Quote:
Originally Posted by Eric Hochberg
Here's the label. You can make out "Bohemia" to the right of the big stain. Maybe the circular logo looking mark on the far right will tell you something.
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On the bottom of the label there looks to be two words. What does the first word say? I think the second is Bohemia.
This Strad label is typical of export made Basses from the German/Czech border. The name 'Bohemia' is not used that often on labels from what I have seen being it covers a large area from the German border to Prague and beyond as seen
here and
here.
Personally I do not consider these types of Germanic style shop Basses as Bohemian just because they were made across the border. They look like are built like and sound like the same style German Basses from the early 20th century. I think using the name Bohemia on the Label is an attempt to add some type of mystique to the Bass as if to be of older handmade type Basses like those from Prague and the 19th century when Czech Basses looked like Czech Basses and not identical to German Basses.
In this country we have a handful of names that has been used on the labels after importing them which include
Juzek, Morelli, Pfretzschner etc. as mentioned earlier.
Even in Germany and throughout Europe they needed lower cost Basses for Schools, students and professionals that could not afford the handmade versions. Today we see these used for jazz and Pop music for two reasons. First, they sound thinner and amplify easier than a deep rich sounding Orchestral Classic Bass and two, the cost less because of it. For a moment, put yourself in the late 19th or early 20th century before Jazz ever existed but some of these Basses did and the Orchestra Pros in Germany preferred their Seitz, Neuner and Klotz style Basses. The Italians liked their domestic breed, the French Orchestra pros had the Bernadels, Gands and Jacquets and the English had the Dodds, Fendts and Lott Basses. Also, each country had some of each others classic Basses as well. So.. What to do with these factory or shop/cottage industry type Basses if they didn't sound so good in the Orchestra? Sell them to the students, Schools and those with less to spend. France also had there own factory/shop Basses but between the German/Czech border production and the Blockless wonders in the south, the world would soon be flooded with cheap Basses as it happened also with Violins that sold for as little as $5. 100 years ago and often with case and Bow.
Today, these Basses are from 40-80 years old on average (some older) and sound fairly good for todays Jazz players. For Orchestral playing, the demand is somewhat higher in terms of tone and evenness. Some modern makers out of the gate produce Basses sounding better than old shop Basses less its age, but that will come in time.