Lamy bass?

[Ola Petersson]

Hi!!

Im about to try a new bass and just wondering if any of you have any experience with Jerome Thibouville Lamy basses? This one is said to be a Jerome Thibouville Lamy, build by Charles Buthod in Paris 1895. Are there anything special to look for when i see and try the bass. What should a good price be?


http://a1.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/16/bf2f3db6accd4a18b071fa0018b6f447/l.jpg

[Ken Smith]

Hi!!

Im about to try a new bass and just wondering if any of you have any experience with Jerome Thibouville Lamy basses? This one is said to be a Jerome Thibouville Lamy, build by Charles Buthod in Paris 1895. Are there anything special to look for when i see and try the bass. What should a good price be?


http://a1.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/16/bf2f3db6accd4a18b071fa0018b6f447/l.jpg

Why is this a Lamy if built by Charles Buthod? How is it labeled?

Buthod became the director of the J.T. Lamy Factory and the key word here is 'Factory'. Also, Buthod DIED in 1889 so he didn't make 'anything' in 1895!

Also, this is a Mirecourt bass where the Lamy Factory was regardless of which dozen or so workmen were involved with the basses from the carving guild to the varnish guild and the violin guild workers.

I have a flatback Lamy (http://www.kensmithbasses.com/doublebasses/lamy/) that has just about the same outline and varnish.
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From Henley On-Line listing (http://www.ricercare.com/research/library/dictionary/b_contents.html);

BUTHOD, CHARLES LOUIS
Born at Mirecourt 1810. Worked with Vuillaume for several years at Paris. Set up large premises at Mirecourt and engaged several assistants. Yearly output (at cheap prices) totalled 800 violins, 401 violas and 50 ’cellos. Subsequently became director of the Thibouville-Lamy firm. Died 1889.
Three grades of strongly constructed violins - Stradivarian modelling - red, golden-yellow and light brown shades of oil varnish, frequently applied in the Vuillaume method.
Similar style in violas and ’cellos.
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Buthod Luthier
Elève de Sb. Vuillautne Ã* Paris
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(with two designs of medals)
Also silver-mounted bows. Stamped ‘Buthod A Paris’.

[Ola Petersson]

Ahh... Interesting!! This is just the information the seller gave me. He wrote "probably" build by Buthod in Paris.
Ive read that Lamybasses are both good and bad... Is it possible to tell something from the picture?
He will sell it for 17k, i know its a differnt market in Sweden than in the states but does the price seems reasonable?

[Ken Smith]

Ahh... Interesting!! This is just the information the seller gave me. He wrote "probably" build by Buthod in Paris.
Ive read that Lamybasses are both good and bad... Is it possible to tell something from the picture?
He will sell it for 17k, i know its a differnt market in Sweden than in the states but does the price seems reasonable?

Not made in Paris. Buthod moved to Mirecourt after working for Vuillaume.

As far as price goes, if fully restored and 42" or less string length, the price is excellent.

Mine is fully restored, re-graduated and is lighter now in weight and has a new neck with a 42" string length. It is so good as far as French basses go that, I am using the bass myself for Orchestra and jazz gigs along with a few other basses I rotate depending on the job. Mine is for sale listed at $28k, U$D.

So, if your basses is in an equal condition, it is a good buy. I have seen however that standards here for condition and set-up are far beyond what I see on basses coming over from Europe, at least to my eye.

[Ola Petersson]

Thank you for the information!
He wrote that its has a new bridge and endpin. A few professional sealed cracks. The neck is converted from 3 to 4 string and the stringlength is 42 inch.

It will be interesting to play the bass tomorrow

:)

[Ola Petersson]

I`ve now tryed it and it was ok. But there is some issues. There were no sticker/ label insided, there were no authentication certificate. And the flames in the wood and the back and sides were painted?!? Was that a common procedure in the old days?

[Ken Smith]

I`ve now tryed it and it was ok. But there is some issues. There were no sticker/ label insided, there were no authentication certificate. And the flames in the wood and the back and sides were painted?!? Was that a common procedure in the old days?

I have seen one on Tom Martin's site (http://www.thomasmartin.co.uk/sale_thibourville_double_bass.asp) with painted flames on the back and sides.

I can only assume this was a cheaper version. Real flamed wood is the most expensive of the maples. This was done on occasion in Germany and possibly Bohemia as well.

[Ola Petersson]

That one looks almost identical to the bass i tried.