Old German French Model

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Arnold Schnitzer

How do you account for the obviously French (and very old) tuners?

Those are NOT original to the Bass. The Bass has several filled in holes around the outer Scroll/Pegbox cheeks from German type gear plates. These tuners were added sometime after 1900 but are not the first tuners that Scroll/Pegbox has seen.

Like I said Maestro, this Bass wants to be French so bad that they even put French tuners on after it was made. Under UV light the Varnish all matches including the Scroll. If you look close at the pictures you will see all the filled holes from the German gear plates that were most likely original to the Bass.

[Arnold Schnitzer]

Are there marks showing where the plates were? There should be a difference in color there as well.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Arnold Schnitzer

Are there marks showing where the plates were? There should be a difference in color there as well.

Can you see all the screw holes in the pictures above? I think that with the current Gears being on the Bass for most of its life and the varnish touch up that the current color/oxidation looks fairly even now. Those plates take about 10 screws and that's how many filled holes I count each side. If the Plates were only on the Bass for about 20 years and the current Gears for 80 years I don't think there would be much difference in the color. The other way around? Yes, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

[Arnold Schnitzer]

Sorry, I'm not convinced. Bring the bass here tomorrow.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Arnold Schnitzer

Sorry, I'm not convinced. Bring the bass here tomorrow.

Me come to you? What a concept?

By the way, internally speaking what would one see looking at the linings and blocks that might differentiate a French Bass from a German Bass made in the same period like the Bass we are discussing here?

Also, what other differences would we see that definitely point to one country or the other?

'School's in'..

[Ken Smith]

This beautiful old 19th Century German Bass has just recently been Sold and is no longer available.

I don't think the current owner would mind if we kept this Thread open for educational purposes or further discussion.

[Phil Maneri]

Fine by me.

What was the resolution of the inspection of the interior? Was it's German origin clearer from that?