Violone Grosso

[Calvin Marks]

Basically, I'm just really confused at what this instrument is...

Once I see frets on an instrument the idea of it being a modern bass goes out the window.

So...It's a fretted bass with five strings. Viennese Violone? That could work except the body is Italian in design. Think Stadlemann, Thir, Posch...

There is no such tuning as what you describe above. Once again. There were instruments (Italian especially) during the early Baroque and Renaissance that had six strings tuned like you have it but it had a high D above the A. The bass is built along heavy lines and the neck is at a fairly steep angle for a true period instrument. To each their own but I just don't get it.