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View Full Version : My "new" Tyrolean/German bass:


Adrian Juras
02-17-2010, 11:20 AM
I have recently aquired this German/Tyrolean bass from a friend. The bass is one of the best sounding basses I have yet had my hands on. Notes just seem to jump out of it, with a thickness to them that I haven't experienced from many basses. It also plays like butter, making Spirocores sound dark almost out of the package. I took some time deciding on the bass due to its condition. The price was definitely favorable, but the top has quite a bit of sinkage in the lower bass bar area. It looks like the bar was replaced at some time. However, the top has been stable for the last 7 years that I have known the bass. I made the decision based on the fact that if I put the money into a full restoration later the cost would still be reasonable to me based on how wonderful the bass sounds/responds. I am not sure as to the origin/age of the bass. It does not appear that it was ever blockless, but the shape does resemble many Tyrolean instruments that I have seen. Here are some pictures that I have taken:

Adrian Juras
02-17-2010, 11:23 AM
The back does not appear to be original to me. I have not often seen tightly flamed maple like this in a double bass. The color is slightly different than the sides(which also have a nice figure to them).

Another of the top:

Ken Smith
02-17-2010, 11:46 AM
The back does not appear to be original to me. I have not often seen tightly flamed maple like this in a double bass. The color is slightly different than the sides(which also have a nice figure to them).

Another of the top:

Ok, do two things on the Back issues. Measure the purfling on the Top and see if it is identical. Then get a UV/black light and look over the bass in the dark and see if the opaque colors are the same on the back, ribs and scroll. You will see repairs and some purple from touch-up but check the hue between those areas. Look at the top as well. The varnish under uv looks closer on the top than under the eye.

I have seen many many basses with high tight flame from all over Germany from north to south of that country from about a century or two back. The back is a 'slip match', not a book match. This is more of a hand made instrument than a factory bass from looking at the back which shows repairs consistent with its age.

Scroll Pics? All sides please.

Adrian Juras
02-17-2010, 12:58 PM
The purfling is different. Its uniform on the back about 3/32" all the way around, however the Top purfling looks hand made. Its not uniform, the ebony(or other) is thicker in some places, and the width of the purfling varies from around 1/8" to around 3/32 or 7/64ths of an inch.

Scroll pics are on their way...

Ken Smith
02-17-2010, 01:02 PM
The purfling is different. Its uniform on the back about 3/32" all the way around, however the Top purfling looks hand made. Its not uniform, the ebony(or other) is thicker in some places, and the width of the purfling varies from around 1/8" to around 3/32 or 7/64ths of an inch.

Scroll pics are on their way...

Also, show some pics of the Top Purfling as well.

Adrian Juras
02-17-2010, 01:13 PM
Ken, here are a few pictures of the scroll... The machine heads of course are not original. In fact they were recently added, taken from another German bass.

Adrian Juras
02-17-2010, 01:15 PM
In this picture you can see some damage, and where some re edging was done:

Ken Smith
02-17-2010, 01:17 PM
The Gears are old German as well. The Scroll looks to be beech, not maple. The slender pegbox is not typical and the button looks more Bohemian/Czech than German or Tirol.

Adrian Juras
02-17-2010, 01:20 PM
I am not sure about what is original to this bass. The neck/scroll may not be. Here are a couple of side/back pictures. I'll see about getting a fairly high resolution picture of the purfling on the top and back.

Adrian Juras
02-17-2010, 01:22 PM
By the way, you can see where the scroll was plugged inside probably having hat peg tuners originally.

Ken Smith
02-17-2010, 01:31 PM
I can't compare it all that well from the Top pics but it does look different on the purfling. Also, is that all the original varnish or was the top refinished a some point?

Adrian Juras
02-17-2010, 01:35 PM
I have no idea Ken. It is quite possible. The ribs look to have the original varnish. The top displays some of that blotchy look you get when a top is refinished. I guess its possible the back and sides are original with a different top... All I know is that the bass sounds terrific.