Recap on the Hart/Fendt mystery

[Ken Smith]

When we thought the Hart was a Fendt Bass we were trying to come up with some lettering to make a disc to replace whatever it was that fell out of the Bass originally. In Talking today with Duane Rosengard he agreed that a Disc with Olde English Lettering should go in that space. Either J.T.H. (John Thomas Hart), J.H. (John Hart) or J.Hart (as he marked his work.) This super fine Bass may have been specially made for an individual that had his name in that Space which is equally possible or even some type of emblem. Since we don't really know and the Space is already there, we need to put something in there if not just a plain Ebony Disc.

This is the space;


This is what we came up with when we thought it was a Fendt;


I am taking suggestions once again concerning what should go in the Space as well as Letter styles.

[Charles Federle]

I was thinking on a few ideas for your bass.

The first that came to mind was some sort of nice mother of pearl or abalone inlay, or a nice light colored wood carving of a flower, or perhaps a cameo.

Granted I think the hope diamond might be a nice choice as well, but there are some issues with that idea

[Ken Smith]

The Hart Bass is on its final leg of the restoration process. A few Purfling repairs and it goes into the 'Varnish Rack' For touch up. Arnold will rough out the new Chromatic Extension first and then start the Varnish process. There are a few new Edges, half-edged all around inside the Top, Tuner hole inlay pieces and new Scroll Cheeks to repair the damage from the ill-fitted brass plates.

I was at Arnold's shop today and much to my surprise, he had the Bass temporarily strung up for me to play. It looked like it was delicate with all the repair work exposed on the Top, Back, Ribs and Scroll but the Bass is strong as a Tank.

Even in its rough state, she sounded beautiful with sweetness on the G and D string and smooth low end spread on the A and E. The Bass was even sounding from top to bottom.

For the empty hole/missing emblem in the upper Back, I had a brass coin made to fit in the existing empty circle. The letters go around the edge and say "J.HART" (at the top as it was originally stamped inside the Bass 4x) and "LONDON" (at the bottom where it was made). The letters were engraved in the Brass and then the Coin was put in an ultra sonic machine to pre-oxidize it to match the aged look of the brass Baker gears. The letters were filled in with black ink as well to stand out.

The Hart coin looks nearly identical in color and age as do the original Baker Gears which by the way are fantastic. Today is the first time I have seen them mounted directly to the Scroll cheeks without the brass plates. What an improvement!

By the way, this is my personal Bass and not one I am trying to sell.

[Anselm Hauke]

ken, great to hear from the restauration progression.
i´m looking forward to new pictures

two months ago i was in england and visited turner violins, thomas martin, thwaites and peter georgiades and played MANY old english basses.
i envy you for the hart...

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Anselm Hauke

ken, great to hear from the restauration progression.
i´m looking forward to new pictures

two months ago i was in england and visited turner violins, thomas martin, thwaites and peter georgiades and played MANY old english basses.
"I envy you for the Hart"...

Ok, thanks. How do you feel then about the Gilkes? .. Just checking..lol

By the way, when you get the chance go over to the English Bass Thread and tell you about your English Bass visit and trials. Please describe each Bass as best as you can including condition, playability and sound. Price would be ok to mention as well. All nice Chaps there you mentioned..

[Anselm Hauke]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

By the way, when you get the chance go over to the English Bass Thread and tell you about your English Bass visit and trials. Please describe each Bass as best as you can including condition, playability and sound. Price would be ok to mention as well. All nice Chaps there you mentioned..

ken, i would have asked the same, but thats too much. then i also had to describe anything i´ve seen on my last visits to the dutch and parisian shops...

but let my tell you one thing: one of the best basses i played in england was a guitarshaped lott. absolutly beautiful but not for sale.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Anselm Hauke

ken, i would have asked the same, but thats too much. then i also had to describe anything i´ve seen on my last visits to the dutch and parisian shops...

but let my tell you one thing: one of the best basses i played in england was a guitarshaped lott. absolutly beautiful but not for sale.

Guitar shaped Lott? Where did you see that? How certain are they that it is a Lott or even English? If this is true, it really upsets the apple cart..lol