Little Bass ID

[Chris DeMarco]

A baby cello with frets?

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Chris DeMarco

A baby cello with frets?

Possibly so or small Church bass which was a basically and American Cello. My JB Allen originally had 3 frets inlaid in the first few positions, inlaid maple lines so show the NON-trained amateur player what notes to play with the singers. With the original neck and FB in hand, I can tell by the varnish wear on the neck that only a few notes were played over and over again. No Simandl training back then, just fistacuffs technique.

[Chris DeMarco]

If I decide to practice some repairs on it, where should I start? I'm thinking either the front or scroll. The front is split in two, the smaller half has a bad F hole crack that is several inches long and the larger half has several smaller cracks towards the bottom. If I start with the front, should I do small cracks first then put the two pieces back together or should it be in all one piece first? Good place to get spare wood for the inside patching? When I get around to the corners, I'll want to know what type of wood the top is made of, any ideas? My guess is pine? As far as the rest of the body, I'll need some veneer for those sides, not sure what that's made of either.

Since it's just a fun project should I just use wood glue or will that just make more of a problem for myself?

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Chris DeMarco

If I decide to practice some repairs on it, where should I start? I'm thinking either the front or scroll. The front is split in two, the smaller half has a bad F hole crack that is several inches long and the larger half has several smaller cracks towards the bottom. If I start with the front, should I do small cracks first then put the two pieces back together or should it be in all one piece first? Good place to get spare wood for the inside patching? When I get around to the corners, I'll want to know what type of wood the top is made of, any ideas? My guess is pine? As far as the rest of the body, I'll need some veneer for those sides, not sure what that's made of either.

Since it's just a fun project should I just use wood glue or will that just make more of a problem for myself?

I think this is a huge project and asking online rather than training in a shop by a real Luthier is not the way to go. You need to know the basics and your questions tell me you have very little understaning of how these are made, repaired and with what materials. Imagine your car is damaged in an accident or even a human. Asking questions like this is a sure way something or someone will not make it. Get some training or at least a bit of education on the subject. The more you learn, the more you will realize what you are asking above.

[Chris DeMarco]

Your right Ken, I'm just going to clean it up and hang it on a wall since I have no intention of becoming a "Luthier" anytime soon.

Any ideas on the three piece scroll? Haven't seen one of those on an early American bass and I've seen quite a few.

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

I think this is a huge project and asking online rather than training in a shop by a real Luthier is not the way to go. You need to know the basics and your questions tell me you have very little understaning of how these are made, repaired and with what materials. Imagine your car is damaged in an accident or even a human. Asking questions like this is a sure way something or someone will not make it. Get some training or at least a bit of education on the subject. The more you learn, the more you will realize what you are asking above.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Chris DeMarco

Your right Ken, I'm just going to clean it up and hang it on a wall since I have no intention of becoming a "Luthier" anytime soon.

Any ideas on the three piece scroll? Haven't seen one of those on an early American bass and I've seen quite a few.

Probably easier to have them spool cut and glue them on like they did a century later on the Kay basses.

Hang it on the wall unless you want to start a new profession in instrument making.

[Scott Pope]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

fistacuffs

There's a word I haven't seen in awhile. And, of course, everything comes full circle. Church bands, then organ, then orchestra (with or without organ), then electronic keyboard instruments due to the high cost of purchase and maintenance of a traditional pipe organ, now with some "contemporary" services, back to a church band, now electrified. But from what I've seen, the same comment about technique still applies.