a classical bass.... Its all about the front - (wood quality, condition, grain structure, blockless etc..)

As an alternative to Martin in Caerphilly there's always the superb Luthier Martin Penning in Frome. 

Happy to advise and help out.

I'm not looking to buy - I've got 3 classical basses already! But I do have a couple of friends who are looking, plus my colleagues in the bass section know others that might be looking for an old bass. 

 

(I'd strongly advise against Cardiff Violins - not for basses anyway).

 

I'm guessing your folks are in the Swansea, Neath, Llanelli area? 

 

Cheers 

B

 

[Burns-bass]

6 hours ago, Bloopdad1 said:

Hiya

I'm in S Wales. Plenty of decent luthiers around here plus one of the very best in the UK - Martin Jones, he's based in Caerphilly (does all our instruments in the BBC Orchestras and WNO)

He could easily give you an accurate appraisal.

Or send me some pics, I'll give you a decent stab at a value. Remember, the bridge, fingerboard, strings, tailpiece, endpin and even neck are not that important in a classical bass.... Its all about the front - (wood quality, condition, grain structure, blockless etc..)

As an alternative to Martin in Caerphilly there's always the superb Luthier Martin Penning in Frome. 

Happy to advise and help out.

I'm not looking to buy - I've got 3 classical basses already! But I do have a couple of friends who are looking, plus my colleagues in the bass section know others that might be looking for an old bass. 

 

(I'd strongly advise against Cardiff Violins - not for basses anyway).

 

I'm guessing your folks are in the Swansea, Neath, Llanelli area? 

 

Cheers 

B

 

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