[Ken Smith]

Interesting looking Bass. My first guess is something German. The questions I need to ask is about the Scroll and Gears. Is that Scroll 100% original to 'that' Bass? Also, are the Gear the original Gears to that Scroll.

Basses from the south of Germany often have Back buttons similar to that. This is the Mittenwald school. On the other hand, we have seen Berlin area makers with nice stuff as well. This is not your typical 'shop bass' in any way. The slanted FFs remind me of the Tirol but that attribution is often thrown around a bit too often in my opinion.

Please confirm the Scroll and Gear questions I asked. Then I will try to take a better guess. I hope Arnold give his two cents. He has seem many more of these than I have. On thing I can say for now, I don't think it's French at all. The slanted FFs are common on the Northen English Basses but that long slender body form is Germanic in every way. Round Back Gamba Basses are not something you see often coming from England. It is very common however in Northern Germany. The south and Tirol are more common with Flatbacks from what I have seen from this period.

Ok, I just realized you said 'New' England, not England. I don't see much of anything there. It's just another interesting Scroll with some extra detail work. It doesn't look 'Yankee' to me at all. I think this guy you know is just 'fishing' for an answer to its origin. Again, this style of Bass is not Yankee either.