Question about Roth basses

[Steve Boisen]

I recently got a very good deal on carved 1960 Ernst Heinrich Roth bass that original owner had been stroring for over forty years. It's in great shape and the "EHR" shield logo on the back of the bass is my current avatar.

I know these were factory made basses that were imported by the US based Sherl & Roth company (The bass came with a letter from Heinrich Roth dated November 1960). My question is whether these basses were actually made in the Roth shop or were they more than likely made by another German company for them to sell under their E.H. Roth name.

- Steve

[Ken Smith]

I recently got a very good deal on carved 1960 Ernst Heinrich Roth bass that original owner had been stroring for over forty years. It's in great shape and the "EHR" shield logo on the back of the bass is my current avatar.

I know these were factory made basses that were imported by the US based Sherl & Roth company (The bass came with a letter from Heinrich Roth dated November 1960). My question is whether these basses were actually made in the Roth shop or were they more than likely made by another German company for them to sell under their E.H. Roth name.

- Steve

There are several makers named Roth that made Violins and Bows as well. This line of the family I traced as starting in Markneukirchen and ending in Bubenreuth, the same town as the Wilfers, Hofners and Framus/F.Wilfer settled after the 1st and 2nd war.

Making basses is a specialty but it seems all but the Bass specialists made Violins. If this is the case and you are the Roth firm, why bother when the shop down the street makes and sells basses to the trade. Just have your model made and put your logo and label on it. Then in USA, we can sort out various brand names that were made in the same shop.

There is nothing special looking to me about a Roth over the other German basses from the same town and period. My personal feeling is that they were made in the Wilfer shop who made mainly basses at that time and possibly cellos as well or maybe even Hofner is they were set-up to make basses. Hofner basses looks only slightly different inside and out. I would have to compare the internal work side by side from the same period of a Hofner, Roth and a Juzek made by Wilfer to be sure who did what. The older Morelli, Prfetczchner and J.Hornsteiner basses were all sold buy the same USA importer. That doesn't mean he bought them all in one place. Actually, I think at least 4 shops supplied them if not more from the variations of the basses I have personally seen with these brands.

Getting back to Roth, I see no evidence at all that they made basses. It was probably just a brand they used for basses purchased to sell as Roth's.

I have seen comparatively very few REAL handmade German basses here in the USA as most of what we have are 20th century imports. On line I have seen many handmade German basses from various parts of Germany from Mittenwald to Berlin. Some of the older basses I have seen here look quite robust as compared to handmade basses from other countries but the Germans did build them strong. I personally play on an old German bass most of the time and it is quite the instrument. In time, the 20th century German shop basses will age and fit right in with the old basses from other countries but that extra strong build they used takes more time to settle down and mellow out I think. If played for 50 years or more, well maintained and possibly modified for tone, it should stand up well to older basses in a section, size being considered. :cool: