Free first bass! ID help?

[Josiah Goldsmith]

Hi Guys,
Can someone help me identify this bass please?

Background: Last October I was given this bass my art teacher. It sat in his class for years, and after begging for a year he finally let me have it! I put a pic on Talkbass to see if someone knew what it was, and a lovely guy in America sent me all the parts I needed to fix it! I spent a few weeks repairing it, and then got it set up. All in all, I got the bass for £100!

Here's some pics:
http://s1171.photobucket.com/user/Josiah_Goldsmith/library/Roumanian%20bass?sort=3&page=1

My teacher says it's 'got the best growl' he's ever heard. Apparently it's '4 times louder than mine' and he's asked for first refusal if I ever decide to sell it (which I don't, I can't imagine ever losing this bass).

I'm new to the forum btw. Been wanting to play for years and now I finally can!
Joe
PS Great forum Ken

[Josiah Goldsmith]

MOVED ALL PICS INTO PHOTOBUCKET LINK.

The awful repairs weren't by me. I just tried to clean them up and make them stable. I would never use anything but hide glue on a break like that!

[Ken Smith]

Pics are way too big. Thumbnails would be better.

It says Romania and it has a flat back of maple, 4 pieces? and a spruce top?

So that's what it is. Made in a factory and 10-20 years old or so, maybe more. I can't tell just by the condition.

Enjoy the bass. For that price, and how you got it, you can keep it forever till you grow out of it musically.

[Josiah Goldsmith]

Yes, 4 pieces maple back with a spruce top. It says 'Made in Roumania' so I'm assuming that's just a typo? It's much older than 20 years, it used to belong to the county music service for decades and it's been at my school at least 20 years. When I got it there was a receipt in it from 1950-something.

I honestly don't think I will grow out of it musically. My teacher (Terry Pack) and another bassist said they both loved it, and they both play hand-made instruments (I think my teacher has two Paul Bryant basses). It also sounds great bowed, though I've only ever heard my teacher play it (can't afford a bow).

[Ken Smith]

Ok, the Pic folder is a good idea BUT, You need a password to see them. So, No one can see anything now.

On the spelling (can't see your protected pics), that was their effort to write in English for Export. Like I said on the age, I can't tell from the pics and condition. The use history tells more so 1950s works fine. My high school got in a Romanian bass with a Mathias Thoma label around 1969-1970 or so. That was probably my first sight or a Romanian bass but with that name, I assumed it was German or something similar then. Now, I know better. Enjoy it.

[Josiah Goldsmith]

Fixed the link.
I'm assuming from the comments you're not a fan? That's fair enough, I'll admit it's nothing special to most people.

I've been playing bass guitars for years, and I've studied and continue to study lutherie (in the loosest sense of the word) so I know when something sounds good. This bass is honestly the exact sound I have in my head. You're welcome to try it if you're ever in England!

So we've determined:
Romanian
Shop built
1950's

Any ideas of how much it might be worth? It's fully carved btw