yanto Posted March 13, 2010 Posted March 13, 2010 (edited) What do the more experienced of DB'ers think of this one? [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Rare-3-4-Double-Bass-1920s-Played-in-40s-US-Airbases_W0QQitemZ180479960438QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Musical_Instruments_Sting_Instruments?hash=item2a0571a576"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Rare-3-4-Double-Bass...=item2a0571a576[/url] Says it's 1920's but I thought it looks more like a ply bass from the grain,although the back does look like an earlier German.Is it worth a punt? Iain Edited March 13, 2010 by yanto Quote
OutToPlayJazz Posted March 14, 2010 Posted March 14, 2010 Looks like a very small 3/4 to me. Would make a nice chamber bass with a decent bridge on it. All depends on the sound. If it has that "shove" to it, it's worth going for, but if it sounds too quiet and almost strangled, I wouldn't bother. Definitely worth going to try it if you can, though. Quote
yanto Posted March 14, 2010 Author Posted March 14, 2010 [quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='774117' date='Mar 14 2010, 09:44 AM']Looks like a very small 3/4 to me. Would make a nice chamber bass with a decent bridge on it. All depends on the sound. If it has that "shove" to it, it's worth going for, but if it sounds too quiet and almost strangled, I wouldn't bother. Definitely worth going to try it if you can, though.[/quote] Mmm.Bit problematic given my geographical position-will keep my eye on it though.Have you ordered the Hora yet?We're all on tenterhooks for the next installment of "Buying a reasonably-priced new bass in the UK" Quote
jdstrings Posted March 17, 2010 Posted March 17, 2010 Someone else has been seeking my advice on this one a few days ago. He seemed to be under the impression that it was a carved instrument which it is not. It appears (as already mentioned by OutToPlayJazz) to be a smallish (possibly even 1/2 size) plywood instrument. It may be from the 40s or before, but remember plywood does not improve with age unlike solid wood. Elderly ply basses can often suffer from the long-term terminal illness of de-lamination! I would also hazard that this instrument has been revarnished at some point. The one point of interest is the back of the pegbox which appears to have been carved with far greater care/style than is normal with these instruments. I can't see why it merits the descriptions "rare" or "early".... However, as they say: "The proof of the pudding is in the eating." Quote
BigBeatNut Posted March 19, 2010 Posted March 19, 2010 (edited) Surprised at this given the comments above: [quote]£1,550.00 - Reserve not met[/quote] Edited March 19, 2010 by BigBeatNut Quote
OutToPlayJazz Posted March 19, 2010 Posted March 19, 2010 [quote name='yanto' post='774172' date='Mar 14 2010, 11:09 AM']Mmm.Bit problematic given my geographical position-will keep my eye on it though.Have you ordered the Hora yet?We're all on tenterhooks for the next installment of "Buying a reasonably-priced new bass in the UK"[/quote] No, not ordered a Hora 4/4 yet - I played the Archer in the Nick Ross Orchestra & in Fiddler on the roof for a week & it's performing admirably. It has a massive sound and I'm very impressed with it so far. Next step is to get my luthier, Paul Holt, to put a really nice ebony fingerboard on it & do some finishing/varnishing to the neck. Just waiting for him to come back to me with a price at the moment... Quote
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