Ken - F Y I . . . Observations/Comments? - Please!

[Jim McKinney]

Good Mornin', Ken . . .

It was suggested on another site (see link immediately below - post #6)
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=731905
that you might be interested with comments re:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Very-Old-RARE-Vintage-Antique-Cello-Stand-Up-Right-Bass-/150549999876#ht_26329wt_1061 - Scroll down for photos . . .

Soooo, . . . . any observations/comments? - please!

Thanks!

[Ken Smith]

Good Mornin', Ken . . .

It was suggested on another site (see link immediately below - post #6)
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=731905
that you might be interested with comments re:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Very-Old-RARE-Vintage-Antique-Cello-Stand-Up-Right-Bass-/150549999876#ht_26329wt_1061 - Scroll down for photos . . .

Soooo, . . . . any observations/comments? - please!

Thanks!

That is not a Bass of any sort as we know it today. In one Orchestra a guy had a Prescott Cello, not a Church bass but an actual Cello of which he did make a few. That by the way is not a Prescott but another Yankee maker. Perhaps by Crehore which I attributed it to when I first saw it on E-bay before it hit Talkbass but who cares? Most of these Church Basses are too big to convert to Cellos and not worth fixing to hang on the wall. There is a reason these are always in a state of disrepair and falling apart. They went out of date 150 years ago and no one needs them anymore!

[Ken Smith]

Speaking of square shoulders..
http://www.kensmithbasses.com/doublebasses/malvolti/images/front-full.jpghttp://72.5.117.144/fif=fpx/sc6/sc65932.fpx&obj=iip,1.0&wid=568&cell=568,427&cvt=jpeg

So, what do you you think now?

Guess which instrument is still in use today?

[Matthew Tucker]

To hang on the wall, i think it would be worth fixing.

[Ken Smith]

To hang on the wall, i think it would be worth fixing.

Then buy it!

For someone here in the N.E. USA where the Church bass is it would cost more then the averages person's 'double' bass costs to fix it. Be my guest and please give us an account of the hours spent to do the job. Materials will be minimal I'm sure.

[Matthew Tucker]

Then buy it!

For someone here in the N.E. USA where the Church bass is it would cost more then the averages person's 'double' bass costs to fix it. Be my guest and please give us an account of the hours spent to do the job. Materials will be minimal I'm sure.

Sheesh Ken, "Be my guest"??? Are you the seller?

To hang it on the wall i'd just glue up the seams and put some secondhand strings on it. Couple of hours work max.

If it didn't cost already US$1562 to ship it to me in Sydney, I WOULD bid on it!

[Jim McKinney]

FWIW - 22 bids . . . sold for $611.26

[Ken Smith]

FWIW - 22 bids . . . sold for $611.26

A proper restoration like what I do with my basses can easily run 10x that amount. This is not an investment grade instrument. I have even passed up on several Yankee Double Basses, not Church Basses by Prescott and other makers that were just not worth the work for what the instrument was or wasn't. Hopefully someone will have fun with it.

[Joshua phelps]

Ken - I know I'm a noob on kens corner & this info might already be on another post but I was curious if you have ever done luthier work on double basses or built any?

[Ken Smith]

Ken - I know I'm a noob on kens corner & this info might already be on another post but I was curious if you have ever done luthier work on double basses or built any?

I have worked on DBs but never made one.