Where are they??

[Sebastian Nordstrom]

Hello folks. There has not been so much activity in this thread for a long time so maybe it's time to revive it.

To answer the question in the topic:
Well, one is in Copenhagen. I'm doing my masters here and for this weeks orchestra production, one of my class mates brought his work bass; 1830s Neuner. He's doing his trial year in the DR orchestra and the bass belongs to them. BIG busetto. The sound is not "in your face" but it literally shakes the floor. And when you go out in the hall, it is more and more present.

I think the label says "Johann" something "Neuner" 183something. It's super hard to get a decent photo but I will try. I'm also a horrible photographer.

[Sebastian Nordstrom]

Some more pictures. I don't know why some are upside down.

As I said, really tricky to get the label. We try not to handle each others basses so much at the moment, due to covid, otherwise I would have taken it out of the stand.

The bass has a little rosette under the fingerboard in the top, I also post a picture of that. And a photo of the basses next to it for size comparison. The first from the left is mine, since recently. Also an old mittenwald, but much smaller. It looks like a baby bass next to the neuner.

[Ken Smith]

The bass looks refinished and maybe the Top is new. I don't see the age there and the rosette?, never seen one on a German bass.

[Sebastian Nordstrom]

It might be refinished, I don't know. I agree that it is not the most charming brown.
If the top has been switched it would probably have been done a long time ago. I'm no expert but personally I think it is the original top. Is it a common thing to do, make a new top?
It's hard to capture with my not so good phone/bad photographic talent but it does look quite old when you get close, and look at the wear, texture (? maybe wrong word) and grain. The arching is very high. F-holes are nice I think, to bad I don't have a proper picture of the front.

About the rosette - I have only seen this on the internet, on super old italian basses. Maybe the "Johan" something "Nuener" who supposedly made this bass got inspired and decided to ad this feature?

[Ken Smith]

Well, usually that rosette is seen in a few small Maggini basses and old Viols. This is a big German bass. Totally out of character for that decoration. My guess is a new top as it doesn't have the wear and tear of an 1830s bass in my opinion.



New tops are made for basses that have accidents. I know one Panormo bass with a new/old top, a Strad violin with a new/old top, both mentioned were done shortly after they were made. Then I know a French bass that has a new top made and I had a bass that was new but the top was damaged in shipment so it got a new top from the same maker. So, new tops do happen when it seems the old one is too far damaged to repair or destroyed into splinters. Imagine that big bass taking a fall or the player falling on it for some reason. I have heard of that happening more than once.

[Sebastian Nordstrom]

It might be so I suppose. I will try to get som closer pictures next time I meet this bass!

Here is the same bass in action playing Brahms 2:
https://youtu.be/5MfuE50OrSk

No super good close-ups of the bass section, but for example at ca 4min and 7:35isch, the bass is a little more visible.

[Ken Smith]

Wow.. Nice.. The principal is a 4-string? Italian or English bass? Also I see mostly big 5s and one bass with Extension.. Nice mix. Great orchestra.. Which one is you?