Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeff Campbell
Hello Ken,
I've recently come across this instrument. The string length is very long (over 44 - notice the false nut.) The neck joint sits on top of the body. Inside there are five braces, one in the middle (for the sound post) about 3" or so, two for the upper and two for the lower. All the braces are let into the linings. The front is perfled and the back is not. Black strip running down the back. There is an extra turn in the volute (sp?) Any thoughts? Perhaps this may be a N & H or Mittenwald bass?
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I would say N&H School at the least. Also, J.A. Baader was working around the same period but the scroll button is similar to the N-H models.
I often wonder with the old talk of cottage industry along with big factories and some bass specialists if there was much subcontracting going on between Firms or actual makers. The Export business was booming from what I have read so the possibility exists I think. Must be a monster sound. Can you post all of the measurements maybe?
My Mittenwalder Bass is starting to puzzle me though. It has the angle break rather then the gentle sloped back, no center back strip, only 4 cross bars in total with one in the center/post position and one across the angle break, the lower bout wide like a full sized bass (28"), the middle bout (14.75") and upper bout (21") like a full 3/4 with a string length of a full 3/4 bass (41.75"). Most of these Mittenwald basses I have seen were uniform in sizes, widths and string lengths, not a hybrid like this one. Mainly I think it's the 28" bottom that puzzles me for its general size. That to me is more like the Northern English Basses of the Tarr school. Perhaps they offered an 'English model' back then in the mid 19th century to compete with the English! Possibly?
According to at least two sources, Mittenwald was making some basses for Tarr, possibly Neuner. Although my Bass is not English, it is more of an English model in design than it is the typical Mittenwald style but sounds like an old German Bass. The Top arch looks Stainerish but the shoulder slope seems almost like a solo bass as compared so some of the other monster Mittenwalders I have seen. Maybe Solo/Orchestra was the model they had in mind. What do you think?