[Ken Smith]

It has been said that the American bass maker Prescott copied some old German bass. Prescott made many basses that were blockless with the raised shoulders and even made the Cello/church basses blockless as well. Many other bass makers of his time in New England did the same thing quite often.

Now, if the supposed age of the Blockless wonders whether German, Tirol or Bohemian is often listed as late 19th to early 20th centuries, Prescott school basses, supposedly based on the German school of making date from the early 19th century, not the late 19th.

I think it is safe to say that when blockless German school instruments were made (not just basses) and when they began to show up in USA are different dates. Just because we see these imports originating later in time does not make the onset of the model or style within those dates when they became available in USA.

Domestically speaking (over there), these were cheaper to make and sell than the Saxon style basses as well as Bohemian that were fully blocked and well carved. I would guess that for price alone, a few importers discovered these cheaper options and brought them in to sell in Sears and Wurlitzer as well according to an old catalogue I have seen.

Many old German school makers built Guitars and Lutes before Violins. Italy was the first to make actual Violin family instruments while Germany and Bohemia were still making Viols, lutes and Guitars. This blockless construction is basically guitar construction. I have seen many instruments in person and in picture that were missing one kind of block or another. Fully blocked instruments are considered the quality way of making and the standard of today.

So, I think it is safe to say that these blockless type basses can be much older then their USA import period. Some that I have seen look 150-200 years old and with good wood as well. Not something you would think was made to save money. Just built in that style for the domestic market. After all, what did Prescott have to copy in his time? An old blockless bass of some sort. Makes sense?