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Nelson Cascais
10-03-2011, 05:25 PM
Hi

I´m thinking on buying an old french bass 1860. The seller says "it is just coming from the luthier for a complete restoration and it has had a fresh coat of red brown spirit varnish matching the original. This is just to protect it and is in line with keeping it as original as possible."

My question is: is it a normal procedure?
Does it afects the tone?
Does it have an impact on the value of the instrument?

Hope someone can help me with this questions...

Thanks
Greetings
Nelson
Arnold Schnitzer
10-03-2011, 06:38 PM
Nelson, if this work was done to protect the bass and restore the original varnish, and it looks right, that's not a bad thing IMHO. But if the bass was stripped of its original varnish, that's not so good. However, sometimes the original varnish has been destroyed and there's nothing to be done other than putting on some new "paint".

Do you have any pics to share?
Nelson Cascais
10-03-2011, 09:05 PM
Hi Arnold
Thank you for your reply.
I´ll post some pics soon.
:)
Nelson Cascais
10-04-2011, 12:11 PM
[/URL]Here´s some photos of the french bass:

[URL]http://www.flickr.com/photos/68258026@N07/ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/68258026@N07/)
Arnold Schnitzer
10-04-2011, 12:37 PM
Wow that's one crazy back! The varnish looks pretty good to my eye. Has the seller named the supposed maker?
Ken Smith
10-04-2011, 01:38 PM
Can we see the Scroll please, all angles and the Ribs as well. Thanks.
Nelson Cascais
10-04-2011, 01:40 PM
It´s a one piece maple back...

The supposedmaker is J. Thibouville-Lamy
Ken Smith
10-04-2011, 02:32 PM
It´s a one piece maple back...

The supposed maker is J. Thibouville-Lamy

That was one of my guesses but they copied most previous makers styles and made many many basses in all grades in their factory. Factory OF J. Thibouville-Lamy is the supposed maker, not Lamy himself.
Nelson Cascais
10-04-2011, 07:15 PM
What about the one piece maple flat back? Is it a good thing? I know it´s not very common...
Ken Smith
10-04-2011, 10:29 PM
What about the one piece maple flat back? Is it a good thing? I know it´s not very common...

The grain and figure is a bit wild and the bass has a lot of cracks. I don't see that as good, just what it is. A 2 pc back might have been more stable than one big piece twisting around and splitting. Maybe.
Nelson Cascais
10-06-2011, 10:23 AM
Thank you, guys!
:)